Features

What is Flatiron?

Flatiron is a unique render-to-texture plugin for Autodesk’s 3ds Max. It is capable of baking full scenes or selections of objects into a single UV Map with a few clicks. Flatiron is a fast, simple, configurable automatic unwrapping and baking solution that massively accelerates baking complex scenes.

 

Advantages of Flatiron

  • Unwrap and bake multiple objects into a single texture map without having to manually arrange UV charts or compose rendered maps in image editing software.
  • Unwrap all the objects in a scene, bake them in a single render pass and get high quality texture maps in record time.
  • Minimize the size of your texture maps by automatically arranging UVs of one or multiple objects perfectly.
  • Use unique organic, hard-surface or projection unwrapping methods for superior UV compressions.
  • Keep a uniform pixel density on mesh surfaces – even across multiple objects. This avoids the effect of some areas on the mesh having a very sharp and detailed texture while others appear blurred.
  • Use the full power of your network rendering setup – Flatiron is fully integrated into 3ds Max thanks to MAXScript.

Flatiron is ideally suited for

Game developers who need to add a maximum of visual quality to their games while keeping hardware requirements at a minimum. Bake shadow maps or ambient occlusion for complete rooms or even whole levels at once and combine multiple objects on a single uv map.

Major international game and infotainment companies including Ubisoft, Firaxis, Sega, Monolith, Sanzigen, Gameloft, deepsilver, Gas Powered Games, as well as industrial and telecommunication key players such as Disney, Sony, Panasonic, Konami, Pixomondo, Fuji, Mitsubishi, CBS TV Network, FOX, Thyssen and Dynamic Pictures have utilized Flatiron unique technology.

Architects and product designers who want to visualize their creations in record time. Bake the illumination for the complete background scenery into a single map instead of recalculating its visual details repetitively. You reduce render time and can concentrate on truly creating value: your architecture and products.

Designers creating real-time visuals for mobile devices or similar platforms with very limited texture memory. Bake a single map that is shared by multiple objects and can contain a whole scene with minimal wasted texture space.

Compatibility

Flatiron can be used with all 3ds Max integrated renderers that have texture baking support. No matter if you use Scanline, Mental-Ray or plug-ins like V-Ray or FinalRender, Flatiron will work with all their render elements.

Support for network rendering, distributed rendering and further automation possibilities through MAXScript allow you to integrate Flatiron flexibly into your existing production pipeline.

Support:
Flatiron is compatible with all versions of Autodesk 3ds Max 2020 and newer.
(Max 2010-2019 Max versions are no longer actively supported but older Flatrion versions for them are also available for all customers)