(View changelogs / last release date)
Works in Cinema 4D 2023 - 2025
Currently supports: Redshift, Octane, Corona, V-Ray, Arnold, Physical
This product entered Open Beta in March 2024. Please share your feedback:
How to Install and Use the Plugin
Installation
Download the plugin (link above) file and extract it into a folder on your computer.
Locate and open Cinema 4D’s plugin folder. To find this:
Start Cinema4D
Open preferences (Menu Edit → Preferences…)
Click on the “Preferences Folder…” button at the bottom left (highlighted in green via screenshot below)
Explorer/Finder will open with a Maxon folder selected (e.g. Maxon Cinema 4D 2023.2_…).
Navigate the "plugins" sub-folder
Unzip the plugin into the just-opened plugins folder. Unpacked it should be a sub-folder poliigon-plugin-cinema4d (see screenshot below)
(Re-)start Cinema 4D
The extension is now available from the menu bar: Extensions > Poliigon
Opening the preferences folder
Location once installed
How to uninstall
Locate and open Cinema 4D’s plugin folder. To find this:
Start Cinema4D
Open preferences (Menu Edit → Preferences…”
Click on the “Preferences Folder…” button at the bottom left
Explorer/Finder will open with a Maxon folder selected (e.g. Maxon Cinema 4D 2023.2_…).
Navigate the "plugins" sub-folder
Delete the
poliigon-plugin-cinema4dfolderIf you previously saved your default layout including with the Poliigon plugin, then you'll need to close the poliigon window and re-save your default layout. This will prevent the window from opening each time you start C4D.
If you want to do a full cleanup, you can additionally remove the following folders, without deleting your already downloaded assets:
{user home folder}/Poliigon/OnlinePreviews
{user home folder}/Poliigon/cinema4d
Indepth How-To:
Background
This plugin allows you to browse, purchase, download, and import Poliigon assets all without ever leaving Cinema 4D. It supports loading textures, models, and HDRIs.
It supports Cinema 4D 2023+.
User Account Setup
Go to Extensions > Poliigon
In the dialogue that opens, go ahead and login either via Browser or email
Clicking on Log In via Browser will open a webbrowser. If you are already logged into Poliigon on this browser, you will be auto-logged in.
Clicking on "Switch to Login via Email" will let you instead directly enter your password and email. Neither will be stored locally.
Next, you will be prompted to select where you want to download and import Poliigon assets from.
You can select a pre-existing folder, and Poliigon assets will be recognized. Be aware though: This plugin and render setups require the Metalness workflow (unlike the legacy Material Converter for C4D), and therefore may still prompt you to re-download assets that are local in the Specular format.
You will see a screen clarifying how to use this plugin
Finally, you can start purchasing, downloading, and importing assets
Consider Docking
You can dock the plugin window like any other window in Cinema 4D, by dragging the top-left window menu into another spot in the main window interface. You can save this layout for the next time you open C4D by going to: Window > Customization > Save Layout As or Save as Startup Layout.
Poliigon Unlimited Plans
If you have an unlimited plan active, the plugin behaves differently in a few ways:
You'll see an unlimited icon instead of an asset balance
You can directly (re)download and import any asset without limits
You will not be able to preview textures - instead, just download them directly
The My Assets tab will not be populated with assets first downloaded while on an unlimited plan, but pre-existing purchases will still be available here for ease
Instead of green checkmarks for owned assets, you'll find a blue icon to indicate assets which are detected locally
Navigating the plugin
The plugin is broken into several top-level views:
Tabs
Online Assets: This is the equivalent view as navigating on the website, newest published assets will appear first.
My Assets: This shows only assets you have already purchased, most recent purchases will appear first - will not include assets first downloaded while on an Unlimited Plan.
Imported: This shows assets found in the open document, with convenient options to select relevant imported objects.
Account: This shows your current account and plan information. You can click here to check your Asset Balance or open the website to change your plan.
Help: Quickly opens this page as well as the survey feedback. In the future, we will have more in-app help and tips.
Top-right header buttons
Refresh: In case you are having any trouble, or need to reload the page after making a purchase separately on the website, use this circular-arrow button.
Preferences: Using this cog icon, you can quickly open the C4D plugin preferences window.
Searching and categories
Click on categories in the sidebar in addition to searching for keywords in the search field at the top. These interactions function equivalently to searching on the Poliigon website.
Asset Grid
Hover over an asset grid item to preview, purchase, download, and import. Using the dropdown menu also lets you open the asset on the website as well as open the local file.
Green checkmarks indicate owned assets which also have local files, while a gray checkmark indicates an owned asset with no local files. If you are on an unlimited plan, a blue icon is instead used to indicate a local asset.
