For those who don’t know the tool: Godot Engine is a standalone free 2D and 3D game engine. No host DCC app is specified, it works with pretty much every DCC Suite out there. It connects to its Asset Store, GDScript, C#, C++ and GDExtension.

Release with actual buttons

Godot 4.7 is available now. The release brings HDR output, rectangular area lights, a new Asset Store, Android and XR export work, shader previews, UI transforms and editor fixes that sound small until you have clicked the same menu 400 times in a day.

Pricing stays simple: the engine is free and open source under the MIT License. No paid engine price is specified. The migration notes list behavior changes, API breaks and changed defaults. New tools and innovations should be tested before use in production, especially when a project file has paying work attached.

HDR, now with fewer excuses

On the Rendering side, HDR output sends internal HDR rendering to the final output. It works on Windows, macOS, iOS, visionOS, and Linux through Wayland. The implementation supports the Forward+, Mobile and Compatibility renderers only in the first two . Compatibility rendering, Web output and Android HDR output are outside this 4.7 support set.

That means the engine can now show more of its internal HDR simulation on supported displays. For artists, this is the practical bit: overbright elements, glow, exposure and bright outdoor detail can reach the screen instead of being squeezed into SDR manners. Such polite. Very limiting.

The new AreaLight3D node adds rectangular light sources. It renders real-time light from a rectangle in 3D space, with softer shadows and more realistic reflections. The old workaround of pairing emissive materials with global illumination is no longer the only route for glowing windows, TVs and billboards.

DrawableTexture2D adds a simpler API layer for drawing on textures. Before 4.7, texture drawing leaned on viewport-based tricks or lower-level rendering access. This one should matter to anyone building paint systems, runtime masks, interactive decals or little debugging scribbles that slowly become production features because someone liked them.

The asset shelf gets less creaky

The Godot Asset Store replaces the older Asset Library. The update changes how asset items display, adds zoom for preview images, shows asset ratings and introduces threading so store tasks can run without blocking the editor’s main UI. The store page also states that the store is in beta, so polish is welcome, but tea and caution remain on the desk.

The store lists asset ratings, licenses and free new arrivals. That is practical for small teams and solo developers who need a template, utility or plug-in without spelunking through forum archaeology. It is still an asset store, so test anything downloaded from it like it owes you money.

Text shader editing gets inline previews. A text shader can now show a real-time preview directly in the editor while typing. That removes one small loop from shader work: write, compile, switch context, squint, repeat. Now teh squinting can happen closer to the code, as nature intended.

The Control node gains offset transform properties. UI elements can be translated, rotated or scaled without the container immediately ruining the fun. By default, the transform offset is visual only and does not affect mouse input, which avoids buttons losing hover state after a visual transform.

Editor fixes for tired hands

Game Engine updates often sell themselves with renderer fireworks. This one has plenty of small editor changes that may save more daily friction than the headline features.

Path3D points can snap to colliders. The 3D editor ruler can show vector component lengths for each axis. CSG nodes gain an Autosmooth property on the root node, using a Smoothing Angle value that defaults to 50 degrees. Vertex snapping arrives in the 3D editor with the B shortcut as the default.

For 2D work, CollisionShape2D can set one-way collision direction relative to the shape. GradientTexture2D can generate conic gradients. TextureRect can tile AtlasTexture regions as repeating textures.

GUI work gets a better Tree drag and drop indicator, optional search for long PopupMenu lists, and RichTextLabel images that can scale relative to font size. Landmark navigation gives screen reader users more context when moving through interface areas.

The Project Manager now shows icons for upgrade and downgrade cases before a project opens. The Inspector can copy and paste categories or groups of properties. The Remote Scene Inspector can fold groups and subgroups. The Remote Tree Inspector can show enum names for non-exported enum variables instead of plain integers.

For layout work, the dedicated MeshLibrary editor should make GridMap tile work less inspector-heavy. The 2D editor also gains Scene Paint Mode for scattering objects such as collectables, enemies or decorations without setting up tile maps first.

The 3D editor can follow a moving object after pressing Focus Selection twice. The 3D view controller is unified for editor and embedded game use. Trackball-style rotation lets users rotate 3D nodes by dragging a translucent sphere inside the transform gizmo. Very space mouse adjacent, minus the desk hardware.

