Changes for v4.0.0 beta are:
- Adds native support for additional render engines: Maxwell, Arion, Octane and Thea Render
- Adds support for groups in Custom Objects
- You can now edit or delete multiple items at once
- Adds a lock aspect ratio button to Geometry->Width/Height
- Geometry->Material is no longer a required parameter
- Forest automaterials are now generated using random names to avoid duplicates
- Point-cloud now uses a simulated shading mode to improve the 3D look
- Adds global and local density parameters for point-clouds
- Nested Forest objects no longer need Render->Meshes mode to be set
- Adds custom look-at targets, independent from the camera
- Adds Density/Scale falloff curves by slope
- Adds three creation modes: selection, random and sequence
- Adds Properties->SubItem for selecting the subitem when working with groups
- 'Add Items' now remembers the last model and sub-item selected
- Adds support for models organized in separate meshes or groups
- Commonly used options have been moved to the main window
- Adds a render engine selector for libraries that support multiple materials
- Class name has been renamed from 'Forest_Pro_3' to 'Forest_Pro'
- Material->Fast Opacity was obsolete and has been removed
- The Transform Rotation X/Y default value is now set to -5/+5
- Areas->Select Models now works with Diversity->Match Color ID and Clusters
- Fixes an updating issue when a custom object is converted to editable mesh
- V-Ray proxies using non-ascii characters now load in Max 2013
- The render engine is now correctly identified when using F9 to render
- Animation samples are now properly updated when using random or maps

Forest Pack Pro is available for Max 9 to 2013 and costs €180. A demo version is available here.

Changes for Build 1798 are:
- Bug-fixes

Changes for v2.2 are:
- Adds a new color correction effect: Vignette
- VFB+ can now be activated in any image viewer window, not just the main VFB
- Render-To-Texture support has been improved
- The VFB+2 MAXScript interface has been extended
- Adds a new VFBPlus2ColorCorrection MAXScript interface
- Each image now has an editable title shown in the bottom left of the frame buffer
- The image title can now be used as a Stamper variable
- Adds extended preferences for choosing how VFB+ output is saved
- The up / down arrow keys now flip between image elements
- Patching the RTT script now saves a backup of the original file
- Fixes a critical bug in v2.1 only which would crash on older processors
- The feedback form now works properly
- Grab Viewport now returns the correct viewport name when 'Lock render viewport' is enabled
- The VFB window title is now properly restored when VFB+ is deactivated
- Zooming using the mouse scroll buttons now works in the original VFB after VFB+ is deactivated

VFB+ is available for Max 2009 to 2013 and costs $19. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v1.16 are:
- Fixes a lot of bugs and crashes

Quad Chamfer Modifier is available for Max 9 to 2013 and costs €40.

UVW XForm Extended extends the shipping UVW XForm modifier to be constrained to a particular material ID. Currently it is only available for 32-bit Max.

Roger has also uploaded a couple of other modified plugins: Particle Age Extended 5 v1.0 expands the shipping particle age texture map to 5 age steps, and Particle Age Extended 9 v1.0 further expands the shipping particle age texture map to 9 age steps. Both of these plugins are also only available for 32-bit Max at the moment.

VIZPARK is giving away a free product every day from the 24th to the 31st of December. All you need to do is to visit their online shop, look for the free product for that day and download.

It's a little bit late, but 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

Laubwerk Plants are your easy way to use high quality, botanically approved plants with multiple variations, ages and seasons in your 3D application. Visual plant library browsing, a wide range of Level of Detail Options and much more comes through the bundled Laubwerk Player, a piece of software that brings the plant dataset to life.

The Laubwerk Player provides quick visual access to the plant library on your computer, automatic generation of default materials, dynamic control for level of detail. You get multiple viewport drawing options (like a simple hull shape or a skeleton) for quick and feedback and low memory footprint while editing the scene and generates the fully detailed model dynamically at render time.

Laubwerk Plants Kit is available for Max 2010 to 2013 and costs €178.

Changes for v3.1 are:
- Fixes skin phase issues in Max 2013
- The amount of time the spline phase takes has been greatly decreased
- In spline phase you can now draw splines directly on a head
- You can now pick edges/edgeloops in spline phase as a base for appropriate splines
- In spline phase you can now 'stick' splines from current positions directly to the head surface
- Adds new buttons to adjust controls orientation and position after rig phase
- Fixes some issues in Basic tools, old code has been rewritten to increase stability
- Improved Adjust Splines window was moved from basic tools to extended

BonyFace Extended is available for Max 2008 to 2013 and costs $499. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v2.7.20 are:
- The plugin now looks for missing textures in the 'textures' subdirectory of the MXM path
- Adds the 'maxwellRestartFire' MAXScript function
- Meshes and materials can now be imported from MXS files
- Max gamma correction no longer affects Maxwell material preview slots
- Adds support for meshes with specified normals
- Adds an object setting for legacy particle systems to export as meshes or Maxwell procedurals
- The exporter now writes all the cameras present in the scene to the MXS file
- Adds 2048 and 4096 to the list of allowed resolutions for viewport preview
- The viewport preview now looks for textures in alternative paths when they cannot be found
- The send job to network button now supports animations
- Fixes a MAXScript error when trying to render from the command line
- Fixes the grass modifier exporting even when they are disabled
- Fixes a crash on systems with video cards or drivers that don't support DirectX 9
- Fixes incorrect motion blur for PFlow instances when using more than 2 motion steps
- Fixes FIRE not restarting after changing IBL settings
- Fixes the material UI not refreshing after importing a MXM file
- Fixes the renderer sometimes starting even though the export process failed
- Fixes a crash when a MXS reference object uses animation sequences
- Fixes a crash when switching to a non-Maxwell material after editing a Maxwell bitmap
- Fixes a crash when exporting HairFarm objects with density textures applied

The Maxwell 3ds Max plugins come with Maxwell Render, which is available for Max 8 to 2013 and costs €895. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Vast library of 3D plants and billboards included
- Edit SolidGrowth plants thanks to the additional Carbon Botanica plugin
- Fast population algorithms for interactive feedback
- You can now populate instances at 360° around objects
- Adds scattering inside/along curves
- Adds support for color variations among instances
- Adds stacked instances (e.g. piles of rubble)
- Ecosystem instances now display faster
- You can now control the phase of EcoSystem instances
- Adds easy access to EcoSystems
- You can now control Ecosystems with native splines
- Adds point cloud display of EcoSystem instances
- Adds support for the Nitrous display system in Max

Carbon Scatter is available for Max 2009 to 2013 and costs $195. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v1.2.0 are:
- You can now create MultiScatter objects with one click
- The Show / Hide Help Image setting is now global
- You can now create MultiPainter objects with one click
- When assigning texture masks in MultiScatter the mask now turns on automatically
- When creating MSCollision objects it's now possible to modify the radius
- Adds the ability to multiply objects along a spline and a surface simultaneously
- Adds support for the latest version of V-Ray
- The Camera Clipping Algorithm has been redesigned
- Fixes an error in the calculation of the transformation matrix detector
- Fixes a bug that broke the UI when aborting the process of creating Multiscatter object
- Fixes a bug that caused the removal of unnecessary items in the list of master objects

MultiScatter is available for Max 2008 to 2013 and costs €200.

Changes for v2.1 are:
- Specular and diffuse calculation has been re-structured and re-organized
- The rim light method is now masked by a 'sky light'
- Adds a new robust Fresnel term, with custom Fresnel ranges
- Specular lighting and rim lighting now respect the Fresnel ranges
- Diffuse and specular calculation functions are now smaller
- Masks have moved from the diffuse / specular calculation functions to the entry point
- Diffuse warp and Fresnel color warp are now corrected for ambient and half-lambert
- Maya users now have working self-illumination

Changes for v2.1.0 are:
- Colours are now automatically set according to the chosen colour scheme
- The core structure has been rewritten: opens faster, closes faster, operates faster
- Fixes objects still selected in scene after selecting them in UI with setting disabled
- Fixes a rare endless error log window loop
- A licensing system has been implemented

Nested Layer Manager is available for Max 2009 to 2013 and costs €12. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2012 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Somehow I completely forgot to recompile this last year for Max 2012, so here it is, better late than never :o)

Changes for v6.0.1 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Edge Chamfer/Extrude is available for Max 2008 to 2012 and costs $40. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v3.4.0 are:
- Adds support for Max 2013 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Gradient Edge is available for Max 8 to 2013 and costs $40. A demo version is available here.

aXYZ-design.com have launched a Christmas discount program that gives you a special 25% discount on the purchase of all of their products, including Anima Crowd Simulator and their Metropoly rigged characters. The offer runs until January 6th 2013, and full details can be found here.

This commercial MAXScript is a very flexible stereo camera rig. It comes with a host of features such as fast stereo previews, pixel parallax presets, horizontal overscan, realtime zero parallax adjustments, full support for V-Ray cameras, support for network rendering and a load of compositing algorithms.

