New features in USD for 3ds Max 0.13

[wallworm]

Some cool new updates to USD for 3ds Max came out this week. One of the main big features the team introduced was the Autodesk Asset Resolver which allows USD to understand path tokens and utilize environment variables for asset resolution. It also allows you to set USD search paths from within the UI.

Other features that push Max USD forward for layout and assembly are the ability to author new USD stages in memory (not needing to start with a file already on disk), the ability to shift-drag (copy) prims in the viewport, rename/delete prims.

We also improved the USD exporter with Shell Material support to improve publishing pipelines as well as optimized the data written to USD Skel from skinned meshes.

Finally, if a USD file is using referenced MaterialX documents, Max will generate a MaterialX Material when importing the USD into Max data.

You can explore the Asset Resolver settings in the new USD menu that is now in the main menus.

We also took the opportunity to update the MAXScript documentation of USD that hadn't been updated in some time. The docs now include new information on the USDStageObject as well as the USDGeomObject and more.

You can get these updates in the latest 3ds Max 2026.3 release or download them here on Github.

Note that the devkit that comes with the USD Installer within 3ds Max 2026.3 installer is missing some key files to build against Max USD. This means that if you are a plugin developer you will need to use the devkit that comes from the installers here on Github.