Itoo Forest is a free-to-use plugin that adds a scattering effect for designs made using the multimedia software Autodesk 3DS Max. This add-on allows users to use a wide variety of scattering tools and effects to create realistic lighting effects for a wide range of objects. Render objects with great realism and accuracy.

The level of detail it offers makes Itoo Forest a valuable companion for photorealistic renders in 3DS Max. If you’re a designer or a draftsman, you might also want to check out Autodesk MotionBuilder for character animation or Autodesk DWG Trueview for CAD files.

Create more accurate lighting and texture

Itoo Forest focuses on an effect called scattering, which refers to a technique used in computer graphics to recreate realistic lighting effects by simulating thousands of light sources hitting the image. This plugin uses this technique to great efficiency, allowing users to recreate great lighting for a variety of materials—buildings, shrubbery, rocks, and even reflective surfaces. It works for both geometric and non-geometric models.

Aside from the standard scattering technology, this solution also introduces a new feature to the long-running 3DS Max companion with its Unity plugin. It utilizes the Unity Hybrid Rendering Technology that allows you to implement real-time instancing. This lets you experiment with light sources and object placement. Aside from Unity, the plugin also offers support for Unreal and Chaos Vantage, giving more options to where you can export your work.

The only challenge with photorealistic scattering plugins like this one is that this is very resource-intensive. Using 3DS Max already requires a powerful computer to render detailed images as fast as possible. Adopting a third-party add-on that contains a wide library of scattering simulations for different textures and objects will consume more storage and memory. Make sure your setup can handle the additional load.

A great tool for designers

If you’re looking to capture the unique visual impact from realistic lighting, Itoo Forest is a must-have companion for the designs you render using 3DS Max. Aside from a wide library that scatters light accurately over a range of geometric and non-geometric models, this app also comes with a lot of integrations, making your designs compatible with other computer graphics and simulation software. Highly recommended.