MAX Plugins.de News Archive

Archived Plugin News  –  June 2016
 

Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v0.5.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Adds 8 bones influence per vertex


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.1.9.3 are:
- The Beta expiration has been extended to the end of July
- Adds new MAXScript API documentation
- Adds support for ART renderer (Max 2017 only)
- Thumbnail render settings are now set using .rps files
- Fixes some issues with thumbnail rendering
- User Rating is now updated directly after submitting a vote
- Importing from XML now imports multiple previews, not just the main thumbnail
- Fixes wrong Preset Thumbnail Size
- Fixes dark renders due to exposure control settings
- Temporary render quality settings are now restored when thumbnail render is done
- Trying to render a thumbnail using Octane no longer causes a crash
- Fixes the VP Logo Strip missing in the Corona Thumbnail scene
- Assigning Omnitiles map to slots in Slate using Material Manager no longer creates an empty copy


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v11.02 are:
- Improves optimization speed
- Adds new key shortcuts to modify the optimization level by step of 10 faces or 1%
- You can now save and restore optimization preferences
- You can now individually adjust the level of details for each mesh in the scene
- New interface that makes mesh, material or point selection easier
- Adds a new optimisation mode that takes care of mesh corners
- New MagicCruncher automatically sets the optimal optimization level for all scene objects
- Ultra fast optimization on multi core computers (parallel algorithm)
- Algorithm improvements leading to better results
- Better handling of the required point or face number
- Camera support for easier control of the optimization on specific parts of the scene
- New features related to object selection and show/hide features
- New features for deleting a specific mesh or de-connecting a mesh into separate elements
- Improvements in displaying optimization constraints or hiding unoptimized areas
- Batch optimization improvements
- Command line improvements
- You can now adjust optimization individually with a single modifier applied to a set of objects

Polygon Cruncher is available for Max 9 to Max 2017 and costs $129. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v1.4.6.2 are:
- Adds a RailClone Selection mode for use in combination with V-Ray3 and RailClone
- The License Server now starts automatically in Max 2012
- Fixes a potential crash when exiting Max 2012

Crossmap is available for Max 2012 to 2017 and costs €49. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.4.0.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Adds support for HTML templates: WebGL models are automatically embedded in the selected template

WebGL Exporter is available for Max 2015 to 2017 and costs $79. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v1.2.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017

This plugin is only for Max 2017 subscribers. You'll need to log in with your Autodesk ID to download it.


Shader Update: mental ray Shaders

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Adds installer support for Max 2017


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v1.2 are:
- You can now change the path every time
- Adds an 'Update end frame' function
- Fixes flipped bones
- Changes to IK
- Minor fixes and improvements

Bone on Spline is available for Max 2014 to 2016 and costs $5.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for Alpha 3.01 are:
- Cycles Shader Graph material now supports 8 texmap slots
- Cycles Shader Graph material now has a viewport submaterial slot
- Adds support for 'Stop' button during rendering
- Cancelled progressive refine renders now produce an image with consistent colors
- Progressive refine can now be used in CUDA renders
- Texmaps used in multiple materials are now only sampled once


Plugin Updates: Last Jedi Outpost - Recompiles for Max 2017

Pavel Kuznetsov from the Last Jedi Outpost has recompiled all of his plugins, both freeware and commercial, for Max 2017. Head over here for more information.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.3.3942 Alpha are:
- Adds support for Nvidia Pascal cards (GTX 1080 and GTX 1070)
- Fixes motion blur on deformations with TrBVH (GPU) acceleration structure on mesh
- Adds support in Max for other light types
- Some other Max improvements

FurryBall RT is available for Max 2013 to 2017 and costs €359. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.6.22 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Fixes Morpher.dll import error with Max 2014 SP5
- Exporting animation no longer corrupts the scene


