Free 3dsMax Scripts

The following scripts are free for you to download and use without restrictions. They have editable source code, so you can learn from them, modify or extend their functionality.
Although we do our best, they were not sufficiently tested. We provide no warranty, so use them at your own risk.

Have a cool idea for a new free script to post here? We’d love to hear you! –> Ask for a new free 3ds Max script

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If you like our content and want to support this initiative, there is a section at the bottom of the page where you can leave your contribution. Thank you very much! Enjoy the scripts!

IFL Playback Manager v1.0

Release Date: 01/28/2025. Last Update: 01/28/2025. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2015 and higher.

IFL Playback Manager is a powerful script for 3ds Max that helps you manage and control the timing of animated textures in your scene. It automatically lists all textures with assigned .ifl (Image File List) files and allows you to adjust their playback parameters directly.
With this tool, you can easily synchronize animations, change playback speeds, and fine-tune the starting frame for each texture, making it an essential solution for projects with complex animated materials.

• Lists all animated textures in the scene or only those from the selected objects.
• Displays a thumbnail preview of each texture along with its .ifl file name.
• Allows you to view and modify key playback parameters: Start Time, Playback Rate, and End Condition.
• Quickly opens the Material Editor, showing only the material linked to the selected texture in a new tab.
• Supports both 3ds Max Standard Bitmap and VRay Bitmap textures.

Here’s a video showing how the script works.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

DataWire v1.0

Release Date: 12/21/2024. Last Update: 12/21/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2020.2 and higher.

DataWire 3ds Max script exposes general object properties – such as number of faces, spline length or object dimensions – as wireable parameters through a custom modifier, allowing you to easily connect them to other objects’ parameters or display them on a TextPlus 3D text on your scene.

These general properties are not wireable by default in 3ds Max and are typically accessible only through script controllers, which can be challenging for non-coders. DataWire simplifies and accelerates this tedious process by providing a user-friendly solution.

Each parameter in the modifier features a dedicated pick button for seamless integration with the parametric TextPlus object.

Exposed properties for Splines: number of vertices, total length, dimensions (X, Y, Z)

Exposed properties for Geometry: number of vertices, number of faces, dimensions (X, Y, Z)

This script is ideal for streamlining complex setups for animations, infographics, architectural projects, or showcasing real-time object statistics.

Here’s a video showing how the script works.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

ScreenLock Reference v1.02

Release Date: 11/18/2024. Last Update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2015 and higher.

This handy script helps you simplify modeling and projection tasks by locking reference images directly to your camera view.
It places an image in the foreground, between the camera and your scene, acting as a transparent overlay to guide your work.
Whether you’re modeling objects, aligning scenes for video mapping, or working on architectural layouts, this tool ensures smooth and accurate workflows.

• Adds a modifier to the selected camera with special controls to load and manage the reference image.
• Loads images in any 3ds Max-supported format with automatic transparency handling (from alpha channel).
• The image can be tied to the reference plane (object-space mapping) or projected from the camera (world-space mapping).
• Custom settings to adjust image scale, position and general transparency.
• Easily toggle the reference image visibility.

Here’s a video showing how it works.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Object-Bound Camera Clipping v1.02

Release Date: 10/15/2024. Last Update: 10/28/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2015 and higher.

Adds additional controls to the selected camera for driving clipping planes using objects in the scene.

• Pick an object to control the distance for near clipping and another one for far clipping.
• Optionally set an offset from the picked object in each case.
• Automatically places the near clipping plane on the face of the picked object that is closest to the camera.
• If you pick an object with no surface, such as a helper, it uses the object pivot to calculate the distance for clipping.
• Since this script adds custom attributes to the camera, you can freely reuse the camera for other projects or 3ds Max versions without needing the script.
• Currently supported cameras: Physical Camera, VRay Physical Camera.

Here’s a video showing how the script works.

(Note: Want a Pro version with auto-FOV adjustment and support for Corona camera? See Camera Clipping Pro)

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Camera Array v1.03

Release Date: 09/12/2024. Last Update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2015 and higher.

