MAX Plugins.de News Archive

Archived Plugin News  –  April 2012
 

New Plugin: Texturing

This is a library of 50 professional upholstery fabric Max materials including 99 high quality seamless maps for use with V-Ray (1.5 SP2 or newer).

SigerShaders Volume 8 contains the same materials and textures for use with mental ray.

SigerShaders is available for Max 2010 to 2013 (Volume 7) / Max 2009 to 2013 (Volume 8) and costs €75.


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v2.60 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- You can now change skeleton / bone setup in reference pose on characters skinned with BonesPro

BonesPro is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs €299. There is also an older version available for Max 9 to 2009. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v3.0 are:
- Improved rig for eyes, mouth and jaw
- You can now move the center of eyelid bones at any time
- You can now rotate the jaw
- Adds a button to move controls back to original positions
- Adds a checkbox to pick whether to re-use old skin for body
- Adds toolbar buttons to show / hide geometry and eye controls
- The BVH importer is now available as a basic tool
- Adds toolbar buttons to import / remove bvh-model
- The Selector now consists of two rollouts: Face Controls and Manipulations
- The Selector window now opens much faster
- Adds tags to select jaw spline and tongue controls
- Adds buttons to reset and update the selection and UI
- Lip rotations are now correctly transferred from side to side
- Fixes some bugs in the 'green box' control
- Adds a new button to 'swap' sides
- Poses and Drive tools have been combined into a completely new window
- Fonts are now different for selected layers, active layer and other layers
- You can now create layers weighted for selected controls only
- Fixes some issues in layers, now all controls have the same mechanics
- You can now collapse layers
- Adds a rollout for common settings
- Adds a rollout for active layer controls
- Adds rollouts for 3 types of layers: AutoBlink, Mocap (old BVH) and Lipsync
- Adds a rollout for import of poses, animations and phonemes between different characters
- In the mocap layer you can now transfer animation from any object
- Poses Mixer and browser have been combined
- Improved the Poses Mixer UI
- Grimace mode now works faster
- Pose saving, loading and applying now works much faster
- Jaw rotations and ALL mouth controls can now be saved in the pose file
- You can now create and manipulate with phonemes
- Adds a new Lipsync layer for loading audio, typing text or using phonemes

BonyFace is available for Max 2008 to 2012 and costs $999. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Modelling

TurboReverse is a modifier that has the opposite effect of TurboSmooth. It will recreate the subdivision levels of an already subdivided mesh with 100% precision maintaining the existing UV's.

Compared to its predecessor, the scripted plugin Subdivision Reversion, it is up to 100 times faster, as it is now a native plugin. It can reverse just parts of your models based on a selection, and it can also reverse multiple iterations at a time.

TurboReverse is available for Max 9 to 2013 and costs €30.


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v0.94-1b are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


New Plugin: Texturing

Smart Texturing Toolkit For Arch&Design contains all of the necessary Substance products for architects and designers to use the power of smart texturing.

It consists of:
- Bitmap2Material
- MakeIt A Parquet and MakeIt A Brickwall
- 11 specific Smart Tiles

Smart Texturing Toolkit is available for Max 2012 and costs $250.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v3.5 are:
- Model generation mode has been updated
- Adds a function for creating splines from edge selections
- Adds display of object names and poly count in the viewport

Ccom Del-Symmetry is available for Max 8 to 2012 and costs approximately $2.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v3.17.12 are:
- Fixes some problems with derivative maps and parallax mapping


Site News: Looking for short-term work

I've just finished a very long-term contract, and am now available for short-term jobs. If you need a Max generalist, get in touch.

