Cebas Visual Technology has released ThinkingParticles 7.4, a physics-based VFX plugin for 3ds Max. This version adds key new systems for particle simulations, fluids, and logic-based debugging – and it’s certified for 3ds Max 2026. As usual, every feature is node-driven, logic-controlled, and built with the FX-artist mindset in mind. All updates should be tested carefully before deployment in production, especially under time-critical rendering conditions.
Explosion System: Prebuilt Destruction with Full Control
New in 7.4 is a dedicated Explosion System, implemented as a group of special-purpose nodes. These are preconfigured for classic explosion components like burst, shockwave, spike, debris, condensation ring, and more. While designed for fast setup, each parameter remains fully accessible to the artist, allowing procedural control of the underlying behaviour.
The system follows cebas’ usual deterministic simulation logic—meaning results are predictable and repeatable, even across different sessions and network rendering. Explosion behaviour can be tuned to create stylised or photorealistic blasts. Condensation rings can be triggered based on energy release or velocity thresholds, while debris is managed via procedural spawning logic.
SPH Solver 7.3: Responsive Pressure, Faster Sims
The SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) solver has been updated to version 7.3. This update focuses on improved pressure responsiveness, especially useful for splash creation, and overall solver performance. The system now handles faster response times to inter-particle forces, helping to maintain fluid stability in violent interactions—like collisions, explosions, or high-velocity mesh impacts.
The SPH 7.3 solver is compatible with existing TP setups and does not require a reauthoring of fluid logic. It continues to support hybrid simulation setups, allowing for fluids to interact with rigid bodies, soft bodies, or shape-deforming meshes, all within the ThinkingParticles node graph.
ME-L Markers: Debug Visuals for Logic Systems
Debugging FX logic has never been particularly fun. Enter ME-L Markers, a new tool in the ME-L (Math Expression Language) scripting environment. These markers allow the display of custom visual cues inside 3ds Max: including points, lines, text, and coloured markers. Artists can now insert logical breadcrumbs directly into their simulations—for example, to trace conditions, flag node states, or annotate volumes.
ME-L Markers are non-rendering objects and exist solely for in-editor diagnostics. They’re processed with the same CPU-level speed ME-L is known for. The feature is especially useful in larger setups, where particle state changes are often hard to track, or when building node trees with multiple interdependent conditions.
Certified for 3ds Max 2026
ThinkingParticles 7.4 is fully compatible with 3ds Max 2024, 2025, and 2026. There’s no separate installer required for different versions, and existing setups migrate without conversion. cebas notes that all features are verified against the latest Autodesk releases. ThinkingParticles remains a specialised toolset—designed for logic-driven FX, not keyframe animation. The new features extend this design with more prebuilt behaviour (explosions), more responsive fluids (SPH 7.3), and actual visual feedback for logic debugging (ME-L Markers). Each update addresses common workflow bottlenecks without turning the system into a black box.
ThinkingParticles 7.4 is available now via the official cebas site. Pricing details are listed on the buy page, a subscription seems to be 660$ a year, but there is an unlimited free trail, upgradepricing and other options available. As always, use with care. Just because your sand sim explodes doesn’t mean your render farm has to.
