Best 3DS Max plugins
With 3DS Max plugins you can extend 3DS MAX features, improve workflow, make Hollywood like visual effects.
Particles
Krakatoa
KRAKATOA is CPU-based, highly optimized for 64 bit computing, heavily multi-threaded, and can be used successfully on most hardware running Windows or Linux operating systems including laptops and render nodes without dedicated high-end graphics accelerators.
http://www.thinkboxsoftware.com/krakatoa/
thinkingParticles
thinkingParticles™ 5 packs more than 10 years of product development and engineering into one massive procedural dynamics effects system for 3ds Max and 3ds Max Design. thinkingParticles is unlike anything you may have experienced before, it’s total approach to non linear procedural dynamics effects animation makes it stand out as the number one choice of tool for professional Artists in the industry.
http://www.cebasstation.com/index.php?pid=product&prd_id=166&feature=1359
Fluid Simulation
Real Flow
Industry-standard, out-of-the-box fluid simulation software.
Fast and easy to use
Compatible with ALL major 3D platforms
The definitive fluid simulation software for over 15 years
Award winning (including the Technical Achievement Award granted by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
http://www.realflow.com/product/realflow/
glu3D
glu3D is a complete system that makes easy making liquids in Autodesk’s 3dsMax, Maya and XSI. glu3D uses particles to simulate the liquid behavior, and a multi-resolution polygonal surface is also generated to display the liquid surface.
http://3daliens.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50:glu3dmaxmaya&catid=36:products&Itemid=55
Pwrapper
Pwrapper is a surface blobMesh generator for any kind of particle system in 3dsMax, Maya and XSI(not only glu3D particles). Create a new instance of Pwrapper. Then select any particle system through pwrapper command panel and its particles will be wrapped with a poly surface mesh. Modify Pwrapper parameters to change surface look.
http://3daliens.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:pwrappermaxmaya&catid=36:products&Itemid=55
SnowFlowPro
SnowFlowPro is a 3D Studio Max plugin that creates realistic snow with ease! You just pick your desired objects and SnowFlowPro does the snow for you! Let the snow fall on your 3D objects and scenes with the click of a button. A variety of parameters ensures that you get the desired results in every situation.
http://www.zwischendrin.com/en/detail/261
Phoenix FD
Phoenix FD is a powerful tool for fluid simulations. Aimed to meet the needs of VFX artist to simulate fire, smoke, explosions as well as liquids, foam and splashes, it has now become universal simulation software for every production house. Phoenix FD offers exceptional flexibility and speed. With an adaptive grid, complete interactivity, a GPU accelerated preview and a fully multi-threaded displacement algorithm it stands out as one of the top solutions for fluid simulations in the visual effects industry.
http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/phoenix.html
Fume FX
FumeFX offers many innovations and artist-friendly improvements that provide unique control over the simulation. Features such as a GPU accelerated Preview Window, simulation of nested grids, support for Space Warp deformers and newly added Effectors will allow you to approach VFX scene construction in a completely different and more flexible manner.
http://www.afterworks.com/FumeFX/Overview.asp
Demolition
Demolition Master
Demolition Master is your 3dsmax tool for create incredible explosions and destructions.
http://www.andvfx.com/best-3ds-max-destruction-plugin/
Ray Fire
Fragment, destroy, demolish, wreck, break down, wreak havoc, blow up, burst, detonate, explode and do other similar things you have always dreamed of to do in Max…
http://rayfirestudios.com/
Pulldownit
Pulldownit is a brand new dynamics solver which allows for the creation of fractures as well as massive rigid bodies simulations. By using its technology digital artists are able to simulate fast and easily the collapse of buildings, cracking surfaces or fracturing any kind of brittle material.
http://www.pulldownit.com/productos.php?idcate=2
Toon Rendering
finalToon
Your renderings will never look the same anymore, finalToon opens up a whole new world of illustration and cartoon rendering effects for 3ds max. Thanks to the unique functions and features, finalToon has to offer, we are pretty sure that you will be soon a part of the upcoming NPR (non Photo Realistic) rendering community of 3ds max users.
http://www.cebasstation.com/index.php?pid=product&prd_id=136&feature=1283
Rendering Engines
V-Ray
V-Ray 2.0 for 3ds Max is a fast rendering solution, which combines the power of the distinguished V-Ray rendering engine with the flexibility and unprecedented speed of the interactive rendering system V-Ray RT, now running on GPUs.
