Position Map
Baked map of where each point sits on the model
Also known as: Painter position map · Position bake · Height gradient mask · Substance Painter position
Definition
A position map is a mesh map that stores where each point of the model sits in space, usually as a gradient from the bottom to the top of the object. In Substance Painter it is baked with the other mesh maps and used by generators and smart masks to apply effects according to height, for example dirt that is heavier near the ground and lighter higher up, or rust that gathers at the bottom of a metal part.
In production
Use it to make gradients across a whole object without painting them by hand, and combine it with ambient occlusion and curvature for natural results. Because it is based on the model's bounding box, a position map is relative to the object, so scale and orientation matter. It is a tool for masks, not a texture you export.
Tools that use Position Map
See also
Mesh Maps
Maps baked from the model that drive generators
World Space Normal Map
Normals baked in world coordinates
Smart Mask
Mask presets driven by baked mesh maps
Generator (Substance Painter)
Procedural mask effect driven by mesh maps
Ambient Occlusion
Soft contact shadows
Curvature Map
Edge highlight + cavity shadow data