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How to convert 3ds Max (.max) to Unity?

PolyTrans|CAD+DCC performs mathematically precise CAD, DCC/Animation, GIS and BIM 3D file conversions into all key downstream 3D packages and file formats. Okino software is used and trusted throughout the world by many tens of thousands of 3D professionals in mission & production critical environments, backed by respectable personal support directly from our core development team.

3ds Max

3ds Max has been the flagship DCC/Animation system of Autodesk since its introduction in 1996. It replaced 3D Studio R1-R4 which was a DOS based variation. Both were developed by the Yost Group and licensed to Autodesk.

As is very little understood, no program on this planet can read or write 3ds Max ".max" files because the full geometry modifier stack of the 3ds Max software, and its various plugin modules, are needed in order to properly evaluate the file before it can be rendered. This is what forced Okino to write its PolyTrans-for-3dsMax system, which allows for all Okino 3D converters to run within 3ds Max itself. For example, if you want to convert to/from CINEMA 4D (.c4d files) then you would do so entirely inside of 3ds Max.

Okino has a very long history with 3ds Max as it got on board in 1986 when Tom Hudson (of the Yost Group) first released "CAD-3D" on the Atari|ST computer. That program morphed into 3D Studio on DOS (.3ds file format) and then into 3ds Max (.max file format).

Note: Please do not confuse the 3D Studio's .3ds format with the 3ds Max .max format. You will find throughout the 3D industry that some companies refer to .3ds as the "3ds Max file format" but this is not true. The native file format of 3ds Max is the .max format, whereas .3ds is just a legacy import/export file format ported over to 3ds Max by Tom Hudson during the transition from 3D Studio R4 back in the early 1990s. DO NOT use the .3ds file format to convert to/from 3ds Max but rather use Okino's dedicated PolyTrans-for-3dsMax plug-in system for 3ds Max.

Unity

Unity is a cross-platform game engine developed by Unity Technologies, first announced and released in June 2005. The engine has since been gradually extended to support a variety of desktop, mobile, console and virtual reality platforms. It is particularly popular for iOS and Android mobile game development.

Okino has long supported Unity as the first and main 3D conversion program to do so. In the simplest terms possible, conversion from Okino software to Unity is done via the FBX file format.

For those who may be unaware of Okino software, for over 30+ years we have been the pioneer 3D conversion company that wrote the rule book on how DCC, animation and MCAD data is to be cross-converted between all major 3D programs and file formats. Key uses of our software for Unity users has been for the conversion of all major MCAD data formats into a highly optimized and efficient form for realtime usage within Unity. We also invented the processes for animation + skinning/bones cross conversion so that is well supported for Unity. As a minor point of interest, Okino was also the very first implementor of the FBX file format as of 2002, long before Autodesk bought the bankruptcy assets of Alias Research and provided free access to the FBX SDK; hence, we provide highly reliable and robust FBX v5/v6/v7 support.

3ds Max import converter's overview

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FBX export converter's overview