3D maps are patterns generated procedurally in three dimensions. For example, Marble has a grain that goes through the assigned geometry. If you cut away part of an object with marble assigned as its texture, the grain in the cutaway portion matches the grain on the object's exterior.
By adjusting coordinate parameters, you can move a map relative to the volume of the object to which it is applied.
The Cellular procedural map generates a pattern that's useful for a variety of visual effects, including mosaic tiling, pebbled surfaces, and even ocean surfaces.
Dent is a 3D procedural map. During scanline rendering, Dent creates a random pattern based on fractal noise. The effect of the pattern depends on the map type.
The Falloff map generates a value from white to black, based on the angular falloff of the face normals on the surface of the geometry.
The Marble map produces a marbled surface with colored veins against a colored background. A third color is automatically generated.
The Noise map creates random perturbation of a surface based on the interaction of two colors or materials.
The Particle Age map is for use with particle systems. Typically you assign the Particle Age map as a Diffuse Color map, or in Particle Flow with the Material Dynamic operator. It alters the color (or map) of a particle based on the particle's life. The particles in a system begin as one color. At a specified age, they begin changing (by interpolation) to a second color, and then they change again to a third color before they die out.
The Particle MBlur (Motion Blur) map is for use with particle systems. The map alters the opacity of the leading and trailing ends of particles based on their rate of motion. The map is usually applied as an opacity map, but you can use it as a diffuse map for special effects.
The Perlin Marble map generates a marble pattern using the Perlin Turbulence algorithm. This map is an alternative to Marble, which is also a 3D material.
Smoke is a 3D map that generates amorphous, fractal-based turbulent patterns. It's primarily designed for animated Opacity maps to simulate the effects of smoke in a beam of light, or other cloudy, flowing effects.
Speckle is a 3D map that generates a speckled surface pattern that's useful as a Diffuse Color map or Bump map to create granite-like and other patterned surfaces.
Splat is a 3D map that generates a fractal surface pattern that is useful as a Diffuse Color map for creating a pattern similar to spattered paint.
Stucco is a 3D map that generates a surface pattern that is useful as a Bump map to create the effect of a stuccoed surface.
Waves is a 3D map that creates watery or wavy effects. It generates a number of spherical wave centers and randomly distributes them over a sphere. You can control the number of wave sets, the amplitude, and the speed of the waves. This map works effectively as both a diffuse and bump map at the same time. It can also be useful in combination with an opacity map.
Wood is a 3D procedural map that renders a wavy grain-like pattern throughout the volume of an object. You can control the direction, thickness, and complexity of the grain.
