KeyShot Plugin for Autodesk® 3ds Max®

KeyShot Plugin for Autodesk® 3ds Max®

Win64, English

Luxion, Inc
A plugin for integration between Autodesk® 3ds Max® and KeyShot 3D rendering and animation software.

General Usage Instructions

Initial transfer

  1. Open your model in 3ds Max.
  2. Open the KeyShot menu from the main menu bar.
  3. Select Render.
  4. KeyShot opens and your model is imported.

LiveLinking from a live version

  1. As soon as Keyshot is started from 3ds Max through the render button, the two applications are linked.
  2. Assign materials, set up animations, set up your lighting and camera angles.
  3. Go back to 3ds Max and continue to refine your model.
  4. When you are satisfied with your changes, select "Update". All changed parts (geometry/location) will be replaced inside KeyShot. All materials, animations, etc will be maintained.
  5. New parts will be added to the scene and may not automatically get painted.

LiveLinking from an existing scene

  1. When revisiting a project after both 3ds Max and KeyShot have been closed, all you need to do is open both applications and load the corresponding model/scene into either application. The two applications are now linked.
  2. Continue to work as described under section 'Live Linking from a live session'

Export animation (Experimental, KeyShot Pro only)

  1. Open the KeyShot menu from the main menu bar.
  2. Select "Export Animation (Experimental)".
  3. Choose a filename and save location.
  4. Each frame in the current scene will now be exported to individual numbered .bip files together with a python script.
  5. Import the first .bip file and set up the materials, camera, and lights.
  6. Set up render options in the render dialog.
  7. Import the python script into the KeyShot Script window (Window -> Scripting Console).
  8. Run the script and KeyShot will add all the exported frames to the render queue.

Screenshots

Commands

Installation/Uninstallation

Installation

Run the installer and follow the instructions. The installer automatically detects the available 3ds Max installations and install the plugin in the correct folders. A 'KeyShot' menu is automatically added, and the UI can be customized using the built-in 3ds Max 'Customize User Interface' functionality' 

Uninstallation

Run unistall.exe in the installation directory.

Additional Information

Features

  • Parts retain materials and layers.
  • Maintain a hierarchy of objects created in the scene tree
  • Objects retain materials, can be unlinked
  • The hidden layer will not be imported
  • LiveLinking
  • Support for part and camera animations
  • Export of rigged and deformable animations
  • Support for hair (curves)

Requirements

  • 3ds Max 2023-2025
  • KeyShot
  • Windows 64-bit

Known Issues

Contact

Company Name: Luxion, Inc
Support Contact: support@luxion.com

Author/Company Information

Luxion, Inc

Support Information

Support is available at http://keyshot.com/help/ or via support@luxion.com

Support over the phone is available at (949) 274-8871 between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm M-F.

Version History

Version Number Version Description

1.5

Added support for 3ds Max 2025 Made the plugin KeyShot versionless (This plugin runs on all KeyShot versions with an active lifecycle)
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