Direct Alembic Import: thinkingParticles now supports direct file import of Alembic *.abc files. Alembic is an open source format widely used by large and medium sized studios around the world. Alembic is slowly becoming a standard file exchange format between different applications.
To learn more about the ImportFile operator click HERE

thinkingParticles handles pure Alembic particle files as well as mesh based Alembic files.

Direct Alembic Export: AlembicExport is a new export node offering *.abc file export functionality. Many of the Alembic file format features are directly supported by this node. Particles as well as meshes can be exported in one go. Alembic export can be done either in one single file including many particle groups or in multiple files containing individual particle groups.

The exported files can contain either a particle system (particle points, no meshes), an object per particle group or each particle is stored as one individual object (mesh).

For particle system export the AlembicExport node allows to select specific data channels to be exported (e.g.  velocity, spin, age …).
To learn more click HERE

New Particle Group Right Click Menu Option: Right-Clicking on any particle group name brings up an new context sensitive menu.

For each particle group name clicked; a list of operators using or referencing this particle group is listed. Clicking any of the Operator names will automatically bring up and select the DynamicSet in question.

This feature is great for debugging complex DynamicSet setups containing hundreds of nodes.  

Render Resets Simulation - this new feature allows for quick and easy rendering adjustments of materials and lights. Instead of re-simulating the whole particle system over and over again when rendering a single frame; thinkingParticles can now take the information as seen in the modeling view-port from that exact frame as set with the frame slider in 3ds Max.

Subscription Drop 3 is all about enhancing the particle cache workflow and structures. A new frame based particle cache file system has been developed allowing to store a cache file per frame step. This is in contrast to the already existing single file particle cache system.

Cache write and read times haven been dramatically improved in Subscription Drop 3 for all file cache operations. Writing a cache file is now up to 10 times faster than before; this means the disk transfer functions have been optimized a lot.
The following enhancements, explained in detail, are listed below:

Per Frame Caching option thanks to the new *.tpc format; with enhanced sub-sampling option for output to learn more click HERE Selective Cache Channels; each particle cache file can be adjusted individually for its data to be output. To learn more Click HERE Hierarchy particle cache manager; adjust and control cache stacking in an easy and efficient way. To learn more click HERE

Now, there are two highly advanced algorithm options to create an ISO surface. Surface (6.3) brings a new method to thinkingParticles allowing to create flat surfaces out of point clouds. It's the perfect tool for creating surfaces for liquids with a smooth and even surface. To learn more click HERE

thinkingParticles SPH based fluid solver has been enhanced in Subscription Drop 3. A new algorithm option has been added to the rollout menu; the new SPH2 method offers a much more improved and stable method to create fluids under larger pressure and bigger sub frame steps. While the first generation of fluid solver is still available to choose from and it offers the same great features as before; the new solver algorithm adds just more punch to the arsenal of fluid simulation effects available within thinkingParticles. It is suggested to use the newer incarnation of the fluid solver from now on, the previous method is mainly kept for compatibility reasons. To learn more click HERE

Any particle group may be dragged inside a DynamicSet to automatically create a particle PPAss operator. This is a handy shortcut to access the particles in a DynamicSet for further processing.

• Besides adding new methods to the Implicit surface operator, some work has gone into enhancing the overall processing time and stability of the surface operator.
• The PositionBorn operator received some love and got an enhanced random particle distribution when emit distance is used.
• Bullet Physics has been updated as well; Bullet Rope; BulletRopeData; BulletRopeImport was missing the  Margin parameter; this is fixed now.
• Another area that saw enhancements is the VolumeBreaker operator; helper object are now animatable and they are updated correctly.
• The LayerToParticle operator got an overhaul which results in a general speed improvement.
• To accommodate for the new particle caching features in  thinkingParticles the Max Scripting functions have been extended to cover more file caching related stuff.
• A small issue has been found in the  PPassAB operator; Particle Shape used the wrong size; this has been fixed
• The Math operator had an issue as well; the Matrix Composition function did not work; this is fixed, now.
• A new enhancement to the fluids : they now properly work with the Freeze operator. Fluids can be frozen in time and released as well.
• The Bullet vehicle operator now works properly with path follow even without a particle input.