ABOUT ME
I do architectural visualizations for a living (www.orvatsel.com). I studied architecture in Universidad de Belgrano,Buenos Aires and resumed my studies in the Technion, Haifa.
I worked 10 years in architecture and switched to architectural visualizations in 2001.
When I was a student , back in Bs. As. I used to draw watercolor perspectives but never had the chance of working using that non-cg method.
Later (along with being an architect) I became quite a proficient AutoLISP programmer.
 
 
 
 
ABOUT THIS PAGE
This page is dedicated to 3DS MAX. Here I will post some scripts that I have created for users of 3DS MAX.
I have switched to 3DS MAX after working some years with (Alias) Maya.
 
 
Page Last Edited:: Updated April 9th ,2010
 
SCRIPTS
 
Installation
To install my scripts, copy the script file to the 3dsmax/scripts/startup folder and inside max from the Customize menu open the  Customize USer Interface dialog box. From the Category - select OneManSoft , select the script from the list and assign a keyboard shortcut.
 
 
1. BillBoard Generator 3.00 BETA 006 - DATE: December 23rd 2009
Compatible with 3ds max 2009 , 2010, 2011
 
IMPORTANT TIP: Use bitmap proxies if you use many billboards  as it will make working in the viewports almost impossible.
 
 
A simple script that facilitates the creation of vertical planes for use with trees/people images billboards.
1.Select a diffuse map (tree/person image)
2. Select a matching Alpha map of the same map. or press the lock icon if you use a TGA/TIFF image with an embedded Alpha channel.
3. you may resize the plane to a desired height or width (great for specific people heights).
4. Press the Generate! button.
Once done the script will place a vertical plane with the tree or person in  0,0,0 .
You may change some parameters both before and after the billboard is created.
If you check the Random checkbox - each time you press the Generate! button - a billboard of slightly different dimensions will be created. You can also determine the max/min offsets.
The defaults for the billboard name and its material can be modified only prior to its creation.
You can Pick Point in Viewport <  to specify the exact location of a newly created billboard. If you already have one selected - picking a point will move it to that new point. You may reset it to the world zero point by pressing the Reset button.
If you need more than one instance of this billboard - use the scatter engine. Enable it , Type the number of duplicates and define a rectangular area where the billboards will be generated. Scatter uses the Random function if it is enabled.
You may also modify the Shadows casting and reception and visibility parameters of the billboards.
The Orientation command will orient the selected billboard to an object - preferably a camera.
 
( DOWNLOAD  )  Download old (stable) 2.7a
 

 

   Billboard Generator is kissware -
If you use it and find it usefull - please kiss your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/mother/father/children
you may also kiss 2 or more of the above :-)
 
 
Vertsion 1.0: First official release
New in 1.2:
1. added 24 slot selection buttons allowing the use of 24 slots, GUI modified.
 
New in 1.2a:
1. Forces "Show Texture in viewport" . Spinners now allow for resizing plane.
 
New in 1.3:
1. ARemoved the dependency of the script in the Material Editor - Now the material is created directly on the plane.
 
 
New in 1.4:
1. Added image previews for the maps
2.If locking maps - ( by checking the little checkbox between the 2 buttons) The script will force the use of the diffuse map as the opacity map as well. This is intended for use with Targa and Tiff images that contain alpha channels.
New in 1.5:
1. Place the billboard in a non 0,0,0 location.
2. Toggle shadows casting and reception.
3. Orient button - allows for orienting the billboard to an object - preferably a camera.
New in 1.6a:
1. Billboard Generator now acts as its own editor so as long as the recently created billboard is still selected - most of the parameters are updateable.
2. minor changes to GUI.
New in 1.7:
1. Some usefull toggles were added for convenience.
2. A lock icon now replaces the checkbox.
New in 1.8 BETA:
1. Added RANDOM scaling.
2. GUI is now rollouts based.
New in 1.9 BETA:
1. Added a simple Scatter engine (may be slow with a high count).
2. Billboard are now automatically prefixed with "Billboard_" so that selecting them is easier than ever.
New in 1.9.1 BETA:
Bug fixes, mainly.
New in 1.9.3 BETA:
1. A VRML97 Helper of type Billboard can be created and linked to once a new billboard is generated. (this is by request of a user)
2. Due to the addition of the VRML97 Helper - I renamed the Orientation rollout to Connections
New in 1.9.5 BETA:
Finally solved the orientation issue - Now you can orient the selected billboard to a camera you select from the list by pressing a button. Only Target Cams can be oriented to. Select a camera from the list and press the "Orient Billboard <" button.
 
New in 1.9.6: (I removed the BETA as I have been using it for months now and it works fine)
1. Added the ability to dock the program to either left or right edges.     This forced the addition of a Refresh button in the Connection rollout.
2. Some minor changes to the interface.
3. Billboard can now show the height of the billboard onscreen. (it may not work  as should on old OpenGL cards.
 
