Gamebryo Art Pipeline

1
Gamebryo Art Pipeline

• Overview of the art pipeline

2
Objectives

• Present an overview of the entire art pipeline
• Review of
• The Gamebryo Max Plug-in
• The Gamebryo Tool Plug-in Framework
• Pipeline Automation

3
Overview of the art pipeline

• Pipeline Input
• 3D models and animations created in Max (or Maya)
• Pipeline Output
• Files that are compatible with Gamebryo
• .NIF Art (models, textures, etc)
• .KF Animation key frame data
• .KFM Animation blending data
• .GSA Scene Designer XML file

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Art pipeline

• Take Max or Maya files (Photoshop files)
• Run scripts to convert Max scene into Gamebryo
  scenegraph
• Plugins optimise and analyse scenegraph
• Exported to nif format or iteratively viewed
  (Target viewer)
• Nif to game or scene designer
• nif file with kf/kfm formats (typically
  characters) can go to animation tool
• Keep source files (e.g. max and maya, hard to
  change nif files)

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The Gamebryo Max Plug-in

• The plug-in consists several parts
• Exporter
• MaxScript Utilities
• Texture Conversion Custom Attributes
• Gamebryo Cross-Platform Material
• Gamebryo Shader

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The Gamebryo Max Plug-in

• Exporter
• Converts Max scene graph to Gamebryo scene graph
• Starting point for launching the Gamebryo Tool
  Plug-in Framework
• The Tool Plug-in Framework is responsible for
  modifying scene graph (optimizing or adding
  information) and saving scene to NIF file

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Gamebryo Tool Plug-in Framework

• There are four main types of plug-ins
• Process Plug-ins  Manipulate the data in the
  pipeline in some fashion (E.g., optimize)
• Import Plug-ins  Open an existing file and bring
  its contents into the art pipeline.
• Export Plug-ins Write scene graph to one or more
  files
• Viewer Plug-ins Display the scene

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Gamebryo Tool Plug-in Framework Exporter dialogue

• Select cameras and lights. Choice of exporting
  cameras and lights in a scene or
• not e.g. character
• Include textures inside nif or as an external.
  Makes it flexible to edit later. E.g.
• export textures as nifs, then change.
• Script selection, decides whether to run scripts
  (process) and plugins to do stuff
• Choice of embedding animations into nif file or
  extracts animations into kf files

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Gamebryo Tool Plug-in Framework
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Processing Plug-ins Animation Analyzer
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Processing Plug-ins Asset Analyzer
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Processing Plug-ins Controller Extractor
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Processing Plug-ins Create ABV
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Processing Plug-ins PhysX Cleaner

• The Gamebryo export process automatically finds
  this Ageia PhysX content and adds it as extra
  data in the scene graph.
• This plug-in removes this extra data.
• Use this plug-in if you are using PhysX but not
  using Gamebryo-PhysX or do not want the PhysX
  content in nodes.

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Processing Plug-ins

• Remove Hidden Objects
• This plug-in will delete AppCulled objects from
  the scene graph.
• Typically this would be used during character
  export form Max where you want to delete the
  unused bone geometry.

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Processing Plug-ins

• Save Source Texture Renderer Data
• Performs platform-specific texture format
  conversions at export time
• Improves "high water mark" behavior for texture
  memory at load time
• Improves load time performance
• Texture is configured specifically for a target
  platform (and/or graphics card)

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Processing Plug-ins Scene Graph Optimization
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Processing Plug-ins Skin Analyzer
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Processing Plug-ins Stripify Geometry
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Processing Plug-ins Texture Analyzer
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Export Plug-ins

• NIF Exporter
• Save the scene graph out to a NIF file
• Multi-NIF Exporter
• Can save parts of the scene graph as individual
  NIF files
• Used to streamline the art creation process
• Typical use prop creation

22
Pipeline Automation

• Command Line Operation
• Automation starts with being able to run tools
  non-interactively
• Both exporters and tool plug-ins support a silent
  option
• Max can be run from command line specifying a
  script to execute
• Gamebryo Max Plug-in ships with sample batch
  export script
• The Asset Analyzer plug-in can be used to ensure
  assets created by multiple artists adheres to
  studio-specified criteria.

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Pipeline Automation

• Batch export from Max
• Can silently export directories of models to
  Gamebryo NIFs
• Example batch export script included with
  Gamebryo Max plug-in

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Pipeline Automation

• Gamebryo Tool Plug-in Batch Tool
  ToolPluginBatch.exe
• Example Uses
• Conversion of non-Gamebryo files to NIF (E.g.,
  OpenFlight)
• Optimization of existing NIF files (E.g.,
  post-export stripification)
• Conversion of legacy NIF files to the current NIF
  version
• Verification/profiling of existing NIF files
  (E.g., printing statistics)

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Pipeline Automation

• Remember NIFs are immutable
• NIFs are considered to be immutable by the rest
  of the Gamebryo art pipeline
• Downstream data changes cannot be reliably
  reproduced unless the change exists in the source
  (E.g., Max or Maya)

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Review

• The Gamebryo Art Pipeline is largely composed of
• The Gamebryo Max Plug-in
• The Gamebryo Tool Plug-in Framework

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Review

• The purpose of the Gamebryo Art Pipeline is to
• Convert art tool models into Gamebryo assets
• Provide a consistent mechanism for individual
  artists and studios
• Allow art assets to be tuned and configured for
  the Gamebryo rendering engine

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Gamebryo Art Pipeline

• Overview of the art pipeline