Release Notes
Build 2024.0404
Support added for 3ds Max 2025
3ds Max 2025 uses a new installation method for Autodesk package system.
Build 2024.0327
Bug fix: 3ds Max won't crash anymore if you use the Environment Fire effect along with the HDR Light Studio plug-in.
Build 2024.0208
Updated to be compatible with HDR Light Studio 8.2
Fixed Area lights that were broken with Octane/Corona due to returning false for area light spread call
Maxwell & Art renderer support removed
Build 2023.0504
Adds support for 3ds Max 2024
Build 2023.0208
Performance improvements.
HDR Light Studio API updates.
Updated 3ds Max 2021 plug-in to use the new faster API.
Fixed a bug with Corona renderer.
Fixed an issue with Soloing area lights with V-Ray.
Build 2022.0722
Support added for V-Ray 6
5th May 2022
3ds Max 2023 plug-in released - Plug-in build 2022.0420
HDR Light Studio - Xenon (Drop 4.2)
Now compatible with FStorm Renderer
Tested with FStorm Version 15.0H.
Live HDRI Map and HDR Area Lights is supported.
Sharing of the interactive render from FStorm in the HDR Light Studio interface is not supported.
Build 2021.0914
Updated to use new faster API for the 2022 plugin only
Fixed a conflict with Ornatrix for scene export into HDRLS
Fixed renderer not being detected after closing and reopening connection panel
Fixed crash bug when selecting a new scene and saving the scene
Dropped support for 3ds Max 2019
9th June 2021
Support for 3ds Max 2022 added
Build 2020.0814
Support for V-Ray 5 added.
Fix added to deal with username paths with non ASCII characters. See here for details on how to implement this.
3ds Max 2021 Connection released 16th April 2020
Build 2020.0305
Bug fix: 3ds Max: Crash bug when starting HDR Light Studio with 3ds Max, due to interface layout.
Bug fix: 3ds Max / Octane: Alpha not showing properly on Area Lights with Octane 2019.
Build 2019.0531
Bug fix: 3ds Max Connection - Bug where hidden HDRLS could not be stopped.
Bug fix: 3ds Max Connection - HDRLS standin textures to avoid missing files not being used by Arnold.
Build 2019.0426
Support for 3ds Max 2020 added
3dsMax Connection: Fixed bug from Maxwell new release where environment not being correctly detected.
Build 2018.1015
Updated to use the new Redshift Render View, this will only work with Redshift 2.6.24+
3ds Max/VRay Next: Fix issue with toggling area lights on and off.
Build 2018.0724
Support added for V-Ray Next
Build 2018.0418
Adds 3ds Max 2019 support
Bug Fixes:
Bug 2147: 3ds Max crash bug with area lights related to a dome light that no longer exists.
Bug 2148: 3ds Max crash if you reload a scene file in the same session that has a valid HDRLS env hook.
Bug 2150: 3ds Max. If you create a new hook via the New Hook button, the Environment Hook status indicator doesn't update to indicate that a valid hook is now selected.
Build 2018.0201
Updated workflow - hook creation for renderers, 3ds Max Activeshade image hosted in HDR Light Studio Render View
BZ# 1990 Added VRay-RT support in production render mode.
Fixed loss of lighting design issues when swtiching between V-Ray RT and V-Ray Production.
Plus minor bug fixes
Bug 1659 - Fixed so that only valid IBL hooks are listed in the HDR Light Studio connection
Build 2017.0118
Support added for Redshift renderer
Build 2016.1208
Support added for new area light advanced rotations and light handle
Bug 1535 - Fixed bug where area lights in a 3ds Max scene could be duplicated when loading HDR Light Studio.
Bug 1536 - Fixed bug where starting HDRLS then loading a scene with a different renderer causes saved lights not to load
Bug 1533 - Fixed crash bug when starting a new project in 3ds Max after loading a saved project and starting the HDRLS connection
Bug 1493 - Fixed LightPaint insid 3ds Max bug with objects with local scale transforms
We now support 3dsMax Environment Texture for the V-Ray renderer, as well as dome lights.
