QuickTiles plug-in help documents

Common information

Release notes

A new version of the Crop – Center+ algorithm has been added, allowing you to add tile lengths. To do this, the plugin mixes multiple tiles from the same ID.
A new, more reliable algorithm for working with auxiliary files. Increased reliability in case of scene crashes and material breakdowns
Possibility of direct editing of seams on a mask through HSV in a slicer
The ability to disable the mask affect in the slicer for each channel
Updated the algorithm for generating the shape of seams. It has become faster and smoother, and is now superimposed on the replaced seam texture.
Added an algorithm for auto-downloading missing textures from the server when starting a scene and updating materials
Added an algorithm for automatic re-downloading in case of damage to library texture files
Added a multiformat when saving files. By default, all channels are saved in JPG 8 bits, and normals and displacement in PNG 16 bits.
The Outline function in the slicer can now stretch selected tiles separately in width or height.
Added the ability to work efficiently with Real World map size. The function works in Vray and Corona. The texture size is automatically transferred to the appropriate fields during the Update.
When working with Real World map size, the texture is displayed in the viewport at the correct scale.
Added the possibility of random series shifting in linear patterns
The block of work with the tilt of the tiles has been changed. Now you can activate randomization for each side and turn separately.
Added a new Color Picker, developed by our programmer in-house. You can also activate it for the entire 3d max environment.
Added the ability to dim the brightness of the created edge in the shape generator.
It is possible to add a background image to the Editor's Pattern substrate.
Added a version for 3d max 2026
Added automatic creation of firewall rules during installation

Two new color templates have been added to search in the preset library – pink and beige
Added AO generation in the seam, when setting the shape
Added a randomization seed shift for different channels. For example: if the current tile in the diffuse channel has darkened when randomization is set, it may brighten or remain the same on other channels. Previously, the seed and the degree of randomization coincided.
The update status bar has been added to the Update window. The last operation and the time it took are now displayed
In the slicer, the deactivated black tiles now also become more transparent
Added automatic channel recognition when working with the seam substrate
Added a light grid on top of the tiles in the pattern editor. It has become more convenient to see the size of the tiles being created
The maximum field size for creating a linear pattern is now 300x300 cells (previously it was 100x100)
The subscription activation button is now always available
Improved the algorithm for randomizing the width of tiles in linear patterns
Now, when enlarging the tiles in the container, the specified edge shape does not go beyond the edges, but remains anchored to the container
The channel activation algorithm by color has been changed. Previously, the color should have been different from black, now it's enough to enter and exit the color picker, and the channel is activated
Added automatic window size reduction for low-resolution monitors

Fixed the seam distortion algorithm
When working with the plain texture as the source, the scale did not increase by more than 100%
When working with the plain texture, the scale changed depending on the resolution and size of the patch
Improved the algorithm for loading textures from the server. Now, if the file breaks, the texture is re-uploaded automatically
Shortcuts have been restored (some were not working)
The storage time of temp files was 30 times longer than it was set in the menu. Now it matches the specified one
There were holes when working with some large patterns
Fixed crash when resaving one preset on another
Fixed distorted display of the normal map in the slicer
In the slicer, when switching from mode 1 to 3, the tiles were incorrectly sliced
The display of names and information in the lister has been fixed on 4K monitors
Fixed incorrect operation of some tools in the slicer when using grid border reduction (Cropping)
Other minor fixes

The update now works with interactive rendering enabled
Fixed interface with 4K monitors
Three new channels have been added – AO, Metallness and Opacity – which expands the possibilities for creating fully adjusted presets
Added a version for 3d max 25
A unique automatic algorithm has been added to optimize the size of textures depending on the pixel density per centimeter – work with large final textures has accelerated tenfold.
The update at the start of the scene now begins only after the scene is fully loaded
Added auto-save of finished materials to Temp and the ability to disable it.
The script for creating the material structure has been changed – new nodes have been added, old versions of the Corona (6 and earlier) are supported by default

