by Autodesk, Inc.·Modeling
Illustrative cover generated by AnyPlugins — no product screenshot available.
Explode Geometry earns its place in the Autodesk App Store library for a focused job: converting selected nodes into individual faces, with a handful of finishing options such as Shell, Edit Mesh, stack collapse and pivot centering built into one dialog. Version 2.6.0 added 3ds Max 2024 support.
Explode Geometry is a 3ds Max plug-in for turning one or more selected scene nodes into exploded geometry made up of individual three- or four-sided faces. You assign the plug-in action to a UI element, select the nodes you want to explode, then open its dialog to set the options before running Explode Selected Geometry. A progress bar appears for long actions, with the option to cancel.
You choose whether the result is built from three- or four-sided objects using a radio button. The plug-in can attempt to convert an object's mesh before the explode; by default it tries, and stops if conversion isn't possible. Several finishing options are available: add a Shell modifier with a given offset, add an Edit Mesh modifier, collapse the modifier stack into an editable mesh, or center the pivot on each resulting face.
You can keep the original geometry or delete each original node used to create the new faces. Version 2.6.0 added support for 3ds Max 2024.
Explode Geometry is best for 3ds Max artists who need to break selected objects into individual three- or four-sided faces and refine them with modifiers.
Explode Geometry is completely free to download and use.
Explode Geometry added support for 3ds Max 2024 in version 2.6.0, released on 20 July 2023, with that release noted specifically as bringing 2024 compatibility. The changelog for that version lists the 2024 support update as its single entry. If you're running a different 3ds Max version, check the developer's page on the Autodesk App Store for the current supported range before installing, since only the 2024 support update is documented here.
Explode Geometry lets you maintain the original geometry if you want to. Before running the explode, you can choose to preserve the source objects, and there's a separate Delete Original option that removes each original node used to create the new faces. That gives you control over whether the scene keeps both the source objects and the exploded faces, or only the resulting individual faces after the operation completes.
Explode Geometry can apply several finishing steps to the resulting faces. Add Shell Modifier applies a Shell modifier with a shell offset you specify, and Add Edit Mesh Modifier places an Edit Mesh modifier on the stack so edit mesh operations are immediately available. You can also collapse the modifier stack down to an editable mesh, or center the pivot on each resulting face. These options are set in the dialog before you run the explode.
Explode Geometry is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing terms and any conditions tied to downloading or using the plug-in, check the developer's page on the Autodesk App Store, since pricing and distribution details can change over time. Autodesk publishes the plug-in through its App Store, which is where you'll find the download and the most up-to-date licensing information.
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