Dave


Plugin Update: Post FX

Changes for v1.4 are:
- Adds RealCamera+ feature
- The position of each panel is now restored
- Adds a new fileformat for saved states
- Several improvements to the state manager
- File loading is now threaded (faster and smoother)
- Adds a workaround for virus scanner false positives
- Adds more languages
- The same file is now used for demo and full installation
- Adds support for educational licenses
- Bugfixes

MOTIVA Colimo is available for Max 2008 to 2012 and costs €139. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.5.1 are:
- Adds support for car agents

Massive Importer Utility is available for Max 2011 to 2012 and costs $700 for an annual license. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Bitmap I/O

Changes for v3.32 are:
- Fixes an issue with capitalised file extensions
- Fixes a bug in legacy PVR2 files when compressing to PVRTC RGBA
- Fixes an issue with D3D RGB 888 and RGBA 8888 formats in legacy PVR files
- Fixes a rare crash bug on certain textures when compressing to PVRTC
- PVRTexToolGUI: Fixes a crash bug when encoding a non-power of two image to PVRTC1
- PVRTexToolCL: Adds -ktx option to command line to output a Khronos Texture File
- PVRTexToolCL: Fixes issues with -l and -premultalpha so they now function properly
- Documentation: Adds definitions for -ktx and -pvrlegacy command line functions


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.29 are:
- Adds support for Max 2012 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v1.0.3.46467 are:
- Fixes an issue which caused controls in the Files rollout to not update correctly
- BuildMesh error messages now include the XMesh Loader's node name


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v10.01 are:
- Polygon Cruncher is now also available as a modifier in Max
- Selecting the discontinuities for vertex colors has been improved
- Adds new icons and a new splash screen
- Fixes several possible crash problems in the Lightwave plugin
- Polygon Cruncher standalone now correctly writes Maya binary files

Polygon Cruncher is available for Max 6 to 2012 and costs $169. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Updates: Sitni Sati adds support for Max 2013

Sitni Sati d.o.o. have released updated versions of Afterburn, FumeFX and ScatterVL Pro which all add support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit). Registered users can download the installers from the Sitni Sati members area.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v5.4.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Updates: Some more recompiles for Max 2013


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v3.17.10 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 / Maya 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Adds preliminary support for Photoshop CS6
- Fixes some crashes in the FBX mesh importer
- You can now use derivative maps in the 3D viewport
- Fixes a problem that was stopping the OpenCTM mesh importer plugin loading properly
- Fixes a memory leak releasing shaders in the OpenGL graphics driver
- Fixes a problem with Growl which was causing some crashes
- The OpenGL graphics driver now always uses a windowed mode
- Optimized the de-indexing phase for all the graphics drivers
- Dropped support for old cards in the DX9 graphics driver
- Optimized the shaders instruction count for the DX9 graphics driver
- Removed expensive shadow methods
- Recompiled using the latest libraries (Crosswalk 2012.5, FBXSDK 2012.2, Ogre3D 1.7.4)


Plugin News: Itoo Software recompiles

Itoo Software have recompiled their freeware plugins Glue, Clone and ColorEdge for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit).

Their roadmap for Max 2013 versions of Forest Pack and RailClone is as follows:
- They need to wait for the release version of V-Ray for Max 2013
- They will then release beta versions of Forest Pro and RailClone Pro
- Once fully tested, they will publish stable versions (Lite and Pro) of the plugins


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v1.0.21.0 are:
- Adds beta support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Fixes a crash when switching to Per Face mapping while no textures are loaded

Crossmap is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs €39.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v2.5.12 are:
- You can now assign a material to an object group or multiple selected objects
- Fixes issues with composite aluminium materials

V-Ray Material Presets Pro is available for Max 2010 to 2012 and costs €110.


Plugin Updates: More recompiles for Max 2013

Here's the second lot of recompiles for the plugins I've got source code for, there are still loads more to come.

