Q: Recently, when I finished the book 'Working with 3D Studio' from Sybex, I saw at the end of the book a nice picture with objects that reflecting on a box. I tried this but I only get a reflection on a GSphere.

Can somebody explain to me how does reflection works? Or give me a URL where this subject is explained.

A: There are two kinds of Automatic reflections in 3DS. The one works perfectly with curved objects like spheres and is called Automatic Cubic Reflection Map. The other works ONLY with planar surfaces (actually only with a set of coplanar faces) and is called Automatic Flat Reflection Map. To create a reflective box, you have to use the second.

If only one side of the box will reflect, do the following:

1. Go to material editor, create a new material with black Diffuse color and White specular color, set the shininess as you do for glas or plastic. Click on the [A] in the Reflection Maps slot, set Flat to Yes.
2. Name the material and make it current.
3. Go to 3D Editor, use Select/Face/Quad (*Window) and select the faces of the one side of the box.
4. Go to Surface/Material/Assign/Faces , turn [Selected] on and assign the material only to the selected faces.
If you want every side of the box to be a mirror, you will have to select each side and use Create/Face/Detach (Selected) to create separate objects. Don't attach them again!

You may NOT assign a flat reflective material to a whole Object!

You need mapping coordinates only if there is another Texture map in the material - the reflection uses the normals of the faces for its orientation.

Flat reflections cannot see other flat reflections - this works only with automatic cubic reflections!