Added the ability to switch the options for mixing flat colors when working with seams
Added the ability to adjust the hue saturation and brightness of images on the substrate when working with seams
Added the ability to invert the color of any channel when working with seams
In the texture generation scroll, the patch height is now equal to the specified width by default
Optimized the mechanism for setting the size of the sides of the created texture with non-square patches
The texture generation scroll now displays the file name after saving to temp
The Herringbone function now resets the current layout only as long as it is enabled, and also turns off automatically after opening the Pattern Editor
Fixed a bug with incorrect normals and the automatic switching of the Crop/Stretch mechanism for individual tiles when the base tile is a perfect square
The update window now displays the name of the texture and the temp of the file to which it is linked. In case of problems, you can determine exactly which of the textures cause them
Added dynamic display of the list of randomizations depending on the texture channels used
Added a button to go to the Help from the plugin
Added the ability to buy a license from the plugin
Added a notification about the Internet disconnection
Minor improvements to the interface design
The restrictions on the width of the procedural seam have been removed
Added a QT lister opening icon in the texture generation scroll
Fixed crisp edge interpolation when working with procedural seams
Fixed: the name of the sets was not visible when using the 3d max light interface
Fixed: the roughness channel in the seams was created black by default.
Redesigned icons and labels to match the new QuickTiles style

It is now possible to change the size of icons in four versions – small, standard, large and huge.
It is now possible to view the full size of the icon (Ctrl+Click). For our library, this is 1200 px in height
It is now possible to add materials to Favorites
A category of new items has appeared. It will display several recent materials that we have added to the library
The type of loaded materials has been changed. They are now displayed in color with a download icon in the corner, for easy viewing
It is now possible to assign and easily select a texture color
All icons have been updated to capture a larger part of the texture
Fixed the color of the presets. The previous version was lost in the light scheme of the 3d max

Added the ability to automatically set the direction for selected tiles (Direction Tool, RMB)
Added the ability to adjust the transparency of an flat color on the channel in the slicer
Added the ability to switch the options for mixing a smooth color with a texture (color icon, RMB)
Added the ability to invert the color of any channel (inside HSV)
Added a mechanism for tracking texture updates in the library – sometimes we refine textures in the library and replace them on the server. Now the plugin will mark such materials as not uploaded
Fixed: when auto-slicing a large number of tiles, the operation interruption warning disappeared

Added interface translation into Russian and Chinese
The interface has been slightly changed. Unnecessary buttons have been removed and the organization of parameters has been streamlined
Added the ability to add Noise wherever you can choose a plain color
Added dynamic channels in the procedural gap and bitmap randomization sections. Now only the channels added in the slicer are displayed and processed there.
The large preview is no longer lost when panning or zooming
Added shortcut to open a large Preview - Ctrl+Shift+P
Added shortcut for switching preview channels - Ctrl+Shift+PageUp/PageDown
Added the "Download All" button to the preset library
In the slicer, paneling with the wheel no longer resets the selection of tiles
Added shortcut in the slicer to select all tiles - Ctrl+A
Fixed a serious deep bug that led to accidental crashes. The plugin now works much more stable.
Improved work with old projects with QuickTiles
The Pattern mask channel is now also saved as plain bitmap

Significantly improved stability and performance
Additional optimization of tools and processes has been carried out
The algorithm of the Orientation tool has been significantly improved
The Presets library has been modified for the new algorithm of the Orientation tool
Disabling preview auto-update is now instantaneous
Improved the search algorithm in Presets, Slicer and Pattern Editor
Fixed all known crashes
Increased stability when working with large circular layouts in the younger versions of 3ds max

Slicer:
Fixed an issue with tiles flipped 180 degrees upside down
The HSV window in the slicer is now scaled to fit the screen resolution
Added a crosshair through the middle of a tile in the slicer
Improved algorithm for moving the selected tile to the foreground in the slicer
Fixed missing and inability to select tiles in the slicer and PE after copying

Pattern Editor:
Added a "Set tiling box" button that sets the repeat zone within the PE

