What it does
ForestPack is iToo Software's environment toolkit for 3ds Max. It distributes objects over surfaces and areas, with library presets, scene organisation and level-of-detail helpers. Free Lite and paid Pro editions cover different toolsets; Pro also includes the ForestIvy climbing-plant generator.
Spline boundaries can include or exclude parts of a scatter, while painted areas allow more local placement. The same system can distribute plants, groups or other scene objects. ForestLOD changes displayed detail with distance, and ForestLister gathers scene objects into one interface for finding and managing them.
Forest Tools converts a scatter to ordinary 3ds Max instances for export or a recipient without the plugin. Select the Forest object, open Forest Tools in Utilities, choose Move to layer and a layer name, then click Instantiate. Boxes can display the instances as boxes in the viewport. The utility warns that grouping very large numbers of objects can make 3ds Max slow.
Lite and Pro
Lite is free indefinitely for personal and commercial work, with a reduced toolset and sample content. Pro costs US$289 as a single payment, excluding VAT. Its perpetual licence includes one year of maintenance, the full scattering tools, ForestIvy and a library of more than 430 models and presets.
Current releases support 3ds Max 2023 through 2027 on 64-bit Windows 10 or 11. Renderer support is listed separately and includes Arnold, V-Ray, Corona, Octane and Redshift. Older installers are available, but compatibility with older 3ds Max versions is not currently tested.
Strengths
- Spline exclusions and painted areas provide different placement controls.
- Forest Tools can turn a scatter into native 3ds Max instances.
Watch out for
- Lite has a reduced toolset and sample library.
- Current support requires 3ds Max on Windows.
Best for
- 3ds Max artists assembling architectural landscapes
- Visualisation teams managing repeated assets across large scenes
Sources
- ForestPack | iToo Software (Oct 28, 2026)
- Lite and Pro | ForestPack Documentation (Oct 28, 2026)
- Requirements | ForestPack Documentation (Oct 28, 2026)
- Forest Tools | ForestPack Documentation (Oct 28, 2026)