A2Dimage

Design and Solutions

About

A2Dimage is a scripted 3ds Max plug-in for adding simple 2D images with alpha channel to your 3ds Max scene. Script reads the height of the image from the end of the file name and on render generates automatically shadows based on alpha channel of the image. With this script you can render fast previews and final images with correct shadows with one render without compositing all individual elements later.

Subscription & Pricing

The new version of A2Dimage is available only with subscription plan for our AvizStudioTools – AIO application. You can try the app with a 15 day free trial and evaluate the tool. There is also an old version of the tool that can be used for free, but with limited functionality.

To check the pricing, visit the product page of AvizStudioTools – AIO application from the link below:

Download & Install

This script works with 3ds Max 7 or later. The Free version of this tool can be used for commercial and non-commercial projects. You are not allowed to sell or distribute any of the tools or the included files. We are not responsible for any damages or problems that may result by using this product.

New versions for 3ds Max 2018 – 2023 :

The latest version can be installed only with AvizStudioTools – AIO Application from the link below:

Old versions for 3ds Max 7 – 2017 :

How to install for 3ds Max 7 to 2017:

  • Download, extract and install the your version.
  • Restart 3ds Max.
  • Create new UI Button or Shortcut to start the tool.

UI Buttons and Shortcuts:

  • From 3ds Max menu, select: Customize > Customize User Interface… > in Keyboard or Toolbar tab select Group: Main UI and Category: AvizStudioTools. From the list below assign keyboard shortcut to A2Dimage actions from Keyboard tab or from Toolbar tab drag and drop A2Dimage actions to a toolbar to create UI button for the plugin.

Interface

Parameters

[Select 2D Image…] Button – With this button you can select any 3ds Max supported raster image.

[|<] [<<] [<] [>] [>>] [>|] Buttons – navigate through the images in the folder of the loaded image.

Height – Set the height of the object.

Width – Set the width of the object.

Flip Image – Flip the image horizontal.

Auto Offset Image – Set automatically offset of the image based on the alpha channel.

Height Offset – Set vertical offset

Width Offset – Set horizontal offset

Advanced Parameters

Scale Image – Multiply the width and the height of the object with this value.

Don’t Render Preview – Skip rendering of preview image in parameters tab.

Force Height to – Force height to Def. Height and overwrite the height from the file name.

Def. Height – Set default height. If file name doesn’t contain height, script will use this value.

Force RGB Level-Mul to – Force RGB Level in output of the diffuse texture map to RGB Level and force V-Ray Light Material Multiplier to V-Ray Mul.

RGB Level – RGB Level value.

V-Ray Mul – V-Ray Multiplier (This value is ignored if object don’t use V-Ray Material)

Material Type – Select the object’s material type. Standard Material is recommended, but if you have problems with transparency of the object you can try Raytrace Material or V-Ray Materials option.

Disable Bitmaps Filtering – Set the filtering in bitmap textures of material to none and blur to 0.01. (New in version 1.02)

Reuse Scene Materials -Objects with the same bitmap image selected will use the same material. (New in version 1.02)

Rotate To Camera – Rotate the object to the point of view in the viewport. If “Rotate All To Camera” is selected, this option is grey out. (New in version 1.02)

Rotate All To Camera – All A2Dimage objects in the scene will be rotated to the point of vew in the viewport. (New in version 1.02)

Shadows Parameters

On/Off – Turn on/off Planes or Shell Shadow.

Vertical – Set the numbers of vertical planes of Planes Shadow. (Pro version only)

Horizontal – Set the numbers of horizontal planes of Planes Shadow. (Pro version only)

Rotate Planes to Target – Rotate planes to selected target.

[Pick Target…] Button – Pick look at target to orient Planes Shadow (usually the main light source).

Height Res. – Set the height’s resolution value for Shell Shadow. (Pro version only)

Width Res. – Set the width’s resolution value for Shell Shadow. (Pro version only)

Depth – Set the local depth of the Shell Shadow.

Max Depth – Set the global depth of the Shell Shadow.

Smooth – Smooth the Shell Shadow. Set to zero to disable.

Pro Parameters (Pro and Subscription version only)

Color Multiply – Set on/off color multiply. Select the RGB value with the color picker on the right.

Viewport Preview – Set on/off viewport preview. Select the diffuse color of the preview material with the color picker on the right.

Search Material if Missing – Search material’s bitmaps for the location of selected 2d image if it’s missing.

Fast Shadow Cache – Cache entire prebuilt shadows. Speed up scene preparation for big scenes.

Fast Shadow Calculation – Downsize the image and then calculate the shadows.

Calc. Size – Set the width in pixeles of the image used for fast shadow calculations.

Pro Tools (Pro and Subscription version only)

[A2Dimage ToolBox] Button – Modify the parameters of multiple object (selected) at the same time. Prebuild Shadows.

[Export Images to Folder] Button – Export diffuse texture of selected or all A2Dimage objects to folder as .tiff files with options to add height to the end of the file name and resize the images.

[Randomize] Button – Randomize Height, Width, Scale, RGB level and Flip Image parameters of selected or all A2Dimage objects.

[Camera Overwrite] Button – Overwrite look at camera for all A2Dimage objects with a scene camera or prerecorded camera positions.

[Relink A2Dimages] Button – Relink corresponding bitmaps with A2Dimage object. Three options: from scene materials, only missing from folder and all from folder.

Tips & Shortcuts

Height – To use correct height for all of your files simply rename the files by adding the corresponding height to the end of the file name. For example if file name is “Tree_01.tga” – script will set the height of the A2Dimage object to 1.0, If you add “_H300” at the end of the file name “Tree_01_H300.tga” – script will set the height to 300.0 units.

Material – Script can be used with any renderer that support Standard or Raytrace 3ds Max Materials. You can manually convert and adjust default generated material according to your preference after object is created and make it compatible with your renderer.

Shadows – You can choose from two types of shadows – Planes Shadow (recommended for trees) and Shell Shadow (recommended for people).