MAX Plugins.de News Archive

Archived Plugin News  –  May 2008
 

Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.0.349 Beta are:
- Camera settings now allow user resolution changes with a specified camera window
- Fix to Bug Reporter trigger file open from view button
- Changed Bug Reporter filter blank log files from list
- Fixes navigation falsely triggering restart render on ray importance changes
- Added Shader IDs output channel
- Fix to priority rectangle definition feedback
- Cosmetic changes to user interface and default layout
- Fix to initialise state chains correctly


Plugin Update: Renderers

The Brazil r/s Rio Learning Edition is a great way to get acquainted with Brazil r/s. There are no watermarks, and if you want to use your renders commercially -- go for it! This build is based upon and includes all the features of the current Brazil r/s Pro-beta build, but is selectively feature-limited so as to make it primarily usable for personal and educational purposes. This version is much faster and more complete than previous versions of Rio and contains the same features that were used to generate all the images in the Brazil Gallery.

Limitations include:
- no support for network rendering
- image size has been limited to 1024x511 maximum
- file saving/loading limitations


Plugin Update: Renderers

The latest new build of Brazil r/s v2.1b (Pro-Beta), build 1618, is now available from the SplutterFish FishMarket Account (if you have upgraded to Brazil r/s v2.0). You can find a full list of enhancements and bugfixes here.

Brazil r/s v2.0 is available for Max 4 to 2009 and pricing starts at $795 for the Basic Edition, and $995 for the Professional Edition.


New Plugin: Import / Export

Allows you to create and export your own vehicles in the *.MDL format for use in Men of War.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.6.16 are:
- Adds an object setting to specify that an object should be placed in its parent node
- The 'Convert to OgreMax Materials' feature no longer skips standard materials
- Fixes a bug with unused meshes being exported when 'Export Selected' is used
- Fixes a bug with the type sometimes being reset
- Fixes a bug with the mesh animation type sometimes being reset
- Fixes the COSTIME_0_X, SINTIME_0_X, TANTIME_0_X, TIME_0_X_PACKED auto parameters


Plugin News: Gelato Pro now a free download...

NVIDIA Corporation have announced that their Gelato Pro 2.2 rendering software is now available as a free download. Gelato Pro replaces the basic version of Gelato, and includes Frantic Films Amaretto plugin connection to Max. NVIDIA will no longer be developing or supporting the Gelato software products.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for the Release Candidate include:
- Speed improvements
- The memory footprint is between 2x and 3x smaller than before
- Most of the relevant features have been improved individually
- The noise distribution is more uniform and dense
- Better dielectrics (some old problems have been fixed)
- Better coatings
- Better dispersion
- Faster instancing
- Faster MPDM
- Reviewed S5 and S3
- Better network rendering
- Full commandline support (useful for automating certain tasks)
- Max Exporter: Minor bugs with normals fixed
- Max Exporter: Better support for normals, especially on NURBS objects
- Max Exporter: Fixes multi/sub-object materials with missing or non-used slots

fryrender is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs €795 for 1 master license and 2 slave licenses. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v4.151 are:
- Small but important update in the Qube submission

This version of RPManager is available for Max 9 to 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit) and costs $300. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Particles / Animation

Changes for v1.3.211 are:
- Adds multiprocessor support
- Filling objects process can be cancelled with ESC key
- Ghost sources have been removed
- Improves moving objects interaction with particles
- Global optimizations
- Fixes particle cloud exploding after loading a saved scene

glu3D is available for Max 7 to 2009 and costs €495. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Connection

Changes for Build 292711 include:
- Adds support for Max 2009 and Max 2009 Design (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Adds 'WaitingForLicense' option in the render node configuration files
- Fixes temp folder of xStream plugins when several instances are launched at once
- Fixes atmosphere opacity computation
- Fixes native objects rendering darker with MentalRay
- Fixes render node renders when license server can't be reached
- Fixes rendering of plants (holes in leaves)
- Fixes rendering of transparent Vue objects in front of native objects
- Fixes multipass output of following channels: Shadows and XYZ Normal
- Adds compatibility with the new build of the License server
- Fixes problems when reconnecting to the license server
- Fixes possible crashs in the license server
- Fixes a possible string overflows in the license server
- Fixes incorporated alpha or transparency maps missing when re-opening scenes
- Fixes a possibly non-opening AVI options dialog on 64-bit OS
- Fixes unexpected shadows from plant material when it shouldn't cast any
- Fixes wind computation differences between two renders of the same scene
- Pre-Animated Meshes no longer suffer from material discontinuities
- Other minor interface fixes and improvements