Android gets more independent

For game development, the portable build story is the loud part. GABE, the Godot Android Build Environment, is now stable. It is a companion app for the Android and XR editor that handles Gradle export support in the background.

GABE can generate AAB and APK files directly on an Android or XR device. The project states that this allows developers to create, develop, export and publish a game to stores using only such a device. GABE is available through the Google Play Store, Meta Horizon Store and GitHub release page.

Input, animation and the migration tax

Input work includes a built-in VirtualJoystick node with Fixed, Dynamic and Following modes. A project setting can ignore joypad input when the application is unfocused. Keyboard and mouse events now use device identifiers, with dedicated constants for keyboard and mouse IDs.

Animation gets collapsible animation editor nodes and Tween signal waiting through tween_await. Export templates can now be downloaded per platform or architecture instead of forcing every template into one large download. GDExtension files now appear in Project Settings, which helps teams see which extensions a project actually loads.

The migration guide lists specific breaks. AudioEffectSpectrumAnalyzer removes tap_back_pos. OpenXRExtensionWrapper changes _on_register_metadata. Several EditorSceneFormatImporter constants move to ImportFlags. Rendering, physics, input and GDScript behavior changes are also listed, alongside changed defaults for animation, rendering reflections, RichTextLabel image parameters and dynamic font hinting. So yes, this is a big update. It has HDR sparkle, mobile ambition and XR paperwork, so, clone the project, read the migration notes, test the export templates, profile the renderers, and only then let version 4.7 near the build machine that everyone quietly fears.

https://godotengine.org/releases/4.7/

https://store.godotengine.org/

https://godotengine.org/article/hdr-output-arrives-in-godot-4-7/

https://developer.android.com/develop/xr/godot

The post Godot 4.7 turns up HDR first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: O3DE is the Open 3D Foundation open source game engine, built around the Atom renderer. It imports FBX assets.

A Release With Two Speeds

O3DE 26.05.0 arrived, and it contains hundreds of patches across the editor, renderer, asset pipeline, build tools and simulation systems. Binaries are available for Windows and Linux, alongside the source code. The release combines maintenance work with an experimental native particle Gem. So far, the particle system carries an explicit warning against production use.

Native Particles, With Caveats

The Open Particle System adds a native particle system for VFX. Its simulation runtime connects directly to Atom, and a dedicated editor handles authoring and previews.

Artists create an effect, save it as a particle asset, add a Particle component to an entity and assign the asset. AutoPlay can start the effect automatically. Playback can also be controlled through scripting.

The system supports sprite, ribbon and mesh particle types. Modules can alter color, force, speed and velocity. Mesh rendering remains unsupported and may cause problems on some platforms. The Gem stays experimental, and production use is discouraged. That warning matters more than teh presence of a mesh option in the editor.

LODs Join the Import Queue

The FBX importer gains an Auto-Generate Missing LODs option. Artists must enable it manually. When a source model lacks some levels of detail, the importer can generate the missing geometry during ingest. The option targets scene prototyping rather than final asset preparation. Import fixes also cover blend shapes, transforms on keyed meshes and the root coordinate system used for animation. A new interface between the Scene API and Assimp prepares the import layer for other libraries.

More Tone Mapping Choices

The Display Mapper gains AgX in Standard, Golden, Punchy and Warm variants. It also adds Khronos PBR Neutral. Both join ACES as tone-mapping choices.

The renderer gains an Unlit material type. Materials now enable emissive mode automatically when an emissive color exists. Scripts can read and set exposure on the Image Based Light component.

Diffuse Probe Grid lighting now includes bounce light from direct lights and emissive sources instead of sky lighting alone. Anisotropic filtering reduces moire patterns. Alternate frame rendering and basic cluster-level acceleration structures arrive for Vulkan. A Deferred Materials feature processor exists behind a setting and starts disabled.

Less Setup, Fewer Excuses

A new graphical tool creates custom C++ components from the File menu. It writes header and source files and registers them with the build system. Entity startup state returns to the Inspector. An entity can begin active or wait for code. The chosen state propagates through descendants, with a bitmask controlling child activation in finer detail.

