As you already know applying bump maps in 3ds Max or VIZ is a very important method of conserving memory by simulating geometry, rather than actually creating it.  There are limitations, of course, because the bumps are an illusion created at render time and pushing the bump Amount too high results in the unconvincing surfaces.

In the image above you can see that I've increased the Bump Amount to 80 to get an acceptable level of depth to the grout, but the noise map types used within each brick is much too strong.  This poses a dilemma because if I reduce the bump amount so that the split face is acceptable than the chrome lines will be too shallow. I could change the grayscale values of the map, but there's another method is usually better, especially if the map should be a bitmap, not a procedural.

The answer is in the Output rollout

Many of the map types in 3ds Max and VIZ have an Output rollout that contains a Bump Amount numeric field.  This is a multiplier value that acts on this particular bump map only and will not affect the Tiles map above it.  In the next image you'll see that I've entered a bump amount of 0.5 which reduces the Noise's effect by half

The result is a more pleasing effect between the height of the block and the roughness of the split face.

Some maps, Cellular for example, don't have any Output rollout.  However, you can apply an Output map type and keep the old map as sub map to get the same functionality.  You can nest maps is deeply as you want and control the bump level for each individual map in this manner for very good control.

Good luck and have fun.