MAX Plugins.de News Archive

Archived Plugin News  –  December 2007
 

Plugin Update: Animation

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Adds high res brush tools
- Adds 64-bit support
- Adds support for Max 2008
- Adds tablet pressure support
- Adds performance group interpolation

LipService with LBrush is available for Max 7 to 2008 and costs $395. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v3.05A are:
- Adds support for 64-bit compilation and Max 2008
- Can now import and export .MAX external references
- Adds interoperability between Maya light 'penumbra' parameter and Max hotspot/falloff angles
- Triangulated mesh export no longer leads to normal problems on import
- Fixes the import of Maya cameras in Max
- Fixes the import of morph target weight animations
- Fixes interoperability between Max and Maya texture placement parameters
- Fixes crashes when importing line lists
- And lots more... A full list can be found here


Site News: Happy Holidays!

MAX Plugins.de would like to wish all visitors to the site all the best for the holidays. I hope you have a good and peaceful one. Dave


Plugin Update: Connection

Changes for Build 292350 are:
- Fixes artefacts on shadows when rendering with MentalRay
- Fixes random crashes in Build 292300 when opening browsers
- Fixes unexpected hybrid motion blur sudden shifts in some configurations
- Fixes incorrect rendering of boolean operations involving terrains
- Fixes unexpected results when dropping down duplicated objects

Vue 6 xStream is available for Max 7 to 2008 and costs $895. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v8.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Adds Windows Vista support (Client)
- Adds Mac OS X Leopard support
- Adds a new DirectX file preview

Alienbrain is available for Max 8 to 2008 and pricing starts at $12,000. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v3.602 are:
- Adds support for V-Ray 1.5 SP1 (they changed some property names)
- USB dongles are now supported, node and floating
- Adds server limit to command line Backburner submit
- The render 'save file' checkbox is now available for per-pass setting
- Fixes the render element windows appearing and disappearing after a render
- Object property capture now only works if RPM is active and a pass has been restored
- Object property inspector no longer always triggers a capture properties when opened
- Fixes the 'Close' / X button (not) triggering an object property capture

This version of RPManager is available for Max 6 to 2008, and costs $300. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v4.023 are:
- Adds support for V-Ray 1.5 SP1 (they changed some property names...)
- USB dongles are now supported, node and floating
- Adds server limit to command line Backburner submit
- Adds which Max version - 32-bit or 64-bit - to the command line Backburner submit
- The render 'save file' checkbox is now available for per-pass setting
- Fixes the render element windows appearing and disappearing after a render
- User strings for output rule setup ending with '\' are now removed automatically
- Render element saving/loading has been overhauled and proceduralised
- Render element saving/loading has been updated for V-Ray elements
- Load Render Element UI - clear selected button now works properly
- Invert button for main pass selection has been fixed
- Object property capture now only works if RPM is active and a pass has been restored
- Object property inspector no longer always triggers a capture properties when opened
- Fixes the 'Close' / X button (not) triggering an object property capture
- Backburner Server list is no longer incredibly slow to update

This version of RPManager is available for Max 9 and 2008, and costs $300. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v5.8.64.0 / v5.9.64.0 / v5.2008.64.0 are:
- Extra Object Offset matrix is now omitted if it's an identity matrix
- About Box now shows the directory location of the configuration XML file
- Adds an animation option to just output the keyframes


Plugin News: Automatron special offer...

Andy Murdock is running a special offer on Automatron until the end of December. Until then you can buy an Automatron license for $149 instead of $195. A license is good for Automatron 1.x on two computers owned by the same user for any Max version 8+.

Automatron is available for Max 8 to 2008 and normally costs $195. A demo version is available here.


Plugin News: All Ghost3D plugins now support Max 2008

GHOST 3D, LLC have announced that all of their plugins for 3ds Max (Scribe-iT, Surf-iT and ResErect) now officially support Max 2008.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.5.23 are:
- Adds support for Ogre InstancedGeometry
- Adds support for Ogre StaticGeometry
- Adds scene setting for exporting all user data to a separate XML file
- Adds a number of options to the custom user data classes feature
- Removes the bone tab page from the Object Settings dialog
- Updated to use the latest Ogre head release
- Updated to use FreeType 2.3.5
- Custom user data classes feature now uses the declaration order rather than alphabetical order
- Fixes a bug with the 'remove bone translation' settings not being saved
- Fixes the skeleton root bone inheriting the transformations of its non-bone parent
- Fixes a bug with mesh tangents sometimes being calculated incorrectly


