Skip to content
BLBlender

Bsnow

by IK3D·Simulation

Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.

Why we like it

BSnow earns its place in the superhive library for carrying a snow effect from domain setup all the way to a cached, exportable simulation, with control points like Scope, Temperature and Smoothness for tuning how the snow builds up.

What is Bsnow?

BSnow is a snow simulation add-on for Blender, built by IK3D for environment artists working on winter scenes. It applies snow to models you already have, whether landscapes, rocks, statues or foliage, and gives granular control across the full process, from setting up the snow domain through to temperature, physics and wind settings.

The workflow starts with domain creation: BSnow can automatically generate a domain for the selected object, and multiple domain objects can be batched for a single simulation. Domain editing lets you change the resolution and set an upsampling resolution using linear or cubic interpolation. A collision mesh tool generates a mesh for testing particle collision before the simulation runs, which helps reveal bad geometry or non-manifold edges. Particle and physics settings cover the size and amount of particles per frame, with Scope, Temperature and Smoothness values shaping the result.

Export options are built in: the cached simulation can be saved to an .abc file and particles can be exported for further experimentation, for example with Metaballs. BSnow runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, is released under the GPL license, and is distributed as a Blender add-on.

Who is Bsnow best for?

Bsnow is best for environment artists adding snow to existing landscapes, rocks, statues or foliage in Blender when building winter scenes.

How much does Bsnow cost?

Bsnow is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Automatic domain creation for the selected object, with batching of multiple domain objects for one simulation
  • Domain editing to change resolution and set upsampling resolution using linear or cubic interpolation
  • Collision mesh tool that tests particle collision before running, surfacing bad geometry or non-manifold edges
  • Particle and physics settings for size and amount of particles per frame, with Scope, Temperature and Smoothness values
  • Built-in export: save the cached simulation to an .abc file and export particles for further experimentation, such as with Metaballs
  • Runs on Windows, Linux and macOS (x86_64, plus Apple M1)

Tags

#snow#snow simulation#Blender add-on#environment#winter scenes#particles#simulation

Frequently asked questions

Which Blender versions does BSnow support?

BSnow lists compatibility with Blender 2.93, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5, along with 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2, so it covers a wide span of releases. It is also marked as Blender extension compatible and is distributed as an add-on. If you run a version outside that range, check the developer's page to confirm current support before installing, since compatibility can shift as Blender updates.

Does BSnow run on macOS and Linux?

BSnow is available for Windows, Linux and macOS. The macOS build covers both x86_64 and Apple M1 hardware, while the Windows and Linux builds are x86_64. That makes it usable across the common desktop platforms artists work on. The roadmap also lists network computation as a possible future feature. For the exact current builds and any platform-specific notes, the developer's page is the best place to confirm before downloading.

Can I export a BSnow simulation to other tools?

BSnow includes export options built into the add-on. You can save the cached simulation to an .abc file and export the particles themselves for further experimentation with other mesh-generation methods. The developer notes that pairing the exported particles with Metaballs, for example, can produce nice results. This gives you room to take the simulation out of the default workflow and rework it however you prefer before finishing a scene.

How does BSnow help with collision problems?

BSnow includes a collision mesh tool that generates a mesh for testing particle collision before you run the full snow simulation. This step is meant to reveal where bad geometry or non-manifold edges may occur, letting you clean up the model first. The developer shows before-and-after examples, with problem geometry on one side and a cleaned-up mesh on the other. Running this check ahead of the simulation can save reworking the results later.

Is BSnow free to use?

BSnow is listed as free in this catalog, so check the developer's page for current licensing and any paid tiers. The add-on is released under the GPL license, which is standard for Blender add-ons. It is also noted as a Dev Fund contributor and a Blender extension. For the most up-to-date terms, downloads and support details, refer to IK3D's page before installing.

Alternatives to Bsnow

Also in Simulation for Blender.

Similar plugins