 
New in 1.9.7:
1. Added the ability to toggle the visibility of the labels. (new Display rollout)
 
 
New in 1.9.8:
1. Added the ability to toggle the visibility of the billboards. (new Display rollout)
2. Fixed a problem where sometimes billboards were created with no name. the name "Billboard UNNAMED" is now assigned. To be honest - This is bypassing my laziness in fixing the fact that a billboard can actually be created .... GASP!  .......unnamed!.... shame on me. :-)
 
 
New in 2.0.01  BETA 
1. Billboard is now an object and is called OMSBILLBOARD. It retains all the previous capabilities and currently adds none but it will.
2. random checkbox default mode is now unchecked.
3. realworld dimensions set to off as in some setups the map was tiled.
    this is not compatible with MAX 7 or  7.5 - I will add it in the next     release
 
New in 2.0.6  BETA 
1. Read Billboard.txt file included with the ZIP file for info on changes
 
New in 2.1 
1. Added a Flip Horizontally option for cases where you need to flip the images
 
New in 2.2 
1. Free cameras can also be oriented to.
2. Cameras list will show cameras only - without the target object
 
New in 2.3 
1. Added a button to set the XYZ for a new billboard.
 
New in 2.3a
1. Fixed a lingering bug where typing a value in the billboard height did not affect it.
 
 
New in 2.5
1. Added  buttons to simplify the selction of Diffuse AND Alpha files in 4 companies naming conventions: Got3D, Imagecels, AmbientLight and Cad Plants.  IF you want another combi to be added plz email me. By pressing any of them you may skip the 2 buttons on top + Lock button.
 
New in 2.6
1. Flip can now affect selected billboards.
2. Added 2 more companies presets.
3. rearranged the maps rollout design.
4. Added an option to set coordinates to the currently selected billboard.
 
New in 2.61
1. Camera list is now automatically refreshed.
 
New in 2.62
1. After orienting the newly generated billboard to a selected camera it is re-selected.
 
New in 2.70
1. Some fetures and improvements.
 
New in 2.75
1. Added a command to create a Black Gray White billboard for Color Correction purposes.
This billboard will not cast or recieve shadows and will not appear in reflections.
New in 2.8
1. Removal of orientation is finally here - press one button to annul all orientations - then assign to a different camera.
 
New in 3.0
1. This update is really a major one. I re-wrote the whole preset mechanism so that now the user may add as many presets as needed and presets can point to subfolders of the same textures vendor. For example Got3D/Trees and Got3D/People.
This also comes with a new browsing mechanism that saves you the need to browse to the same folder each time you need to create a billboard (imagine doing it for 30 people billboards-  I DID  and that is why I modified it !)
Nothing comes cheap and now the user will HAVE to edit the INI file which is also new to Billboard (I may add INI files to BBG in the future) Please have a look in the Configure.doc File for explanation on filters.
New in 3.0 BETA 002-005
1. Added a configurator utility to facilitate the creation of an INI file containing the presets.
New in 3.0 BETA 006
1. Added another Color Correction aid - A Gray Scale billboard.
 
 
 
 
 
If you think of a usefull feature or just to say thx - plz email me: nir@orvatsel.com

 
 
2. Outset 1.0
 
A simple script to do an "outset" which is like Inset only outwards. ( DOWNLOAD )
 
 
 
3. E-Light ME (Modified Edition) 1.06 (September 18th 2006)
           I added some featurea to the E-Light script by Ronnie Olsthoorn :
           1. Create Env light in a non 0,0,0 location in the scene.
           2. View bitmap (NEW: Improved in version 1.06)
           3. Save the environment to an external file
           4. Delete the environment.
          IMPORTANT -
This script is based on E-Light, however it is not an official release, hence - future development of the E-Light may differ from mine and may omit features that were introduced by  me.
You are encouraged to use both or any of the versions which you find more stable. (DOWNLOAD)
 
 
 
4. Camera Location 1.2 (Updated September 19th 2006)
 
A simple script that facilitates the modification of XYZ values of cameras but instead of picking from the selection floater (or the Select by name screen) - you can select form a cameras-only list and change the values on the fly.
Press the Switch to camera button to view the changes from the camera view. ( DOWNLOAD )
 
 
 
 
5. Raytrace map remover 1.0  NEW!!!
 
A simple script to remove the raytrace maps from the scene's material library(diffuse and reflection map slots). This is for people using Mental ray as raytrace maps may (and will) slow down rendering times considerably  ( DOWNLOAD )
-- initial version only deals with Standard Material , Multimaterial and A&D Material - Also - it is limited for checking
-- only reflection and diffuse maps (in A&D only reflection map) so if you used raytrace in a different slot - do it manually, sorry.
-- Also - it only goes down the first level so if you used a raytrace map within a noise map it will be ignored.
-- Installation : copy script to your /Scripts/Starup folder and assign a keyboard shortcut.
 
 
 
 
 
6. View Manager 1.1
 
Save and restore up to 5 views in the current scene. ( DOWNLOAD )
I am working on a  bit  more usefull version but I have some issues to be resolved.  The idea si like in AutoCAD - you save up to 5 views in the current scenes - for now you can't save or name them but I hope to resolve that. This helps in working in the viewport without the need to create cameras.
 
 
 
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3DS MAX 8 BOX CONTENTS
 
MISC FREE STUFF
 
SNAP ICONS
Alternative icons for the SNAPS toggles toolbar ( DOWNLOAD )
I found the originalicons hard to decipher so I created text buttons to ease their use.
 
 
 
COLOR SCHEME
 
You may download my color scheme for the UI (and QuadView)
View it here ( DOWNLOAD )
 
 
FOOT RIG
 
A simple image describing a foot rig
View it here