MAX Plugins.de News Archive

Archived Plugin News  –  May 2018
 

Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v2.0.937 are:
- The OptiX denoiser can now be applied on the beauty pass without needing to create extra AOVs
- The Noice denoiser can now be run from a dedicated UI in a new tab in the rendering options
- The target file for Arnold messages can now be set directly from the rendering options
- Render statistics and profiling info can now be output to json files
- Rendering fluids as an Arnold Surface now works in Max 2018
- Fixes a crash when trying to change the number of points of the Ramp RGB map
- The number of light, volume and alembic objects is now correctly reported in the logged messages
- Undo-ing the Set Parameter operator no longer crashes Max


Plugin Update: Objects

Changes for v1.4.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2019


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.082 are:
- Adds support for the latest V-Ray Next versions

MultiScatter is available for Max 2010 to 2019 and costs €200.


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.06 are:
- Fixes compatibility with non-English versions of Max

TurboSplines is available for Max 2012 to 2019 and costs $40. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Modifiers

Changes for v1.51 are:
- Adds support for Max 2019


Plugin Update: Modelling / Texturing

Changes for v6.0.7 beta are:
- Adds improvements to the Update Manager
- Fixes animation modes in Arnold
- Fixes issues with Custom Edit mode and Effects which modify an items position
- Adds a mechanism to automatically search for texture maps and add them to User Paths

Forest Pack Pro is available for Max 2012 to 2019 and costs €200. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v1.1.5 are:
- Fixes an issues with assigning Material Presets to CME
- Minor bug-fixes
- Updates the licensing libraries

XS Material Presets Pro is available for Max 2013 to 2019 and costs €180.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.5.1 are:
- If you are using Server workspace, Connecter now prevents the saving of previews in the database
- Trying to add assets from an unsaved Max scene generates a message that you need to save first
- The filter dropdowns are now correctly shown after using the 'Show All' button in a folder
- A number of small fixes and performance improvements


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v3.1.6 beta are:
- Adds improvements to the Update Manager
- Fixes Sequence and Material->Sequence operators starting with the same two segments
- Animated clipping splines are now updated correctly
- Style Editor no longer closes when the RC object is deselected, if an expression is being edited
- Fixes bugs with No-Bend segments and Y Splines in Arrays

RailClone Pro is available for Max 2012 to 2018 and costs €200. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.0.3 are:
- Adds an option to start scenefiles from a different app version than the Windows default
- Adds an option to create new EmptyScene presets
- Adds a Maya option to create new renderpasses in the 'ImageRender' state (Arnold, V-Ray)
- Adds Maya support for V-Ray
- Adds an option to use NukeX instead of Nuke when opening scripts from the ProjectBrowser
- Fixes Max aborting the render when using renderpasses in a local render
- Fixes an error when the local Prism preferences or project scripts are corrupted
- Fixes an error when no project is set and the 'save version' shelf button is clicked
- Fixes an error when starting the ProjectBrowser from the tray icon


New Plugin: Modelling

Spline Combiner is a commercial MAXScript for simultaneous editing of multiple spline curves, letting you perform boolean operations between shapes, cut and break them into parts and control curve intersections. You can combine multiple independent shapes with boolean functions, like in a 2D vector software, using Union, Subtraction or Intersection methods. You can use the Shape Cutter tool to make cookie cuts on shapes and conveniently break them into smaller parts, or automatically detect intersections between splines and add new vertices or place helpers. Find self intersections in single splines, or break lines at crossing points.

Spline Combiner is available for Max 2012 to 2019 and normally costs $22. For a limited time you can get a license for $11. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v2.89.71 are:
- Adds support for rendering in batch mode using Maxwell Renderer
- RealWorld and mapChannel settings from materials are now used when rendering material previews
- Fixes a bug when rendering previews with V-Ray materials containing displacement
- Find compatible renderer by material is now more accurate
- Fixes some minor issues with backing up the database

Project Manager is available for Max 2012 to 2019 and costs $75. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v3.08-5.08 are:
- Fixes PhoenixFD missing particle Object layer to control Catch Shadow, etc.
- Adds Phoenix particle information to the Octane WSM modifier
- Fixes DB import of RGB image import
- Fixes DB import of Transform Value
- Fixes orbx export of animated scene with motion blur disabled
- Fixes orbx export with no animation and motion blur enabled

OctaneRender is available for Max 2013 to 2019 and costs $619. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v2.1.0.4 are:
- Adds support for Max 2019
- Adds support for V-Ray Next

Rich Dirt is available for Max 2011 to 2019 and costs €79 (Standard Edition) / €129 (Extreme Edition). A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Particles

TP Debugger is a scripted operator for Thinking Particles which helps you to visualize particle data in real-time. Features include:
- Visualize values directly on particles from particle input
- Visualize conditions from particle input
- HUD Display for visualization data in upper viewport corner
- Visualization of custom conditions
- Visualization of custom inputs
- Visualize velocity and direction input as lines
- Visualize Particle* input as lines and show distance
- Visualize colors as filled rectangles
- Show Min Max and Average values of particles in HUD Display
- Show First Last and Count of particles in HUD Display
- Custom color and text description of visualized values
- Custom particle and condition markers
- Show text with black outlines to improve readability
- Turn off all operators at once or solo one operator
- Auto-disable TP Debugger when exceeding particle limit to prevent system slowdowns
- Stack multiple TP Debuggers on each particle

There is also a Studio version available which is for 1-5 users and includes the source code.

TP Debugger is available for Max 2012 to 2019 and costs $39.90 (Freelance) or $99.90 (Studio).


Plugin Updates: Max 2019 support for nPower plugins

nPower Software have released recompiled versions of their Power NURBs and Power Translator plugins (version 15.0) for Max 2019. The following plugins are now available:
- Power NURBS Pro
- Power Translators / Power Translators Pro / Power Translators Universal
- Power SubD-NURBS
- Power ScanToNURBS
- Power RhinoToMax


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v1.1.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2019
- Adds support for opening texture files by double-clicking in the KuaFu Object Modifier layer list
- Adds support for controlling the amount of light samples
- Adds support for Render Elements
- Adds support for separating lighting contributions into different render elements
- Adds support for exporting renders from Max to Photoshop without saving any temporary file
- Adds KuaFu Light Lister to control all lights in the scene
- Fixes a ray-tracing bug
- Fixes a memory management bug
- Updates documents


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v1.0.2 are:
- Adds an option to Max in the Export state to show additional settings during publishing
- Adds an option to check for Prism updates in the ProjectBrowser / StateManager 'Help' menu
- The empty Max scenes are no longer created by a student version of Max
- The Deadline job submission 'MachineLimit' parameter has been changed from 3 to 0 (unlimited)
- The creation of the Prism shelf in Maya no longer messes up other shelves
- Fixes the Maya 2016 RenderSettings dialog opening every time the user clicked on the StateManager
- Fixes an error in Max, Maya and Blender when removing multiple objects from the Export state list
- Fixes a Max error when double clicking a renderpass in the ImageRender settings
- Fixes the Max force version option not recognizing the configured version correctly
- Fixes a Blender error when creating an empty Blender scene from the ProjectBrowser
- Fixes Prism sometimes not loading correctly and preventing Blender from starting
- Improves behaviour when sending bugs/feedback from within Prism
- Fixes an error when rightclicking in an empty versions list of the 'Select Task' dialog
- Fixes an error when rightclicking on the preview in the ProjectBrowser


Plugin Update: Modelling

Changes for v1.05 are:
- Adds support for Max 2019

Terrain is available for Max 2008 to 2019 and costs $199. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v3.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2019
- New integrated Python interpreter: Getter and Setter for node property manipulation
- Vexus Graph Updater updates old graphs when opening old vx files
- Adds iteration support: submit multiple shots / passes per camera while altering scene contents
- Adds Wacom tablet support
- You can now query Atmospherics
- Adds execution of nodes per pin, based on Y position
- Adds enabling/disabling of individual parameters within a graph node
- Adds Descriptions: details describing nodes selected in the graph
- Adds multi-camera support for submitting multiple cameras per shot
- Adds Templates: users can define predefined graph node networks
- Adds Shortcuts: users can now define custom keyboard shortcuts for application commands
- Zooming is now compatible with tablet users or artists using a mouse with a wheel
- Adds submission canceling capabilities
- Adds Autoback, so graphs are now saved periodically
- Adds new Modifier Isolate graph node for isolating a modifier within the stack
- Grid Align aligns selected nodes or all nodes to the underlining grid point intersections
- You can now use keyboard shortcuts to walk through the hierarchy of connections in the graph
- Save Selected as template shortcut added to File menu
- Adds a new slider control for all integer and float parameters
- Adds Separator support to the property panel
- You can now add text notes to the graph
- Adds enabling/disabling of individual parameters
- Various keyboard improvements
- Adds support for referencing external script files from within Vexus graph nodes
- Selection logic for Groupboxes has been improved
- The Node Library has been reorganized
- Groupbox nodes can now be resized anywhere along the entire border
- Adds hidden scroll bars to the main graph editor viewport
- Cleans up the settings dialog design
- Adds a hover selection highlight for connections
- The property panel has been redesigned
- Adds a new application theme
- Adds node 'Type' definition in XML
- Floats can now define decimals
- Color property redesign
- Expands MAXScript capabilities
- Adds an Align to Grid graph operation
- Fixes port connection issues
- Adds a Windows 10 fix for missing icons
- Localization improvements
- Deleting nodes no longer crashes Vexus application
- Fixes an alignment bug for nodes inside groupboxes
- Fixes a bug where the hotbox would start scrolling in the wrong location
- Property panel name updates
- Duplicate connections no longer cause a dependency loop

Vexus is available for Max 2015 to 2019 and costs $200. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Modelling

MaxShell is a commercial MAXScript that creates an inner shell which can be used to hollow out models. It is useful for reducing the volume of 3D printed models, as less volume means less material, faster printing, and less cost. It can also be useful where the shipping Shell modifier does not work well (eg. organic models), or it can simply be used to create vases and anything that needs to be hollow.

MaxShell is available for Max 2015 to 2019 and costs $8.85.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for v2.5.68 are:
- The Multi/Sub-Object material in Max can now be used as input to other materials
- The Bake Shell material in Max can now be used as input to other materials
- Fixes setting an invalid user attribute in Max raising an exception when rendering
- Adds 'map enable' parameters to the Redshift Material Switch in Max
- Fixes a MEL error when ambient or other unsupported light types are present in the scene in Maya
- Fixes a Maya bug that caused custom AOVs to not honor the 'Default Shader' during baking
- Improves C4D performance of material previews
- Improves C4D modification detection for particles with camera-dependent projections
- Improves C4D modification detection for texture tags with camera-dependent projections
- Fixes a C4D ShaderGraph Editor bug with parameter changes to built-in Xpresso nodes
- Fixes a C4D bug where RSObject tags wouldn't detect particles from the Houdini generator object
- Fixes a rare crash when quitting C4D in OSX while the IPR is rendering a scene containing curves
- Fixes a C4D bug where topology-altering deformers could cause missing UVs
- Fixes a Houdini IPR crash after deleting the render SOP node
- Minor Houdini update in the AOVs list UI to expose the AOV names in the main line
- Adds a new 'GPU Memory Inactivity Timeout' render option in Houdini
- Fixes a Houdini bug in the proxy scene export feature compression parameter
- Adds support for rendering Houdini vdb primitives with individual grid transformations
- Adds per-light AOV (and beauty) support in Katana
- Adds options to the Katana RedshiftRenderSettings node to export Redshift proxy files
- Fixes a crash in Katana scenes with not color_redshift render output nodes
- Adds extra controls in Katana to limit tessellation subdivs for out-of-frustum geometry
- The Katana live rendering resolution override is now disabled by default
- The Katana texture channel parameters are now set to 'st' by default
- Fixes several Katana issues and crashes with the mesh lights viewer display
- Adds a new 'World Space MeshObject' option for mesh lights in Katana
- Katana now supports the ROI feature in the live rendering
- Adds a new 'GPU Memory Inactivity Timeout' render option in Katana
- Fixes a bug that knocked out indirect lighting AOVs (GI etc) if volume lighting AOVs were enabled
- Fixes a bug that caused an assert when adding trace-sets or light links during IPR renders
- Fixes a proxy instancing bug that made instanced proxy templates show up incorrectly
- Fixes a bug that would cause a crash when using non-unique AOV names
- Fixes a bug in redshiftCmdLine where the presence of unsupported CUDA devices aborted the render
- Adds support for 'Emission' light group AOVs (for visible light shapes)
- Fixes a couple of bugs that resulted in incorrect colors in the '_other' buffers
- Fixes a bug that failed to convert shader color output to integer input on RS Shader Switch nodes
- Fixes some crease-related tessellation bugs
- Adds single-scattering contribution scale to RS Lights

Redshift is available for Max 2013 to 2019 and costs $500. A demo version is available here.