Using orbx materials library

[grimm]

Hello protovu,

The liveDB entry is put in "Window-Octane LiveDB".

About the orbx import feature, it is also available for OctaneBlender now. You can find it in "Properties-Data-Orbx properties-Orbx File Path" in OctaneBlender after 17.4.

Cheers,
DrawFun

Hi DrawFun,

I tried to use the "OctaneDB" option in the window menu, but it doesn't appear to work. When I first selected it, it asked that I select an object to apply the texture to, which I did. I then again selected the menu option and it flashes a progress bar in the header and then nothing. Is a window supposed to appear? This is using version 17.5, thanks,

Jason

[J.C]

About the orbx import feature, it is also available for OctaneBlender now. You can find it in "Properties-Data-Orbx properties-Orbx File Path" in OctaneBlender after 17.4.

How does the ORBX import feature work? I exported an ORBX from Stand Alone. In Blender Octane, I then access the default cube's Data property and set file path to the ORBX I exported from Stand Alone. But nothing happens. The scene does not load. And nothing renders.

Try it in 17.5

[pegot]

Yes that is what I am using. And I do see this works. Sort of. It did not work with the first file I tried, which was a skinned animated FBX animation exported as ORBX from Octane Render Stand Alone.

Other simpler files I tried did work. But I do not understand the usefulness of this feature in its current implementation since the scene is not actually loaded into the Blender viewport and can only be rendered and not edited.

An ORBX exported from Blender and imported into Octane Stand Alone can be fully edited. Will this be the extent of ORBX import for Blender Octane, or is this feature going to be further developed?

Additionally, not all properties in the ORBX file are rendered in Blender. Environment textures, for instance, are not rendered.

[J.C]

pagot, a far as I understand the the ORBX import purpose is to serve like a proxy file. It would be nice if we could get access to materials of imported meshes but for now it behaves like a regular proxy. It's useful for environment scenes with plants and trees where the main project file is small and is easy to manipulate.

[pegot]

it behaves like a regular proxy. It's useful for environment scenes with plants and trees where the main project file is small and is easy to manipulate.

Thanks for the info J.C. But why not just use Stand Alone for that? Considering an imported ORBX can be edited in Octane SA and rendering there is generally faster and more stable, I'm curious to know in what scenario rendering the ORBX in Blender would be more advantageous? Still, it is great to finally have this feature! I do hope the developers will be able to increase its functionality.

[linograndiotoy]

Hi,

what's great about being able to load a whole ORBX scene file is that you can use it as a proxy, keeping your scene extremely light even when working on some very complex scenes.

Think about recreating a forest. You could have several ORBX files each containing a complex animated tree, and instance those in Blender.

This alone is awesome already.

Also, since ORBX can be created in any Software Octane has been implemented on, it can represent some nice interchange standard for Octane.

it behaves like a regular proxy. It's useful for environment scenes with plants and trees where the main project file is small and is easy to manipulate.

Thanks for the info J.C. But why not just use Stand Alone for that? Considering an imported ORBX can be edited in Octane SA and rendering there is generally faster and more stable, I'm curious to know in what scenario rendering the ORBX in Blender would be more advantageous? Still, it is great to finally have this feature! I do hope the developers will be able to increase its functionality.

[pegot]

Thank you linograndiotoy, your explanation makes me now see the value in this. And it is indeed very exciting!

[linograndiotoy]

You're welcome!

The upcoming Octane for Blender build will let us export an Octane material from Blender to the DB directly. So interchange between Standalone and Octane for Blender will finally work bidirectionally, with some great advantages for our workflow!

[allabulle]

That would be great indeed. Will it work with v4 or just 2018.x?

[linograndiotoy]

That would be great indeed. Will it work with v4 or just 2018.x?

That's a good question. I think it should be implemented in V4 as well. Let's see.