Vue 6 xStream is available for Max 7 to 2009 and costs $895. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.0.348 Beta include:
- Fix to handle include and link files specified with absolute paths
- Fixes memory leaks with BSP re-creation between animation frames
- Adds 'Esc' shortcut to main window to cancel the current render
- Fix to bitmap overlay color script access
- Fix to mi_trace_finalgather to better handle importance
- Deprecated local based BSP system
- Fix to support .rgb image file format
- Fix to default to tif format when encoding unsupported image depths using exr format
- Fix to incremental light definitions to edit existing light tag if exists
- Fix to recalculate photon mapping on detection of light changes
- Reclassified warning for failure to load link files that are implicitly attempted
- Fix to mi_trace_shadow to handle non-color results
- Fix to Atomic Counter to increase precision
- Optimisation to photon tracing with point lights
- Fix to sub function declaration parsing
- Fix to prepareScene to prevent BSP recalculation on light or camera movement
- Adds support for bounding box calls to mi_query


Plugin Update: Animation / Particles

Changes for v1.33.06 are:
- Fixes a bug which caused Max to freeze / crash
- You can now choose between ProBoolean and ProCutter for fragmention
- After fragmentation of parent objects, RF will link all fragments back to parent
- Fixes a bug with big (really big!) object fragmentation

RayFire Tool is available for Max 9 to 2009 and costs $195. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Global Utilities

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- One minor bugfix


Site News: No updates for the next week...

I'm going to be away until the end of the month, so I won't be able to update the site until the beginning of June.

Dave


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v4.15 include:
- Adds resizable columns in the main pass list
- Updated viewport preview tool allowing simple playback and output to AVI
- Adds scripted (wildcard) visibility sets
- Adds a pass renaming tool
- Adds a pass range managing tool
- Fixes command line BB submission from Max 2009
- You can now easily update pass settings with current scene settings

This version of RPManager is available for Max 9 to 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit) and costs $300. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.2 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Fixes issue with batch mode always exporting SMD sequences backwards
- Fixes small issue with vertex weight export


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v3.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 and 2009 (32-bit only)

Swift 3D MAX is available for Max 3 to 2009 and costs $295. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.6.15 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- The Material exporter now only writes necessary parameters for 'colour_op_ex' and 'alpha_op_ex'
- Updates the Ogre 1.4.x build to use Ogre 1.4.8
- Updates the Ogre 1.5.x build to use Ogre 1.7.x
- Fixes a bug with default node animation interpolation types not always being used
- Fixes a bug with the LOD radio buttons in the Object Settings dialog


Plugin Update: Materials

Changes for v1.20 are:
- Speed improvements (rendering and material editor)
- Adds texture map slots
- Adds bumpmap support
- Gradients can now be set using a spline
Adds edge selection from Material IDs


Plugin Updates: nPower Software releases updates for Max 2009

nPower Software has released version 5.0 of its popular Power NURBS, Power Solids and Power Translators products.

Changes for v5.0 include:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Major performance improvements
- Improved filleting
- Improved sewing UI
- Improved navigator interface
- 64 bit support for native translators
- Handles larger models
- Improved quality

Demo versions of the nPower plugins are available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.0.344 Beta include:
- Fix to correctly handle specialist final gather states
- Fix to intensity distribution across a photon for photon tracing
- Fix to mi_photon_reflection_diffuse, mi_photon_transmission_specular & mi_photon_transmission_diffuse
- Fix to correctly handle spotlight parameters during photon tracing
- Optimized photon tracing initialization
- Correctly clear photon diagnostic counts upon fresh photon tracing


New Shader: mental ray Shaders

This shader adds a few missing options to mental ray in Max: per-object anti-aliasing, per-object FG files, labels and more.


