Self-Illuminating Maps?
 

Does anyone know if it's possible to create a self-illuminating map in maya? For example, say I was creating a wide-angle view of a futuristic cityscape and want to create the hundreds of lights in each skyscraper. I read on another forum (not-maya specific) that one way would be to create a self-illuminating map. Anyone know more about this and how I'd go about it in Maya?

Check out your shaders' "INCANDESENCE" channel:)

Also, check F1 for specific usage, and pros and cons.

For example, one con is that it only "fakes" illumination, it doesn't actually "emit" light onto anything else.

TIP: If you remap your incandesence map to your shaders' glow effect, you can get a teeny bit more controll over your fake illumination:)

Ah, okay. Now if I make a texture in photoshop with several squares representing the windows, I should be able to add an alpha to this where the actual boxes representing the windows can be varying shades of gray and connect the Incandesence to it...the varying shades of gray in the alpha would determine the brightness or am I way off?

egg-zactly mate!

Cool beans...thankee!

Cool:)