per 3ds

perna · Mar 15 2020

Hi, I'm Per. I used to post here.

per 3ds

After two decades of 3D modeling in 3ds Max I have developed an extensive set of tools and workflow enhancers. I'm quite confident it's the best you'll find anywhere, but judge for yourself, as I am going open-source. You will have absolutely everything that I have.

I will be releasing in small increments as I port from previous 3ds Max versions to 2020 in addition to re-writing and implementing new ideas.

Caveats

I will not host the project. If someone else does, I will contribute.
I do not provide support.
I do not document.
I will not be hyping this, just developing it. Community interest and effort will be essential for this to reach all interested end-users.

My personal goals

Develop the toolset for my own use.
Re-connect with and be motivated by the 3D modeling community.
Cooperate with other 3rd party devs, especially anyone proficient with the SDK.
Use the toolset to teach 3ds.
Make some money, without commercializing anything.
Enough momentum behind the toolset to reach Autodesk's ears.
Cooperate with other 3rd party devs.

Rough roadmap

file mgr - consolidate 3ds user files (scripts, bitmaps, etc) to one cloud-syncable location
ext mgr - install/uninstall/configure extensions
prj mgr - extend to include gamma, units, and other settings
perui toggles display
perui context sensitive keys
perui mat - standardized materials
perui feed - messages ordinarily output in listener/messagebox now shown in viewport
configuration manager
mdl workspace - changes how 3d ops align to the viewport
mdl selection
mdl support
mdl deletion
mdl creation
gui themes
mdl viewport
mdl blockout - most of the modeling tools reside here
mdl hipoly
mdl objects
mdl booleans
mdl lowpoly
mdl uvw
mdl SGPT - Next-generation modeling paradigm, similar to the shift from emesh to epoly
mdl bake

Releases

01: https://polycount.com/discussion/comment/2719512/#Comment_2719512

wirrexx · Mar 15 2020

Hey Per, We rememer you, during your time away, me And @FrankPolygon tried to help people with 3D issues, thank you for everything you've taught us and welcome back!

Justo · Mar 15 2020

Hey, I still have this old image from the

3ds Max 2009 thread. I always believed.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/to/vmsegaqwf1a3.jpg

I hope this is the start of something great.

Pedro Amorim · Mar 15 2020

Let’s do thissssss

Kanni3d · Mar 15 2020

What a lovely return

excited to see what you've got to share!

tynew · Mar 15 2020

Noice perna! Would this be recorded for the folks that are in a different time zone? I really appreciate the amount of help you've given over the years. I learned a lot about good workflows, and how essential blockouts are. Your SG workflow was totally awesome, proper use of shortcuts etc. Old 3dsclean was fantastic when it worked back in the day.

perna · Mar 15 2020

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement!

A lot of people not going to work tomorrow. How about 6PM GMT Monday?
That's 2PM EST and 11AM PST.

Will host on YouTube - it has chat and the video is saved.

rollin · Mar 15 2020

Lol per!

Post some art

Justo · Mar 15 2020

Perna, to this day I still use all my sub-object element mode toggles & transform tools, among other things, all in one key, based on your shortcuts doctor thesis thing. All my coworkers have given me so much shit for this haha, but I love working like this. Have you betrayed us during the last few years and rolled back to using app-default controls?

PolyHertz · Mar 15 2020

Hey Perna! Where ya been?

Eric Chadwick · Mar 15 2020

i liked your post because i know you like likes

perna · Mar 15 2020

Rollin, I'll make art as soon as the toolset is ready for it

Justo, I appreciate your suffering in allegiance

Hope you'll enjoy the new setup. Very simple but powerful.

Hey Poly, I'm good now

Thanks Eric!

sacboi · Mar 16 2020

Nice one, glad too see you back.

Might dust off Max just so I can follow along with your new stuff.

Cheers.

DavidCruz · Mar 16 2020

Aye, i know of you, was wondering what happen to you and hyper (is that a name that should not be mentioned?)
Nice to see you around again, good to see old faces(users) return.(or am i confusing you with per128 ?!)

disanski · Mar 16 2020

Lets go guys

good to hear from you

perna · Mar 16 2020

Livestream
6PM GMT Monday
That's 2PM EST and 11AM PST.