Price and Availability

O3DE is free and open source. The engine has no license fee or commercial obligation. The default code license is the Apache License 2.0, with the MIT License available as an alternative. Third-party software and assets can carry separate terms.

Pricing is therefore zero for the engine itself. Separate licenses may still apply to external software or assets used in a project. The release is available as binaries for Windows and Linux and as source code. The particle Gem remains experimental despite shipping inside the same package as the production-focused fixes.

O3DE 26.05 release notes

The post O3DE 26.05 Gets Native Particles first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Let gravity do the boring bit

RealTransforms targets a familiar scene-dressing problem. A prop looks grounded from one camera, floats from another, and clips through its neighbour after the next adjustment. The package adds physics-assisted Move, Rotate, Drop and Arrange operations directly to the Unity Scene view.

The workflow keeps transform editing inside the editor. Artists can select props, toggle physics assistance and move them while collisions make objects slide, stop and settle against scene surfaces. Drop uses gravity. Rotate keeps contact in the calculation. Arrange handles groups rather than forcing the artist to repeat the same correction object by object.

Familiar hands, fewer nudges

The default control scheme follows the editor’s existing habits. Caps Lock toggles Physics Assist. W, E and R map to Move, Rotate and Arrange. Space acts as the primary action. The developer says every binding can be reassigned, and recommends putting the toggle on a mouse button for quicker access.

The primary action changes with the active mode. It can drop props, rotate them randomly, turn them forward or arrange them in a grid. The developer describes this action as useful even beyond the physics functions.

There is no separate loading step in the described workflow. The user toggles the mode and continues in the Scene view. That choice matters for a placement utility because every extra panel, modal dialogue or context switch competes with the tiny edit the tool is meant to accelerate.

Multiple selections can be clumped, spread, spaced, levelled or given random rotation. That moves the package beyond a gravity button. It also addresses repetition, which usually consumes more time than the final artistic adjustment.

Physics stays in the editor

The package uses PhysX through the engine’s built-in 3D physics setup. Its placement workflow runs in the editor rather than in Play Mode. The developer added logic that prevents it from operating during gameplay, specifically to avoid unexpected changes inside a running project.

That boundary makes the current use case clear. It is an authoring tool for building scenes, not a runtime object-placement system. Generated placements remain part of the authored scene, while the interactive physics assistance stays out of the shipped game logic.

Colliders meet the awkward shelf

Physics placement depends on useful collision geometry. A MeshCollider can represent complex surfaces, but a collider used with a Rigidbody generally needs a convex shape. A single convex hull cannot preserve inward spaces or hollow forms such as open crates and shelves.

Those shapes need compound collision, built from several convex pieces. One piece can represent the floor of a crate, others its sides and rails. The result leaves the opening usable while still giving the solver surfaces to contact.

This is the technical snag behind a deceptively simple interaction. Dropping a bottle onto a table is easy when both objects already have sensible colliders. Dropping it into a crate demands geometry that represents the cavity rather than sealing it with one hull.

The package includes a collider-generation approach for these cases. The developer built a voxel-based system after licensing conflicts prevented the inclusion of V-HACD and CoACD. Both are approximate convex decomposition methods that split difficult meshes into convex parts.

Compatibility is pleasantly dull

Version 1.0 was released on June 9, 2026. The listing identifies 6000.3.11 as the original editor version and reports compatibility with the Built-in Render Pipeline, the Universal Render Pipeline and the High Definition Render Pipeline under version 6000.3.11f1.

The download is 7.5 MB. The licence type is Extension Asset under the Standard Asset Store EULA. Extension Assets require seats for users who access the extension, so teams should match seat count to actual users rather than treating one purchase as a studio-wide utility licence.

An Unreal Engine port is in development. No release date, price or supported version has been specified. The developer has asked for feedback and says updates will address reported problems. That is a development intention, not a service-level guarantee. The version number, sparse rating data and the developer’s own language all point to a young tool.

Price before the props fall over

The store lists the package at 13.75 US dollars before tax, reduced by 50 percent from 27.50 US dollars at press time. Taxes and VAT are calculated at checkout.

