TUTORIALS
What is QuickTiles?
QuickTiles is a plugin for 3ds max that allows you to convert regular tile textures into interactive ones, right in mat.editor.
In other words, you can take any texture and reform and recreate it as you need: change the layout, the size of the tile, format, color, seams, volume, randomize the shape or texture, and much more.
This approach significantly speeds up the work, since reconfiguring the texture is much easier than searching for it.
How does it work?
The basic workflow in QuickTiles is incredibly simple and is divided into three steps.
The first step is you setting an initial texture in the plugin, and indicating where the tiles are and where the seams are. The second step is you setting a new way for laying out the tiles, i.e. choosing a Pattern. The third step is customizing sizes, details, randomization, mixing, etc.
In this short video, we first quickly show the work process, and then repeat everything again, but with detailed comments.
Key features
Reforming tile textures directly in 3D max
With QuickTiles, you can easily create any texture from tiles, and reconfigure it whenever you need.
In this short video, we show how to quickly create several types of paving stones from our library texture.
Seamless texture made from several tiles
Our plugin allows you to quickly create a large seamless texture from just a few tiles taken initially from a bad example from the manufacturer's website.
Create tiled gradients easily
QuickTiles allows you to easily create gradients and patterns from tiles based on any number of tile sets and black and white source images.
This is one of the absolutely unique features of our plugin.
Large library of ready-made presets
Over 130 modern and unique photoscanned textures and over 270 fully customized presets based on them will allow you to speed up and make your work easier immediately after installing the plugin.
Radial layouts
Round areas are no longer a problem! QT will lay out the tiles along a radius in one click.
Procedural generation of tiles volume
The QuickTiles plugin will generate complex tile edge shapes and help you recreate beautiful ceramics, even if you only have a diffusion map.
QuickTiles Lister
An additional script that allows you to easily track all QuickTiles nodes in a scene and perform batch operations on them.
All in all
QuickTiles is easy to get started
We have a bunch of lessons, a great support service, tips for each function, and a large library of presets – you can render your work in three clicks.
We have automated a lot of things
The auto-recognition of tiles on the original texture, auto-recognition of channels when loading, auto-fitting of bitmaps to the size of the container, auto-generation of the material nodes.
Say goodbye to tiling
You can create textures of any physical size, for example 10x10 meters, and change their resolution as you like up to 32 768 px
Don't look for textures, create them!
How often do you find a suitable in color texture, but with the wrong pattern? Or too small of a piece? In these cases, you’re practically helpless without QuickTiles.
Сorrections are everything!
Сlient CONSTANTLY make changes. QuickTiles will help you quickly change an already created texture and not waste extra time and nerves on it.
Convert to bitmap
Any of our textures can be conveniently converted into simple bitmaps. For example, if you decide to transfer a scene to a render farm or another specialist.
Full list of features
Generation section
Automated material structure creation
Creates a material corresponding to the render engine and connects all the necessary nodes with the press of one button.
Resolution from 1K to 32K
Our plugin allows you to create textures in the range from 1024 to 32768 pixels. It’s convenient to carry out tests at low values, and you don’t have to skimp on anything for the perfect finale render.
Seamless texture generation
Of course, QuickTiles creates a seamless texture on the fly and of the size you specify. At the same time, to distribute tiles, we use a special algorithm that further reduces visible tiling.
Optimizing scene transfer
If you want to transfer a scene with QT to another specialist for work, activate the Store to scene function, and all data on the QT material will be written inside the max file.
Any physical size
Due to the large number of complex operations with bitmaps, QuickTiles does not create an infinite procedural texture, but it does generate a texture patch of any given physical size.
Convert to regular bitmap
You can convert your interactive QuickTiles texture into a regular bitmap at any time. Batch operations are also available with QuickTiles Lister.
Scene loading optimization
If you have finished working on the material, activate the Store to temp function. The data will be written to a small temp file, and the QT material will load instantly at the start of the scene.
Works even without a subscription
После активации Store to temp или to scene, материал продолжит работать даже после окончания активной подписки.
Loading and slicing source files
Slicing tiles directly in the plugin
To remake the original texture, you first need to slice it into separate tiles. QT makes it possible to do this quickly and easily in a special module (Slicer), as well as interactively change the slice if necessary.
No need to store sliced tiles
Slicing textures into tiles in our plugin is always interactive, and individual tiles do not require saving to files. The result is convenience and saving disk space.
Autoloading texture channels
Any decent material includes diffuse color as well as a displacement texture, surface normals, roughness, etc. QuickTiles will automatically recognize channels by name and load them into the required slots and will work with all channels of your material simultaneously.
HSV editing on the fly
You can edit the brightness, contrast, hue or saturation of a texture right in the slicer!
Interactive source texture reduction
If the source file is too large, you can reduce it in the slicer by 2, 4 or 8 times by pressing one key. The action can be canceled at any time, and there is no need to store extra files!
Automatic tile recognition
The plugin has a built-in special function for automatic recognition and slicing of tiles – Autoslice. In most cases, a single button press is enough for recognition.
Replacement of sources at any time
The entire process of working in the plugin is indestructible, so you can change original textures at any time. By the way, you can adjust hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast directly in the slicer.
Easy addition of tiles for FloorGen
Already have a ready-made set of tiles that you used in the Floor Generator? Easily add them using the slicer and use them as usual inside QuickTiles.
Easily add seamless textures
If you need to lay out a large marble slab or a large wooden veneer, or any other solid texture, just activate the Plain texture function in the slicer and QuickTiles will automatically cut and spread the texture into any selected pattern.