Build 2016.0809
Added support for 3ds Max 2017
Beta support for Arnold in 3ds Max 2017 - without Area Lights creation
Beta support for ART Renderer in 3ds Max 2017 - without Area Lights creation
V-Ray area lights are now correctly scaled using U and V size parameters
Corona - Environment now uses Corona Bitmap
With the latest Corona (1.4), if you use a standard 3ds Max bitmap in the environment, 3ds Max will crash when you stop the HDR Light Studio connection.
The fix is to use a CoronaBitmap in place of a 3ds Max bitmap. The plug-in has been updated to support CoronaBitmap in the environment slot. (3ds Max bitmaps are still supported)
Build 2016.0623
Fixed bug where V-Ray Area Lights were being seen as potential Environment Hooks.
We now ensure VRayHDRI mapping is Spherical in order for the Environment Hook to be valid.
Build 2016.0505
Supports Area Light creation and control
Build 2016.0104
Updated for compatibility with HDR Light Studio 5.3
Bug 1154 - Dragging Lat / Long Sliders in HDRLS, slow HDRI map updates has been fixed.
Bug 1232 - Fixed issue when starting HDRLS with an embedded project, the initial lighting didn't match until a change was made.
Bug 1005 - Fixed HDRLS crash on exit when referencing Alembic file
Bug 1164: Fixed crash when launching HDRLS from 3DS Max when there is no compatible render assigned,
Fixed bug where HDRLS can not be stopped when it's hidden.
Bug 620 - LightPaint now works in 3ds Max viewports with TurboSmoothed models.
Bug 1045 - Fixed broken compatibility with later versions of Octane 2.
Bug 1061 - Fixed 3ds Max crash if 3DS Max will crash if HDRLS_HOME_V5 environment variable not set.
Build 2016.0104
Bug 620: LightPaint in 3ds Max viewports now works with Turbo smoothed models.
Added warning message when trying to run multiple connections to HDR Light Studio.
Build 2015.1021
Bug 1045: Fix to support Octane version 2.23.2-2.8 and above
Build 2015.0625
Support for 3ds Max 2013 has been dropped.
Support for 3ds Max 2016 has been added.
Support for Corona renderer has been added.
Plug-in user interface has been updated to be more consistent with the plug-in connections.
Build 2015.0520
3ds Max 2016 support added.
Physical cameras - if you wish to use physical cameras, you should use the Alembic format to sync model data between 3ds Max and HDR Light Studio as these cameras are supported in Alembic. Please note that physical cameras are not supported in the fbx model format. If a model is pushed into HDR Light Studio using fbx, the model will be imported but the physical cameras will not. Artists will have to line up the model using the FreeCam in HDR Light Studio, to match the camera position in Max.
BUG 373 - on starting 3ds Max, the user interface window containing the HDR Light Studio plug-in connection may appear very small. As a workaround just drag the window larger to reveal the buttons.
Build 2015.0422
Supports 3ds Max 2013, 2014, 2015
Support for the Corona renderer is not included in these builds.
Known Issues
F-Storm Area Lights
Alpha is not currently supported on area lights.
3ds Max 2018 Interface Bug
3dsMax 2018 has a bug in it that can sometimes hide the initial HDR Light Studio connection panel when first installed.
See here for a workaround to fix the issue.
Lost undocked HDR Light Studio Connection panel in 3ds Max on second display
If the HDR Light Studio Connection panel is undocked and dragged onto another display, this can result in it just disappearing, this is a 3ds Max bug.
Here is how to retrieve it:
Go to the Rendering Menu and select HDR Light Studio Connection to turn the panel off, and select again to turn it back on.
Now press 'alt+spacebar'
Then press the down arrow key on the keyboard once
Press enter on the keyboard once
Press the left arrow key on the keyboard once
Now move the mouse around and the panel should appear moving around with your cursor!
