How to add material to the library 3d max. How to install plugins

It is easier for beginners to work with ready-made shaders ( materials) in 3ds max. On the Internet it is easy to find a lot of quality materials in the public domain. In the lesson we will look at how to add a ready-made shader to an object. We will also create the parquet material by ourselves

In the lesson we will work in the full version of the Material Editor. It is more visual than the compact version, where you see slots and balls for working with textures. Use the "M" button on the keyboard to call the material editor. Switch the view in the Models tab.

We use ready-made materials Vray

Take a lemon model. Download the finished material for Vray. To add a new material to the materials library, click on the up arrow → Open Material Library. We are looking for the right material. Click Open.

Now in the list of materials we have a material Lemon. LKM drag it into the working window.

We see that not all textures are loaded (black windows of the map). This happens often, so you have to add textures manually. On the top panel, click Customase → Configure User Paths. In the window that appears, go to the External Files tab, click Add. Find the folder with our material. In it, select one of the files and click Use Path. Now materials have been added.

Drag the material on our model. Texture overlaid.

Create a new material.

Open the material editor. In the Materials tab, click Vray → VrayMtl. We overtighten in the working window.

Double click on the created material. Parameters appear on the right.

• Deffuse - the color of the material;
• Reflect - the reflection of the material ( black color does not reflect at all, white color is a mirror);
• Refl.Glossiness - dullness / polishing of the material ( value 1 sets the mirror surface);
• Refract - transparency;
• Glossiness - the clarity of refraction ( value 1 at the glass);
• Subdivs - the quality of visualization ( reduce noise, the higher the value, the better the picture);
• IOR - refractive index. Each material has its own IOR value. Look for them in special tables.

Create a parquet material. Instead of color, we will use texture. Just drag it into the materials editor window and set it to Diffuse Map (1).

Load the reflection map. In the cracks the parquet does not reflect, on the map such places are marked in black. Drag the map into the editor of materials. Install it on Reflect Map (2). Put a tick Fresnel reflection (3) ( the dependence of reflection on the angle of view).

Load the roughness map. Apply to Bump (4). We put Subdivs more to remove noise.

We got this kind of parquet material.

To create more complex and realistic shaders you need to understand the physical characteristics of the materials. Experience and a deeper study of the issue over time will give a good result. And the best way to get structured information and get training on the video course: Secrets of VRay-materials. There are a lot of useful things and you can download the finished interior scene with settings and lighting to begin assigning materials according to the instructions.

Includes basic models of interior elements. This includes glass, metal, ceramics, curtains, furniture, houseplants, pets and, of course, people.

A large proportion of two-dimensional models represent different styles of interior decoration. This is an extensive list from baroque to early modern. This library will be useful for architects, designers and all those who work in 3ds Max.

If you are surprised that two-dimensional objects are represented in a three-dimensional program, do not worry! Computer objects can be flat. The modeling process is simplified to the extent that with sufficient mastery of the program, you can make a 3d model of any object. From furniture to plants.

Of course, it is often difficult for novice users to work with 3d objects, due to their “weight”. They are so "overload" the project that it becomes almost impossible to work.

This is where 2d models come in handy. At the same time, they combine the convenience of a computer model with photographic accuracy of the fundamental principle. Formats 2d models: aco, 3ds and max.

Render, plugin and module from 3Ds Max

People who are not familiar with the three-dimensional modeling in the field of design, it may seem that the choice of tools, and graphics programs such as Softimage | XSI, 3ds Max Design, Maya, Lightwave3d and others is so large that it allows you to quickly carry out the most complex modeling, of any shape. with any three-dimensional effect or animation. But a professional 3d designer or animator will never say that.

Of course, theoretically, the designer has enough modeling tools to create any three-dimensional fantasy. But the path to achieving this goal may be different. For each case, the same tool may not be useful to the same degree: in some ways it will help to achieve results in a few minutes, but in something it will take hours and days.