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v0.1.15a are:
- Adds tonemapping gamma control
- Adds support for Max 2017 (test version)
- Fixes incorrect Octane IES texture conversion
- Fixes a crash during gradient texture editing
- Fixes GPU errors during material emission calculation
- Fixes incorrect importance sampling with a black environment
- Fixes incorrect image saving when overwriting files
- Fixes incorrect portal illumination with rotated objects
- Fixes texture input order (diffuse first) for Slate material editor
- GI clamp now catches fireflies from direct lighting


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.0.20 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Adds support for Maya 2014-2016 for Windows and OS X
- Adds a more elaborate Python example file that allows batch conversion and mtl support

Laubwerk Plants Kits are available for Max 2010 to 2017 and cost €149 each. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v2.32.20 are:
- Adds the ability to display thumbnails for Max scenes saved in Max 2017
- Disables interactive rendering with V-Ray version 3.04.0X
- Adds some minor optimisations for rendering materials
- Fixes a bug with asset files when the path contains invalid characters
- Fixes a bug with ListView in Thumbnails+Details mode when displaying files in subdirectories
- Fixes a freeze on some computers when starting the plugin with 'Check for updates' on

Project Manager is available for Max 2010 to 2017 and costs $75. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v0.1.5 alpha are:
- Renames Standard Material to Disney Material
- Adds a basic SSS material
- Adds a specular layer to SSS material
- Adds support for textures to SSS material
- Adds specular amount to SSS material
- Fixes paths to texture files
- Defaults to 1 pass instead of 4
- Adds scattering color to SSS material


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v8.0.4.1 are:
- Fixes a couple of bugs that prevented the Repository Installer from completing
- Improves error messaging for clients connecting to incompatible versions of the Proxy Server
- Fixes file pickers to return paths with native separators, instead of always '/'
- Fixes newly-created regions not immediately showing up in the Launcher 'Change Region' dialog
- Suppresses a warning about Monitor Layouts when importing settings
- Fixes long Job delete operations potentially failing due to jobs already being deleted
- Removes unused pinned layout interface from the Job Dependency panel
- Fixes a bug that prevented users from requeueing Jobs that had missing output
- Fixes a bug that prevented users from modifying Path Mapping entries imported from Deadline 7
- Fixes the Job list's Job Output right-click menu to be populated properly
- Fixes a bug that prevented users from adding machines to Cloud Regions via auto-config
- Changes the list of third-party licensing apps to be sorted alphabetically
- Fixes a regression that prevented users from naming tabs without first adding a filter
- Fixes a bug that caused Slaves to return their own Limit Stubs when housecleaning
- Fixes a bug where Slaves wouldn't try to re-acquire Limit Stubs that got returned externally
- Fixes several issues where the Plugin Sandbox would fail to respond or exit properly
- A Slave on the same machine as the License Forwarder can now use metered licensing
- Fixes a bug where the Slave UI wasn't displaying the Slave's current Region
- Adds some logging to indicate which kind of files are responsible for re-synching job files
- Fixes a bug in Max SMTD that caused an error when deleting all Jigsaw regions
- Fixes an issue that caused errors in the Max Sanity Check when using older builds of V-Ray 3
- Adds an option to After Effects jobs to delete files that don't pass a minimum file-size check
- Fixes an issue that could cause the C4D integrated submitter to fail in versions older than R17
- Fixes a C4D bug in the Batch plugin where the Multi-File Prefix setting wasn't pulled properly
- Fixes the stickiness of the Render Mode setting in the Nuke submitter
- Adds a check to make sure Rhino doesn't exit unexpectedly before generating any output

Deadline is available for Max 2010 to 2017 and costs $185 per node. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v3.02-3.17 are:
- Fixes the displacement checkbox bug in render settings.

