Nouvelles

Autodesk has released 3ds Max 2025.2, with a number of modest but handy improvements. 

The most eye-catching new feature in the latest update to 3ds Max is the addition of support for the SVG file format The integration appears quite extensive, allowing users to convert the vector data contained in SVGs into native 3ds Max splines, preserving color data and supporting renderable spline strokes. There are options to import strokes as individual splines, groups, or add  extrude modifiers. It is also now possible to export splines to SVG files, respecting unit sizes and layer ordering.

3ds Max's handy but often overlooked Data Channel Modifier has gained a few new presets that allows users to manipulate sub object selections, including the ability to invert soft selections, select border edges, and identify hard edges by smoothing groups. Many users have requested these features to help build procedural models using the modifier stack, so the addition while niche, will be welcomed amongst the more technically minded members of the 3ds Max community. It may also be useful when combined with Forest Pack's surface features. Expect an update on that once we've taken it for a spine. 

Development of the USD plug-in continues to improve, now with the ability to use USD cameras in the 3ds Max viewport. This integration improves the workflow for animators and designers working with USD for scene compositions. Enhancements also include bulk selection and editing of prims in the USD Explorer and new USD controllers for various transforms.

The already powerful retopology tools have also been further updated with a new Flow Retopology tool. Unlike the existing retopology tools, this version runs in the cloud so that users can continue working in Max while the processor intensive work takes place.  We've yet to try it, but is should be articularly useful for cleaning up high-resolution models, CAD assets, and photogrammetry data with having to wait ages for the job to complete. .

Another plugin you can expect to be updated with every Mac release is Arnold which in this version gains new tone-mapping options in the toon shader, improved volume denoising, and support for global light sampling in light linking scenarios. 

Other enhancements in 3ds Max 2025.2 include the integration of Substance 3.0.2, the ability to toggle on or off the ability to use the stack selection for the Volume Select, Poly Select, and Mesh Select modifiers, and more. 

For more information on 3ds Max 2025.2 and its features, visit the 3ds Max documentation.