General fixes and improvements:
Depth of displacement edge generation made more uniform
Improved shape smoothing algorithm during displacement generation
Improved opening of old scenes
Improved work with Orientation in complex cases
Removed center generation in circular layouts
Scale of Plain texture in tiles is no longer resolution dependent
Scale of Edge distortion effect is no longer resolution dependent
Improvements to interface update in 24 3dsmax when switching between nodes

Feature added common:
Version for 3d max 2024
QuickTiles Lister - a general list of all QT nodes in the scene + batch processing capability
Added a library of ready-made presets with all material settings.
The displacement is now processed in 16 bits. This makes possible to work with three-dimensional smooth surfaces without artifacts, even in reflections.
The algorithm for generating rounding on the edges of tiles has been completely redesigned. It is now possible to procedurally create the volume of tiles of any shape.
The ability to disable auto-update previews. This greatly speeds up the setup of the material.
In the large preview, the ability to switch between channels and update the preview and material has been added. Functions are called with a right mouse click.
Added tooltips to all parameters in Russian and English

Small improvements:
At the opening of the scene, the materials are now updated in turn. This speeds up the download and increases stability.
When editing the diffuse channel in the slicer (HSV) - the color of the icon in the main interface will also change
The sizes in the Result size fields do not disappear and change only when you click Update or when you open a large preview
When renaming a QT node, the name is now saved after the scene is reloaded
In the About zone, the exact license period is now displayed (when it is less than 30 days)
A tip for enabling Store to temp has been added to the Update window
Added a warning when deleting sets in slicer and PE
Removed artifact micro seams when setting all seams to 0
The plugin no longer crushes 3d max, due to the lack of Internet

Improved:
Significantly improved operation stability
Significantly increased the speed of material generation
Significantly increased the speed of the Store function
Significantly increased the speed of HSV in the slicer (added multithreading)
Sliced tiles and material are no longer saved in the scene. Now QT does not affect its size
Increased recognition accuracy by disabling map reduction. Now you adjust the size of the bitmaps yourself and can slice them quickly, or slower, but as accurately as possible

Feature added:
Store to temp function – after activation, the material loads faster and can be rendered without a license
Store to scene function – the material is saved to the scene and can be transferred to another computer without additional actions, as well as rendered without a license
Result size is now always displayed in Store modes
Ability to move the library and temp files to another location during installation
Function of quickly reducing maps in the Slicer – now you can use smaller sources, while significantly speeding up the work. No additional disk space is required for these files
Search for source textures in case of loss. Now the plugin searches for them in the libs folder, as well as in the project folder, next to the max file and the maps folder

Compatibility

Installation and activation

Simple material creation

The input textures are entered in the Input maps zone (1). You need to select the Diffuse channel, and the other channels are recognized and loaded automatically. After that, you can mark up the tiles manually, or recognize them automatically (for more information, see the section Slice editor). We will show a more convenient path now and make recognition based on the Mask channel. Set the value of Gaps (2) to about 0.7 — this will indicate to the recognition module the approximate error when gluing the seams. And click Autoslice (3). Recognition by mask is almost instantaneous.

In fact, our texture is ready. Now we can make various settings in the internal interface, set randomizations, etc. For reference, we have added a light preview of the texture.

When everything is ready, you can set the size (1) and resolution (2) of the output texture piece. We recommend testing the settings on a small size (2x2 meters, 2048 px).

After that, click the Update button (3). At this point, the finished texture is built and written to temp. All changes in the material and on the render will appear only after clicking the Update button. The process of creating a texture can take 2-3 seconds on small resolutions, and 3-7 minutes on top sizes of 16-32K

After completing the process, click the Create material button. The plugin automatically recognizes your render engine (Vray, Corona, or Fstorm), and creates the appropriate material, with the correct configuration. Texture channels will be added according to the source texture.