OctaneRender for 3ds Max is available for Max 2012 to 2017 and costs $619. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.3.3941 Alpha are:
- Adds support for FurryBall Car Paint material
- Adds support for FurryBall Ambient and Area light
- Adds a FurryBall Mesh settings modifier
- Adds a FurryBall Camera settings effect
- Adds a refresh command
- Some other improvements

FurryBall RT is available for Max 2013 to 2017 and costs €359. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Particles / Renderer

Changes for v2.5.2 are:
- Adds support for FumeFX v4.0.4
- Adds a custom shader to support correct large dots drawing in Nitrous DirectX11 mode
- Improves the calculation of the maximum number of threads to be used
- Adds a new Memory Usage / Image Buffers / Multi-Threading Report area
- The Krakatoa Log now displays information about the memory used for frame buffers
- Fixes Sub-Frame Interpolation which produced infinite positions under certain circumstances
- Fixes the Density Interpolation of PRT files without an explicit Density channel
- Fixes saving of LiDAR files with 64-bit position data to PRT files which default to 32-bit

Krakatoa is available for Max 2012 to 2017 and pricing starts at $1000. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Modelling / Animation

Changes for v4.5.0.7782 are:
- Adds a strand group index parameter to the length modifier
- Base mesh is now added to generated grooms when source hair is on a referenced object
- Fixes failed assertion and a crash in Hair from Guides when changing some export data options
- Creating hair on an object with moved pivot no longer creates hair in the wrong place
- Fixes a crash when changing the guide count when ground strands and surface comb are on top
- Fixes a Max crash when hair is assigned a mesh channel from a non-existent texture map channel
- Setting vertex color as a map source now works
- After closing the groom select dialog in Max 2017 you can now use the create/modify panel
- Modify panel toolbar images now show up in Max 2017
- Assigning per-vertex color channels to parameters now displays / sets the correct channel index
- Documentation updates

Ornatrix is available for Max 2009 to 2017 and costs $499. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v2.1.0.4 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017

Rich Dirt is available for Max 2011 to 2017 and costs €79 (Standard Edition) / €129 (Extreme Edition). A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v0.1.14 are:
- Adds Octane IES texture conversion
- Light sampling speed is now up by 5-20%
- Adds proper XRef geometry support
- Fixes incorrect ray triangle intersection in some cases
- Fixes invisible objects casting shadows on objects behind


New Plugin: Modelling

The Delete Faces Modifier is similar to the DeleteMesh modifier in Max except it has several controls and options. Instead of always deleting the incoming mesh at the currently selected sub-object level, it gives you several options for what faces to delete.

Delete Faces Modifier is available for Max 2016 to 2017 and costs $2.


Plugin News: SiNi Software beta testing...

SiNi Software have started open beta testing a range of upcoming plugins. The plugins currently available for testing are:
ProxSi - this is a proxy plugin for Max which gives you the ability to lock your geometry and protect it from any type of export when file sharing or collaborating with 3rd parties
SiClone - a spline based array tool which has the ability to array multiple objects with different parameters and individual control
Forensic - a free scene checker and repair tool

Other tools are planned, including a scatter plugin and a city builder plugin. The tools which are ready for testing are available for Max 2014 to 2017 (except for SiClone, which is for Max 2015 to 2017). At the moment there is no word on pricing, but there is some information on how they plan to implement a subscription system here.


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v3.8 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Adds support for Maya 2016 extension 2
- Adds a new Wood Splinters Reshattering scheme
- New 'detect mesh groups' shatter option for correctly shattering combined meshes
- Jagginess now preserves UV's of the original faces (single and multi uv's)
- Cut Material->New allows you to update the material of the current shatter group
- The original object is now auto selected after Shatter it->Undo All
- You can now AutoSelect the fracture body corresponding to the current selected fragment
- Improves performance drawing of fragments in Max
- Shatter Undo Last is now a fast operation
- Adds support for VP 2.0 Core profile mode in Maya
- Adds support for Maya 2016 Parallel mode
- PDI keys now uses 30% less RAM in Maya making playback of massive rbd scenes faster