Andrew Reid
- EdgeMap v1.01
- ZDeSat v1.01
- ZTint v1.04

Daniel Santana
- AdvanceNoise Material v1.2.9

Jonathan Garcia
- Delete Visibility Track v1.0
- Endian v1.0
- Get Bitmap Info v1.0

Martin Enthed / Creative Tools AB
- Ego v1.14

Mike Biddlecombe
- HiddenDOSCommand v1.0

Kees Rijnen
- Delete Protection v1.0

Martin Ridgers
- 3 Point Rectangle v1.0

Last Pixel Pty Ltd.
- Autogamma v1.0

David Baker
- SolidColor2 v1.2
- ctrl_Colors for Max v1.1
- RGB Matte v1.0
- mr Geometry Shader Object v1.0
- Motion2 v1.0


Plugin Update: Particles / Animation

Changes for v2.0.2.46508 are:
- A full list of improvements and bug-fixes can be found here

Krakatoa MX is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and pricing starts at $1000 + support. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v5.1.47014 are:
- This is a maintenance release that adds a few minor features and fixes some bugs
- A complete list of improvements and bug fixes can be found here

Deadline is available for Max 7 to 2013 and costs $185 per node. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.9.4.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Fixes a crash after adding an animation file with no valid animations for the character
- Dragging a node creation icon onto an existing state will replace it with the new type
- Adds comments for the node display window
- Adds undo collapsing to allow grouping complex actions like user macros
- You can now undo across model changes
- Fixes state interaction indicators showing up on event sources and parameter nodes
- Fixes a clock problem on character load in the studio
- Nodes that act as simple passthroughs in a blend graph now draw their internal connections
- Nodes now draw in back-to-front order
- Timeselect now supports extra sampling edges
- GrannyChangeSettings no longer returns false on successful dialog exit

Granny Exporter is available for Max 6 to 2013, and is part of the Granny Toolkit which costs $17,500


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v0.3.47 beta are:
- The *.hdr file format is now partly supported
- Adds material override in the Max plugin
- You can set post/final/blend files in Max to be loaded in NOX after scene load
- Changed IES scene in mat editor
- Fixes environment map being turned off on reset
- Sun is now turned on by default
- Fixes a problem with the reflectance power of multilayered materials


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v1.5 are:
- Adds support for multiple superflow systems in the same scene
- New advanced selection systems for even more powerful spline creation
- Friendly new user interface

Superflow Elements is available for Max 2008 to 2013 and costs €139. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v0.3.46 beta are:
- Texture management has been rewritten and now needs much less memory
- Adds spherical environment mapping
- IES profile file usage has been partially implemented


Plugin Update: Particles / Animation

Changes for Build 6.0.2.0085 are:
- Too much to list here... a full changelog can be found here

RealFlow is available for Max 7 to 2012 and costs €2995. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v2.0.0.1 are:
- Fixes an error about missing anchor node method when resetting scenes
- Start configuration dialog start at center
- Look at color saturation mechanism
- Read only inputs now have the whole wire grey
- Fixes gradient coloring in wires (artifacts)
- Changed the node offset for checkboxes in PRS node
- Changed the resize lines to brighter color, better line alignment
- Collapsed resize now has horizontal resize arrows
- Removed the Biped and Systems tree view filters
- Adds new Box and OmniLight icons
- Some fixes to schematic view

Zookeeper is available for Max 2009 to 2012 and costs $249. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v2.01 are:
- Adds a 'Ray miss check' function
- Adds a 'Show render change' checkbox

Ccom Map Baker is available for Max 2009 to 2012 and costs approximately $10.


New Plugin: Utilities

Batch Render&Relink is for rendering thumbnails (supports 3ds Max, 3DS, V-Ray proxies and mental ray proxies) and searching for / collecting textures for models, materials and files with photometric IES data in batch mode.

Batch Render&Relink is available for Max 2008 to 2013 and costs $15. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.0.48 pre-release are:
- Adds showLogo property that shows or hides the Flare3D watermark logo
- Adds Input3D.enableEventPhase property
- Adds Flare3DLoader2.loadAsync property that defines the amount of chunks to load each iteration
- Animation is now updated properly when an animationComplete event is dispatched
- Fixes some issues with sampled lights
- Fixes issues with VertexAnimationModifier
- Fixes issues with multiple skinned instances and animations
- Fixes some presicion issues with Pivot3D.getScreenCoords or Scene3D.getPointScreenCoords()
- Stage3d in software mode can now be more than 2048 pixels in width or height
- Fixes small issues when using scene.addChildFromFile on loaded objects
- Fixes mouse detection issues when using multiple cameras
- Camera3D and Light3D clone() method now includes userData, labels and layer properties
- Fixes Library3D ioError events
- Fixes some other minor issues
- Improved the Camera3D.aspectRatio property
- Updated the docs

