Autodesk releases USD for 3ds Max as open-source software

In a significant move that promises to transform the landscape of 3D content creation and collaboration, Autodesk has announced the open sourcing of its Universal Scene Description (USD) implementation for 3ds Max. This bold step not only enhances the functionalities of 3ds Max but also furthers the company’s commitment to interoperability, community engagement, and innovation in the 3D graphics industry.

Autodesk has released the USD plugin for 3ds Max, its 3D modeling and animation software, as open-source. The plugin’s source code can be found on GitHub and is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. Let’s find out with iRender what’s new in the USD plugin for 3ds Max in this blog.

Universal Scene Description (USD) is an open-source framework developed by Pixar Animation Studios designed to facilitate the interchange of 3D graphics data across various applications. Known for its efficiency in handling complex scenes and versatility in processing animated content, USD provides robust capabilities for supporting large-scale content pipelines. By integrating USD into 3ds Max, Autodesk aims to streamline workflows for artists, enabling better collaboration between different software environments, which is increasingly important in today’s multidisciplinary creative teams.

Universal Scene Description (USD) adoption is expanding beyond its traditional roots in visual effects (VFX) and feature animation. More industries are recognizing USD’s potential to standardize 3D content workflows and improve interoperability across various applications.

Initially released in 2022, USD for 3ds Max enables the implementation of Universal Scene Description-based workflows within the 3ds Max environment.

Originally developed by Pixar, this open-source framework facilitates the exchange of scene data among computer graphics applications and has become widely used in visual effects and feature animation pipelines.

In recent times, however, its adoption has extended to industrial design and visualization, driven in part by NVIDIA incorporating USD into its Omniverse design collaboration platform.

Notably, Pixar, NVIDIA, and Autodesk were all founding members of the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD), established last year to steer the future development of this technology.

The USD for 3ds Max plugin enables studios to incorporate 3ds Max into USD-based pipelines, allowing for the import and export of data in the USD format. Users can also load USD stages directly into the viewport for editing purposes.

On its GitHub repository, Autodesk explains that this add-on complements the XRef referencing workflows in 3ds Max, aiming to “enhance, and in many cases, replace existing referencing setups.”

USD for 3ds Max is the newest USD-related tool that Autodesk has made open-source, following the release of Bifrost USD for Maya’s multiphysics plugin in 2022.

Additionally, USD for Maya, the main USD add-on for Maya, has always been open-source, having been initially developed outside of Autodesk.

This recent change allows studios to compile the add-on with the specific version of USD needed for their production pipelines and customize the default import and export processes.

Autodesk has consistently enhanced its open-source USD plugins for Maya, releasing new versions that coincide with software updates.

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Source and image: cgchannel.com, autodesk.com