3ds Max Modifiers - Displace
Displace is often used to make terrains or to add finer texture to 3d models with out having to model in extra texture. What I have found is that it can also be used in a very controlled way to manipulate geometries. With the use of procedural texture maps or bitmaps one can can make large scale manipulation to geometry with minimal effort. I tend to use this techniques if I need to quickly iterate design options on a facade.
The Displace modifier acts as a force field to push and reshape an object's geometry. You can apply its variable force directly from the modifier gizmo, or from a bitmapped image.
Also See : 3ds Max - Modeling with Images
My 2 Cents :Displace is often used to make terrains or to add finer texture to 3d models with out having to model in extra texture. What I have found is that it can also be used in a very controlled way to manipulate geometries. With the use of procedural texture maps or bitmaps one can can make large scale manipulation to geometry with minimal effort. I tend to use this techniques if I need to quickly iterate design options on a facade. For example on a project I want to step a store front system within a range of 5 feet. This in conjunction with the planar poly technique I was able to test quite a few options with out spending hours snapping planes on a grid. Displace provides a great to change a lot of geometry very quickly.
