# Simplygon 3DS Max Plugin

Simplygon comes with pre-built plugins for Autodesk 3DS Max 2017-2022 which allow users to work with Simplygon more fluently directly through Max.

We are also bundling the new Simplygon Python API that can be used as standalone or through Max, Maya or any other tool that supports Python.

# Max 2021 (and later) and Physical Material

Along with the release of Simplygon 9.1 we are adding support for the new Physical Material that was introduced in Max 2021.

We are supporting most (not all) of the material properties in the Advanced Physical Material. Material properties we are not currently supporting are those that does not have a matching texture slot; which means that we are not able to map a baked texture to the target material. For unmappable textures or if the Physical Material is not the target material the user can choose to set up the target material manually (by utilizing provided query functions).

As material properties are interesting in different cases we've also added shading network script support. The implementation is similar to DirectX (HLSL) material with the important difference that color and texture nodes map directly to static material properties instead of properties in a custom HLSL shader. Shading networks open up the possibility to bake a wide range of material properties to predefined- or custom material channels.

Removing support for legacy material model

The legacy material model (used in Max 2020 and earlier) is no longer supported by the Simplygon Max 2021 plug-in due to major changes in the material pipeline. We will continue to support previous versions of Max which include support of the legacy material model.

# Plug-in modules

The UI module expose a graphical user interface for setting up optimization settings (Pipelines), for example reduction, aggregation and material baking.

The scripting module exposes functions that can be accessed through MaxScript and Python, such as script functions for executing Simplygon, importing and exporting scenes, creating or modifying Pipelines (settings) and shading networks (for mapping of custom DirectX materials).

# Python API

As of Simplygon 9.0 we are bundling the Simplygon Python API. The API can be used directly through Python, Max, Maya and various other tools that support Python. The Simplygon Python API can be used in combination with the scripting module, for example export the Max scene to file using exposed Simplygon script functions, then load the scene using the Simplygon Python API and modify data and / or optimize geometries as if using the standalone Simplygon C++ API.

Python 3 and Simplygon examples

Autodesk has migrated from Python 2.7.x to Python 3.7.x in the most recent releases of Max and Maya. Most of our examples and tutorials are still based on Python 2, please visit https://www.python.org/doc/ (opens new window) for more information on how to migrate your scripts to Python 3.