Quickly create an array of cameras from the vertex normals of a mesh or spline.

• Gets the position and orientation for each camera from the vertices of a mesh or the knots of a spline.
• Choose to work with all vertices or only selected ones.
• Supported cameras: Physical Camera, Standard Camera, VRay Physical Camera.
• All cameras are instances. (You can make them unique if you want)
• Create either free cameras (oriented like vertex normals) or targeted cameras (all linked and pointing to a parent dummy).
• Free cameras can point to: 1. direction of the vertex normals 2. opposite direction of vertex normals.
• Generates a root dummy to manipulate the array of cameras.
• Root dummy custom controls: – Reset transforms for the whole array. – Freeze/Unfreeze all cameras.
• Creates selection sets to easily select the root dummy and the parent of the targets.
• You can freely delete any cameras in the array and continue to work with the rest.
• Navigate through all camera views with 2 simple arrow buttons.

Here’s a video showing how the script works.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Multimaterial from files v1.02

Release Date: 08/21/2024. Last Update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2015 and higher.

The script lets you pick multiple image files from your drive and creates one material per file, with the image assigned as diffuse texture, and builds a multimaterial with all of them. Then assigns the multimaterial to the selected objects.

* It optionally adds a Material Modifier to the object/s so you easily visualize or animate the textures on them.
* 6 material types supported for submaterials (from several render engines): Physical material, Arnold Standard Surface, VRay material, Corona material, FStorm, Standard material.

Here’s a video showing how it works.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Wirecolor to Material v1.02

Release Date: 07/01/2021. Last Update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Automatically create and assign materials from objects’ wirecolor.
* 6 material types supported (from several render engines): Physical material, Arnold Standard Surface, VRay material, Corona material, FStorm, Standard material.
* Work on selection or process all objects in scene at once
* Choose to affect only geometry or geometry + shapes
* It builds only 1 material per wirecolor, avoiding the creation of unnecessary material duplicates
* Excludes objects with materials already asssigned

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Align Multiple Objects v1.12

Release Date: 02/12/2020. Last Update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Align selected objects in one axis.
* The order of selection defines the order of alignment
* First selected object stays in place
* Option to set Offset between objects
* Option to use bounding box instead of pivot.
* Support for groups

Here’s a video showing how the script works, made by CGTricks.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Quick Batch Render v1.14

Release Date: 03/27/2019. Last Update: 10/28/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

A simple and powerful script to quickly render multiple already set-up .max files successively on a single computer.
Options: set a percentage of the file’s render resolution (width/height); ignore/suppress warning dialogs; render first frame only.
All the .max files must have been properly set up (with the corresponding frame range, render resolution, file output and all other settings), so they are ready to just hit ‘render’ before executing this script.
(Note: If you are looking for a Pro version of this script, see Overnight Batch Render.)

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Show Textures in viewport (on/off) v1.05

Release Date: 01/29/2019. Last Update: 07/15/2021. Requirements: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

A simple check button to place on your toolbar, to show or hide your material textures on viewport.

If there’s nothing selected, it works on all materials in scene. Otherwise, on materials from selected objects only.

Should handle almost any kind of material or render engine.

– v 1.0 Successfully checked with Scanline, VRay and Corona renderers.
–  v 1.02 Added support for FStorm Bitmaps.
–  v 1.05 Added ability to work either on selected objects or on all materials in scene.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

World-Space to Local Animation v1.02

Release Date: 12/17/2018. Last update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Bakes an objest’s World-Space/Space Warp animation to a copy, using local Point Cache modifier. Then you can apply local modifers on top to continue animating the object’s deformation.

Note: this is a preliminary version. It saves always a temporary .xml file for the Point Cache, wich you can rename, relocate and reload, to preserve it. In future versions, this could be set at the script’s UI by the user.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Randomize Spline Material IDs v1.01

Release Date: 11/20/2018. Last update: 10/17/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Set random material IDs for the selected splines, either using the existing IDs or specifying a range of IDs.