At that price, the practical question is not whether gravity is clever. It is whether the tool saves enough repetitive placement time on the scenes a team actually builds. A shelf-heavy interior and a sparse exterior will produce very different answers.

Developer Reddit post
Product listing
RealBlend product page

The post RealTransforms gives Unity props gravity first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: OptiDraw is an in editor mesh painting extension for Unity that aims to keep vertex, mask, and splat style painting close to your materials, shaders, and scene context.

A mesh painter that stays in engine

OptiDraw positions itself as a framework for texturing work inside the Unity Editor, with a focus on centralizing painting and data handling rather than sending artists on a DCC roundtrip for every tweak. Marketing claims call out a zero lag painting experience on static and animated meshes, plus workflows designed to feel familiar to artists coming from Adobe Substance 3D.

The core pitch: paint directly on meshes in the editor, store paint data in reusable assets, and keep the iteration loop short enough that you actually use it. If your pipeline already leans on mesh painting to drive blends, wear, grime, decals, or procedural masks, the idea here is simple. Do the edits where you preview the final shading.

Setup, shortcuts, and the first five minutes

OptiDraw claims (!) a one click setup flow. You open the Mesh Painter window from a top menu entry labeled R2G then OptiDraw then Mesh Painter, dock it where you want, and select an object in the scene.

On selection, the tool describes an auto initialization step that prepares a MonoBehaviour component, adds a Mesh Collider to the selected GameObject, and links a ScriptableObject asset to store painting data. The tool also bringsa Draw Mode toggle you can hit via the B key or a Draw Mode button to enter paint mode, with a brush gizmo shown in the Scene view.

There is also a compatibility check concept baked into the workflow. The documentation describes checks for mesh and shader compatibility, and it describes UI states where Draw Mode becomes non interactive if no compatible object is selected.

Data management, not just brushes

OptiDraw leans hard on a ScriptableObject driven data model, with an OptidrawData asset as the persistent storage for vertex colors and mask data, and an OptiDraw Mesh component as the bridge that connects that data to a GameObject.

The tool has a non destructive auto copy approach that keeps the original mesh untouched while managing the data needed for painting. It also includes a folder strategy split between an Editor folder setup intended to keep final build size smaller by excluding raw data, and a Runtime or Resources approach intended for cases where you need to modify paint data via C# during gameplay for things like dynamic damage or snow.

This matters more than it sounds. A painter that creates mystery folders and fragile references becomes a liability fast. OptiDraw makes claims about clean data management and efficient linking. In practice, you still want to verify how it behaves with prefab variants, source control, and multi artist merges before you bet a production on it.

Two engines, two very different failure modes

OptiDraw exposes two headline painting modes: Vertex Painting and Splat Painting.

Vertex Painting stores data directly in mesh vertices. The documentation frames it as useful for variation, blending, and environmental detailing without high resolution texture overhead. It also calls out the obvious constraint: resolution depends on mesh density, and topology changes after painting can break the relationship between vertex IDs and the stored data. If you plan to repaint after mesh edits, you will want a repeatable process and a stable asset handoff.

Splat Painting stores data in a texture map via UV coordinates, framed as a way to get pixel precise masks for complex blends and weathering effects. The documentation also lists the expected tradeoffs: texture memory, a need for clean non overlapping UV layouts, and some performance overhead from shader sampling compared to reading raw vertex data. If you ship on constrained hardware, this becomes a budgeting conversation, not a feature checkbox.

The tool also describes channel targeting across RGBA, paint operations like add, replace, and erase, a normal limit control to reduce bleed across sharp angles, and a seamless paint option to minimize seams across UV islands, texture borders, or submeshes. Around one third into a production, this is also where you will appreciate having robust undo and redo instead of a single irreversible mistake that haunts your repo forever. Marketing claims say undo and redo is robust. I did not test that.

Animated meshes and the unglamorous armpit problem

OptiDraw supports Mesh Renderers and Skinned Mesh Renderers. For skinned meshes, the documentation describes an Animation Draw tab that appears automatically when a Skinned Mesh Renderer is detected.