Plugin Update: Connection

Changes for Build 292300 are:
- Improved anti-aliasing when rendering with external renderer
- Fixes render of metaclouds (especially when intersecting native objects)
- Fixes preview of objects linking or tracking an animating object
- Changing the fog density setting no longer crashes Ozone
- Fixes a crash when rendering with MentalRay Arch&Design materials in a Vue environment
- Fixes incorrect influence of the 'light color' setting with spectral atmospheres
- Fixes light color shifts when switching from Vue interface to the target application interface
- Fixes loading of scenes containing procedural terrains
- Adds support for 3DS Max 2008 and Maya 2008
- Server settings dialog no longer appears on render nodes
- Fixes a crash when previewing a scene containing grouped meshes in Max
- Fixes light synchronization
- Fixes artefacts on transparent materials when GI is used
- Fixes a crash when opening the Atmosphere Editor
- Fixes random crashes when loading/saving a scene
- Fixes loading of scenes containing a Python startup script
- Fixes shading over transformed hypertextured objects when using object mapping coordinates
- Fixes a crash when reading images from the browse file option of Vue Browser
- Fixes several bugs with pre-animated meshes
- Fixes non-animating ecosystem instances
- Fixes non-HDR atmosphere export
- Fixes missing props in some Poser objects
- Fixes unexpected artefacts through overlapping cloud layers
- Fixes wrong mapped image sequence network rendering
- Fixes offset on ecosystems when reloading scenes
- Fixes duplicated camera backdrop on each tile when rendering a still via HyperVue
- Fixes wrong hybrid motion blur lines in some cases
- Fixes unexpected sticky keyframes when moving them in the timeline
- Fixes unexpected path distortions when moving keyframes in the viewports
- Improved automatic numbering when copy pasting or duplicating objects
- Fixes ecosystem material editor refresh when adding/removing specimens
- Fixes rendering hypertextured objects overlapping with semi-transparent objects
- Fixes wrong GI shadowing through referenced semi-transparent objects
- Fixes a possible crash when copy pasting/duplicating referenced group children
- Fixes unexpectedly accessible options when no vue scene is open
- Other minor interface fixes and improvements

Vue 6 xStream is available for Max 7 to 2008 and costs $895. A demo version is available here.


Shader Update: mental ray Shaders

Changes for v3.1.2 are:
- Fixes a bug in p_SpotTK which may of caused unneeded lighting and incorrect passes
- Fixes the disappearing shadows bug in p_PointTK and p_SpotTK
- Fixes a bug in p_MegaTK shader with 'Fur' model (Maya only)


Plugin Update: NodeJoe Public Beta 0.862a available

The developers of NodeJoe have released a new public beta version for Max 9 (v0.862a) which fixes the following:
- Fixes the x64 bug
- Fixes the renderloop with blend and multimaterial


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.7.0.30 are:
- Exporter now generates names for vertex components in a granny_mesh::PrimaryVertexData member
- The 'LoadSettings/SaveSettings scripts can now be used on selection sets
- Other non-Max-specific fixes. The changelog is available here.

Granny Exporter is available for Max 5 to 2008, and is part of the Granny Toolkit which costs $12500.


Plugin Update: Miscellaneous

Changes for v10.00.00 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)


New Plugin: Modelling

This is a procedural object for creating Prolyte / Opti trilite structural system trusses. It covers the following truss types:
Prolyte: E20, X30, H30, H40
Opti trilite: 100, 200

Prolyte is available for Max 8 to 2008 and costs $15.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.1.0 are:
- The plugin is now an independant SourceForge project
- Removes dependency to IncMerge.exe
- Replaces VS Setup installer with Inno Setup installer
- Centralized version number in version.h
- Animation is now relative to the start frame
- Empty animation tracks are now removed
- Multiple node animations may be exported into a single file


New Plugin: Animation

Craft Crawler Tracks adds tracks to vehicles animated with Craft Crawler Extended. Features include perfect physical simulation with as many drive-wheels as you need, and as many track-components as you need.

Craft Crawler Tracks is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs $995. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Animation

This plugin simulates a multi-wheeled vehicle that behaves much like a tank, yet without the tracks. You can use Craft Crawler Tracks (see above) to add the tracks to your tank. Craft Crawler Extended turns around its center - like a tank - but has a large array of possibilities since it has so many configuration options.

Craft Crawler Extended is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs $695. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Atmospherics

Changes for v3.2c are:
- Fixes the 'point3.h assert' error
- Fixes the noise preview window crash

This update is for Max 9 and 2008, and is available in the Afterworks members area.

Afterburn is available for Max 4 to 2008 and costs $495. A demo version is available here.


