Implement Color Management in 3ds Max - support for ICC, LUTs etc.

[pokoy]

Max is the only 3d application that isn't color managed, it actually is surpassed by simple free image viewers when it comes to displaying colors.

Whether we work for print, game or video/film/vfx, in 99% of our work the final result is a pixel or a textured model, viewed or displayed on a variety of devices. Not being able to use color profiles and LUTs in order to judge colors early in the work process is absolutely unacceptable in the year 2017.

Color profiles - we need per-scene color profile settings that will globally apply for color swatches, maps (procedurals+bitmaps), viewers (Viewports, Unwrap Editor, Bitmap Viewer, Preview etc.), the VFB and file render output, with options to override global profile for individual bitmaps for maximum flexibility.

LUTs - we need a way to apply LUTs to bitmaps (single and sequences), image viewers, the Preview, the VFB and file render output. Also, we need a way to quickly manage LUTs from different places on the disk by creating LUT libraries, quick LUT preview/compare in the VFB without re-rendering.

In order to be actually usable, Max should support for ALL industry standard files, not just Autodesk's CM solutions. Also, color profiles and LUTs used in a Max file should be included in the file for proper interop.

[ismlan]

This is exactly what I was looking for. It seams people don't understand color management, otherwise I can't figure out why there isn't already an uprising XD Maya 2016 has color management so now Max is the only software on the market, even blender and the famous Filmic are over the top better.

Basically Max should work like any other image processing software like Photoshop.

[Anonymous]

 When are the auto desk developer going to get a clue on color management for 3ds max? I am tired of teaching my students all these fake lighting tricks for photo-realistic renders when even blender, which is free and open software has Filmic. Is auto desk seriously waiting for someone to do their development for them and have it as a charged plug-in? The other two complainants are absolutely right, we are in 2018 now and enough is enough. Get off your collective asses and develop some color profiles and management systems that are expected of animators, lighting and texture artist in 2018!

[Anonymous]

The luck of 3ds max is to be a very popularized program, it still sins in many things, otherwise it would already be going to ditch.

[Manolip]

I instantly voted. It's pretty disappointing to see that maya gets it but Max doesn't. Im so sick of this kind of thing. Max will only ever do stuff that artists want when the devs are dragged into it kicking and screaming. Been using max a long time now, and frankly I am considering ditching it and moving to blender. I mean seriously. Im paying 265 dollars a month for my entire workflow and pipeline to be rendered out at not as good quality as free software. Ill give Autodesk 6 months to fix this otherwise I'm out. I pay for the best and newest software. Not obsolete junk. 

[Anonymous]

When this gets added it needs to have good OCIO support with real production pipelines in mind or else it would just be a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Colour management is an absolute must for anyone working in professional visualisation and as already said Max is lagging behind even free software in this sense. OCIO and ACEScg would be fantastic.

[hristo.velev]

Yes, color management is a must. And with OCIO having done a great job laying the groundwork, it would be great to have Max support for it.

[Anonymous]

As a new user to Max I'm pretty dumbfounded that it isnt colour managed considering how widely used it is in the industry. Combine this with the lack of colour management in Windows 10 and it's pretty frustrating.

Is this going to be added to the road map?

[pokoy]

Currently it's not on the roadmap and I don't believe it to happen anytime soon. No sign yet of any awareness how critical this is for an industry producing images.

[Anonymous]

Probaly not. but if you want to make vray renders near the calibration of
some cmyk, you can use icc map vrayicc

[Anonymous]

Probably the most important feature needed...

[ismlan]

So here we are still, it's almost 2020 and no colour management for 3ds. My guess is that everyone uses Vray which mitigates this to some extent. The rest of us most likely don't do any colour critic work in Max so we don't need it anyway (joking of course)  Otherwise I just can't explain it because it is as simple as just making Max color aware, using Windows settings. That would be the most basic thing to do and you already helped me out because I really don't ask for anything more. The rest of you that want OCIO, I get the workflow but I don't even need that much.

But honestly, looking at this thread it seams like people aren't interested much in colour management. After two years there are only 70 votes. So either there are only 70 people on this forum or people really don't care.

[Anonymous]

Hi Ismlan,

I'm really interested of hearing about your solution with OCIO. Can we get in touch in private message?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I ended up writing my own OCIOExposureControl plugin to get basic OCIO support. Without it we wouldn't be able to use Arnold at all in a real project at our studio.

My guess is that everyone is using V-Ray so no one cares. We will sadly go back to V-Ray as well now. Why you ask? Because while Arnold is amazing, the Max plugin (MAXtoA) simply isn't production ready for the stuff we do. We hope that will change but until it does, we'll use V-Ray.

[ismlan]

Congrats jens.l you actually know what your doing. For me OCIO is simply to much and to confusing even when using Vray. Now it seams you can finally save a 16bit file that saves your LUT transform. Not sure that is going to work for OCIO. If you don't need 32bit output or a highly flexible workflow, a simple srgb color space is enough.

And the point was already made, that for the price you pay you shouldn't have to do any of this unless you really need to get into some very complicated or advanced settings. This also makes me wonder why they even bought Arnold if they can't implement colour management. But hey, at least we now have procedural based wood. We where all waiting for that, right?

[Anonymous]

Jens.l: I'm looking for a way to use ACES on 3ds max with v-ray

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous We have worked in ACEScg with OCIO in V-Ray for over 4 years now. Nothing should stop you from doing the same.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous: I sent you a private message.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous: did you get it? ty