Workflow/FBX Question

Hi there

So basically for the last few days i’ve been trying to build up a library of assets to quickly move over between different projects, cars, sofas, tables, things like that. My current method is basically importing an FBX from 3DS Max, making sure everything works, and then saving that project, then if i ever need anything from the Cars project for instance, i’d open it up, find the car i need and migrate it over to the new project. Currently i’m having an issue where with one of my models, one small piece is misaligned. I don’t really know how to fix the issue in 3DS, but its pretty easy to just put it right back into place in UE4. So my question is, is there any way (once i’ve adjusted the model within unreal) to save all those changes to the properties of the FBX? Or is my entire workflow wrong and perhaps theres an even better way to save those assets and not migrate them per-project?

Thanks!

As far as I know, you can’t change the object transformation while migrating the asset. Your workflow seems fine. Make sure that the object is placed at the origin in 3DS Max before you export it as fbx.

I have a separate project called Asset Library into which I migrate the Assets. When ever I require these objects I simply migrate them from this Asset Library into the working project.

I second that. In any case, what kind of misalignment are you experiencing? If you can fix the problem easily in the UE4 editor with a translation it should be pretty straightforward to do the same in 3DS or blender end re-import a new fbx in your asset library.

Hey there, thanks for the replies :slight_smile:

The mis-alignment isn’t really an issue objectively, just within this specific workflow because im not really sure about the next step of it (moving those assets from an ‘asset project’ into a specific ‘work project’), the mis-alignment is very small, and easily fixable, its just one wheel that is out of place and the rest of the model is perfect. Within Unreal its also pretty easy to get the wheel back into its correct position, but my issue is that im not sure if by fixing that one aspect, it would be able to effectively ‘save’ that change, or if i would need to fix that wheel every single time i put that asset into a new project. It isn’t so much a case of being one small wheel, as when its switched into a project and there are hundreds of assets it would be too time consuming to fix that issue for each individual one rather than have a working thing as a baseline.

I would fix this kind of issues outside of UE4. I’m not completely sure, but I’m positive you can’t save this kind of modifications within the UE4 mesh editor.

I seem to have fixed most of the errors thanks to everyones help.
I have another somewhat related question though. Currently i’m not importing everything as a combined mesh so that it’s easier to do the re-materials inside UE4 on a mesh-by-mesh basis, basically doing one at a time. I’ve heard however that combining all the meshes is a lot less performance-intensive though, and seeing as how the end-goal is something in Real time my question is, is it possible to combine all the meshes that have been imported individually after you’ve applied all your own materials? I dont actually need all the meshes individually for any other purpose than an easier method of tweaking the mats, so if they’re all combined the end result doesnt need to move or anything, is something like that possible?

Before you export a mesh out of 3ds max sometimes you need to add a xform modifier that will solve the mis alignment issue and as far as your second question why don’t you combine meshes in 3ds max before taking it into unreal engine. it is better to have a big mesh with large light map resolution then a bunch of little meshes with smaller light map resolutions.

Ah i see, i wasn’t aware of the second part. I’m still unsure about the material part though. If i combine all the meshes in 3ds max, would that not make it impossible/harder in Unreal to select the individual parts of say, a car, to edit their materials?

No the cars I have are all one mesh with light map res of 2048 with a bunch of material ids.

I see, thank you so much! This has been super helpful, really appreciate it :slight_smile: