New 3ds Max 2015 features

New 3ds Max® 2015 features bring support for point cloud datasets, enhanced viewport performance, new scene management workflows, and a more responsive ActiveShade to help artists handle greater complexity. In addition, a node-based visual shader editor and support for Python scripting extend the robust 3ds Max core toolset.

3D animation

Populate enhancements NEW

Get increased artistic control, better realism, and improved usability with the enhanced Populate crowd animation feature.

3D modeling and texturing

Point Cloud support NEW

Import, visualize, snap to, and render massive point cloud datasets to create more precise models from real-world references.

ShaderFX NEW

Easily create advanced HLSL viewport shaders with the ShaderFX real-time visual shader editor.

Placement tools NEW

Easily position and orient content relative to other content in your scene with new Placement tools.

Quad chamfer NEW

Create a chamfered or beveled edge between two surfaces consisting of quads, rather than triangles, to help eliminate pinching.

3D rendering

Improved ActiveShade rendering NEW

Enjoy a faster ActiveShade preview rendering workflow that now supports mental ray.

Accelerated viewport performance NEW

Increase interactivity with substantially faster navigation, selection, and viewport texture baking.

Stereo Camera NEW

Create more engaging entertainment content and design visualizations with the new Stereo Camera feature set*.

UI, workflow, and pipeline

Enhanced scene management NEW

Manage complex scenes more easily with enhancements to Scene Explorers.

Python scripting NEW

Extend and customize 3ds Max with the popular and easy-to-learn Python scripting language.

Computer animation features

Create intelligent, believable characters and high-quality animations with the help of the sophisticated 3D animation toolset in 3ds Max® software. With the fully integrated Character Animation Toolkit (CAT) and Biped toolsets, creating and editing animated characters is faster and easier.

Populate enhancements NEW

Get increased artistic control, better realism, and improved usability with the enhanced Populate crowd animation feature.

Populate crowd animation

Generate moving or idle crowds to enrich architectural presentations with believable human motion, or to previsualize a film or video scene.

Character animation and rigging tools

Create believable characters in less time with sophisticated character animation and rigging tools.

General animation tools

Use a number of keyframe and procedural animation tools for almost any parameter in your scene.

Animated deformers

Add life to creatures and simulate fluidic effects with a number of animated deformers.

3D modeling, shading, and texturing

3ds Max® software draws on a rich modeling heritage to offer a production-proven 3D modeling and texturing toolset. With the intuitive Graphite modeling toolset, powerful ProOptimizer technology, and a wealth of creative texture mapping functions, 3ds Max helps you create better assets in less time.

Point Cloud support NEW

Import, visualize, snap to, and render massive point cloud datasets to create more precise models from real-world references.

ShaderFX NEW

Easily create advanced HLSL viewport shaders with the ShaderFX real-time visual shader editor.

Placement tools NEW

Easily position and orient content relative to other content in your scene with new Placement tools.

Quad chamfer NEW

Create a chamfered or beveled edge between two surfaces consisting of quads, rather than triangles, to help eliminate pinching.

Mesh and surface modeling

Efficiently create parametric and organic objects with polygon, subdivision surface, and spline-based modeling features.

Texture assignment and editing

Access a number of texture mapping, baking, and layering options.

Shading and material design

Get the look you want for your assets, with tools specifically designed to accelerate the shading and material design process.

3D rendering features

Create stunning images in less time with the powerful and flexible 3D rendering tools in 3ds Max® software. Whether you need high-performance interactive workflows, quick preview animations, or photorealistic detail for pixel-perfect final images, 3ds Max delivers a wide range of powerful rendering capabilities.

Improved ActiveShade rendering NEW

Enjoy a faster ActiveShade preview rendering workflow that now supports mental ray.

Accelerated viewport performance NEW

Increase interactivity with substantially faster navigation, selection, and viewport texture baking.

Stereo Camera NEW

Create more engaging entertainment content and design visualizations with the new Stereo Camera feature set*.

Integrated rendering options

Achieve stunning image quality in less time with powerful 3D rendering software capabilities.

Render pass system

Segment scenes for downstream compositing with a powerful render pass system.

Nitrous accelerated graphics core

Iterate faster and handle larger data sets with limited impact on interactivity with the Nitrous accelerated graphics core.

Slate compositing editor

Perform simple compositing operations directly within 3ds Max with the Slate Compositing Editor.

Dynamic simulation features

Create stunning simulations and dynamic effects with high-performance toolsets in 3ds Max® software. Bring your scene to life with the MassFX unified system of simulation solvers, the powerful Particle Flow system, and integrated hair and fur toolsets.

Particle Flow

Create a number of sophisticated, realistic effects such as water, fire, spray, and snow with the powerful event-driven Particle Flow toolset.

MassFX

Add realistic rigid-body, cloth, and particle simulations to your scene with the high-performance MassFX system of unified simulation solvers.

Hair and fur

Create hair, fur, and other strand-derived effects such as grass, and precisely control their styling and animation.

UI, pipeline, and workflow

3ds Max® software includes user interface (UI) innovations, productivity enhancing workflows, and rich creative toolsets that help you improve how you use the data in your pipeline. Work more efficiently to create better 3D content in less time.

Enhanced scene management NEW

Manage complex scenes more easily with enhancements to Scene Explorers.

Python scripting NEW

Extend and customize 3ds Max with the popular and easy-to-learn Python scripting language.

Configurable user interface

Increase your productivity with a user interface that conforms to the way you work.

Flexible camera matching

Interactively match the camera view of a scene to the perspective of a photo background, or use 2D pan and zoom for accurate line placement.

Data transfer and pipeline integration

Import data from many sources and smoothly transfer data across file iterations, software applications, users, and locations.

Compositing integration

Enhance your 3D rendered data and combine it with live-action footage using a choice of compositing options.

Collaborative workflows with Containers

Take advantage of Containers to collect, organize, and share data in complex scenes.

3ds Max SDK

Extend and customize virtually every aspect of the 3ds Max application with the comprehensive 3ds Max SDK (Software Development Kit).