Flare3D is available for Max 2009 to 2012 and costs $496. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v0.87 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.61.00 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Updates the help-file
- Extreme speed up displaying subfolders
- Fixes an issue with zoom model to viewport when rendering thumbnails
- Fixes an issue with relinking the Assets in xRef scenes
- Fixes some minor issues with saving the description
- Fixes other some minor issues

Alexander has also updated his other commercial plugins VrayMultiStageRender and FilePathFinder Pro to support Max 2013.

Project Manager is available for Max 2008 to 2013 and costs $75. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v1.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v1.2 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Controllers

Changes for v1.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v0.9 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v2.3.3 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Materials

Changes for v3.03 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)

The zipfile also includes CG-Source.com's MultiTexture Map for Max 2013.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2013.1 include:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Custom attributes of type float and int now maintain correct values in MotionBuilder
- Fixes various incompatibilities on export
- Instanced materials are now properly imported / exported
- Fixes the 'ConvertUnit' function when used via MAXScript


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v2.20 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)

This version of Unwrella is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs €149. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v1.20 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)

This version of UV-Packer is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs €99. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Utilities

With the Material Layer Interface (MLI) you can easily create material layers and passes in Max. You can work within one Max file with dozen of passes and send them all to the Backburner Manager with a single mouse click. If needed, the MLI will organise the filenames and path assignments.

MLI includes the following features:
- Easily create and manage individual render passes / render layers
- One click adds an individual set of objects to your MLI layer
- Different materials, lights, render engines, render settings per layer
- An easy and self-explaining UI, related to the Max UI
- Interactive tracking of material changes, renaming of materials or objects

Features only in the Pro version include:
- You can assign dozens of cameras to one MLI layer
- Easy intuitive handling of object properties per layer
- Add individual scripts per layer which execute when you select it or before rendering

Material Layer Interface is available for Max 2010 to 2012 and costs €90 / €150 (Pro version). A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for Build 1406 are:
- New interface and new dialogs
- Adds gridDeform function
- Adds Align/Scale/Rotate with many options
- Adds Brushes (standard, move, smudge, inflate, pinch, relax, noise)
- Adds to Similar select instances if SubObjectLevel = 0
- Adds 'SplineRefine' to the Verts Tool
- Adds Silhouette View
- Spline Bridge has been updated

RappaTools is available for Max 9 to 2012 and costs €39. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v2.7 are:
- No idea at the moment, as soon as I can find a list of changes I'll update this post

Parametric Array is available for Max 2009 to 2012 and costs $80. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Connection

Changes for SR2 are:
- General performance and stability updates and improvements
- Content Library improvements
- Face Room improvements
- Cloth Room improvements
- Preview Rendering improvements
- Final Rendering improvements
- Animation improvements
- Rigging/Figure set-up improvements
- PoserPython improvements

A full list of changes and fixes can be found here (RTF file).

Poser Pro is available for Max 2010 to 2012 and costs $499.99.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v3.0 are:
- The UI has been re-organised
- Fixes a bug with the delete function
- The wire colour can now be easily changed
- Adds an Xform center function for selected objects
- Adds a ResetXform button
- Fixes a problem with the ResetXform function
- You can now attach and detach the selected object

Ccom Del-Symmetry is available for Max 8 to 2012 and costs approximately $2.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v3.18.2.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)

RPC is available for Max 6 to 2013 and costs $249. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Modelling

Genome is an extensible procedural geometry modifier for Max which operates on mesh data channels using the same Magma node-based channel editor originally introduced in Krakatoa MX.

