Skip to content

Blog

When optimization gets practical

Customer stories, technical guides, and deep dives into 3D content optimization pipelines.

Categories

Tags

Search results

19 posts

RSS feed
Unreal Engine

Control LOD switch distances in Simplygon's Unreal Engine plugin

In this blog, we'll explore how to control LOD switch distances in Unreal Engine when using Simplygon's LOD Recipes. We'll look at both automatically calculated switch distances and how to override these with manual switch distances when needed.

Characters

Create vertex weights from skinning data

In this blog we will have a look at how to generate vertex weights from skinning data. This lets us use bones to control geometric density. In our case we will use it to make character faces more detailed than their bodies after reduction.

Best practices

Three advanced tools to improve your automated character LOD pipeline

If your game features complex characters, an automated LOD pipeline can save time and ensure consistency. In this post, we’ll explore three advanced techniques using Simplygon to take your character LOD pipeline to the next level.

3ds Max

LOD0 character optimization using quad reduction and material baking

In this blog post, we will create a character optimization pipeline inside 3ds Max. It will feature quad reduction and material merging. With vertex weighting, geometric quality and UV scaling can be controlled by the artist painting vertex colors.

Best practices

What is the right reduction target for LOD creation?

A common question when generating LODs is which reduction target to use. Using a poor target is the root of many problems, such as LOD popping or broken assets. In this blog we’ll go through the different reduction targets available in Simplygon and give you some guidelines on where to start.

Best practices

The four fundamental tools for automated character optimization

In this blog we will look at the four fundamental tools of building an automated character optimization pipeline. This includes triangle reduction, vertex weights, bone reduction, and material merging. An automated pipeline allows us to create LOD levels efficiently and effectively, reducing the manual effort required for optimization. It can also be used when developing game titles targeting multiple platforms, where each platform may have different performance requirements.

Characters

How animation hides LOD Transitions

In this blog post, we will investigate how animations affect LOD transitions. According to our results from our small sample set, we can switch around 2-4 times closer to the camera if an object is animated compared to when it is static.

Unity

Getting started with draw call optimization in Unity

In this blog we'll have a look at how to optimize draw calls in Unity using material merging. We'll cover how to both UI and C# scripting.

Best practices

How to merge proxy texture into original texture map

In this post we'll showcase how to merge the texture of a remeshed proxy into the original texture. This allows you to use the remesher without requirement of introducing a new material and texture set.

Unity

Optimize Unity character prefabs

In this blog we will create a system for automatic character prefab automation. We will cover baking textures during reduction for URP and rebinding LODs to the original skeleton.

Maya

Getting started with quad reduction in Maya

In this blog we will look at how to use the quad reducer in Maya for character optimization. We'll look at both how to use it from the user interface but also from scripting.

Scripting

Protecting selected materials

In this blog post, we will guide you through the art of safeguarding specific materials during mesh reduction. Imagine scenarios where preserving intricate details, such as character faces or dynamic materials like cloth, is crucial to maintaining the overall visual appeal of your 3D models.