tyFlow Adds Gaussian Splat Import and Export for 3ds Max 2027 in v2.100

tyFlow v2.100 adds gaussian splat import and export to the procedural simulation plugin, gated to 3ds Max 2027 and newer. The release notes name the dependency behind both features as a "gaussian splat interface".

Import arrives in two places. The Birth Flow operator, which births particles copied from another flow, now accepts objects carrying the splat interface, as does the tyMesher object, which converts point clouds into surfaces through OpenVDB blob meshing, combined meshing, or pathfinding meshing.

tyFlow already returns I_PARTICLEOBJ and I_VRAYGEOMETRY interfaces to 3ds Max, and the gaussian splat interface is a third of the same kind, enabled per object. A tyFlow object returns splat data when queried for it, and only when an operator such as Birth Flow loaded that data first. tyFlow performs no conversion of particle data into splat data.

The tyCache object carries the same toggle under a tighter condition. A tyCache returns splat data only when the cache it loaded was written with that data included.

Autodesk made 3D gaussian splats an editable native object type in 3ds Max 2027.2, backed by a Points object that can be deformed, converted and instanced inside the modifier stack.

The release's larger addition is a set of PhysX Vehicle operators, helpers and flow presets. tyFlow's previous release, v2.010, arrived on May 25. A patched build dated September 2 adds ten tyVehicle example scenes and vehicle bug fixes, and changes nothing about splats.

tyFlow v2.100 and the splat features require 3ds Max 2027 or newer. Learn more here.