Diffusing opacity and other maps.

Texturing or coloring a prop gives more realism to the prop if done properly. It also makes a cartoon type prop fit into the scene better. This is all accomplished with channels and maps. To be more specific, it's accomplished with a map channel.

These map channels can hold color or an image. In most models, the image (texture) can be a very complex image that reflects what the model should look like such as wood, concrete, and cloth. It can be a combination of materials or a single material. A single map can also represent many different parts of the model such as skin tone for skin, cloth for clothing, concrete for sidewalks, and asphalt for streets. Simply stated, channels are placeholders for images. The next image demonstrates how using a good texture with a primitive can create a nice looking prop:

You can load an image into a map channel by double-clicking on the channel or you can drag-and-drop the diffuse maps onto objects with your left mouse button. The map channels work on clothing, props, terrains, skies, and other content.