---
title: "Redshift Material Output Node"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/r3d/3dsmax/en-us/Content/html/Output_Node.html"
section_path: "Shaders > Output Node"
description: "The Material Output represents the actual material within the shader node environment and collects the definitions for the material via its inputs. In …"
---

# Redshift Material Output Node

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# Output Node

## Introduction

The Material Output represents the actual material within the shader node environment and collects the definitions for the material via its inputs. In many cases, it is sufficient to connect the *Surface* input, because all color, luminance, reflectance, transparency and bump/normal mapping properties are already exchanged via this input. Therefore, for many materials, the connection of a Redshift *Material* node is sufficient.

In addition to the *Surface* properties, other material definitions can be made using the other inputs on this node, e.g. for *Displacement*. For some special materials it is necessary to use the inputs for *Volume* or *Environment* instead of the *Surface* input.

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| ![Image: 3ds_Material_Output_Basic_UI.png](https://help.maxon.net/r3d/3dsmax/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/3ds_Material_Output_Basic_UI.png) |
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## Inputs

### Surface

This port expects a surface Material and is the most common input for Redshift materials like the Standard Material or Toon Material.

### Displacement

This port expects displacement information as output by the *Displacement* node. This attribute can be combined with the *Surface* definition to add deformations to the mapped geometry.

### Volume

This input expects volume information as output by a *Volume* shader like the [Standard Volume](https://help.maxon.net/r3d/3dsmax/en-us/Content/html/Material%2BStandard%2BVolume.html.md). This combination is needed to render volumetric smoke, clouds, fire or explosions loaded with the *Redshift Volume* object.

### Environment

This input expects color information, for example, from an *Environment* node, but even a simple color will work here as well. This input can be used together with *Surface* or *Displacement* to include a virtual environment to the material, that is used for reflection simulation.

When using a color or texture as an environment shader consider using it with a UV Projection node and setting the mode to Spherical.

### Viewport

This port is used to control how a shader is previewed in the viewport by attaching a shader, including support for shaders that are compatible in the 3ds Max viewport but not compatible with Redshift. This only affects viewport rendering and not final rendering.

### Surface Map

This port can be used to connect a texture map directly.

### Contour

This port only works with a [Contour shader](https://help.maxon.net/r3d/3dsmax/en-us/Content/html/Utility%2BContour.html.md) to create outlines around objects. This is frequently used with a [Toon Material](https://help.maxon.net/r3d/3dsmax/en-us/Content/html/Material%2BToon.html.md) but it can be used with any Surface shader.