Displacement Mapping - Please Help

[jmb3dartist]

I am a student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and I am working on a research paper on Displacement Mapping. Can anyone give me any information on the subject, the methods, applictions, How to's. Anything would be helpful! Thanks in advance Justin!

[Brent]

a displacement map is similar to a bump map except that it actually changes the shape of the mesh.
It`s information is stored in it`s greyscale value.
The change in height of the mesh is related to the shde of grey in the map.
A value of white has no effect on a mesh where a value of black has the most effect.Any value of grey in between white and black can be used.
A flat plane with a displacement map applied of a white bkgnd with a black X in the middle[jpeg format].The mesh will change to take on the shape of the image.The mesh will now be flat with an imbossed X in the middle of it.The denser the mesh the better the quality of the map information.
You can use either bitmap images or actual maps.In Max I think you have a default dent,wood.marble displacement maps....these are placed in the displacement slot of the material editor.