Let’s face it—modeling complex roofs in native 3ds Max is a chore. Between boolean operations gone wrong, spline cage modeling that takes hours, and the sheer agony of aligning hip rafters manually, roofing has always been the bottleneck in residential arch-viz. Enter . I’ve been using the 2020-compatible version for roughly 18 months on over a dozen projects, ranging from suburban single-family homes to a complicated mountain lodge. Here is my brutally honest, long-form review.
The magic happens when you select a closed spline (your building footprint). You click "Generate," and within three seconds, you have a fully 3D, editable poly roof. The algorithm intelligently calculates valleys, hips, and ridge lines. For a standard 90-degree corner house, it is flawless. The "Auto-Roof" button is satisfying enough to make you want to high-five your monitor. Batzal Roof Designer For Max 2020
★★★½ (3.5/5 Stars) – Essential for specialists, frustrating for generalists. Let’s face it—modeling complex roofs in native 3ds
Don’t expect a sleek, modern ribbon. Batzal’s UI is utilitarian—a compact panel with dropdowns for roof type (Gable, Hip, Dutch, Mansard, Pyramid) and a dizzying array of numerical input fields for overhang, pitch, fascia width, rafter depth, and sheathing thickness. I’ve been using the 2020-compatible version for roughly
Getting this plugin to work with 3ds Max 2020 requires a bit of archeology. The official Batzal website feels like it was designed in 2008, and the download links for the 2020 version are buried. However, once you find the correct .exe (version 1.2.3 for Max 2020), installation is straightforward. It integrates as a floating toolbar and a modifier. Important warning: It does not play well with Max 2021+ due to SDK changes, so if you are stubbornly holding onto Max 2020 (like many of us with legacy render farms), you are the target audience.