Small first release, not intended for end-users. Information, questions.
I hope to have at least a couple of you in there so I don't feel awkward when I say "hello everyone".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMtNs3AEg_A

**dropbox link down. Wil share installer shortly**

Instructions:

Copy scripts/startup/perui into your scripts startup user folder
Execute scripts\per_ui_macros.ms
Execute scripts\per_etc_macros.ms
Assign keyboard shortcuts perUI_U/D/L/R to arrow keys
Assign keyboard shortcuts 1-0 and the following two keys to perUI_01 - perUI_12
Assign keyboard shortcuts pgup/pgdn/home/end to PER_stack_mod_up/down/top/bottom

The first few releases will be rough like this. Please be patient. Installer and other goodies are coming.

monster · Mar 16 2020

This is pretty awesome of you to share! I'll join in on the stream.

perna · Mar 16 2020

Here's the recording, hope it's clear enough.

I will release an extension manager soon which will allow end users to install, configure and de-install, without needing to know Maxscript.

PerUI serves as the foundation for my scruipts. It has two more UI elements coming - a toggles preview and context-sensitive shortcuts.

LoganCDN · Mar 17 2020

@perna , I am one of the POs for 3ds Max on one of the our modelling teams. I would love to chat with you more about what you have developed for tools; and to get your general, overall thoughts on 3ds Max if you ever have some time to chat.

Mark Dygert · Mar 17 2020

That's a hot idea, I dig it. You've always had cool interesting ideas. If this one can be configured easily it could catch on be really super useful. Thanks for always pushing Max to be better.

"Starting shortly" LIES!
(skip to ~10:25)

Cathodeus · Mar 17 2020

Hey Per,

That is really good to know that you're back in researches. Max do needs guys like you to push boundaries while everyone is looking at Blender like if it was a messiah.

Here We are busy in the making of "KeyHydra" remake. Entire UI re written, and entire core too ... I'm curious to see what you will come with.

If KeyHydra was open source we could have worked together on this maybe. And join force.
I have spent so much money in the making of KeyHydra that making it open source would be a non sense.

When i started it i hope that people will understand the power of context sensitive shortcuts and multitap shortcuts.

Obviously it take 10x more time than what i expected. Ok we do have really good client and user base is increasing but a real "boom" didn't happened yet. As you says i made this tool for me, we offer support but marketing it alone is almost impossible.

We will be credited in some upcoming games maybe it will help ...

I see that you made a kind of "chained shortcuts" wich was on our "roadmap". I don't think we gonna make it as the re writing take too much time. Actual KeyHydra ui speed need improvements especially with the super complex|powerfull context sensitives shortcuts i use [when XML structure is long],

UI responsivness, user feedbacks, learning curves and ease of use are actually our main focus.

Wish you the best.

Massimo

tynew · Mar 18 2020

Looking good perna! btw I looked for ages but found a way to hide the title bar which you couldnt do since max 2009 expert mode. theres a lightweight app called borderless gaming so max can look nice https://i.imgur.com/P9mDMh4.jpg on my screen
also the latest max versions have been a godsend with their new key rebind system. the fact you can type in either a hotkey or the name of an action makes making old per128 smartfunctions super duper easy.

@LoganCDN
I really hope you have a good chat with perna. He's one of the best subD modellers around, a huge 3ds advocate, literally knows max inside and out. He hooked up a midi keyboard into max, as well as a hardware controller that could change materials and model. He has made tools, scripts and systems that have enhanced workflows of many people on this website. Honestly if you guys want max to evolve you need someone like him on your side

perna · Mar 18 2020

Tynew, thanks for the warm words and the recommendation to Autodesk!

My solution for the title bar is simply to scale the window top crop it out. Code should be under "scripts" on the dropbox share.

Cathodeus, it's important for me not to interfere with small devs, so I'm very happy to communicate and cooperate. Anybody just hit me up with a PM.

Mark

Thanks! Also trimmed the video.

More details shortly!

perna · Mar 18 2020

updated top post with roadmap

perna · Mar 18 2020

Photoshop exporter. Not tested in a while.
https://github.com/perprerp/ext-photoshop

Pedro Amorim · Mar 21 2020

Ah yiss! The gang is back!

perna · Mar 26 2020

Would someone with a bit of scripting knowledge test this mzp?

http://perprerp.com/pub/per ui.mzp

gandhics · Mar 26 2020

perna said:

Would someone with a bit of scripting knowledge test this mzp?

http://perprerp.com/pub/per ui.mzp

I installed it. It seems ok.

Anything specific I need to pay attention?

perna · Mar 26 2020

Gandhics, I appreciate you taking the time.
If installation and uninstallation works fine without any nasty messages in the listener then the foundation is in place and I will focus on end-user functionality for a while.

per 3ds

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