Hey all! Running into a pretty specific issue using the Interactive Shader Network (aka ShaderFX) in 3DS Max 2021.
I have built a custom Interactive Shader Network (using a DirectX material) and saved that to my user folder: 3dsMax\ShaderFX\Scenes\StingrayPBS.
I can see it pop up as a preset option in the dialogue box, select it, and it loads in correctly. I can adjust all my parameters and they update how I would expect in the scene. At one point, I could save the scene, reload it, and it would work just fine. But recently, I've been saving a bunch of variants of this material (NOT the shader, I'm always using the same preset), and storing those into a Material Library. If I try and assign those materials from the library to an object in the scene, it reverts the preset to "preset/Standard" instead of my "user/customShader"
Once it's assigned to an object, I can reassign the preset, and boom, it works again. Save the scene, reload... and you guessed it, it reverts back to the preset/Standard and I lose my settings.
I have tried:
- Making a fresh DirectX material, naming it something unique, assigning the preset, then saving that to the Mat Library. Still reverts one I assign it to a different object.
- Using the "Make Unique" option after selecting the preset to effectively make a new instance of that shader, in case the parenting was broken. Still fails to save.
- Making a new, less complicated Shader Network. Still fails.
- Tried adjusting the material that's stored in the MatLibrary without assigning it to an object, saving the Mat Library, then choosing the "Update Scene Materials from Library" option. Still reverts.
I'm at a loss here. I really need the Interactive Shader Network to work, because it's the easiest way for me to preview my game-ready textures (where I store data in an RGB map, and use smoothness instead of roughness) as well as preview my vertex colors over my materials.
Easiest repro steps would be:
- Make a new Interactive Shader Network, and multiply a color over a texture. Save that as a preset within your Documents/3DS Max folder.
- Duplicate a few instances of that material, and give them all different colors. Assign those to a few cubes within a Maxscene.
- Save all of those material instances to a Material Library. Save the library, save the scene.
- Open a fresh Max scene. Make new objects. Try to assign those materials to the new objects.
- You should see that it always reverts back to the preset/Standard instead of using your custom preset.
Thanks for any help in advance!