Animation Draw Mode is described as a specialized mode that lets you paint directly on meshes while they are in motion or at a specific animation frame, with a single Animation Clip slot you drag and drop into the UI. The UI is described with play and pause controls, a scrubber, frame stepping, and a clip duration readout.

The documentation describes the workflow advantage in plain terms: you can pose a character to access difficult regions and paint fixes in context, rather than guessing in T pose. It also claims deformation consistency by being aware of bones and weights, with the goal of avoiding texture sliding or warping issues. That is a marketing claim, and it is exactly the kind of thing you should stress test on your own rigs, since skinning setups vary wildly.

If your project sits inside game development production reality, you already know the rule: always test on the worst character in the build, not the best demo mesh.

UV channels, UDIM tiles, and why your mesh can still be the bottleneck

OptiDraw has support for up to four UV channels, UV0 through UV3, and it also describes UDIM aware splat painting for UV islands that extend beyond the standard 0 to 1 space. The documentation frames this as important for splat painting setups where textures use clamp for performance and where other tools might force remapping.

It also describes how UDIM support gets surfaced in the UI. You link an OptidrawData asset, inspect mesh info to see which UV channels support UDIM and how many submeshes exist, then navigate UV tiles through a viewer that shows tile coordinates. You then input those coordinates into the OptiDraw Mesh component per submesh, with the note that optimized workflows typically separate tiles into different submeshes for material needs.

Mesh compatibility still matters. The documentation describes an incompatible mesh case where the active UV channel contains overlapping islands or islands that cross tile boundaries, which can cause incorrect painting results and unexpected behavior. It also describes a compatible mesh case where at least one UV channel contains islands properly contained within a single tile, even if other channels have cross tile UVs.

It also describes a Unity side fix for missing or invalid UV data using the model importer option to generate lightmap UVs, producing a secondary UV channel where islands pack into a single tile. That is a pragmatic fallback, but it does not magically fix every projection requirement. Asset quality still sets the ceiling for how well any painter behaves.

Layers that look like a familiar UI, with an unfamiliar performance bill

OptiDraw includes a Layer System similar to modern image editing software and also similar to Unity Terrain Layers in how you select and paint a specific layer. There is also an explicit performance warning: the system is designed to support four PBR texture layers as a sweet spot. The documentation says the system can support eight layers or more on a single object but advises against eight layers on one mesh due to performance bottlenecks from texture sampling and memory overhead. That warning is more useful than most feature lists, because it tells you where the tool expects you to stop.

If your shader stack already sits in URP, you will still want to validate how many texture samples you can afford in your target platforms, and how many variants you want to maintain once layers enter the mix.

Shader integration: template route or build your own

OptiDraw describes shader requirements for proper data communication between the painter and the mesh, and it frames shader integration as either plug and play with templates or a custom setup.

The documentation says the package includes 11 template shaders located at Assets then Run2Go Studio then OptiDraw by ProfX then Shaders, and that you can find them in the shader picker under a category labeled R2G then LayeredLit. It also says that for developers using Unity 6.3, the tool is compatible with an official Sample Texture Terrain Shadergraph with minor tweaks. For custom setups, the documentation describes Shader Graph custom support via 21 subgraphs and custom HLSL scripts for blending and vertex modifications, described as modular so you can include or exclude functions.

Utility tools: channel packing with guard rails

OptiDraw includes a Texture Channel Packer described as a free utility that combines up to four grayscale textures into a single RGBA texture. The documentation frames this as a standard channel packing workflow for PBR maps to reduce texture samplers and memory footprint, and it says the tool supports custom channel mappings including common conventions like ORM.

Export formats are TGA and PNG, and the channel packer window cannot be docked as a tab within the Unity Editor.

Price and release details

On the Unity Asset Store, OptiDraw is listed as an “Extension Asset” and the latest version 3.2.2 and an original Unity version of 6000.0.67. The render pipeline compatibility section shows compatibility for Built in, URP, and HDRP at Unity version 6000.0.67f1.

The Asset Store price is €36.79.

As always, test any new tool before you let it touch production assets. Verify the data it generates, the shader hooks it expects, and the performance profile on your target hardware before you scale it across a project.