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v0.82b are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Ivys no longer move to world center when using backburner
- Fixes a crash when deleting a growing ivy


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v0.75b are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v0.96b are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v0.2.18 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit only)


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v2.5.148 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Updates: GHOST 3D, LLC plugins recompiled for Max 2009

GHOST 3D, LLC have recompiled their plugins Scribe-iT, Surf-iT and ResErect for Max 2009 (32-bit only). You can find the full press release here.


Plugin Update: Modifiers

Changes for v1.0.2 are:
- Adds support for cloth tearing
- Adds support for old joint specification
- Adds support for kinematic actor run with animation


Plugin Update: Materials

Changes for v1.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Drops support for Max 3 to 6


Plugin Update: Modifiers

Changes for v2.4 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Drops support for Max 3 to 6


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v2.6 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Drops support for Max 3 to 6


New Plugin: Materials

This is a colour keyer for Max which is very useful for easily creating masks for materials.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.6 are:
- Support for Max 8 has been added back in


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 9 and Max 2008 (32-bit only)


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.0.343 Beta include:
- Fix to handle geometric lights, when visible in the scene, and light->origin
- Fix to BSP determination to handle cameras with motion
- Reduced default worker priority to better interact with 3D packages


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2008.05.12 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Renderers

cebas Computer GmbH have released Service Pack 2 for finalRender Stage-1 R2, finalToon R2 and finalShaders R2.

SP2 features the following changes:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Drops support for Max 6 to 8
- fRArch Material now works in the viewport
- fRArch Material Specular Curves now work
- fRArch Material Translucency now works
- All fR Properties are now scriptable
- fastSkin now writes to the SSS Render Element
- Skin now works with multiple lights
- Fixes dark halo around speculars in fRAdvanced and Arch Material
- Fixes licensing issues when rendering with DR (Error 10)
- QMC Sampler has been enhanced
- Fxes image GI problems with baking
- Fixes the AQMC crash with Hairtrix
- Adds Thinking Particles instancing support
- Adds enhanced motion blur with Thinking Particles
- Fixes Max Hair not moving with objects
- The finalToon Exclude List now works with multiple objects

SP2 for finalRender Stage-1 R2, finalToon R2, and finalShaders R2 is a free download and can be acquired by registered users at the cebas Shop.


Plugin Update: Particles / Animation

Changes for v1.3.20 are:
- Improved stability
- Improved performance
- Minor bugfixes

glu3D is available for Max 7 to 2009 and costs €495. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v0.1 beta are:
- Adds support for Max 9, 2008 and 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Modifiers

Changes for v1.5 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Fully compatible with Max 9, 2008 and 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Faster morphing calculation speed
- Enhanced user interface
- You can now display 20 morph channels at all times
- Adds a static poses preset
- Adds Dynamic Weight-able pose channels
- License can be held per session, allowing faster access to the UI
- Adds the ability to use modifier stack result as morph target
- Navigate to Next & Previous keyframe from keyframing rollout and display floater
- Adds the ability to filter and display only tracks of selected MOM group in the trackbar
- Adds the ability to filter and display only channels of selected MOM group
- Fixes the Auto Reload Target performance bug
- Auto Reload Target is now supported in preview, rendering and point cache
- Adds Auto Reload Target per channel
- Adds the ability to automatically recreate channels when loading .mom file
- Adds the ability to not delete keys when loading a .mom file
- .mom files now have ability to Load and Save binding files
- Adds .mom file support for instanced tracks
- Adds additional MAXScript commands
- Discontinues support for Max 4 and 5

Morph-O-Matic is available for Max 6 to 2009 and costs $249. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v3.5.23.11 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Particles

Changes for v1.07.3 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Particle Flow Tools: Box#3 Pro is available for Max 6 to 2009 and costs $495. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v4.1.26.11 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Materials

Changes for v3.4.91.11 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Animation / Particles

Changes for v1.33 are:
- You can now fragment objects by drawing strokes on screen in all supported views
- Adds fragmentation of objects relative to a point in space
- You can now fragment objects relative to mouse cursor position
- Adds irregular / uniform fragmentation types
- Adds Reactor rigid body support via RayFire user interface
- Adds an automatic update system