Benefits include:
- Custom selection, deformation and sampling modifiers can be created with a few clicks on the fly
- They can also be loaded from presets for immediate use
- Preset flows can be tweaked interactively to fit the specific requirements of the scene
- Genome modifiers are usually as fast as C++ modifiers, and in many cases faster
- Genome uses the same data channel approach as Krakatoa Magma
- Genome provides access to Krakatoa particle streams for mesh-particle interaction
- It also integrates well with the Thinkbox' Frost and Xmesh products
- Preset flows are largely compatible and interchangeable with Krakatoa MX 2 Magma flows
- Copy and paste is supported between Krakatoa Magma Modifiers and Genome Modifiers
- All modifiers created with Genome are procedural
- Genome is more similar to a compositing application than to a visual programming language

Genome MX is available for Max 2010 to 2012 and costs $595. Support for Max 2013 will be added in a point release soon. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Connection

Changes for v6.3.4 include:
- AFX jobs now have correct output paths if one was given in the submission dialog
- Adds support for C4D R13
- Handle change in nukex command line arguments for Nuke >= 6.2
- Adds preset executable paths for Nuke 6.2-6.5
- Sorting the GUI joblist by 'average frame time' no longer crashes the GUI
- The globalresource_fact table is now accessed by its all-lower-case name
- Subjob memusage stats now support either subid or jobid.subid for subjob key
- Fixes the jobList not unfreezing on CentOS-5.4
- Fixes uninitialized variable when job memusage_max column is displayed
- Fixes an exception when trying to view images for jobs with no found output
- Renamed the globalResource_fact table to be all lower-case
- And much more... a full list of changes can be found here

Qube! is available for Max 7 to 2012 and costs $250 (worker license) / $500 (supervisor license). A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Global Utilities

Changes for v1.0.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.53 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Fixes the spelling of some parameter names

Liquid+ is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs ¥46,200. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v3.05 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Enhanced the scripting functions for [Pencil+ 3 Line]
- Enhanced the scripting functions for [Pencil+ 3 Material]

Pencil+ is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs ¥52,500. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.9.3.0 are:
- Fixes a stack overflow for graphs with complicated connectivity
- New 'Pose Storage' node which can store either the rest pose or the output of another node
- Adds an experimental OS X Maya 2012 plugin

Granny Exporter is available for Max 6 to 2012, and is part of the Granny Toolkit which costs $17,500


Plugin Update: Animation / Atmospherics

Changes for v3.0 include:
- Adds Effectors that can control almost every parameter on a per-voxel basis
- Adds support for the Color channel
- Adds new rollouts for Color and Velocity channels
- Illumination Maps now have a user-defined output path
- Adds support for Multiple Scattering between FumeFX grids
- Add N-Sim mode for simulating nested grids
- FumeFX can now detect its own motion and pass it to the simulation
- Adds render support for AfterBurn 4.1 Void Daemon
- Render Warps add support for Space Warps during rendering
- New FumeFX Tex3D Texture Map can read data from the FumeFX grid
- FumeFX SL is now controlled by the FumeFX.ini file or the preferences dialog
- You can now choose various criteria for grid expansion (eg: Smoke, Temp, Vel)
- Simple Source can now use maps like Gradient Ramp with correct UVW mapping coordinates
- You can now create and add sources or effectors directly from the FumeFX interface
- Turbulence Noise now has a preview window
- Preview Window can now render all grids in the scene at once using the new Multiview option
- New GPU mode for the preview window, which supports scene objects and self-shadowing
- Preview Window now supports output to AVI and PNG
- Improved smoke and fire Render Elements

FumeFX is available for Max 2009 to 2012 and costs $845. An update from v2.x costs $245, and from v1.x it costs $395. Anyone who purchased FumeFX from December 2012 onwards will get a free update.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v5.7 are:
- Adds support for Max 2012 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Illustrate! is available for Max 2 to 2012 and costs $395. A demo version is available here.


Site News: Max 2013 plugins

I haven't had time to update the site for Max 2013 yet, as well as not having any time to add many news items, but I'll be trying to catch up at the weekend.