Link Citation Block

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/painting/optidraw-advanced-mesh-painting-tool-361248?clickref=1110l3SaYMtQ

The post OptiDraw paints animated meshes inside Unity first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who do not know the tool: Cascadeur is a standalone 3D character animation application from Nekki, aimed at keyframe animation, AI-assisted posing and physics-based motion work. In practice, its niche is not “AI makes animation now”, thankfully, but “the software helps with the parts people usually fix at 2 AM while reconsidering their profession.”

Unreal Live Link

Cascadeur 2026.1 is a technical update. The release focuses on three areas that tend to determine whether an animation tool is genuinely useful or just very proud of itself: handoff to Unreal Engine, clearer scene rendering in the viewport, and less manual repair after the fact.

The biggest pipeline change is the new Live Link for Unreal Engine. Cascadeur’s documentation states that the plugin works with Unreal Engine 5.5 to 5.7 and Cascadeur 2026.1 or later. Installation is currently manual: ZIP packages for each supported Unreal version are unpacked directly into the Unreal Engine plugin folder. FAB distribution is planned for later; that is a modern way of saying “for now, please enjoy file paths.”

Filament

The second major change is the full switch to Filament for scene visualisation. According to the 2026.1 release notes, Filament is now the rendering engine used in Cascadeur for visualising scenes and provides the expected controls of a modern real-time renderer. Viewport upgrades are easy to undersell, but readable lighting and better scene feedback affect timing, spacing and posing decisions far more than marketing screenshots do. The release notes also state that switching to Filament fixed quad-mesh display issues on macOS, so this is not just a prettier viewport but also a more “stable” one. (Sorry for the very bad pun. Stable. Quad. And yes, it is time for the weekend.)

Root Motion is the new AI-assisted feature in this release, and the official wording is notably restrained. Cascadeur describes it as “a new generative tool” that produces animations based on the character’s trajectory. The workflow starts with a rough draft motion and at least two keyframes, then runs the Root Motion command. That is a much healthier framing than the usual machine-learning mysticism. The animator still defines the setup. The software does not merely arrive in a robe and demand applause.

Cleanup

The cleanup side also gets useful attention. Collision Penetration Cleaning analyses an animation and removes intersections. Cascadeur notes that older scenes require rig regeneration for the tool to work correctly, whereas scenes created in 2026.1 work out of the box. Mildly inconvenient, yes. Still preferable to hand-fixing every knee, elbow and floor contact.

AutoPosing and physics tools also get more practical. Improved AutoPosing for quadrupeds is part of the release. Point Constraints now work in AutoPosing, and they are also taken into account in AutoPhysics and Ragdoll. Additional quadruped spine switching angles have been added in Settings. In plain production terms, that means better support for non-biped rigs and more reliable behaviour for constrained objects during assisted motion passes. Or, translated into the dialect of late-night animation cleanup, fewer props quietly leave the hand and pursue an independent career.

The release also lands neatly next to Digital Production’s earlier interview with Cascadeur CTO Alexander Grishanin. In that February conversation, he described Cascadeur as a standalone 3D character animation DCC focused on physics-assisted keyframe animation, AutoPosing and AI Inbetweening, with FBX and USD support for engine-oriented pipelines.

He also explained that broader integration into standard production workflows had become a core development goal. Read against that background, 2026.1 looks less like a feature heap and more like a continuation of the same agenda: better engine connectivity, better scene readability and more automation where it actually reduces labour. A rare case in which the new release more or less matches the old interview instead of contradicting it for sport.

Cascadeur 2026.1 release notes:
https://cascadeur.com/help/category/312

Cascadeur Live Link documentation:
https://cascadeur.com/help/category/268

Digital Production interview:
https://digitalproduction.com/2026/02/18/cascadeur-on-physics-ai-and-control/

The post Cascadeur 2026.1 adds Unreal Live Link, Filament rendering and AI root motion. first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who do not know the tool, RealityScan is Epic’s photogrammetry application for reconstructing 3D assets, scenes, and datasets from photographs and scans. It is used in areas such as VFX, game development, visualization, heritage capture, and geospatial workflows. RealityScan 2.1, the previous major release, added broader automation options, support for SLAM data, and other workflow extensions, so 2.1.1 reads very much like the expected follow-up pass: less about headline features, more about making interchange and export behave properly when real projects get involved.