3dHippie Stereocam Pro is available for Max 2011 to 2013 and costs €249. If you purchase a license before Friday midnight (7th December), you will get an early bird discount of 50%. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v2.1.6.0 are:
- Increased speed due to multi-threading of many core algorithms
- Full V-Ray support
- Full MassFX dynamics integration in Max 2013
- Many options added to allow a more flexible hair pipeline
- User interface enhancement and simplification
- Many bug fixes and stability improvements
- A detailed list of changes can be found here

Ornatrix is available for Max 2009 to 2013 and costs $499. All existing Ornatrix license owners receive a 50% upgrade discount. People who purchased their Ornatrix licenses within the last year get a free upgrade. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v2012-11-16 are:
- The last set export settings are now automatically restored each time Max is launched
- Surfaces of exported meshes and nodes are now always sorted in alphabetical order
- The Move textures option now works correctly if the Compression option is unchecked
- If selected, one or several bones can now be exported into a *.sanim file
- Fixes Node export when Groups as surfaces option is checked
- Speed-up of texture export for nodes

Unigine Exporter is part of the Unigine 3D Engine which costs $9,980. The exporter is available for Max 8 to 2012. A demo version is available here.

e-on software, inc. have released the free Personal Learning Edition of Vue 11 xStream.
The Vue 11 PLE is a fully functional version of Vue 11 xStream/Infinite with which you can:
- Create complete projects
- Save your work and export to other applications
- Render stills and animations without size/length limit
- Experience Vue directly inside Max/Maya/Softimage/LightWave/Cinema4D
- Learn at your own pace (the PLE never expires)

The Personal Learning Edition ships with a wide selection of Vue 11 presets, as well as the full PDF Reference manual. Scene files created and saved with the PLE cannot be exchanged with other PLE users and are not compatible with other versions of Vue. The PLE is for personal, non-commercial use only. Network rendering is disabled, and renders may be watermarked and carry a logo.

Changes for v2.0 are:
- Adds new controls over the diffuse map for faster and better finish
- Key algorithms have been hugely improved
- Adds 15 Grunge maps to add rich details to your material in a snap

Bitmap2Material is available for Max 2012 to 2013 and costs $149. A demo version is available here.

Changes for v2.87.01125.00360 are:
- Updated PhysX 2.8.x and 3.2.1
- Updated APEX 1.2.1
- Regenerate now works on selected nodes
- Bone fins no longer create collision shapes on RB ragdoll/RB creation
- Fast Previewer now simulates for LOD 1
- Fixes convex cooking bugs with default cooking library
- Convex vertex limit is now disabled
- Statistics are now refreshed after creating new clothing
- Contact report now works with PhysX engine 3.2
- CoreDump no longer uses the wrong file name
- Fixes crashes on file load
- Fixes a script bug with Max 2009 related to the FBX version check
- L2N now saves/loads properly
- Fixes the CCD bug
- Fixes the Max repx unit export problem
- Fixes global scaling support

Changes for v1.0 are:
- Adds automatic ratio calculation while loading diffuse bitmaps
- Adds support for normal maps
- Adds global gamma correction
- Alpha maps can now be used for splitting mortar from bricks
- Alpha maps can be used to change mortar brightness and contrast
- The open file path is now stored in the current session
- Initial start now has per object mapping mode selected
- Adds a 'Clear' button for clearing all bitmaps
- Bitmaps are now sorted after loading to avoid asynchronous layers
- Alpha mask now includes changes in HSV randomization excluding mortar
- Fixes maps sometimes missing in previews (green gaps)
- Fixes strange reflections when no normal maps are loaded
- Fixes alpha maps being turned off after load
- Alpha maps are now recognized correctly after loading in numberslot
- Fixes wrong cropping in proportion side and top-bottom
- Fixes a script error when loading scenes saved with a beta version
- Fixes the bump channel not working in a V-Ray material

Walls & Tiles is available for Max 2011 to 2013 and costs €59.

Changes for v1.4 are:
- Fixes the 'defaultLambert' material always being exported
- Fixes the texture scroll factor being exported incorrectly
- Shader and program files are no longer created if there are no shaders
- The 'userData' keyword is now managed in the object properties

Changes for v2.1.3.0 are:
- New, cleaner, more compact and faster Schematic UI
- New Selection Set tree view
- Many tree and schematic view improvements
- Stability improvements and a vast list of bug fixes
- Full details of all changes can be found here

Zookeeper is available for Max 2009 to 2013 and costs $249. Existing Zookeeper license owners get a 50% upgrade discount, and those who purchased their Zookeeper licenses within the last year get a free upgrade. A demo version is available here.

Exlevel are running a Christmas and New Year sale at the moment, offering a discount of 30% on their GrowFX plugin. The offer runs until January 10th 2013, all of the details can be found here.

GrowFX is available for Max 9 to 2013 and normally costs $325. This offer means you can buy a license for $225. A demo version is available here.

Imagination Technologies have announced that the beta version of their Caustic Visualizer for 3ds Max will be available in Q1 2013, with pre-registration to begin in early December. The full press release can be found here.

The Caustic Visualizer plugin makes full use of Imagination's ray tracing technologies to give you photorealistic interactive viewports in Max. It is based on the Brazil render system that unfortunately no longer exists.

I've just noticed that Paul Neale is selling his MX Driver car and trailer rig for a limited time at $129 CAD instead of $199 CAD. Full details on the plugin can be found here.

MX Driver is available for Max 2008 to 2013 and costs $129 CAD.