Substance in 3ds Max 2.3.1

[Galen Helfter]

Hello everyone,

Today we have released the 2.3.1 version of the Substance in 3ds Max plugin. There are again some larger changes to install setup. The plugin now installs outside of the 3ds Max directory into C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\SubstanceIn3dsMax<version>. It should now work anywhere that 3ds Max is told to look for plugins, so it should now function installed on a network drive, etc.

Note that the switch to the Application Plugin and the install directory change make it so that an upgrade from 2.1.1 versions and prior will not work correctly. These should be manually removed for 3ds Max 2018 and 2019. The 2.2.0 version should upgrade correctly.

For some of the issues not addressed in this release, another one is planned soon to fix these and any other issues that may arise.

This version is released currently for 3ds Max 2018, 2019 and 2020.

2.3.1 Release:

• Load sbsar now looks in the project images folder first
• Renderer compatibility dialog only now appears for VRay RT and VUE File Renderer
• Drag and drop for the Slate Material Editor disabled to remove issues with Max batch
• Render Dialog no longer displays in 3ds Max silent mode
• Smaller python scripts now compatible with Python 3
• Added support for the Substance Launcher to send Substance Source assets to 3ds Max. This will require changes in the Launcher, but support in the plugin will be there as the feature is added.
• Redshift renderer script now uses the new node names set in Redshift 2.6.24
• Max no longer crashes when an empty path is assigned to the Substance2 SubstanceFilePath
• Remove name collision of SubstanceOutput type with the old plugin
• Renamed SubstanceOutput class to Substance2Output
• Renamed Substance Menu Manager class to Substance2MenuManager
• Param block ids are now forcefully cleared when a scene is opened, removing collisions between scene files. This should fix issues with invalid parameter blocks on load when alternating between scenes. Importing may still have issues, as that requires more complex changes
• The plugin is now installed outside of 3ds Max. All paths have been changed to relative from the load location.
• The plugin now uses the Autodesk Application plugin system.
• Added support for 3ds Max 2021

Cheers,
Galen

[Martin Bech]

Note that the switch to the Application Plugin and the install directory change make it so that an upgrade from 2.1.1 versions and prior will not work correctly. These should be manually removed for 3ds Max 2018 and 2019. The 2.2.0 version should upgrade correctly.

What are the steps for removing the previous version?

[Galen Helfter]

For 2.2.0, you can just run the new installer. Or, to remove it, you can uninstall it from in the control panel.

For 2.1.1, 2.0.0 and the beta, there should be something in the control panel to remove. That should uninstall it. If it installed both 2018 and 2019, then you will need to manually remove the 2019 one. The folder layout for that I will get back to you on. These versions were never released for 3ds Max 2020, so if you use that, then you needn't worry.

[Martin Bech]

Ok, I'm running Max 2020 and just ran the installer, but I still get the "paramblock 2"-error when I try to import an asset from another scene.

[Galen Helfter]

Importing may still have issues, as you are bringing that file in and there's no way to keep the param block ids unique between scenes. To further fix that will require us seeing whether we can hot change those on load.

There might be a way on import we can unload all of them, wait for it to load and then recreate all the param blocks, but that will be more complicated, especially to do while not losing things like animation data. I'll see if we can do that, but I think that will take some further research to get right. I'll have to talk to Autodesk on what the best way of handling that is.

Switching between scene files will currently work however, which is what was fixed.

[jellyjuice]

Hi there,

Just updated to the latest plugin version. The problem with the substance going back to its default state every time the render starts is still there! This is making me start to think about finding a new solution for materials as this is really frustrating.. I love the whole substance thing but this whole problem with 3ds max is making it not usable! At all!

[Galen Helfter]

The issues with values not updating Corona are a WIP and are set for a further release on top of this one.

[jellyjuice]

The issues with values not updating Corona are a WIP and are set for a further release on top of this one.

Hi Galen - it is a shame you guys are not treating this as a priority! this is making the plugin connecting with 3ds max simply not usable. I only work with 3ds max so basically, for me, I'm paying for a yearly subscription that I'm not using. Not cool at all!

[jorgetomas]

Updated trying to fix the "ParamBlock2" error. It didn't fix it.

Worse is now if I click to set the V-ray as default renderer, 3Ds Max just shuts down...

completely unusable for me unfortunately...

Using 3Ds max 2018 and vray 3.1

[jorgetomas]

Hi there,

Just updated to the latest plugin version. The problem with the substance going back to its default state every time the render starts is still there! This is making me start to think about finding a new solution for materials as this is really frustrating.. I love the whole substance thing but this whole problem with 3ds max is making it not usable! At all!

I don't know if it's the same Bug but I was having a very similar issue and found a solution (that worked for me at least).

https://forum.substance3d.com/index.php?topic=29515.new#new

[Martin Bech]

My workflow in max is as follows (Let's just say it's for interior decorations):
I start a scene with building up the room and then I begin merging in the assets I need for that scene.
Now, if Substance is not able to let me do that without throwing errors all over the place, then why am I paying for it

[Ayodele Joshua 0]

Hello, thank you so much for the opportunity to lay my complaints on the usage of substance in 3Ds Max, I downloaded the plugin yesterday night but anytime I convert my substance materials to vray materials and I try choosing vray as the preferred rendering machine, my 3Ds Max will crash immediately. I am using 3Ds Max 2019, Vray Next and substance in 3Ds Max 2.3.1

[Ayodele Joshua 0]

Updated trying to fix the "ParamBlock2" error. It didn't fix it.

Worse is now if I click to set the V-ray as default renderer, 3Ds Max just shuts down...

completely unusable for me unfortunately...

Using 3Ds max 2018 and vray 3.1

This is exactly the same problem I face, thank you for the post I am using 3Ds Max 2019 and Vray Next

[ratelectric86]

I agree with  jellyjuice and others the substance integration support is terrible. I had totaly abandoned this workflow due to issues previously. I am trying it now again as I saw it featured in some allegorithmic/sidefx promotional videos. I am trying to use it in Houdini and Max with Redshift . And its disapointing to say the least.

[ratelectric86]

I had to uninstall the plugin as it made my 3ds max crash everytime I used redshift even though I wasnt using the substance map. Would be fine in IPR but when i went to do full renders ...straight crash to desktop.