NEW IN MAXWELL 3.2
The Asset Reference extension allows you to synchronize models between your modeling application and Maxwell Studio, without the need for a connection plugin
When you're working with a modeling platform for which Maxwell doesn't have a connectivity plugin, you export your models to a compatible geometry format and import them into Studio, which then embeds the geometry into a MXS file ready for material assignment and scene setup. The problem with this approach is that if changes or adjustments are needed in the model, you need to go back to the modeling application, adjust the geometry, export it and import the new object into Studio - thereby losing all the progress made with the scene stage.
The Asset Reference feature allows you to import an object and keep it as a reference until render time, in the same way that Maxwell works with textures or referenced MXS files. This means that the geometry is not pre-converted to MXS files but is instead referenced until you are ready to hit render, and you can modify the model at any time during render set-up whilst keeping everything synchronized in the pipeline.
This feature has been developed to provide better support for modeling platforms such as Rhino for Mac, Blender and 3D platforms without a direct connectivity plugin.
To use it, simply export your models to any of the compatible formats listed below and import them into Studio using the Asset Reference extension object. If you make changes the model afterwards and re-save it, Studio and Maxwell will automatically update with the new geometry.
The Asset Reference object panel
Parameters
File Name
Path to the referenced object. It imports objects in any of these formats: OBJ, FBX, DAE, BLEND, 3DS, IFC, XGL, ZGL, PLY, DXF, LWO, LWS, LXO, STL, AC, MX3D, COB, SCN, BVH, CSM, XML, IRRMESH, MDL, MD2, MD3, PK3, MDC, MD5, SMD, VTA, M3, 3D, B3D, Q3D, Q3S, NFF, OFF, RAW, TER, 3DGS, MP and NDO.
Axis System
Indicates the axis that will serve as the scene's up-axis, derived from the axis system with which the object were created. Some applications consider Z as the up-axis, while in others Y is the up-axis.
Display Type
Defines the shading mode for the referenced object in the display. You can choose between Bounding Box, Points and Meshes.