Page 1247 - Kitab3DsMax

Chapter 50: Expanding Max with Third-Party Plug-Ins
You can also choose to load or defer selected or checked plug-ins using the right-click pop-up menu. Plug-
ins with a status of loaded are currently loaded in memory and available; these plug-ins are identified with a
green circle in the Status column. The deferred plug-ins are waiting in the wings and load when needed;
these plug-ins are identified with a yellow circle in the Status column. Plug-ins that are marked Unloaded
(with a red circle) are not in memory.
Using the right-click pop-up menu, you can also select Load New Plug-in, which opens the Choose Plug-in
File dialog box where you can select a plug-in file. The file is then accessed from this directory and loaded
into the Plug-in Manager list.
Tutorial: Installing and using the AfterBurn plug-in demo
If you’d like to try out some plug-ins before purchasing them, check out the Partners and Samples section
on the 3ds Max install disc or visit the developers’ Web sites to download a demo copy of the plug-in.
Caution
These demos are full-featured, but most of them are save-disabled, which prevents you from saving the file that
includes the plug-in’s features. Look at the readme file as the plug-in is installed to see what has been disabled. n
To install a demo plug-in from the Max install disc, follow these steps:
1. Insert the 3ds Max installation disc into your CD-ROM drive. When a menu of options appears,
click the Partners and Samples link and then click the Autodesk Certified Animation Plug-Ins
link.
A page of certified plug-in demos appears, including AfterBurn, Absolute Character Tools,
DreamScape, and others.
2. Click AfterBurn to select it, and click the Install button to launch the installation wizard. Follow
the Installation Wizard’s instructions, and press Next to complete each step. Click the Finish but-
ton when the installation is complete.
3. You need to restart Max before the plug-ins features become available, so select Start ➪ Program
Files ➪ Autodesk ➪ Autodesk 3ds Max 2011 ➪ 3ds Max 2011to restart Max.
4. You can learn to use the AfterBurn plug-in using the help files that were installed; select
Help ➪ Additional Help, and double-click the AfterBurn reference in the list that appears to open
the Help files for the plug-in.
5. After reviewing the help files, select Create ➪ Helpers ➪ Atmospherics ➪ Sphere Gizmo and drag
in the Top viewport to create a gizmo.
6. Most of the AfterBurn plug-in features are found in the Environment & Effects dialog box. Select
Rendering ➪ Environment (keyboard shortcut, 8), and click the Add button in the Atmosphere
rollout. In the Add Atmospheric Effect list, double-click on the AfterBurn Combustion Demo
effect. This adds the AfterBurn Combustion effect along with the AfterBurn Renderer to the
Effects list and makes several new rollouts appear.
7. In AfterBurn Combustion Parameters rollout, click the Pick Gizmos button and select the Sphere
Gizmo icon in the Top viewport.
8. Select Rendering ➪ Render (F10) to open the Render Scene dialog box. Make sure that the
Atmospherics option is enabled, and render the Perspective viewport to see the resulting
AfterBurn flame effect.
Figure 50.4 shows the resulting fireball created using the AfterBurn demo plug-in.

1199