(Note: If you are looking for a complete solution for managing spline material IDs, check out SubSpline plugin)

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Bake Splines Animation v1.02

Release Date: 10/29/2018. Last update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Bakes the animation of one or more selected shapes to vertex animation, with a series of options.

Set: animation range (start/end), sample rate, action over original shapes (hide/delete/none).

Support for: modifiers animation / hierarchy animation / transform (position/rotation/scale) animation

Note: Does not properly support Space Warps animation at the moment.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Vertices to Splines v1.12

Release Date: 05/11/2018. Last update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Generate splines from the normals of mesh vertices.

This script is useful to create quick hair/fur splines. It’s an incredibly powerful tool when used in conjunction with TurboSplines script to create things like tentacles, spikes, spines, appendices, etc.

You can set the number of splines, length, number of knots, variation and chaos.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Get Materials (one click!) v1.03

Release Date: 04/01/2014. Last update: 01/15/2025. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

A very simple but extremely useful script you will use all the time!

With just one click it opens the Material Editor and displays all the materials for the selected objects well organized in a clean view.

It comes in 3 versions:
– GetMaterials.ms: opens the Slate Material Editor, cleaning the default view.
– GetMaterials_newView.ms: opens the Slate Material Editor in a new view.
– GetMaterials_CompactMatEditor.ms: opens the Compact (Classic )Material Editor, overwriting the first slots.

Here’s a video showing how it works, by CGTricks.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

NURBS to Splines v1.02

Release Date: 11/08/2017. Last update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Convert multiple NURBS curves to Editable Splines with a single click.

You can set the number of knots for the resulting splines.

Trajectory to Spline v1.03

Release Date: 07/05/2016. Last update: 12/02/2024. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2012 and higher.

Create splines from the trajectory of animated objects, bones or particles (Particle Flow).

It handles multiple objects/particles at once. Ideal for spline-based animations and effects, VFX and Motion Graphics.

Total Animation Baker v1.0

Release Date: 03/29/2016. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

A powerful time-saver tool to bake the animation of your entire scene with just one click!

This script can bake a complete scene with complex procedural animations and sophisticated rigs, including all kind of objects, controllers and character animations, and set it ready to export to your favorite game engine.

Delete Unselected v1.0

Release Date: 04/16/2014. Last update: 06/15/2018. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

Delete all non-selected objects in 3dsMax scene, including hidden and frozen ones, leaving just the ones you need in the scene.

This simple script is very handy when you need to re-save only one or a few models from a complex scene, but keeping all the scene setups. It’s also good for exporting objects to external software that requires scene data from 3dsMax.

Installation:
1. Drag the script to a viewport.  2. Go to Customize > Customize user interface > Toolbars > Category: Spline Dynamics – free scripts.  3. Drag the script’s name to a toolbar.

Quick Skybox v1.0

Release Date: 03/08/2016. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

A quick way to get the 6 images needed for a skybox or cubemap from your 3dsmax scene.

Render Still Cameras v1.0

Release Date: 04/22/2014. Version Requirement: 3ds Max 2011 and higher.

Very quick & simple batch renderer for still images. Just 2 clicks and ready to go!

This script is very useful to render many views from a single model or scene when you have already placed still cameras.

It combines many still cameras into one single animated camera that shows all those views sequentially, one per frame. Then you just need to render the new camera to a sequence of images.

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Free Scripts Installation/Uninstallation

Installation

1. Unzip the file and drag the script (*.ms) to any 3ds Max viewport.
2. Go to menu Customize -> Customize User Interface -> Toolbars tab.
3. Choose the category Spline Dynamics – free scripts (or for the oldest scripts: Rode3D)
4. Select the name of the script on the list and drag it to a toolbar. Ready to use!

Uninstallation

Almost all SplineDynamics scripts are MacroScripts consisting in a single file, which means you can find them in this folder: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\[version]\ENU\usermacros
To remove a script, just delete the corresponding file.
If the script is not there it’s because it’s a one-time run script, so there is no need to uninstall it.

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