Rob - The HDR file comes packaged with the matlab scenes that you can download from this site.

i must be retarded because i follow the insstructions .. but when i open up 3dmax i can't find any of the materials i downloaded from here

Perhaps the getting started video can help you track down a solution:nhttp://mrmaterials.com/jef...orial.html

EXCELENTE PAGINA, SE QUE CADA DIA ESTARA MEJOR

Yes excelent page. Si una web excelente.

Hi,

Sorry, I am new at this? when i download a material i dont get it in ".mat" format when a unzip it?

Somebody please??

You'll have a file that may or may not have the '.mat' extension. Under the 'Type' column in Windows Explorer it may be described as a 'Microsoft Office Access Table Shortcut.' That's your '.mat' file. Drop it in your Materials folder and then open it in Max's 'Material Editor.' You won't need to add the extension. At least I don't in Vista Business Ultimate.

This time I got it in the materialeditor but when I put it in the material library and open the material library in 3DS MAX the material is splitted in 4-5 materials. and the preview of the material is black... I also copied the maps to the mapfolder in 3DS MAX? I dont get, i think i have missed something?

I also tried to download a glass material from this website, and when I unziped it I only got a blank white file with no format ".mat"
The filename was for example "PPGStarphire-jbm" but as I said with no format like ".mat" or "Microsoft Office Access Table Shortcut"

I even watched the "getting started video" but it only shows how to make and upload a material, not how to download and use it. Maybe for some of you its obvious how to do that, but as a said before I am totally a newbie? I have only worked with 3DS MAX for 2-3 weeks...

Appreciate your assistance

Ok, let's try to get you going. I'm going to use the material above as an example. You may do some steps a little differently but I'll tell you what I do and you can change whatever you want.

1) Click the 'Download' link above and get the file. You'll get 'Basic_chrome_JP.rar.' I put it in a folder named 'MR Materials Downloaded." It's my backup folder for all the MR Materials that I find online.

2) Unzip (actually UnRar the file). You'll have...'Metal-galvanized-JP' (your .mat file which isn't showing an extension...which you don't need to add. Max figures it out) and 'Metal-galvanized-JP.jpg' which is a sample render of the texture.

3) Copy 'Metal-galvanized-JP' to your materials folder. I don't like the default path because it is inconvenient to navigate to so I've made a folder on my drive called 'E:MaxMaps'. Under that I have 'MaxMats' where I moved all my .mat files.

4) Copy 'Metal-galvanized-JP.jpg' to a folder. Again, I don't like Max's default paths so I have another folder under 'E:MaxMaps' called 'Metals.'

So now I have this directory structure

E:
E:MaxMaps
E:MaxMapsMaxMats (holds my .mat files)
E:MaxMapsMetalsMetal-galvanized-JP.jpg (the chrome texture example). Note: some materials will have actual maps that come with them. If the chrome had come with one I still would put it in this folder.

5) Open Max. Make sure the render engine is MR. If it's Scanline you'll get a black preview.

6) Open the Material Editor and navigate to the 'Metal-galvanized-JP' material in the material library list. Double-click or drag it into Material Editor. It shows up in a slot and looks like a glass ball with a couple of highlights. (Yours might look different if you've changed the default display of maps)

7) Now just assign it to an object and render.

It's that straightforward. The only other thing you'll run into is if the texture has several associated maps. For example it might have a bump map and a diffuse map. If so, go in to Max under 'Customize' and make sure the folder where you placed the maps is added to the "Configure User PathsExternal Files' list. For my setup I just selected my 'E:MaxMaps' and chose the option to include all 'subfolders.' That way as I add material folders to my master directory, Max always find them without any problem.

I hope this helps. Others might do it differently from me but we always learned in art school..."copy the style and learn how to paint like one of the masters and then at least you know one way to paint. Then go develop your own style." Same here. Try it my way and get it to work. Then modify it to the way you like to work. At least you'll have a known method to start from and if it works OK you can then try to figure out why your method is failing.

Good luck

Don't know how I got that 'Title' (Owner?...I'm typing way too fast today I guess) in my post above. Anyway, write back if you still have trouble...Have a good 4th of July if you are in the USA...

Thanks for providing assistance Rob.

Hi, thanks a lot... I understand much more now.

But when I opened this material "above" in the materialbrowser I got an error messege saying "Error Loading ParamBlock2" and when I click ok I get a new message saying "Invalid file- only partially loaded."

The good news is that I tried to open another wood material and it worked untill I noticed that the woodmaterial was black, but all the other maps from that file worked perfectly??

To show u what I mean I emailed you a picture of my material browser problem?

Once again thanks a lot, appreciate it

Pay close attention to file versions. You're trying to use a file that's for 3dsmax 2008 & newer with an older version of 3dsmax. You're using 3dsmax9 which is older than 3dsmax 2008, 2009, or 2010.

See this image:
http://jeffpatton.net/Temp/mrm_file_versions.jpg

Thx so much... it solved one big issue ive got for a long time now..Ive got 3DS max "9" not "2009"

But there are probably materials for 3ds max 9 to?

thx a lot guys

"But there are probably materials for 3ds max 9 to?" - Yes, the vast majority of materials available here are Max9 compatible. FWIW, the materials I personally have uploaded are not Max9 friendly as I don't have Max9 installed any longer.

At some point maybe the site here will be updated provide an option for users to sort materials by 3ds Max version...although a search like that would rely on users properly filling out that file version field. I wouldn't expect any updates like that soon though.

That wount be any problems... I can spend some time searching for 3ds max 9 materials... You already do alot of stuff for us... so thank you for all your help...

Johan,

It works fine for me in Max 2009. I don’t have an earlier version to test. Keep posting.

I don’t know what’s the problem now. Jeff is going to have to help you. I’m not sure what else to tell you.

Do you get a ‘Path Error’ message when you load the file with Max asking where the files are? Once open does the teapot actually render black too as well as the material showing up black in ‘Material Editor’?

You might try this. Go into ‘Asset Tracking’ (Shift + T) and make sure it is correct. Make sure under ‘Status’ that it has found the files in your locations. If not, ‘right-click’ on each one and choose ‘Strip Path.’ Then go and ‘Set Path.’ Let me know if that helps.

Rob

Phwoar this is f**king sexy, nice job, i need more materials of this high quality.

THAT WAS AWASOME...................THANK YOU MY LORD

Are these Maya compatable? Maya doesn't recognize the mat format no matter where I put it.

3ds Max .mat files do not work with Maya.

i have read faq and install material tutorial from site, read all posts, but still have problem.
i'm using 3dsmax2010,i setted render to mentalray, i extract under materiallibraries, clicked on get material and load the file.mat. the texture i don't know where it must be placed, i have putted here: C:ProgrammiAutodesk3ds Max 2010maps as a previous post said.
i applied the material to a box and rendered, but the box is black...

Texture? There's no texture maps associated with this file! You simply extract the .rar file, open the .mat file with the 3ds Max material editor and then apply the material to your geometry & render. That's it.

Have you properly configured the 3ds Max scene that you're testing with? This is a highly reflective material so unless you've given it something to reflect it may simply be reflecting the default black environment, thus making it appear as though it's not working.

FWIW this material is basically the same thing as the chrome A&D preset and/or the chrome promaterial preset so you could try using those instead.

lol you are right...i'm a noob! thanks

Thanks Jeff, that was nice and actually, comparing the presets with the default Chrome from MR I'm impressed about the subtle differences and the difference that it makes at the time of rendering!