Sneak Peek: Datasmith Python/Blueprint workflow

[eobet]

@kenpimentel

Questions:

• Why are you using STEP/FBX? If you have Solidworks, Catia we read those directly. STEP goes through Datasmith, FBX does not. The FBX importer is the same one in the game engine, so you benefit from nothing we’re doing.

The reason is that I began my Unreal testing before I found out about Datasmith, using the same converted files I import into Unity. I now signed up for the Datasmith beta, so if I get in, I’ll test again using that.

@kenpimentel

• If you’re using STEP, where did it come from? Not all STEP files are created equally. Perhaps there is something in your STEP file we need to get and see what is happening.

I tried with a STEP file originating from Catia in this case, but as I mentioned, we work with Alias and Solidworks too, so I’m interested in testing all three (seen no mention of Alias .wire files yet, though I guess people who can normally afford Alias usually also can afford VRED as well).

@kenpimentel

• We don’t automatically merge same material names, because we’re not sure that is what you want in all cases. It’s a good question of whether this should be an option or you should just use the upcoming Python/Blueprint tools to do it exactly the way you want.​​​​​​​

We normally use Keyshot for renders, and it has options for merging materials, but most importantly even if you do that, you later have the option to assign unique materials to each part (which without knowing Unreal details is either a trivial thing, or perhaps a tricky thing, if the object has been merged into a multi-material one…)