In order not to "shoot from a cannon on sparrows", there are various scripts, additions that allow you to expand the capabilities of the standard software package. In 3Ds Max, such additions are a great many, dozens and hundreds of plug-ins that simplify the work with the program.

A novice 3Ds Max user will, of course, have a hard time sorting out all this sea of ​​programs and add-ons, determining the necessary and optimal ways of working. This article is written for such users, it describes the popular add-ons and their purpose.

Here we will not consider connected visualizers. These plug-ins in 3Ds Max allow you to find alternative ways of rendering images, visualize a variety of effects that can not be calculated in the standard editor. These are complex modules with a huge number of auxiliary tools and settings.

Even if you simply list all the features of different visualizers, such as Maxwell, Render, Vray and Final, one article will not be enough. Of course, we expect to talk about visualization tools, just next time.

How to install plugins

Plug-ins are created by various developers - both commercial firms and single enthusiasts. Most often, the plug-in is supplied with the installation wizard, then its launch is a minute matter, simple for everyone. But if the developer did not insert a wizard into his plugin, which is not uncommon in free-of-charge add-ons, installation may be difficult. Although in fact, install the plugin is always easy.

To do this, first make sure that the version of 3ds Max installed on your computer will be compatible with this plugin and whether it is suitable for operation in its 32 or 64-bit version. Add-ons created for the 32-bit version of 3ds Max will not work in 64-bit and vice versa. Since last year, in addition to 3ds Max, there is also a special 3ds Max Design program.

Additional modules are packaged in library dll files with different extensions, depending on the properties:

Additional dlo object;

Dlm modifier;

Dlr visualizer;

Texture dlt;

Dlu utility;

Using images (export or import graphic formats) bmi;

Save bms files;

Dlc object animation controllers;

Export max files to other dle formats;

Import dlf fonts;

Import other formats in max format dli;

Dls helper object;

Flt post-processing effects;

Scripts mse.

So, if the selected plugin is not equipped with the installation wizard, proceed as follows:

1. Close 3ds Max if it is running.
2. Unpack the archive module.
3. Find the library file with some extension from the above list.
4. Copy it to the C: Program FilesAutodesk3ds Max plugins folder.

Run 3ds max.

3ds max libraries

The process of developing scenes, creating a project is facilitated by the presence of a library of materials. In it, you can select the finished object, correct it and insert it into the project. The library contains a large number of frequently used objects, so the chance to find the one you need is very high. This greatly simplifies the work, eliminating the need to create the necessary material from scratch every time.

A convenient template library is located on your hard drive in the .mat file. When you first install 3ds Max, the AecTemplates.mat library is automatically installed. It contains typical architectural materials. The standard 3ds Max library is also loaded, containing the following file categories:

Backgrounds Backgrounds;

Brick masonry Bricks;

Ground Surface Ground;

Metals Metal;

Space Space;

Wood (Wood);

Stones (Stones).

Also, in addition, during installation, libraries of various architectural materials are loaded, which are stored in the 3ds max folder, materiallibraries directory (in the 3ds max 2008 version) or in matlibs (earlier versions).

How to use the library

To use the library of materials, you need to do the sum of actions:

1. Open the 3ds max editor (Rendering -Material Editor path or click M, select the Mlt Library tab in the Browse From field).
2. Then in the editor, click on Get Material, opening the texture and materials navigator window, Material / Map Browser. If you have not configured another, the 3dsmax.mat file will open.
3. If you need another library, click on the Open tab in the File.
4. In the Open Material Library window that opens, select the library you need, and select from the Material / Map Browser material list.

3Ds Max Plugins

The V-Ray plugin is a powerful visualization tool. It supports the depth of field Depth of Field, motion blur effects in motion motion blur, an offset map with increased 3D detail of Displacement objects.

In addition, V-Ray has its own light sources, a sky / sun system for daylight and a camera with similar real video and camera options.

