3ds Max Integration Guide

Comprehensive instructions for using the LotPixel 3ds Max Add-on. Covers installation, auto-install via Hub, one-click imports, texture/model workflows, material setup, displacement behavior, supported render engines, and 3ds Max–specific functionality.

Complete Guide to Using the LotPixel 3ds Max Add-on

1. Automatic and Manual Plugin Installation

The LotPixel 3ds Max Add-on can be installed in two ways:

Automatic Installation (Recommended)

Plugins are installed automatically through LotPixel Hub.

When you download an asset and click Import, a window will appear asking which application you want to import the asset to (for example Blender or 3ds Max).

After selecting the application, if the required plugin is not installed, LotPixel Hub will automatically install the plugin for the selected software.

The Hub will automatically:

Download the required plugin
Install the plugin into the correct 3ds Max directory
Configure integration with supported render engines

No manual configuration is required.

⚠️ Important:

After installation, 3ds Max must be restarted for the plugin to become active.

You can also install plugins manually from:

Settings → Plugin Config

Select the application (Blender or 3ds Max) and click Install Plugin.

Manual Installation

If needed, you can install the plugin manually:

Download the .zip file (Click Here)
Extract it to:
C:\Users\<your-username>\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\<version>\ENU\scripts\Startup
Restart 3ds Max

After restart, the LotPixel menu or toolbar panel will appear automatically. No additional enabling steps are required.

2. One-Click Import for Textures and 3D Models

The 3ds Max Add-on integrates directly with LotPixel Hub.

When you click Import inside the Hub:

The selected asset is imported into your scene
Materials are built automatically
Textures are assigned automatically

Supported render engines:

Arnold
V-Ray
Corona Renderer

No manual shader setup is required.

Note: Assets are imported into the software selected in Import Settings → Import to application inside LotPixel Hub. By default, the asset will be imported into the application that was last selected as the import to application. You can change the target application at any time when clicking the Import button.

3. Texture Import Behavior

When a texture is imported:

The material is automatically created based on your active render engine.
The material is assigned to the currently selected object.
All available maps (Albedo, Roughness, Normal, Metallic, Displacement, etc.) are connected automatically.

The node network follows the correct workflow for the selected renderer:

Arnold → Arnold Standard Surface
V-Ray → VRayMtl
Corona → CoronaPhysicalMtl

This ensures:

Physically correct PBR workflow
Proper roughness/glossiness conversion
Correct Normal map interpretation

No manual node adjustments are required.

4. Decal Import Behavior

Decals are treated as material-based overlays.

When importing a Decal:

A plane is created automatically (if needed)
The decal material is generated
Opacity / Mask maps are connected correctly
Render-engine-specific blending setup is handled automatically

Transparency and projection behavior are configured for correct rendering without additional setup.

5. Imperfections Behavior

Imperfections work in two modes:

If the Selected Object Already Has a LotPixel Material

Imperfections are layered into the existing material.
The base material remains intact.
Roughness and Normal channels are blended non-destructively.

This allows you to add:

Scratches
Smudges
Dirt
Surface variation

without rebuilding the shader.

If the Selected Object Has No Material

A new LotPixel material is created.
Imperfections maps are connected automatically.
The material is assigned to the object.

This allows quick material creation from Imperfections alone.

6. 3D Model Import Behavior

When importing a 3D model:

The model is placed at world origin (0,0,0) or current scene center.
The selected format (FBX or OBJ) is used.
If texture files exist, materials are generated and assigned automatically.
Correct scale and orientation are preserved.

This ensures a clean, production-ready import without manual cleanup.

7. Material UI Controls (Inside 3ds Max)

The LotPixel Add-on provides a custom UI panel inside 3ds Max for fast material adjustments.

Available controls:

Hue
Saturation
Brightness
Contrast
Gamma
Roughness
Metallic
Specular
Ambient Occlusion
Normal Map Strength
Normal Flip Y
Add Gamma To Input
Emission Strength
Opacity
Size
Tiling
Rotation
Position
Displacement
Imperfections Sections

These controls modify the material non-destructively and update the shader in real time.

8. Displacement Setup

For highest quality displacement:

EXR displacement maps are recommended.

When Displacement is enabled in the UI:

The Add-on automatically:

Connects displacement maps to the correct slot
Configures the material for real displacement
Applies renderer-specific displacement settings

You do not need to manually configure:

V-Ray displacement modifier
Corona displacement settings

The plugin handles these automatically when possible.