Pull Down It Pro is available for Max 2013 to 2017 and costs €395. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v1.67.01 are:
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Adds a function to remove interpenetrations among group of objects

RayFire is available for Max 2011 to 2017 and costs $385. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.81 are:
- Fixes several broken functions in refguides (lock guides, refObject color...)
- Adds some refguides configuration options (intersections behavior)
- Updates the refguides ribbon UI
- Minor bugfixes and some improvements to the core tools
- Adds transform lock shortcuts
- Adds a new tool: Move Around
- Adds a Ribbon Reset after uninstall
- Fixes licensing problems with some systems
- This update requires reactivation, a new activation code request will be required

DesignToolBox is available for Max 2014 to 2017 and costs $22.99.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v3.40.02 are:
- The denoiser render elements are now prevented from saving as separate files
- Speeds up texture sampling in VRayOSLMtl/VRayOSLTex
- Adds '-abortOnOpenCLError' to vdenoise.exe to stop hardware accelerated denoising on errors
- Adds a '-frames' option to vdenoise.exe that allows you to specify the frames to process
- Adds a '-verboseLevel' option to vdenoise.exe
- Self-illuminated V-Ray materials now render correctly with LC as secondary GI engine
- Fixes problems with light cache 'Store direct light' when using IR+LC after V-Ray 3.40.01
- The V-Ray RT 'Elements active' option in the Render Elements tab now works
- Fixes fireflies appearing in the scene with VRayFastSSS2 using VRay RT GPU
- VRay RT GPU highlight glossiness no longer renders when Trace reflections option is disabled
- Fixes scrolling when clicking on the white area of the scroll bar in the VFB CC window
- Fixes images messing up when scrolling in the VFB window
- VFB toolbar icons no longer stretch over the entire buttons when screen DPI is changed
- Fixes denoising artifacts appearing on images with fireflies
- The hardware accelerated denoiser no longer messes up the progress bar in progressive rendering
- VRayDenoiser no longer returns black results on some computers when hardware accelerated
- The __color keyword in VRayGLSLMtl/VRayGLSLTex is now respected
- Fixes bool uniforms with initializers getting random values in VRayGLSLMtl/VRayGLSLTex
- Fixes a VRayHDRI lag when switching between Shaded and Wireframe viewport modes
- Empty texmap inputs in VRayOSLMtl/VRayOSLTex leads to input parameters after them being skipped
- Fixes artifacts in VRayStereoscopic renders
- Fixes a VRayTriplanarTex crash when connected to a bump slot with a VRayNormalMap
- vdenoise.exe now works with network paths for input files

V-Ray is available for Max 9 to 2017 and costs $1040. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v2.0.1 are:
- Anima 2 is a completely new application, rewritten from scratch, and improved in every way
- With a completely new WYSIWYG editor, Anima 2 makes crowd simulation simple
- Anima can spawn and simulate crowds of any size for incredibly realistic animations
- You are no longer limited to the bundled content for rigged characters and motion capture data
- You can fine-tune characters and motion clips with the visual pose editor
- A sophisticated AI brain anticipates collisions between actors and blends between motion clips
- Each actor is fully editable, providing complete control to direct the perfect animation
- New walkway tools provide controls to direct walking, running and other locomotion animations
- Actors can walk, run, navigate slopes, ride escalators, tackle moving walkways and climb stairs
- Characters navigate to avoid objects, moving actors can be controlled using traffic lights
- Fill scenes with standing and seated characters using an extensive range of animations
- Characters can move from walkways to fixed areas to socialize
- Anima 2 uses the same high quality 3D people found in the Metropoly collections
- The 3D characters look great and interact with the lighting and shaders in a scene
- Anima comes with native import plugins for Max and Cinema4D

Anima is available for Max 2011 to 2017 and costs €249. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.3.3993 Alpha are:
- Adds support for FurryBall basic material
- Adds support for global background color and ambient multiplier
- Adds support for interactive/full playback
- Fixes geometry without UV's
- Fixes some problems with light linking
- Fixes some callbacks

FurryBall RT is available for Max 2013 to 2017 and costs €359. A demo version is available here.


