3ds Max 2025 Help | Working with ShaderFX and Interactive PBS Nodes

Creating Nodes

To...	Do this
Create a node.	Right-click in the work area of the ShaderFX editor and select Hw Shader Nodes from the right-click menu, then choose among the textures, lights, math nodes and so forth. After you have created a node, you can connect it to your existing TraditionalGameSurfaceShader and Material nodes.
Create advanced mathematical and coding nodes. (ShaderFX shaders only)	Right-click in the work area of the ShaderFX editor and choose Toggle Advanced Mode. Advanced Mode gives you additional nodes, such as Bool AND, If Else, and so forth.

To...

Do this

Create a node.

Right-click in the work area of the ShaderFX editor and select Hw Shader Nodes from the right-click menu, then choose among the textures, lights, math nodes and so forth.

After you have created a node, you can connect it to your existing TraditionalGameSurfaceShader and Material nodes.

Create advanced mathematical and coding nodes. (ShaderFX shaders only)

Right-click in the work area of the ShaderFX editor and choose Toggle Advanced Mode.

Advanced Mode gives you additional nodes, such as Bool AND, If Else, and so forth.

Connecting Nodes

To...	Do this
Connect nodes.	Drag to create connection lines between output and input attributes. The results of your shading graph automatically update in the ShaderFX editor and in viewports.

To...

Do this

Connect nodes.

Drag to create connection lines between output and input attributes.

The results of your shading graph automatically update in the ShaderFX editor and in viewports.

Selecting Nodes

To...	Do this
Select a node and its upstream nodes.	`Ctrl+Shift` + click.
Remove a node from the selection.	`Ctrl` + click.
Add a node to the selection.	`Shift` + click.

Deleting Nodes

To...	Do this
Delete a node.	Select the node and press `Delete`. Note: For a ShaderFX graph, you cannot delete the Material node and TraditionalGameSurfaceShader nodes (created by default) unless you have toggled on Toggle Advanced Mode. If you delete these nodes, your shader does not render in the scene view and you must create and connect a new material or surface shader to your node network before you can do so.

Overwriting ShaderFX Nodes

By default, you cannot overwrite ShaderFX nodes that are provided with 3ds Max.

To do so, you must choose Settings

Overwrite System Nodes.

Note: Overriding system nodes provided by 3ds Max is not recommended.

Adjusting the Properties of Nodes

You can adjust the attributes of your graph nodes on the Properties panel to the right of the shader graph work area. If the Properties panel is not displayed, choose Settings Show Property Panel from the ShaderFX menu bar.

Unlike ShaderFX nodes, the properties displayed for an Interactive PBS node can change depending on which node attribute you click. For example, clicking the Base Color input of the Standard Base node displays a different set of settings on the Properties panel than does clicking Opacity Threshold or Position Offset. Properties can also change depending on which node is providing the input to that attribute.

Important: Strings that you enter in the ShaderFX editor, such as node names and group names, must contain only ASCII characters. Unicode characters are not supported.

Saving Preview Swatches to Textures

Select a node, then right-click and choose Tools Save Selected Swatches To Files to bake your preview swatch to a 2K x 2K texture. A tooltip appears in the ShaderFX editor, showing the location to which your swatches are saved. You can also select multiple nodes at the same time and save their swatches simultaneously.

Working with ShaderFX and Interactive PBS Nodes