Wow, thanks a lot for the reply and the heads up on the Archviz UI. That looks amazing! Very excited to try it out. I will give the Twinmotion thing a shot. I have a couple older versions of it I can test it out on.
Thanks again for the help!
I use UE5 and lumen, but lightmass gpu baking worked fine on a imported Chief model via Datasmith Sketchup plugin.
The 3ds export from Chief splits the model up nicely for lightmap baking since the plugin generated lightmap UV’s that are useful.
Just enable the GPU lightmass plugin, and Datasmith import plugins in project settings.
Not remember if 4.27 need them from marketplace or if they are integrated.
Several tutorials out there related to different settings and configurations.
So did you go .3ds from Chief to SketchUp and then just a straight Datasmith export from there? No tweaking the model or anything? Did you have any furniture or other assets in there or just walls/roofs/doors?
Yes, I just tested some smoothing on a couple of assets and it worked but can’t replace having high poly assets though.
Textures works fine, but some adjustments is needed here and there but in general it’s works.
I was sent a kitchen from a friend, so loads of assets and cabinets nicely split up into components.
I think smoothing were needed in Sketchup is the best solution before export to UE.
Awesome, so do you just do that with the Smooth/Soften Edges tool in SketchUp or is there a different tool you use?
Yes I just right click the components that look tessellated and choose soften/smooth edges.
And when import Datasmith files choose generate lightmaps, and the suited min/max res.
It’s easy to tweak by each asset later, if need higher resolution.
I’m waiting for the entire building to test a more demanding scenario.
I just slapped together a quick bedroom/bathroom model and it seemed to work pretty well. No errors on import and no overlapping UV errors on a simple light bake. I think this might actually work! It does bring in a bunch of extra geometry from all of Chief’s wall layer information. I might be able to clean that up a bit.
Thanks a million for all your help!
Plugins:-
- CleanUp³
- SketchUV
I try and use as many indigenous assets as possible in TM or UE as they’re optimised for use. So I only work on custom design items in my modelling package before exporting and finish off the appearance in TM or UE.
SkecthUp UVs are pretty consistent with simple geometry. I have only had issues with extremely organic forms, which is where SketchUV comes in handy. Use CleanUp³ as often as you want because it keeps the SU file size down BUT it’s a handy pre-optimisation tool before exporting to TM or UE. Datasmith will streamline the rest of the workflow into UE. TM accepts SU files natively btw.
Thanks a bunch for the plugin recommendations. I’ll give them a shot today. I’ve been playing around with a Chief/SketchUp/Unreal workflow and it definitely seems to be the way to go. I concur with your idea about using assets from the marketplace wherever possible. I think I’m going to stick to walls, roofs, windows, doors, and cabinets in chief, and then buy furniture, fixtures, and accessories from the marketplace or Turbosquid or Evermotion or something.
Cant thank you enough for the help.