Vray Proxy is a system that allows you to calculate huge arrays of homogeneous objects numbering tens of billions of polygons. Shaders embedded in the program allow you to simulate almost any material.

V-Ray SDK programs its own shaders, and adapts the program for specific tasks. It calculates the individual elements of the image by channel depth, refraction, reflection, shadows, diffuse color, alpha and others. With it, you get the possibility of a variety of post-processing during installation and compositing.

The 3D MAX program helps to design architectural objects, locations, interiors, cartoon characters, movies, and much more. This is perhaps the most important program for someone who works with computer graphics. But since this is a rather voluminous and complex program, you need to learn it methodically, persistently and for a long time. Tutorial 3D MAX and various great forums can help in mastering its basics. In this article we will talk about the aspect of adding a material library to 3D MAX. And also we will talk how to create personal library.

Add a new library

3D MAX initially represented a choice of 15 libraries combined into 6 groups: metal, wood, stones, sky, earth, and brick. All additional materials and textures are easily downloaded on the Internet. Library files are saved in .mat format. To add a library to the program, you need to open the material editor (M on the keyboard or the ball with the arrow icon). On the left in the Browse from block, select the Mtl Library, and then Open a little lower. A dialog box called Open Material Library opens, here choose the library you need and click the Open button.

Using the Merge command, you can add new materials to the current library that is currently being loaded and used. The Save button will allow you to save the current library with all new updates. If you want to save all new materials and textures in the library, use the Save As button.

How to create your own library?

The interior or exterior in 3D MAX to create from scratch is quite difficult and quite easy to get confused in the number of materials to be used. Many people prefer to create personal libraries with frequently used textures or for a specific object. This allows you to have your favorite materials handy for quick access and not to clutter up the main libraries.

To do this, open the scene from which we want to save the texture map and press the Latin M on the keyboard, select the Scene item from the Browse From block. In the Map Browser window, click the Save As button. The Save Material Library window opens where you need to specify the name of the library. Save and enjoy.

To add new material, click on the keyboard M, in the library window we find the button Put to Library. You must enter in the dialog box the name of the material and save. You can delete a map using the Delete from Library button.

Material Libraries

After the material is ready, you need to save it. Materials are stored in Material Libraries (* mat) format. For your own materials, it is desirable to create a separate library. This can be done as follows.

1. On the toolbar of the Material Editor window, click the Get Material button.

This will open the Material / Map Browser dialog (Source of materials and texture maps).

2. To the left of the list of new materials and texture maps there are areas of management of this window. In the Browse From area, set the switch to Mtl Library.

3. In the File area, click the Save As button. In the Save Material Library dialog box that appears, specify the path to the desired folder, give the library a name, and click the Save button.

4. Now the name of the library will appear in the title bar of the Material / Map Browser (Source of materials and texture maps), and all materials that you want to save will be placed in it.

To put the material into the library, click on the Put to Library button.

In the dialog box that appears, confirm the name of the material and click OK. The material will be placed in the library.

3ds Max uses several different libraries of materials and texture maps. To open a library, do the following.

1. Click the Get Material button. This will open the Material / Map Browser dialog (Source of materials and texture maps).

2. Set the Browse From switch to Mtl Library.

3. Click the Open button in the File area. The Open Material Library dialog box appears. Indicate in it the folder in which the library is stored.

4. Select a library and click the Open button. The materials library will open.

If you want to remove material from the library, in the Material / Map Browser (Source of materials and texture maps) highlight the material (click on its name) and click the Delete From Library button

You can assign a material to an object in two ways:

Holding down the left mouse button, drag the created material from the cell of the Material Editor window to the object in the viewport;

Activate the cell with the desired material, select the object (s) in the projection window and click the Assign Material to Selection button.

on the toolbar of the Material Editor window.

For practical consolidation of theoretical material follow the exercise "Exercise 1. Creating simple materials" from the "Practice" section of this chapter.