iToo Software has announced the latest version of Forest Pack, their popular scattering plugin for 3DS Max. Forest Pack has been around since 1999, and since its first released the feature list has grown and grown. This also means the interface has got busier. Forest Pack 6 aims to simplify the user experience by allowing the user to customise rollouts and groups to reveal only those they need. In addition, other small UI improvements such as resizeable lists, tooltips, and an icon creation mode are intended to make working with the plugin easier.
Forest Effects
In addition to UI improvements, the effects system has also been overhauled. Effects allow users to extend the plugin with new features by writing short expressions. In the previous version of Forest Pack, only one effect could be used at a time. Forest Pack 6 allows you to use multiple effects simultaneously, in essence becoming a set of filters for the scatter. To make effects more flexible, it is also now possible to use maps and curves as parameters.
New libraries and update system
A new update manager is included to separate the plugin from the included libraries. iToo claim this will allow them to reduce the size of the plugin installer and include more content. This can be download by users on request so that want and new libraries no longer have to be released at the same time as plugin updates. 3 new libraries are included, a green walls library, grass that can be built up in layers, and 20 new trees.
New ways to distribute items
Three new and updated distribution modes are now possible in addition to the using techniques of using surfaces, splines, and other areas in conjunction with Distribution maps. Forest Pack now allows you to distribute items and evenly spaced intervals along splines, with options to randomise or sequence objects and rotate to follow the path.
A new reference mode enables the user to distribute items on a list of scene objects, either one per pivot or per face. The items are automatically linked to the reference objects so that updating it also updates the scatter. Finally, an all-new PFlow mode allows users to scatter items on particles, optionally matching their orientation and scale. You can scatter on multiple PFlow objects with options to select the events that generate items.
Compatibility and other improvements
Compatibility has been improved with support for 3DS Max 2019, V-Ray Next and Arnold in Max 2018 and 2019. Arnold materials have also been added to the new and existing libraries.
Many more features are included including the ability to select all of a Forest object’s dependencies in a single click from the quad menu and a new memory management system that improves scattering performance by up to 150% for large distributions. Stability is also improved when using V-Ray in IPR mode.
Forest Pack costs €220/$242 for a perpetual license with a year of maintenance. Existing users outside of their maintenance contract can renew for €55/$60 irrespective of how long it has been since the contract elapsed. Find out more about this release on iToo Software’s website.
Solid update! I only hope they support TP and PRTloaders as distribution objects, and we can start using that on FX.
A great update indeed! RC and FP have always been some of my favorite tools in 3DSMax.
Since 3DSMax has very limited alembic import that does not support instancing, particles or (animated) curves,… Right now Vray-proxies are the best and only way to import Alembic files to be rendered with Vray. But the functionality of the Vray-proxy in that aspect is still very limited: i.e. It’s Particle mode is limited to spheres or dots, UV-support for particles and curves is non-existing or pretty limited.
If the distribution modes paths and particles would support paths/curves and particles coming from Alembic-files exported from Houdini or other DCC.
Then this could become one of the few remaining missing links between Houdini and 3DSMax/Vray (or other render-engines) to control and render instances with the speed, power, elegance and ease of use of Forestpack and Railclone?.
The only Max plugin I really miss in Maya.
Selected dependencies, yes!