ColorCorrect Texture Plugin For 3ds Max - RenderStuff

2020 Update (read first)

This mini-article was originally written in 2009. Back then, the ColorCorrect plugin was very popular and, more importantly, has provided unique features at the time. But, in 3ds Max 2013 the new map, called Color Correction Map, was introduced. This map provides almost the same features as ColorCorrect, but it is already built-in into the standard package of 3ds Max. No additional plugins required. Now it became a standard 3ds Max map for a long time.

For me, as soon as saw it for the first time, the functionality of the new 3ds Max map seemed so similar to ColorCorrect that I even thought that Autodesk just included a slightly modified version of ColorCorrect into the standard 3ds Max package. But ColorCorrect still exists up until now as a plugin and even has the latest versions, including 3ds Max 2020.

Interesting fact, that the developer of ColorCorrect Cuneyt Ozdas, is a "Principal Software Developer, 3ds max at Autodesk" according to its LinkedIn profile. So maybe some relations between ColorCorrect and Color Correction Map even really exist. Who knows...

So, do you still need a ColorCorrect plugin in 2020 and beyond?

Of course yes, if you are used to using this plugin and do not want to change your workflow.

Or, if you get an error like this:

Missing Dlls FileName: ColorCorrect.dlm Class: ColorCorrect SuperClass: 0xC10

You may receive this specific error if you open a 3d asset that uses a ColorCorrect map but you don't have CololorCorrect installed yet. Then you will definitely need to install this plugin in order to open 3d model correctly. Therefore, in this case yes again.

In most of any other cases, the need to use ColorCorrect in 2020 seems rather unnecessary than convenient. A built-in Color Correction map still has a lack of direct gamma correction option, but you can use a Gamma Override directly from Bitmap map dialog:

In case if you need to correct a parametric map, for instance, a Gradient Ramp map, you can wrap it in another 3ds Max build-in map - ColorMap:

Nowadays, I use the 3ds Max embedded Color Correction map only, for the purposes of color-correct textures and procedural maps inside 3ds Max. I personally consider this as a more robust solution.

Either way, you'll never know for sure until you try!