Sitni Sati releases FumeFX 6.5 for 3ds Max
Sitni Sati has released FumeFX 6.5 for 3ds Max, the latest version of the gaseous fluid simulator and multiphysics plugin.
It’s a major update, adding a PhysX-based, GPU-accelerated liquid simulation system, intended for small-scale simulations such as those for commercials and motion graphics projects.
A staple of 3ds Max-based visual effects pipelines for over a decade
First released in 2007, FumeFX quickly became a go-to tool for 3ds Max artists looking to create gaseous fluid effects like smoke, fire and clouds.
It has been used by studios like Blizzard Entertainment, Blur Studio and Luma Pictures on a range of major movies and game cinematics, including 2022 Indian blockbuster RRR.
FumeFX is also now available for Maya and Cinema 4D, but the 3ds Max edition remains the one to which new features are added first.
FumeFX 6.5: extending the NodeWorks framework to liquid simulation
FumeFX 6.5 extends NodeWorks, the new node-based environment for authoring simulations introduced in FumeFX 6.0 last year.
It turned FumeFX from a specialist gaseous fluid simulator to a more general-purpose multiphysics tool, also capable of simulating rigid and soft bodies.
Although NodeWorks could already mesh particle systems to liquids, FumeFX 6.5 adds the NodeWorks PhysX Extensions, a dedicated set of nodes for GPU-accelerated liquid simulations.
The simulations use Position Based Dynamics (PBD), a method that Sitni Sati pitches as “ideal for small-scale liquids” like water pouring into a glass.
Support for viscosity, surface tension, bubbles and foam
FumeFX’s implementation of PBD provides a range of control parameters, both for the liquid itself, including viscosity, surface tension and vorticity, and for bubbles and foam.
Liquids can interact with other objects in a scene – both static, kinematic and dynamics PhysX objects, and with other liquids: simulations can include multiple immiscible liquid phases.
The toolset makes use of NodeWorks’ memory caching, enabling “instant” viewport playback”.
Simulations can also be retimed, although it’s only possible to retime the liquid itself, not foam.
For final-quality output, simulations can be rendered “out-of-the-box” in Arnold, with foam supported as Arnold Points or Arnold Volumes.
Price and system requirements
FumeFX 6.5 for 3ds Max is compatible with 3ds Max 2019-2024 running on Windows 10+. The PBD Liquids toolset requires a NVIDIA Pascal GPU or newer (a GeForce GTX 10xxx or newer).
The 3ds Max edition of the software is available subscription-only. Workstation licences cost $365/year; additional simulation licences cost $95/year.
At the time of writing, neither the Maya or Cinema 4D edition has been updated to FumeFX 6.5.
Read an overview of the new features in FumeFX on the product website
Read a full list of new features in FumeFX 6.5 for 3ds Max in the online documentation
Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.