Looks like Autodesk 3ds Max will be packing a wallop in its next 2011 iteration. Studio Daily reports that the 3D graphics powerhouse will be finally sporting a node based material editor called Slate, a new multithreaded Renderer with GPU acceleration called Quicksilver, many new updates to the Graphite toolset, will integrate compositing technologies based on Toxik, to be called 3ds Max Composite (like Maya Composite), and for the first time ever save back to an earlier version, 3ds Max 2010. This and many more new features and workflow enhancements will be had in 2011.

Surely one of the most significant upgrades making this the greatest time then ever to be a 3ds Max User. Studio Daily reports an April release date, so you’ll just have to check out their full article and drool about it till then.

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