[macray]

If I ever take part in that challenge and get the download file for the existing materials:

- will there be an oderly naming of all the materials or just the naming the author gave it?
- will there be a preview picture for every material?
- will the material paths be adjusted to use main maxwell material path or do I have to do it for every material that uses a user-defined material myself?

I'm tempted to take part, but otherwise: I doubt anyone will still have an overview over 1500 materials that are named different ways for each and we have to setup the paths for.....

So can anyone give me some answers?

[Mihai]

In 1.5 you don't have to change paths anymore. The search for textures is much better.

[macray]

And what about the naming and sorting?

[Mihai]

I have no idea Although me personally I prefer to have the material database online, don't see any inconvenience to it.

[JTB]

I have no idea Although me personally I prefer to have the material database online, don't see any inconvenience to it.

It is a bit slower this way, but you're right, you can always see the last additions

[nicole]

Hi Macray,

The materials do have preview pictures, but they are not re-named or re-organized by us. They have the names that the authors gave them, which are usually descriptive and clear, with a few exceptions.

The materials are ordered alfabethically by name, you can download all 1500 materials bit by bit.

Thanks,

Nicole

[macray]

thanks for the explanations!

[wimver]

which are usually descriptive and clear

...if you speak flluent italian and spanish...

[zoppo]

which are usually descriptive and clear

...if you speak flluent italian and spanish...

who doesn't? me speaky tutto italiano é molto espagnola whole horas del diario! no problemo!

[macray]

wie wäre es, wenn NL alle Mats und Texturen und Previews so benennt, das sie eindeutig sind?

how about NL renaming everything so wie have a certain naming sequence that can be found back and gives a name/ numbering system to the material it's used textures and the preview, so the same number appears in all the names that belong to one material?!

Until now not even the preview pics have some recognizable naming so I rename everything that I download, so the pictures have the same names as the mxm/zip-files.

It's very hindering to have to rename it every time. And that is the reason why I ask!

[GavinScott]

I think there should be an option to embed all texture and other external data directly into the MXM file to produce a truly portable material file.

If this were the case then you could just have one folder called "Materials" and dump everything in there, and the only name involved would be the material name which would be the same as the file name.

For me it was quite depressing after seeing the totally amazing materials gallery to find that there's no standard whatsoever for naming and the installation of a material. You have to explode a zip file out and organize the components of the material manually, dealing with arbitrary naming, etc.

The other thing lacking is any sort of useful material catalog outside of the web site. Each material should come with an embedded preview image which is the full render from the gallery using the standard material test scene. It should be possible to organize your materials on your machine in a hierarchy and attach your own descriptive, searchable, tags to each one and to browse/search visually by category and via text/tag searches.

So yes, please make materials management live up to the promise of the industry leading materials gallery!

G.