Other render engines will be added later.
The algorithm for working with Fstorm is different from working with Vray and Corona. See Compatibility/ working with Fstorm

Generated texture settings

Ready-made Presets library

QuickTiles lister

VG ColorPicker for QuickTiles

Distributed rendering

Tile set parameters

Slice Editor

Usually we need to slice a texture where the original tiles are not under each other, but are offset by a certain distance. For example, bricks are often laid off by 50% every second row, and laminate, with an offset of every second row by 1/3, and every third row by 2/3. The Row offset and N row offset functions allow you to create a grid for such layouts. If you set the offset to 66 and the row number to 2, you will get a grid like in the example. Every second row from the original row will be shifted by 66%, and every first row will be shifted by half of this distance.

For example, you have an initial texture in which each tile is approximately 500 px wide. You use it to create a texture in which there are 40 tiles in each row. At the same time, you set the resolution, 4K. That is, each tile in the final texture will be 4096/40 = 102 px in size, which is 5 times smaller than the source! In total, without optimization, the plugin will work with the full size, and only at the very end it will reduce the final texture. And with optimization, it will reduce it in advance, and the speed of operations will increase significantly.

Normals workflow

Pattern parameters

The most important point of working in Quick Tiles is to understand the formation of the size of the pattern. The layout of the bricks can be absolutely various, and it is absolutely impossible to set the size of each brick. Setting the size of the entire pattern at once is also extremely inconvenient, since we usually know the size of individual tiles. Therefore, in QT, the size of all bricks is calculated based on the size of the Base tile. In the Pattern Editor, you can assign a Base tile yourself, and the plugin will automatically calculate the size of all the other tiles based on its size and the width of the seam.

Pattern editor

Polygonal pattern import

Texture formation mechanism

However, due to the fact that the tiles in the pattern can have any size, and the seams must be the same everywhere, and it is also necessary to correlate the size of the base tile (3), seam (4) and patch (1), it turns out that it is impossible to get exactly to the specified size and at the same time generate a seamless texture. You will either have to make the base tile smaller, or change the final size of the texture piece.

And since the exact size of the brick and the gap seems more important to us, we added a "Resulting size" column, in which QT shows what size of a piece of texture will be obtained with the corresponding pattern, as well as the size of the seam and the base tile. The final size always tends to the specified size, as well as to the square shape. However, this does not always work.

When creating a texture, QT works in the following sequence.

1. First of all, it takes a given pattern. The pattern is always taken as a whole piece, the one that is set in the Pattern Editor.

2. After that, the plugin calculates the size of the pattern horizontally and vertically, taking into account the size of the base tile, seams, and all the specified randomizations.

3. Last of all, QuickTiles compares the resulting pattern size and the desired size, and repeats the whole pattern as many times as it can fit into the specified size.

It is important to understand that any pattern is square. But it can change its shape to a rectangular one if the aspect ratio of the base tile of the pattern and the base tile set in Mat.editor differ.

For example: we have a simple pattern with a base tile size of 1:2. With the same aspect ratio in the base texture tile, the final patch will be square.

However, if we set the size of the base tile in mat.editor to a wider size, for example 1:5, together with the base tile, the entire pattern will stretch and become 2.5 times wider.

If such distortions are insignificant, QT will give a high-quality result without any problems. However, if the base tile of the pattern is vertical, for example, in the aspect ratio of 3:1, and the base tile of the texture is horizontal, 1:6, the resulting pattern will be too elongated, and errors will appear. Therefore, in such cases, we recommend making a more similar pattern.

Well, in the end, due to the fact that the pattern itself is repeated in the patch only in its entirety, and often has a non-square shape, the final patch also ceases to be square.

Suppose the size of the pattern is 123x87 cm, and the desired size of the patch is 500x500 cm. The width of the whole pattern will fit (500/123 = 4,065) 4 times, and the height (500/87 = 5.74) 6 times. Therefore, the size of the final patch will be 492x522 cm (123*4 = 492 and 87*6 = 522).

Tile ID

Tile randomization

Bitmap-in-container

Procedural gap

Tile channel settings

"About" rollout

Workflow optimization