RayFire Tool is available for Max 9 to 2009 and costs $195.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.6.14 are:
- Adds a scene setting to prefix material names with their parent material name
- Fixes the 'Copy Bitmaps to Export Directory' setting not working with relative directories
- Fixes a bug with incorrect orientation on node animations for cameras / lights
- Fixes a bug with sampled animations ending at the wrong time
- Fixes a bug with the 64-bit installer installing the 32-bit version


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v5.x.67.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Fixes mesh names not being output under 'No frames option'


Plugin Updates: Pavel Kuznetsov plugins for Max 2009


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v3.50 are:
- Adds support for 64-bit Max9 and 2008
- Fixes a bug in Max 9 where entering an incorrect reg code caused a crash
- Adds string / stretch mapping

Ghost Trails is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs $99. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Import / Export

SceneEngine is an open source 3D production solution built on top of an easy to use object oriented C++ SDK, the SceneEngine libraries. Lua scripting, file input and output, mesh creation and deformation, rendering and texture baking are just some of the features implemented by SceneEngine. The project includes import and export plugins for Max and Maya, a Lua interpreter to do script processing on scenes, including rendering and texture baking, and an OpenGL scene viewer and editor.


Site News: Calling all plugin collectors...

If you are the sort of person that collects plugins and has got a collection that goes back years, I'd like to hear from you! I've recently been updating a load of dead links, and I've discovered a number of plugins that are missing and don't seem to be downloadable any more.

I'm mainly interested in plugins from Max 1 to 6, if you've got a large collection and would like to help me out, just drop me a line at the email address at the top of the page. Thanks, Dave.


New Plugin: Materials

GradientEdge is similar to the commercial plugin FEdge, but it uses 2 colorpickers and lets you use an edge selection based on various settings. At the moment it is a bit slow in the MaterialEditor.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.6.13 are:
- Fixes a bug with some objects not being exported into .model files as they should have been


Plugin Update: Modifiers

Changes for v1.2.0 are:
- Fixes a minor bug with the 64-vit version of the plugin


Misc Update: Max 2009 Hotfix available

Autodesk have released a hotfix for the 32-bit version of Max 2009. It fixes the problems some people were having with the ProMaterials and Athlon processors. All the details and the download can be found here.


Plugin Update: Modifiers

Changes for v0.1 Beta are:
- Adds support for Max 9 and 2008 (32-bit only)


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v3.0 are:
- Ability to export particles as layers, nulls or lights
- SpaceWarp support
- Automatic scene scaling
- Support for 23.976 fps HD drop frame format
- Layer selection possible using orientation arrow
- Actual frame rate shown in dialogs
- Improved Windows system detection for AE scripts
- Improved filepath truncation
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Improved memory management
- Various UI and documentation improvements

MAX2AE is available for Max 6 to 2009 and costs $250. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: MAXScript Extensions

This MAXScript extension adds a way of filtering delete events in Max, and allows you to prevent node deletion.


New Plugin: Utilities

The Civil 2009 Object Enabler is a freeware application that allows object data created in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2009 to be accessed in Max 2009.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.6.12 are:
- Adds a load of new settings to the billboard set page
- Adds support for exporting user data on 'empty' objects
- Fixes a bug with the OgreMax Pass panels being sized incorrectly
- Fixes a bug with translations in node animations being scaled one too many times


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v3.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- You can now use multiple meshes, from templates or custom objects, in a single Forest object
- Forest and Planes are now combined in a single plugin
- The library can now be user-modified to include new types of geometry, materials and icons
- Density Falloff for area splines
- Automatic detection of collisions
- Tools to instanciate trees to the source object (as a V-Ray proxy)
- Animation support, including multiple random samples
- New tree models with high resolution textures
- Improved mental ray shader with self-shadowing detection
- Real time stats window
- Forest objects may be created and moved freely, not tied to XY plane
- Automatic creation of multi-materials, combining the materials used in the Geometry List
- Adaptative degradation of viewport display
- Assignation of Camera/Light to all Forest objects with a single click
- Optimized for multi-core CPUs
- Support for all Windows versions, including Vista
- New and improved installer
- Video tutorials for a smooth learning curve

Forest Pack Pro is available for Max 7 to 2009 and costs €250. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Materials

Changes for v1.2 are:
- No changes, just fixes the 64-bit version so that it works properly


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v0.1.2 are:
- No changes, just recompiled for Max 2009 (32-bit and 64-bit)