SpeedTree 4 is a powerful plug-in for creating low to medium polygon count trees. In most other tree plug-ins, trees start at about 10,000 polygons and go up. The average SpeedTree tree has around 5,000 polygons. As such, you can create a lot more trees in your scene. In addition, it also fully supports wind animation within the tree for a highly realistic look in your animations.

New features in Version 4:

• Real-time modeling feedback.
• Improved Curve Editor.
• Multiple texture layers supported.
• Latest version of CAD Lite (version 4.0.0.0)
• Roots branch level added.
• Light Seam Reduction.
• SpeedWind 2.
• Support for 3ds max 4.x through 9 (32 bit).
• Multi-Level wind effects.
• Branch/Leaf Pruning.
• Show normals added to the view menu.
• Animated LOD preview.
• Tree Libraries have normal maps for branches and leaves with all new textures to take advantage of version 4 features.

SpeedTree 4 comes in two parts. The first part is SpeedTreeCAD Lite. This is a standalone tree editing program. To create a new tree, all you need is a photograph of the bark you want to use and a photograph of the leaves. The rest you can do inside SpeedTreeCAD.

Trees that you create in SpeedTreeCAD Lite can be saved out as an SPT file. In other words, a tree definition file. This is where the second part comes into play: The SpeedTreeMAX plug-in. This plug-in, which works in 3ds Max 4.x through 9 (32 bit) currently, allows you to import the SPT files into 3ds Max and place the trees into your scene. It also acts as a data pipeline between 3ds Max and Speed Tree, enabling you to edit exiting tree definitions in your scene. You can do this by selecting the tree and telling SpeedTree you want to edit the tree in SpeedTreeCAD Lite.

Supported Platforms:
3ds Max 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (32Bit)
VIZ 4, 2005, 2006, 2007

SpeedTree Movies
SpeedTree Gallery