Working with libraries
Library of ready-made Presets
Get started with QuickTiles immediately after installation! Just a couple of clicks and your material can be rendered!
Library of ready-made patterns
For the convenience of your work, we’ve created a library of more than 150 options for simple and complex patterns.
Ability to create your own templates
Users can save any of their work in all three QuickTiles libraries.
Large and informative template icons
All templates have large, informative icons, so you can understand what the texture is even before opening it.
Library of already sliced textures
Along with the plugin, we provide a library of unique textures scanned and created by our specialists. We’re the only ones who can offer some of those materials!
Constant updating and downloading of new products
We’re constantly working to update and expand all three of our libraries. In the near future, we will add new textures of flexible rooftiles, decorative panels, handmade tiles, mosaics, Armstrong ceilings, metal, and over 35 new scans of stone, paving, bricks, etc.
Search by title, tags, and categories
Each template in the library can have a name, tags, and category, which will make it easy and convenient to find.
Loading new textures and templates directly from the plugin
Starting from version 1.2.0.0, all templates for the library don’t need to be downloaded along with the installation file. Open any library after installation and download the necessary textures each separately. If necessary, they can be deleted and downloaded again at any time.
Set mixing feature
Random mixing of tile sets
You can use any number of different sets of tiles in the final texture, mixing colors, textures, and character.
Mixing sets by ID
For the clearest possible distribution, use ID assignment. The principle of operation is the same as in Max – each set or tile can be distributed to a specific container.
Adjusting the frequency of the set appearance
When mixing several sets, you can adjust the frequency of each of them with the Probability parameter
Mixing sets according to a pattern
Mixing sets can be done not only randomly, but also according to a black and white image – achieving any effects, including mosaic layouts and tiled gradients. This function is the absolute know-how of our plugin.
Assigning IDs to sets and individual tiles
You can assign an ID both to the entire set as a whole, and to individual tiles within one texture. This is very useful when there are tiles of different colors, shapes, etc. in one scan.
Plain color tile sets
If you’re creating tiles without any texture, you can use simple sets where the channel colors are selected with an eyedropper tool. This will significantly speed up work and save resources
Working with patterns and tile shapes
Creating simple patterns directly in the plugin
The plugin has a special interface for creating any rectangular patterns.
Circular layouts
Enable circular layout of any linear pattern in one click. The center diameter is adjusted separately!
Position, rotation, and angle randomization
Also, random displacement of tiles or each corner separately, as well as random rotation, will help to enrich your layout.
Tile tilt randomization
To reproduce rough, uneven masonry, this parameter that regulates the inclination of the surface of the tiles is very useful. You can also achieve various decorative effects with its help.
Generating general masonry distortion
To create a more expressive, “life-like” appearance, we added a light wave generator that affects the entire layout.
Easy import of curved patterns
Create a complex curved pattern in Max (or any vector editor), and easily import it using the Pattern Editor.
Size randomization
You can randomize the width and height of the containers, quickly create “wild” patterns, or just slightly dilute the boring uniform masonry, making it look more natural.
Corner rounding
Corner rounding is an incredibly important tool that helps give container shapes a neat, natural look.
Tile edge distortion
A slight noise on the shape of the edge of the tile will help improve the appearance of both procedural tiles and tiles with the original seam preserved.
Working with bitmaps inside containers
Capture and maintain original gaps
It's impossible to maintain the cool, natural look of a tile texture without preserving the original seams and edges of the tiles themselves. QuickTiles captures the required grout depth and seamlessly blends the grout lines of adjacent tiles while reproducing texture.
Stretching/cropping the center or edges of a container
The size of the original texture does not always coincide with the size of the container in the pattern. For these cases, the QuickTiles plugin has three placement options: the simplest one is stretching; edge cropping is a little more interesting option, it’s when the tile is built into the container along the short side and the excess part is cut off; and the most interesting option is cropping the center. In this case, the tile is duplicated in the container, and installed along the edges, and in the center, it’s mixed with a smooth gradient. As a result, our users are not limited by the size of the original tiles, while maintaining beautiful original seams and edges.
Random tiles mirroring
This allows you to randomly mirror the source files built into the container vertically and horizontally
Aspect groups use
If the source texture has many different tiles, activating the Use Aspect Groups parameter will help distribute each tile into a container of the appropriate size.
Adjusting the scale of tiles
The ability to slightly reduce or enlarge the sources embedded in the container.
Rotation randomization
This allows you to configure random rotation of the bitmap in the container
Bitmap randomization
Brightness, hue, and saturation randomization
In QT, you can easily shift or randomize the brightness, saturation, and hue of tiles on any color channel, and brightness on any gray channel.
Prohibition on seam randomization
When saving the original seams, it is very important that randomization doesn’t affect them, because with strong values, it will look like an artifact. In our plugin, you can disable the influence of randomizations on the original seams with one button.
Individual channel randomization
Of course, you can set the strength of randomization for any of the added channels separately.
Procedural generation of tile volume
One of the unique features of the QuickTiles plugin is the procedural generation of tile volume. You can adjust the depth, blur, and shape of the rounded edges, as well as the brightness of the applied gradient.
Working with seams
Capture and maintain original gaps
The most important thing to preserve the beauty of the original texture is to preserve the original seams. QuickTiles carefully grabs the original seam to a user-specified depth and then seamlessly blends into the seams of adjacent tiles for the highest quality, natural-looking finished texture.
Creating the shape of procedural seams
When creating ideal ceramic tile layouts, QuickTiles is able to generate procedural seams of a given shape and height. Generation occurs both at the displacement level and at the normal level.