New Plugin: Objects

This is a plugin for creating 4-wheel vehicle animation in Max. It supports key-driven animation and real-time driving. The plugin consists of two parts: the MadCar Object (the vehicle dummy) and the MadCar Controller (for linking scene objects to the car dummy).


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)


New Plugin: Animation

Magical VEngine is a lip-synch software which has been used in a number of Sega titles (Dragon, Battlefield, Phantasy Star Universe). It not only automates the creation of lip-synch animations, it can also automate the facial expressions to go with the lip-synch.

Magical VEngine is available for Max 8 to 9 and costs ¥198,000.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.5.21 are:
- Adds the 'Attached Mesh' object type for attaching meshes to each other during export
- Adds a 'Bone' page to the Object Settings dialog
- Adds a node name prefix setting to the Scene Settings dialog
- Adds a node animation name prefix setting to the Scene Settings dialog
- Changes the node animation settings 'Sampling' combo box text from 'Use Object Setting' to 'None'
- Fixes the tab ordering in many dialogs
- Fixes a problem with skeleton animations being exported incorrectly
- Fixes a problem with determining the sub-entities for the scene file


New Plugin: Modelling

This commercial MAXScript creates geometry for walls based on a planar boundary. The interface is simple and intuitive, allowing the user to easily and accurately manipulate all geometry with precision. There is a video here that shows what the plugin can do.

Building is available for Max 5 to 2008 and costs $20 for a 1-year license. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v1.0a are:
- Adds support for V-Ray v1.5

RTTGroup is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs €295. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.02 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Adds a new interactive camera type: Object Camera
- Improves Trigger Button and Button 2D user interface
- Update / export time for biped animations has been drastically reduced
- Adds a new button to the application editor: 'Play and edit current scene'
- Changing viewport size now works correctly for the First-frame-only rendering modes
- Minor bug fixes

Click-VR Visualizer is available for Max 5 to 2008 and costs €1,180. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v0.41 Beta are:
- Now works correctly with V-Ray v1.5 SP1
- Fixes interaction problems with the scene render panel
- Irradiance map parameters now adjust more logically
- Adds a new 'Show Renderwizard' button
- Adds a new 'Show Renderpanel' button
- Increases slider values to handle larger resolutions
- Adds a V-Ray version test and displays it in the GUI
- MSP tree settings are now dependent on the V-Ray version
- Removes LC internal bounces reduction (invisible in V-Ray)
- Adds a new 'Show Safe Frame' button

SolidRocks is available for Max 9 to 2008 and costs €14. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 5 to 8

Smart Render Graphic Exporter is available for Max 5 to 2008 and costs $98 (introductory price). A demo version is available here.


Plugin News: New VRayISO Beta 4 available

Dieter Morgenroth has uploaded a new version of his VRayISO plugin for V-Ray v1.5 Final and SP-1 with a new expiry date.


Plugin News: Craft Animations beta bundle...

Craft Animations are now taking pre-orders for their upcoming plugins Craft CrawlerTracks and Craft Crawler. The fully functional BETA bundle costs $99 and is valid for 3 months. When the beta period is over you have the choice of deducting the $99 as a discount when buying the final version of Craft Crawler and Craft Crawler Tracks.

Contact Jacob Runnerström at sales for more information.


Plugin News: Ozone 3.0 Rendernode licenses available

e-on software, inc. have started selling rendernode license for Ozone allowing customers to include any separate workstation to share the render of Max scenes containing Ozone 3.0 atmospheres, without paying for a full blown license for each of their render stations.

Licenses are per computer, and cost $49 per license. You can order them here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v6.2 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)

VRay Batch Render Pro is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs $109. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v3.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Super Material Pro is available for Max 7 to 2008 and costs $99. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: MAXScript Extensions

Changes for v1.12 are:
- Adds the ability to zoom around the mouse cursor


Plugin Update: Texturing

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Adds support for the new 'Review' shadows in Max 2008
- Adds Shader Model 3.0 optimisations for the standard material
- Adds a flexible Fur Material which can be used for a variety of looks
- Adds support for Shader Model 1.1 for older graphics cards
- Adds a new Channel Input node
- Adds a new Boolean node
- Adds a new Color Blend node
- Adds support for Ogre and Virtools
- Adds the ability to clone parts of the shader tree
- Material nodes now keep track of the Shader Model
- Improved pan and zoom functionality
- Adds 'Open Recent' functionality to the file loader

ShaderFX is available for Max 6 to 2008 and costs $249. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

The latest new build of Brazil r/s v2.0 / v2.1b, build 1449, 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 2008 and pricing starts at $795 for the Basic Edition, and $995 for the Professional Edition.


