I am having very hard time figuring out a reasonable workflow for importing FBX assets and updating them. I’ve written a simple python script in Blender which exports each Blender scene collection as FBX with the name of the collection. This works perfectly. For example one is named Doors, so it automatically creates Doors.FBX file with all the door frames, door wings, door knobs, etc…
Importing in Blender works fine, but I have absolutely no idea how to perform any updates to the files. Let’s say I have Door.FBX which contains door frame mesh and a door wing mesh. Now I have added a door knob mesh. If I import the same FBX into the same folder, it imports the additional door knob mesh, but completely OBLITERATES and settings existing door frame and door wing mesh had. Ligthmap resolution settings, gone. Collision setup, gone. Collision profile setup, gone… etc… Everything reset to default.
Obviously, going through every mesh manually and setting everything up again on addition of every new object is not an option.
Other option is importing FBX as a scene. That doesn’t work either. FBX scene import strips all the assigned materials on each reimport, regardless of if I am actually reimporting the materials or unchecking all of them.
So I struggle to understand how can I incrementally add new meshes from the same FBX file without completely wiping the import settings of meshes previously imported from the same file
It’s not the export that is the issue. It’s the import. Basically: If I add another mesh to the same FBX file, and want to import that newly added mesh to the same directory in the content folder as the meshes already imported previously from the same FBX file, how do I do that without destroying all the settings set up in the static meshes imported previously?
You could try exporting all assets to separate .fbx files, that way there’s a 1:1 .fbx to .uasset mapping and importing new files shouldn’t affect other files.
If you really want multiple assets in one .fbx you would have to write a python importer script in UE4 that saves the import settings for every asset, if the assets have the same name, apply those import settings (not sure if this is possible when importing with the UE4 python plugin, you might need to import and then change the settings back).
I’m the asset and content manager of a fair size Indy group and my job breaks down to finding ways and means and most times involves the very questions you asked.and most times code takes care of it’s own problems as by it’s nature the “process” is already structured. Content or game art is a different animal is it’s a process based on iteration of an object that serves a purpose where the problems are not rooted in the building of the object but what to do with it once it reaches some form of usability
The simple solution on our part was to first give the artist a “safe” place to more or less play where they can become part of the solution building as a team rather than dealing with individual needs as being unique and in such a place could create their own productive environment that just works with out the conversion of how it should work.
Not really a new idea but one we stole from the “Valve Employee Handbook” and modified for our needs. Easy to find on Google and a worthwhile read.
I could go on but simple question leads into more complex answers as to practical application but to get our team jumped started I did up two “how to” videos, once I found the safe place to put their work, and from there build up the team where problems is solve with in the team
Sorry if they are a bit short but these are internal videos with the idea of creating a team based environment project and intended to feature out the problems rather than trying to solve them but it does work as a good start