Preview asset
Not sure which asset to purchase for your scene? Try before you buy! With any mesh(es) selected, press the eyeball icon on a Material you haven't purchased yet. This will download and import a low-resolution, watermarked PBR material for you to visualize.
Try previewing a few materials before picking one to purchase, there are no limits on the number of previews you can perform and they do not require an active plan. Available for textures only.
Purchase
You can purchase an asset inside the plugin using your Asset Balance. Free assets will be marked as Free and will not use up your balance.
The first time you purchase an asset, you will be notified of the option in preferences called "Show purchase confirmation", as well as the setting for auto download after purchasing. You can change this anytime by pressing the gear icon top right to open preferences.
Download Asset
Assets will automatically download after purchasing. Assets you have previously purchased will also appear as ready for download, if not already detected locally.
You can turn off auto-download in user preferences (cog icon top-right). There, you can also choose the default download resolution
Download Other Resolution
Next to any asset, you can click the down arrow dropdown to pick another resolution to download or import. Some assets may only have one size available for download.
Importing assets
Materials
You can import or apply materials by:
With one or more meshes selected, press the Apply button to generate the material and add it as a tag to all selected objects. Pre-existing material tags will not be removed.
Without any mesh selected, press the Import button on an asset and apply it later using the Material Manager.
You can further edit the material by double clicking the material in the shader tab.
Models
The first time you import a model, it will be imported according to the Model Grouping setting in plugin preferences. Thereafter, if you try re-importing the same model again, the plugin will offer you to perform a fresh import (recreating all materials and duplicating mesh data), or creating an instance of the pre-existing model import.
HDRIs
HDRIs are imported directly into the world. Simply press apply, or use the dropdown to select another resolution
My Account
View information about your account plan, including any subscription and details on when your asset balance will be renewed next. You can also log out, or open the website to view your plan details.
User Preferences
To open plugin preferences, click the cog icon at the top right of the plugin:
General
Version and updating: See the current version of the plugin and whether or not any updates are available. You will also be notified of an update via a status banner at the top right of the plugin the next day when one is available.
Logging:
Verbose logging to console: Adds additional reports to the system console for debugging purposes.
Share plugin errors/usage: If enabled, unhandled exceptions as well as actions taken within the plugin, such as screen and menu views, will be reported to developers so that we can better maintain the plugin. This is the same tickbox selection made when first logging into the plugin.
Terms & Privacy: Clicking these buttons will open the corresponding pages on the website.
Libraries
Default Library: View and change the default library used for asset downloads as well as imports. In the future, we plan to include additional library folders for detecting local assets.
Download and Import
Auto-download after purchase: Enabled by default, assets will automatically download after pressing purchase or buy.
Show purchase confirmation: If enabled, show an additional popup confirmation dialogue before performing a purchase. Disabled by default.
Texture
Textures:
Default texture resolution: The default (closest) resolution size to download and import. For any given asset, you can still use the asset dropdown menu to pick another size to download or import different from the default.
Map Preferences
Similar to the Poliigon website, you have granular control over the extension and which files to include in downloads. These settings are also used to consider what files are necessary to perform imports. For this reason, be wary that changing these settings may require you to download new maps for assets you already have locally. Pressing download on such assets will only download the missing files, not necessarily the entire asset. These settings are only applicable for assets in our latest standards format.
Restore Web preferences: Pressing this button will reset each of the map preference settings below to match your current download settings on the website.
Map tickbox: Uncheck the box to skip downloading and importing this map; only available for "optional" maps, most maps are required for accurate material representation.
Extension dropdown: Select between JPG, PNG, Tiff (teams only aside from displacement maps), and Exr (enterprise only).
Models, HDRIs, and other Import Settings
Models:
Default Model Resolution: The default (closest) resolution size to download and import, in addition to the model's default resolution.
Default Model LOD: The default LOD (level of detail) model to import, if multiple LODs are already local for this asset. LOD0 is the densest, most detailed LOD while LOD 4 is lower density and more suitable for background or realtime use cases. Choosing None will import the default LOD level the asset was authored for.
Download Model LODs: If enabled, download LOD fbx files for any models supporting them.
HDRIs:
Default Light Resolution: The default (closest) resolution size to download and import.
Import:
Model Group Mode: How to place model assets on import
Use 16 bit maps: When enabled, use 16bit maps when available.
Additional settings
Thumbnail design:
Subtle Zoom: Default option that gives a slight zoom-in while hovering over an hover.
Zoom to Mouse: Zooms the mouse in further and follows the mouse position to help you preview an asset before purchasing.
Performance Mode: No zooming or movement during browsing.