Site News: Things are a bit busy right now...

As you might have noticed, updates have been a bit rare recently. I've been travelling quite a bit, and it hasn't been easy to keep the updates coming regularly. Hopefully this will change soon!

However, it won't change until I get back from the End User Event in Utrecht. This is one of the best 3D events of the year, and I'm going to be doing a talk this year, so if you are going to be there, come and say hello.

Dave


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v8.0.3.0 are:
- Fixes an issue that prevented certain renderers from loading their dependent DLLs properly
- Fixes a bug that caused new Users created through the RESTful API to be incomplete
- After Effects can now use a Frame List override when submitting a dependent Draft job from the integrated submitter
- Fixes a breaking bug in the C4D Batch Plugin
- Adds Max support for the new render layers system (while keeping the old one intact)
- Fixes warning messages generated by the integrated Max submission script
- Adds a new Rhino warning when submitting V-Ray jobs with tile rendering enabled
- Aggregated all Rhino warning and errors into a single dialog

Deadline is available for Max 2010 to 2017 and costs $185 per node. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.6 are:
- Adds the ability to add custom notes to each measurement

miauu's Live Measure Pro is available for Max 2009 to 2017 and costs €6.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v8.6.2 are:
- A console packet size greater than 65535 is now valid
- Submitting a new job while having a locked job selected now works as intended
- Adds a Dispatcher configuration to reset the chunks submission count when reinit is cast on it
- Posix renderclients can now choose between SIGTERM and SIGKILL when killing a process
- ChunkActionResetRequeue() is now included in the MClientAPI
- NodeActionRemove() is now included in the MClientAPI
- GetRenderedBy() of MChunk in the API now reports the correct values

Muster is available for Max 6 to 2017 and costs $85 per node. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for Alpha 3.00 are:
- Adds the Cycles Shader Graph material which gives access to the node graph editor
- Adds support for the ColorMap from Max 2017


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.0.1 are:
- Fixes several stability issues

ImpressObjects is available for Max 2012 to 2016 and costs $14.99. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v3.40.01 include:
- Adds new V-Ray Denoiser to automatically remove noise and cut render times by up to 50%
- Adds support for Max 2017
- Adds initial support for the new Physical Material in Max 2017
- The V-Ray Frame Buffer is now HiDPI-enabled
- Adds V-Ray RT support for MultiTile and ColorMap
- GPU rendering now supports bump maps with procedural noise
- GPU rendering now supports orthographic cameras
- You can now track GPU memory usage directly in the V-Ray Frame Buffer
- In Aerial Perspective, you can now control the color of atmospheric haze
- VR cameras now support top/bottom VR output
- V-Ray Light Cache calculations are up to 15% faster
- V-Ray RT can now update render regions without restarting the render
- Improves performance and no 'fireflies' when using GTR/GGX materials
- Adds a V-Ray Frame Buffer option to automatically save completed images only to render history
- Adds a V-Ray Frame Buffer option to keep the VFB history folder relative to the project path
- And much more: a full changelog can be found on the Chaos Group forum (registration required)

V-Ray is available for Max 9 to 2017 and costs $1040. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.1.9.1 are:
- In the Pro version you can now define and edit your own attributes
- Adds a load of new attributes
- Right-Click on PLUGIN type will now deselect others (solo function)
- The Beta expiration has been extended to the end of June
- Increases the attribute area by 2 rows each column
- Updates the application icon to the new installer icon
- Multi previews are now exported with mmp export
- You can now import .mat libraries with 1.1.9.0
- Removes progress bar animation while importing Max material library to improve performance


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v2.25-2.23 are:
- Minor improvements

OctaneRender is available for Max 2012 to 2016 and costs €459. A demo version is available here.