Changes for v2.60 RC2 are:
- Adds support for 64-bit Max 9
- I can't find any information on other changes

Changes for v1.1 are:
- You can now export skin/bone animated meshes zeroing the transforms first
- Fixes a bug where the second export would fail
- The last folder used for textures is now remembered

I'm going to be away for a few days, and won't be able to update the site until Thursday 27th. I've also removed the forum for a while. It's been getting spammed so much recently that I can't be bothered to keep removing the bad posts. Dave

Changes for v2.06 are:
- Crosswalk for XSI now supports relative and absolute paths
- Polymatricks operator no longer affects the skinning computation on import
- CgFX/Collada Export: surface parameters no longer have wrong type
- Collada: when exporting skinning, hierarchy is now maintained
- Collada: fixes output of XSI unit values
- Crosswalk importer now works with XSI v6.5
- Textures are now exported in the Japanese Max version

The 2D SRG file format is based on the .PNG standard graphic format, but it has a number of big advantages. The images 'remember' their position in space from when they were a 3D format, so you can add 100% precise hot-spots, you can also change colors or 'status' with a mouse-click. In addition, you can define data fields, embedded in the same images to link the graphics with any database. ExpertSys has already developed all the necessary API's for the SRG format, so that it can be used in any programming language.

Smart Render Graphic Exporter is available for Max 9 and costs $245. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v3.04E include:
- Adds export of animation layers as COLLADA animation clips
- No longer throws an 'invalid URI target' error when importing exported animation layers
- Fixes animation tangent inconsistencies after export
- Drag & Drop now works like File > Import
- Exporting multi/sub-object material with < 6 set numbers no longer crashes
- ColladaMax .dae import now has the same mesh translate as ColladaMaya

Changes for v4.03 are:
- Performance is up to 40 times faster for Max 7 and above
- Adds a new feature called Flatten
- Improves even-out algorithm for Coons and Loft Surfaces

Orionflame is available for Max 6 to 9 and costs $149. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for 64-bit Max 9
- No longer crashes if a diffuse texture isn't a bitmap

Changes for v4.0 are:
- New algorithm for polygon mapping
- New user interface
- Improved speed

PolygonMap is available for Max 8 and 9, and costs $30. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v2.4 are:
- Adds support for Max 9 (32-bit and 64-bit)

This version of Foley Studio is available for Max 9 and costs $375. Registered users of the previous version can upgrade for $125 here. A demo version is available here.

The latest new build of Brazil r/s v2, build 1348, is now available from the SplutterFish FishMarket Account (if you have upgraded to Brazil r/s v2). You can find a full list of enhancements and bugfixes here.

Donya Research have lowered the price of their Simplygon Max plugin. It used to cost $999, but now only costs $299.

Simplygon Max is available for Max 8 and 9, and costs $299. A demo version is available here.

Exports Max scenes to the SZM file format, used in the simple game engine also available at the link above.

SolidRocks is a scripted plugin which automates the complex process of rendering setup in V-Ray. You just choose the image size and quality you need, and click on 'Render'.

The purpose of SolidRocks is to give you the best of the V-Ray engine without needing any knowledge of its internals. It adjusts all of the V-Ray settings according to the chosen resolution and quality, trying to attain the best render-time to quality ratio.

SolidRocks is available for Max 9 and costs €14. A demo version is available here.

The developers of NodeJoe have released a new public beta version for testing (v0.861).

Changes for v0.861 are:
- 'Locale-bug' was fixed (occured in non-English OS versions)
- Backburner Rendering is now running again
- 'Hide incompatible materials' now checks the production renderer instead of the MEdit renderer

This was originally a commercial plugin, but it has now been recompiled for Max 8 and 9 (32-bit and 64-bit) and released as freeware.

Special Purpose Particles consists of two particle systems (Halo and Phasor) and one spacewarp (Vertex Lock). Halo creates a system of particles which rotate in a generally circular path about an axis, Phasor creates a system of particles which flow from one end of the icon to the other in a wavelike path, and Vortex Lock is a particle motion controller which 'grabs' particles, spins them into a whirling vortex, then locks them into a stable rotation path.

Thanks go to Eric Peterson for giving me the source code, and Kyle Strawitz who got the ball rolling.

Orbaz Technologies is now accepting requests for the alpha/beta testing of its upcoming plugin Particle Flow Tools: Box#2 and the next release of Box#3.

The initial phase of alpha/beta testing will be restricted to Max 9 and 2008 (on 32-bit and 64-bit OS). Individuals and companies with experience working with Particle Flow, Box#1 and Box#3 are encouraged to apply. Please send requests for alpha/beta testing to Orbaz Support by using this request form.

Please keep in mind that at this phase of the testing it is necessary to have the current version of Particle Flow Tools: Box#3. There will be another round (but not this one) of beta testing for Box#2 that does not require the presence of Box#3.

If you were a registered user of Th0r from Sisyphus Software, I would love to hear from you! I've recompiled Th0r for Max 8 and 9, but due to licensing restrictions I can only give this update to registered users. Just send me an email with your name and serial number, and I will send you a copy of the update.

I will only be able to send this out to people who are on the list of registered users, so if you never bought the plugin, don't bother sending me a mail asking for it.

The same thing also applies to all registered users of Druid. If you ever bought the plugin, send me an email with your name and serial number, and I will send you a copy of the update.

fryrender is an unbiased spectral renderer. It is physically-based up to the point where all elements involved in the render process (lights / materials / cameras) are simulated using physically accurate computations. This means that fryrender performs a photographic simulation that produces true-to-life renders.

It is very easy to use, since there are very few render parameters. Once the materials and lights are set up, things just look the way they are supposed to. Moreover, fryrender is the first render engine of its kind capable of rendering scenes into a format that can be navigated in real-time with the aid of Feversofts own Virtual Reality engine Random Control 4.

fryrender is available for Max 6 to 9 and normally costs €795 for 1 master license and 2 slave licenses. If you buy the renderer before the end of September, you will get 1 master license and 9 slave licenses for the same price. A demo version is available here.

The developers of NodeJoe have released a new public beta version for testing (v0.86).

Changes for v0.86 are:
- The NodeView was completely rewritten
- Material2Shader and Normal-Bump are now supported
- Nodes are tagged if the material is used in the scene or is selected
- Material libraries no longer generate previews in the context menu by default
- The Enable MAX Drag'n'Drop option was removed
- Deletion of nodes no longer destroys the hierarchy between selected nodes
- The 'experimental multithreading' option has been removed

Changes for v1.8 are:
- Revamped shader export pipeline makes it easier to add your own format variations
- Adds basic support for XNA, Quest3D and FX Composer formats
- Technique material node allows multiple materials to be created in a single FX shader file
- Various UI improvements such as the ability to display alpha maps and auto-hide tab panels

ShaderFX is available for Max 6 to 9 and costs $249. Version 1.8 is a free upgrade for existing customers. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v3.41 are:
- Adds new 'Curve' spine, a mixture between bezier and FK, with auto-stretch, mocap support and upperbody lockability

Puppetshop is available for Max 8 and 9, and costs $249. A demo version is available here.

This is a Flask-based image file importer plugin for the JNG file format. JNG files store image data by embedding a JPEG datastream for color information, and may embed another grayscale image to be used as an alpha channel (stored using PNG or JPEG compression). For more information on the JNG file format, visit the libpng site.

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for 64-bit Max 9

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for 32-bit and 64-bit Max 9