Preflight prepares 3ds Max models for export to UE4

SiNi Software has released Preflight, a new 3ds Max plugin designed to automate common tasks when preparing models for export to Unreal Engine.

The software, which is currently in open beta, forms part of the firm’s IgNite utility plugin collection.

Automatically relink missing textures and fix mesh errors when exporting models to Unreal Studio
Preflight is designed to streamline the process of importing complex 3ds Max models into Unreal Engine via Unreal Studio, Epic Games’ real-time visualisation platform.

While Unreal Studio’s Datasmith toolset includes functionality for fixing errors, like flipped or duplicate faces within the mesh, users have to locate and edit the faces manually.

Preflight automates the process, detaching or deleting doubled faces, and providing new viewing options for identifying flipped normals. The plugin also identifes and helps to relink missing textures.

You can see the differences by comparing the video above to this one of Datasmith’s native tools.

Once a model has been processed, it can be exported to Datasmith from directly within Preflight.

Pricing and availability
Preflight is available in open beta as part of IgNite. It is compatible with 3ds Max 2015 and above.

To test the software, you will need to register on the firm’s website, download version 1.11.2 of its installer software, then install a 30-day trial of IgNite.

Unreal Studio itself is available free until September 2019.

Read more about SiNi Software’s plugins on the firm’s website