animBoost
animBoost is a set of maxscript that boost viewport performance for animated mesh.
Recently I found out that 3ds max still evaluates an object's modifier stack even though the object is hidden. I always assume that's not the case. For a non-animated object, this is not a problem, since 3ds max internally caches the final result of modifiers stack. But, if a hidden object is deforming over time, 3ds max wastes a lot of resources for this invisible object. For example, a typical character rig would have a low res proxy for faster playback. But, it becomes useless, since skinned hi-res mesh will be calculated anyway.
animBoost is an workaround for this problem. animBoost keeps monitoring scene and selectively turns on/off modifier when object is unhidden/hidden.
v0.8 Update
bugfix - If you turn on/off with Layer, eveything is OK. But, when you hide/unhide each nodes, animBoost forgot to turn on Mesher/SuperMesher/XMesh. This has been fixed.
v0.7 Update
Support SuperMesher
Support Frost
Support Mesher
How to install
Download zip file. You will see two folders(Scripts/UI) after unzip the file. You need to copy those two folders into your 3ds max's Scripts/UI folder.
How to use
Launch 3ds max. "Go to Customize User Interface". Select "animBoost" category. You wil have 3 new actions. Make buttons or assign shourcut.
"turn on animBoost" will show up as "animBoost_On" button. "turn off animBoost" will show up as "animBoost_Off" button. "animBoost manual mode" will show up as "animBoost_Manual" button.
Now all you need to do is click "animBoost_On" button. Now animBoost is monitoring your scene and invisibly turns on/off modifiers when you hide/unhide objects.
WARNING!
If you have a lot of modifier heavy objects, THERE WILL BE DELAY when you hide/unhide objects.
If you have any problems with this script, you can always click "animBoost_Off". Then animBoost will be removed from memory.
animBoost also support a "manual mode". Instead of using "animBoost_On", if you use "animBoost_Manual" button. You can run animBoost routine manually. If your system is really slow or you dont like the delay, you may use this.
Comments
Thank you for trying to solve
Thank you for trying to solve this terrible bug that prevents us to use versions of 3ds max above 2011.
It would be wiser Autodesk makes his work by solving this bug that they have themselves created since the 2012 version with Nitrous.
Indeed, even if you update this script there will always be new plugins incompatible with it such as Vray proxy or Ivygenerator.
Thank you nevertheless for your precious help.
!! grt script grt video explaination !! but !! still heavy !!
hi i am animating a heavy scene file which as 6 character and BG it include 5lac polygon ,dynamic,expression,etc !! i tried ur script its not effecting that much .what u showed in the video !!!
still timeline is counting the hidden object in layer it is very frustration 3ds max2012 with nitrous!!!
can u help me with this !!
max 2012 issue
hi ,gandhics, your script looks very promising in this video, but i`m unable to get it to work in max 2012. I tried it on two different computers and had the same result. It just doesn't appear in the Customize menu. What could it be?
Thank you in advance.
v0.7
Try v0.7.
I added support for SuperMesher.
Great Hack ! To bad that huge
Great Hack !
To bad that huge bug like this appear in 2012 versions of 3ds max.
http://area.autodesk.com/forum/autodesk-3ds-max/autodesk-3ds-max--3ds-ma...
It's doesn't work with Supermesher plugin because it’s a base object, not a modifier.
tnk very much Gandhics :)
tnk very much Gandhics :)
Nice one !!! shame AD !
Nice one !!! shame AD !
2008
It uses node event callback which introduced in 2009. I may try with general callback for next version.
max 2008
tnk for your script.
It would be useful for my to working with animations.
sorry, there is a chance to make the script work even on max2008?
sweet!
sweet!
Never get low & slow & out of ideas