Game dev related Ideas for 3Ds Max

CompanionCube

I've created a few topics on the 3Ds Max Ideas forums related to the RTT. If you have any ideas for RTT or game dev related ideas for 3Ds Max i really encourage you to make some posts as they do prioritise ideas based on votes. Many of you probably have a ton of ideas how to improve max for game dev. 

RTT (Render to Texture)-Load files externally
Skew correction in RTT (render to texture)
add baking for Mikk TSpace normal maps and support for viewport and rendering
add UDIM/UVtile baking to RTT (render to texture)
merge RTT (render to texture) and 'render surface map'

Also encourage you to join the Beta https://beta.autodesk.com/key/3dsMaxBetaApplication

Justo

Many of these would be cool (OSL rounded-edge shader pleeease), but I would rather have Max invest more resources in updating all their modeling tools. I think Swordslayer and Musashidan wrote some solid ideas there, like fixing all the Editable Polygon issues, maybe even adding an ability to unwrap UVs without needing extra modifiers, fixing the broken Preview Selection feature and letting users change the Preview Radius, make it so that the rollouts dont open and close and move around like crazy between sessions and objects...

Forget the texture side of things, please make the UI and basic modeling features more up to date...   

CompanionCube

@Justo There are lot's of things the Dev team are looking at so it's important to let them know what to prioritise by voting on the ideas forum and submitting your own ideas. I've made a few posts related to modeling but think it's important for the polycount community to submit ideas related to RTT and other game dev features. 

musashidan

I've been on the beta for a while now and all I can say is that anyone who has an interest in the future of Max needs to get voting! This isn't just a gimmick. The ideas forum is being actively followed and implemented by the devs.

And @CompanionCube is right. We desperately need more people from these forums to get involved. There are not many with game-dev backgrounds on the forums. Monster and Swordslayer are there and both are active, but not many more.

Axi5

Is there a similar beta key for Maya...?

I've been trying to get in that one for a while now

Deforges

@musashidan or anyone else feel free to respond - What's the development situation at autodesk right now? My perception a year or two ago was that 3ds max development was becoming more stagnant and Maya was more of the focus. Is the next update to 3ds Max supposed to be substantial?

Pac_187

musashidan said:

I've been on the beta for a while now and all I can say is that anyone who has an interest in the future of Max needs to get voting! This isn't just a gimmick. The ideas forum is being actively followed and implemented by the devs.

And @CompanionCube is right. We desperately need more people from these forums to get involved. There are not many with game-dev backgrounds on the forums. Monster and Swordslayer are there and both are active, but not many more.

I just joined the beta this week and can only support what has been said already. Get voting and comment on the ideas page!
If you are an active 3ds Max user interested in pushing max for game-dev, go apply for the beta and participate in discussions.

@Deforges We aren't allowed to talk about what is beeing developed on, nor do we know for sure if those things will be part of any of the upcoming product updates/releases, but by participating in discussions and testing said things, we have a chance to influence the development of the features, thus it's imporant that a lot of people get involved in order to have a diverse spectrum of input for the devteam. Features can be better taylored towards a user base the more input there is.

Deforges

Pac_187 said:

musashidan said:

I've been on the beta for a while now and all I can say is that anyone who has an interest in the future of Max needs to get voting! This isn't just a gimmick. The ideas forum is being actively followed and implemented by the devs.

And @CompanionCube is right. We desperately need more people from these forums to get involved. There are not many with game-dev backgrounds on the forums. Monster and Swordslayer are there and both are active, but not many more.

I just joined the beta this week and can only support what has been said already. Get voting and comment on the ideas page!
If you are an active 3ds Max user interested in pushing max for game-dev, go apply for the beta and participate in discussions.

@Deforges We aren't allowed to talk about what is beeing developed on, nor do we know for sure if those things will be part of any of the upcoming product updates/releases, but by participating in discussions and testing said things, we have a chance to influence the development of the features, thus it's imporant that a lot of people get involved in order to have a diverse spectrum of input for the devteam. Features can be better taylored towards a user base the more input there is.

I was referring to the development from a user perspective. As in, does it feel like autodesk is making bigger moves with Max or putting more attention on it? They may have been all along, like I said my perception was they were pushing maya a lot.

Justo

Sure, if my 3-4 years in this industry are better than not joining at all, I could do it. I'm not nearly as experienced as you all, but if it helps to have another voice from the game dev polycount biome, I'll do it. After the beta is closed, do they somehow force you into buying their product? As much as I like Max, I don't think I'd be able to afford it. 

Pac_187

Looking at the features Maya received in regards to game-dev (the new UV-Toolkit, shift extrude, etc.) it was more of a catch-up with 3ds Max in my eyes. Yes, 3ds Max stagnated in regards to game-dev in the last few years, but I think that was more due to the fact that the whole UI was/still is beeing reworked (ported to QT).

Have you looked at MCG and the Data-Channel modifier and lately OSL maps? Those are powerfull additions to the 3ds Max pipeline, but not a lot of people are aware of it.

With 3ds Max 2018, the Python integration received a lot of updates (for example it's now using the same GUI libraries like Maya), allowing tool-devs to partially share their code between DCC applications.

Lots of technical stuff, but it's the foundation to actually create tools for artists.

And looking at the things in the beta, there's a more than positive out look regarding the future of 3ds Max.

CompanionCube

Deforges said:

@musashidan or anyone else feel free to respond - What's the development situation at autodesk right now? My perception a year or two ago was that 3ds max development was becoming more stagnant and Maya was more of the focus. Is the next update to 3ds Max supposed to be substantial?

if you compare the last couple years to me Maya is stagnating and Max dev is strong.

Deforges

@Pac_187 That's good to hear! I didn't know they were doing anything with OSL. I haven't used max for year now but I'd love to try out a trial if some of these features being voted on come to fruition. Depending on if my college email is still active