Updated!
This is an updated version of the original release. Here’s what’s new:
- New normal and bump/displacement maps – created from the original footage with help by specially developed software
- Reworked and enhanced specular maps – can now directly be used as a roughness map with modern renderers
- Three color variations for every texture – created from photographic reference
- Ready-to-use material setups – starting with Corona™ for 3ds Max™. More to follow according to demand (let us know below!)
Details
Stonework and Masonry
The collection contains 60 large-scale stonework and masonry textures of differing types and styles, reaching from rough cobblestone walls to classical and even modern stonework.
New & Improved Maps
In addition to the three color variations, each texture consists of maps containing information to surface normals, surface height, and reflectivity – all essential for realistic rendering results.
Area vs. Resolution
Resolution is not the sole factor when judging a texture’s quality. Another one is the real-world size of the area covered, which should always correspond to the texture’s application, i.e. a texture meant to cover a wall should be the size of a wall.
The textures of this collection each cover an area of 30m² (320ft²) on average, while still providing enough resolution for close-ups.
New ready-to-use materials
We have included ready-to-use material setups for Corona™ (for 3ds Max™ 2017+) and Vray™ (for 3ds Max™ 2020+). Materials setups for other software following soon! Let us know below which we should prioritize.
How to Use
Normal Maps vs. Displacement
While displacement mapping usually yields far superior results, normal mapping has its uses. For games and other real-time applications, normal maps are still indispensable. And even in 3D rendering, normal mapping is often sufficient where the displacement effect is too subtle to be noticed (e.g. when viewed from far away).
Please note that our normal maps are flip-Y encoded by convention, meaning the V channel (green) needs to be inverted within the material settings.
Correct gamma settings for maps
When adding texture maps to a material, the correct gamma setting for the map should be set. Please consult the documentation of your rendering software to learn how this is done.
| Map type | Gamma setting |
| Diffuse (_d), Specularity (_s) | Gamma 2.2 (Default Gamma) |
| Normals (_n), Bump (_b) | Gamma 1.0 (No Gamma) |
Vary material parameters
We chose a good average when preparing the ready-to-use materials, but none of these values should be seen as set in stone. Experiment with roughness and displacement settings to easily adjust any material to your needs.
For example, you could increase the brightness of the specular map (e.g. via its output multiplier) to make the material appear shinier.
Texture file management
Best practice is to copy all texture files to a local hard drive to have them at the ready. Use an SSD for faster access speeds. Put map files into appropriate sub-folders, e.g., ‘maps\stonework’.
Tell your rendering software where to look for texture maps. Most offer a configuration dialog where you can add new folders.