Plugin Update: Utilities

Changes for v7.61 are:
- 3DS files containing objects with no points can now be read
- Entering the face number modifies the point of view

Polygon Cruncher is available for Max 4 to 2008 and costs $129. A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.5.20 are:
- Adds tangent/binormal semantic setting to the Entity page of the Object Settings dialog
- Adds export of material information for entities
- Adds a separate page for node animations in the Object Settings dialog
- Adds 'Cube Map' helper type
- Modified the installer so it doesn't depend on the Visual Studio runtimes
- Added support for subentity materials in the viewer
- Modified node animation creation in OgreMaxModel in the viewer


Plugin News: Connection

Pipeline FX. LLC. have released a new jobtype for their Qube! render farm management software. The new 3ds Max jobtype supports Max 2008 on both 32 and 64 bit platforms, and also supports all Max-compliant renderers.

Qube! is available for Max 7 to 2008 and costs $500 (Supervisor) / $250 (Worker). A demo version is available here.


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for vBeta 1.9 are:
- Adds full 64-bit support
- Adds support for Max 2008
- Adds support for Max particle systems
- Adds a new Sun helper object in Max
- Significantly improved material system
- Improvements to the sky system
- Improved color mapping routines
- Adds a mid-point parameter for positive and negative displacement
- Adds importance sampling image-based lighting
- Adds drag and drop for maps and texture slots
- The 3D preview is now DX9 instead of OpenGL
- Opacity mapping has been fixed (intermediate grey levels work great now)
- Less noise in cases of direct illumination
- Improved dielectrics (better fresnel and refraction)
- Improved indirect caustics
- New faster and cleaner anisotropy (can now be combined with bump)
- Minor bugs fixed

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: Import / Export

Changes for v1.5.19 are:
- The explicit normals feature (removed from the previous version) now really works
- Adds a biped mixer importer/synchronizer to Entity Animation tab
- Fixes a bug with the new Entity Animation page not saving mesh animations


Plugin Update: Atmospherics

Changes for Build 292230 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008
- Fixes light synchronization
- Fixes artefacts on transparent materials when GI is used
- Fixes a crash when opening the Atmosphere Editor
- Fixes random crashes when loading/saving a scene
- Fixes unexpected artefacts through overlapping cloud layers
- Other minor interface fixes and improvements

Ozone is available for Max 7 to 2008 (32-bit and 64-bit) and costs $199.


Plugin Update: Import / Export

Changes for v1.5.18 are:
- Adds native plugins for Max 2008
- Adds extra exception handling to prevent duplicate animation names crashing the exporter
- Adds a page to the Object Settings dialog for entity animations
- Adds a simple installation tool to aid in installing the plugin
- All plugin directories have been renamed ('static' has been removed)
- Removes the explicit mesh normals feature
- Modifies the node and mesh export to use the pivot point


Plugin Update: Renderers

Changes for SP1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2008
- fR-Dirt now updates sub-materials correctly
- fR-Fillet now updates sub-materials correctly
- Fixes a rare MSP crash
- Fixes core problems with AB
- fR-Architectural problems with fast interpolate and animations fixed
- Some core optimizations for blurry reflections/refractions
- Fixes a crash in the adaptive AA sampler
- Problems with G-buffer velocity vectors fixed
- Fixes a crash in the light material
- New client lib to fix runtime DLL problems
- 2 MSP crash conditions have been fixed (rare occurance)
- Fixes the black square bug in the texture pager
- Problems with flickering edges in fR-Fillet have been fixed
- Fixes problems with license checks
- AGradient3D now works with scanline
- MSP crash in skipping faces code fixed (subtree/MTD skipping)
- Fixes a crash in the texture pager
- Adds invalid color detection
- Adds a workaround in fR-Architectural for SDK break in Max 2008
- Fixes problems with GI and REs in finalToon
- LOD now works
- Adds enhancements to avoid problems with tangents and extreme blurries
- Fixes a crash with HDRI import in Windows Vista
- Fixes problems with hairFX and animations
- Fixes min range for edge length in MTD
- Refraction now affects the alpha channel in fR-Architectural

SP1 is a free download and can be acquired by registered users at the cebas Shop.

finalRender / finalToon / finalShaders are available for Max 6 to 2008 and cost $995 (finalRender) / $495 (finalToon) / $95 (finalShaders).


Site News: Calling all registered Th0r or Druid owners...

If you were a registered user of Th0r or Druid from Sisyphus Software, I would love to hear from you! I've recompiled Th0r and Druid 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 either of the plugins, don't bother sending me a mail asking for it.