http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/vray.html
finalRender
finalRender 3.5 SE for 3ds Max 2010-2013 and 3ds Max Design 2010-2013 is the perfect choice for bigger production houses and advanced users seeking the maximum in quality and flexibility, as well as, mainstream user base.
http://www.cebasstation.com/index.php?pid=product&prd_id=137&feature=1236
Landscapes
Terrain
The Terrain plugin for 3DS Max allows you to generate landscapes from real world elevation data in a couple of clicks. The plugin makes use of DEM data that is available freely on-line but instead of you having to locate the right DEM file for your needs, patching them together and importing the data manually our plugin allows you to directly set a latitude and longitude coordinate and the plugin will automatically locate the right data and import it into 3DS Max and generate a mesh to your desired level of detail.
http://www.west-racing.com/mf/?page_id=2979
Autograss
http://www.happy-digital.com/autograss/
Select your object, click Autograss, and you’re done. You’ve got photorealistic grass that renders in V-Ray for 3ds Max.
Houdini Ocean
Hot4MAX (Houdini Ocean Toolkit for 3ds Max) is a modifier plugin simulating ocean waves. This project is based on work from Drew Whitehouse implementation of the Jerry Tessendorf paper, Simulating Ocean Water.
http://www.guillaumeplourde.com/
Forest Pro Pack
Forest Pack is a plugin for Autodesk 3ds Max, and 3ds Max Design, designed to give a complete solution for creation of vast surfaces of trees and plants. Forest enables you to scatter millions of proxies, high-poly meshes or billboards, and using custom geometry shaders, create scenes with virtually unlimited number of objects and polygons.
http://www.itoosoft.com/forestpack.php
Vue
Vue xStream and Vue Infinite offer CG professionals the premiere solutions for creating exceptionally rich and realistic Digital Nature environments with seamless integration into any production workflow. Vue xStream has a great plugin for 3DS Max exchange data.
http://www.e-onsoftware.com/
Plant Factory
Plant Factory is a revolutionary 3D vegetation modeling, animation and rendering software, dedicated to the CG, SFX, Architecture and Gaming communities.
http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/plant_factory/
Onyx Tree
Procedural modeling software for vegetation
http://www.onyxtree.com/
CITY
CityTraffic
CityTraffic is a plug-in for 3ds Max which helps to create car traffic flow on the roads and off-roads.
Special road editor and automatic cars setup substantially accelerates preparation of scenes for the simulation of traffic movement.
Huge variety of configurations for each car, whether it is adjustment of a suspension bracket or style of driving, give the ability to create realistic simulation.
Dynamics calculation makes movements on complicated surfaces more realistic, and the artificial intelligent system helps cars to operate independently.
http://rendering.ru/ru_en/citytraffic.html
ANIMATION
Voice-O-Matic
Voice-O-Matic (3ds max Edition) is a powerful, easy-to-use plug-in which automates the lip synchronization process for your animated CG characters directly in Autodesk 3ds max. Simply feed a recorded audio file to Voice-O-Matic and it will automatically generate timing and lip position data for your characters.
http://www.di-o-matic.com/products/plugins/VoiceOMatic/#page=overview
an(i)ma
Adding life to your scene goes smoothly with an(i)ma® Cloner Modifier. Thousands of animated characters will be choreographed automatically for a perfect interaction and realistic result in just seconds!
https://secure.axyz-design.com/anima-crowd-simulation-software-home
MadCar
MadCar 3 is a plug-in for 3DS Max for quick rigging of wheeled vehicles and their animations by simulating the control.
This new version allows rigging vehicles with any number of wheels, and with any of their mutual arrangements including motorcycles.
Any number of trailers is also supported.
http://rendering.ru/ru_en/madcar.html
MISC
Cobwebs
A script to create spider webs.
http://jokermartini.com/2012/05/09/cobwebs/
Hair Farm
There are many different ways to animate hair using Hair Farm. Hair Farm’s animation system is designed to deliver the needs of realistic, complicated hairstyles that can easily be prepared using Hair Farm’s revolutionary modeling pipeline.
http://www.hair-farm.com/animation.php
