I was wondering if you all who are using Datasmith are ok with the result compared to standard FBX approach export. Since I have to do all unwrapping etc. stuff before export via Datasmith, what are the real pros to use Datasmith instead of FBX export as before? Have you find Datasmith to be easy way how to export scene at once to UE? What are your steps then?
Thx.
I will never go back to standard FBX workflow. Datasmith is reliable enough at this point (except for Vray lights - which are still pretty awful in the translation). Also, Datasmith seems to be much more forgiving in terms of objects that have flipped or coplanar faces. We’ve done extensive testing on this subject; as many of the models we work with are garbage and take hours of work to clean up when following the standard FBX method.
I’d also recommend this: If you are working in anything but a very small scene I would export your project in smaller, digestible ‘chunks’ of data. For instance, bring over your wood/carpet/tile/etc flooring by itself. Bring in your partitions and millwork in groups. Bring furniture into the level in groups - as opposed to all at once. If any of this stuff needs to change in the source material (Max, for instance), it’s going to be 1000x easier if everything isn’t brought into Unreal Studio at one time. I realize that this may cause some repetition in terms of imported materials and geometry (since each import creates it’s own folder with that stuff included; and you can end up with many duplicates). This is easily remedied by doing geometry and material swaps later on towards the end of the project, and then deleting the unused bits.
With that method listed above, it’s also extremely helpful to organize things in Max (or whatever host software you use) according to layers. All ceiling items on a ceiling layer. All flooring on a flooring layer. Millwork on a millwork layer, etc. You can then export to a datasmith file and name those exports according to the layer your had them on. When you import into Unreal Studio, the folders that are created are thus named after your layers! I was utterly overwhelmed at first when exporting/importing objects without a strategy. I quickly had folder upon folder upon folder, and it became impossible to remember exactly what I had included in certain exports from Max, where things went, etc.
Hope this helps!