When you're developing characters and props for games, you might have a low resolution version of a character and a high resolution version (object or group) of the same character.

The Ultimapper property uses RenderMap to bake various attributes of the high resolution source — such as normals, surface color, ambient occlusion, and so on — into maps that can be applied to the low-resolution destination object. You can then apply these maps to the destination object via a mental ray or realtime-shader render tree and preview them in a viewport.

This is ideal for game development, where a quick and easy way to transfer high levels of surface detail (color, bump, and so on) onto a low-polygon, game-friendly object is often required.

Before Ultimapper

Shown above, in shaded display mode, is a head with a very detailed mesh, and two spheres used as eyes. The head is lit by two spotlights.	Here is the same head and eyes, as they appear when rendered. Note the high level of surface detail.

After Ultimapper

Shown here, in shaded display mode, is a head with a very simple mesh. The Ultimapper tool was used to transfer the surface details of the complex and eyes surface detail onto this simple head.	The results are shown above, in a DirectX display mode preview. As you can see, much of the complex head's surface detail was transferred onto the simple head, whose low mesh density is visible mostly in the outline.