[Originally posted on: 4 December 2012. Scroll down for updates.]

Ephere has released an update to Zookeeper, its node-based scene-management tool for 3ds Max. The plugin is intended to make it easier to navigate and edit very large 3ds Max production scenes.

Changes in Zookeeper 2 include a “cleaner, more compact and faster Schematic UI”, and updates to the schematic and tree view, including a new Selection Set tree view.

The software is available now for 3ds Max 2009 and above, price $249. Anyone who purchased a Zookeeper licence in the past year gets a free upgrade.

Updated 14 January 2013: Ephere has released a new Zookeeper demo video (above) that shows off more of the features of the plugin, both new and old. Seeing the cluster node in action is particularly cool.

Visit the Zookeeper website

Read a full list of new features in Zookeeper 2

Download a trial version of Zookeeper 2

Tags: 3ds max, add-on, ephere, node-based, plugin, scene management, schematic view, tree view, Zookeeper, Zookeeper 2