I also need to start working on recompiling plugins for Max 2013, but this year there is a lot more work involved in getting them recompiled, so it's going to take longer than it usually does. If there are any plugins that people would like to see done first, just let me know, and I'll try and do them first.

Dave


Plugin News: Genome Webinar with Bobo

Thinkbox Software are rolling out their new plugin Genome with a couple of webinar sessions which will provide an introduction to the new plugin and its integration with Max and other Thinkbox Software products.

All of the relevant information can be found here, and the help file, which is now also online, can be found here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.60.05 are:
- Adds the ability to re-order search directories with drag and drop
- Adds the ability to set the default renderer for batch rendering
- Adds the ability to use templates for descriptions
- XRefs are now displayed in tree mode
- Adds merge materials for XRef objects
- You can now add custom dependencies with drag and drop

Project Manager is available for Max 2008 to 2012 and costs $75. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v3.9.15 are:
- Adds the ability to re-order search directories with drag and drop
- Adds the ability to set the default renderer for batch rendering
- XRefs are now displayed in tree mode
- Adds merge materials for XRef objects
- You can now add custom dependencies with drag and drop

FilePathFinder Pro is available for Max 2008 to 2012 and costs $25. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.5 are:
- Adds new 'Set Edge Length' tool for changing the length of selected edges or segments to the desired value

miauu's Script Pack is available for Max 9 to 2012 and costs €12.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v10.0 are:
- New 'Progressive' optimization mode takes into account the respective number of faces of each object
- Adds new modes for optimizing UVs, vertex colors and normals
- Adds a new mode for keeping the material boundaries
- The line of symmetry is no longer frozen when optimizing using symmetric mode
- You can now automatically stop optimization when face deletion produces bad results
- Improved optimization for planar surfaces
- Memory requirements have been reduced by 30%
- Adds a new display mode for viewing the optimization constraints
- Improved interface and tool tips
- 3ds Max conversion has been improved
- Improved Collada I/O
- Adds support for Lightwave 11.x
- Drops support for Lightwave 5.x and Lightwave 6.x
- Adds 'Update' mode to file-saving, which just updates the original file
- Adds support for the LXO format
- New normal calculation which results in an improved display

Update 10.04.2012: I've just updated the price, I was getting Euros and Dollars mixed up. Thanks to Marco for letting me know.

Polygon Cruncher is available for Max 6 to 2012 and costs $169. A demo version is available here.


Plugin News: Outliner 3,0 features list

Pier Janssen has posted a feature list for his upcoming plugin version of Outliner, which is looking good. He also published the results of his pricing poll a while ago, which also make for some interesting reading.


Plugin News: VIZPARK Easter special

VIZPARK are running a special offer over the Easter period on all of their products, including their Crossmap and Color Extract plugins. To get a 25% discount, use the coupon code EASTER25 in the shopping cart on their site. You can get an additional 20% discount for a Like on their Facebook page. Both offers only apply until April 15th 2012.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for SP8 are:
- Fixes an issue with Harmonics-GI and active camerafly mode
- Multithreading issues with Hairfarm have been isolated and fixed
- Fixes render elements outputting inconsisten geometric data
- Render elements now return accurate results when used with Hairfarm
- Fixes minor crashes when using Harmonics-GI
- Fixes minor crashes in fR-Dirt Material
- Fixes a crash when using Distributed Network Rendering along with fR-Dirt material
- Micro Triangle Displacement (MTD) now shows better and smoother results
- Fixes a finalToon issue when using silhouette effects
- Fixes a finalToon issue with lines missing from the final rendering

finalRender is available for Max 2009 to 2012 and costs €995 (Standard) / €1295 (Studio Edition) / €495 (finalToon). A demo version is available here.


Site News: Lack of updates...

You may have noticed that it has been very quiet here for the past couple of weeks. It's been extremely busy recently, and I've only had time for sleeping or working. This week I'll be catching up on everything I've missed, and I'll give this place a bit of the attention it's been lacking.

Dave