3D tools and plug-ins

Below is a list of plug-ins, add-ons and tools I’ve written to work with various 3D modelling apps such as 3D Studio Max and Milkshape 3D.


3D Studio Max SMD Export Plug-in – Export Valve SMD model and animation files

This plug-in allows 3D Studio Max to export Valve reference and animation sequence SMD files. For meshes, it supports Standard and Muli/Sub-Object materials, Editable Mesh and Editable Poly geometry, Skin and Physique modifiers and when using Skin, using helper nodes such as dummies as bones.

For animation, it suppords Biped and allows exporting a sub-range of an animation, exporting the sequence backwards, batch mode via Maxscript. For Max 2017 onwards it adds support for alternate UV Channels and in Max 2018 onwards, better support for exporting CAT based skeletons.

For 3DS Max 9 – 2012

For 3DS Max 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

3D Studio Max SMD Import Plug-in – Import SMD model files

This plug-in allows 3D Studio Max to import Valve SMD files. It supports meshes, materials and bones as well as skinning meshes to bones. Animation support is also included.

3D Studio Max VTA Export Plug-in – Export Source vertex animation files

This plug-in allows 3D Studio Max 9 thru 2020 to export Source vertex animation files used in face flex animation using the morpher modifier and shapekeys.

3D Studio Max VTF Texture Plug-in – Use VTF textures in 3DS Max

This little plug-in will give 3DS Max support for VTF textures, thus removing the previous need to convert them to TGA. Converts all textures to RGB format and includes alpha channel. Archive contains version for 3DS Max 9 to 2012 32-bit and 64-bit as well as Max 2017, 2018, 20189, 2020.

SoftImage XSI dotXSI 3.x Exporter Plug-in for Milkshape 3D

The plug-in exports object meshes and materials from MS3D, retaining the same groups and properties as closely as I could managed on what I know of the XSI format thus far. It generates a XSI 3.0 format file, and imports the meshes into the root scene (this may change in future releases). It works with XSI EXP HL2 and can be used to get exisiting models into XSI for editing.

Note: the dotXSI exporter is now included with Milkshape3D by default when you choose to install third-party plug-ins. Thanks Mete!

POV-Ray 3.5 include file exporter plug-in for Milkshape 3D

This plug-in outputs content from Milkshape as an include file suitable for use with POV-Ray 3.5. It exports not only the mesh, but UV, textures, colours, etc. As Milkshape does not include its own renderer this gives users a low-cost method of producing rendered output of their work.

Note: the POV-Ray exporter is now included with Milkshape3D by default when you choose to install third-party plug-ins. Thanks Mete!