RealityScan 2.1.1 is now available, and while this is not the kind of release that arrives with fireworks and a new category of buzzword, it does address several parts of the workflow that tend to matter once scans actually have to leave the application and survive contact with the rest of production.

The most relevant improvements are in the COLMAP pipeline. RealityScan 2.1.1 now exports either to a flat folder structure or to the standard COLMAP directory layout, supports both binary and ASCII export, improves mask export behavior, and filters low-accuracy points automatically during export. On import, Epic has added support for the FULL_OPENCV camera model, which should make it easier to bring in a wider range of calibration data without extra cleanup elsewhere in the chain.

Mask handling is one of the more useful practical changes here. The exporter now supports AI-generated masks, and users can choose whether to keep the .mask.ext suffix when exporting into the standard COLMAP directory structure. Epic also lists fixes for cases where selected mask layers failed to export, along with corrections for quality degradation when exporting COLMAP data based on original distorted images. That is the sort of update that sounds small in a changelog and rather less small when it breaks a handoff.

Another addition is the new “RealityScan XMPs with Image List” export in the Registration exports. This makes it possible to export XMPs corresponding either to the original distorted images or to undistorted images, and to choose between the “local:1 Euclidean” and “Grid plane” coordinate systems. At the same time, Epic has removed the separate Image list export from the Alignment tab, because the same function already existed in Registration export. Exported image lists now use the .imagelist extension, which can be reused when importing inputs or input selections back into RealityScan.

There are also smaller but welcome naming and consistency changes. Texture layer names now respect the specified name, including when selecting layers for texturing. Epic also removed some extra information from those names, including 16-bit and HDR prefixes, and adjusted numbering. On the command line side, importColmap becomes loadColmap, importBundler becomes loadBundler, and importFlightLog becomes importTrajectory. Not glamorous, but coherent. That alone can save someone a mildly irritating half-hour that could be spent watching cat videos.

The fixed-issues section is long, and in this case that is probably good news. Epic lists corrections for an incorrect “model is already colorized” warning on certain LiDAR models, ignored intrinsic parameters during flight log imports, EXR import issues, misplaced imported masks, raster artifacts in depth and mask exports, black mask exports in some cases, crashes related to LOD export settings and long computations, scene transformations being incorrectly retained after COLMAP and Bundler imports, and support for importing PLY files generated by the CGAL library. There are also multiple fixes for export behavior in cameras, orthographic projections, LAS classifications, contour export, and Nira upload handling.

Epic Games documentation for RealityScan 2.1.1

RealityScan 2.1.1 adds better COLMAP support and new XMP export options

RealityScan 2.1.1 is a maintenance release, but a practical one. Epic updates COLMAP exchange, adds new XMP with image list export options, cleans up mask export, and fixes a long list of editor, alignment, and CLI issues.

06.04.2026

Epic Games updates RealityScan: 2.1 out

pic’s RealityScan 2.1 brings LiDAR & SLAM import, server automation tools and improved UV and rendering support.

27.11.2025

RealityScan Mobile 1.8 with Tools for On-the-Go Scanning

Version 1.8 of RealityScan Mobile introduces three capture modes (including AR Guidance), mesh clean-up tools, focus peaking, capture timer and watertight mesh output: ideal for everybody capturing on-the-go.

21.11.2025

RealityScan 2.0: Epic Gives RealityCapture a New Name and New Tricks

Epic overhauls RealityCapture into RealityScan 2.0, complete with AI masking, LiDAR fusion, and a mobile-first workflow focus.

17.06.2025

RealityScan 1.5.3 Update Eases 3D Scans with Better Processing for iOS

Epic’s RealityScan update brings flexible processing, smoother workflows, and better support for iPad Pro and image uploads.

07.11.2024

/

The post RealityScan 2.1.1 adds better COLMAP support and new XMP export options first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the site: Kitbash3D makes themed 3D environment kits for VFX, games, and visualisation. The new New Delhi Kit joins their growing library of ready-to-use digital worlds, compatible with most major DCC and realtime tools.

City without chaos

Kitbash3D has released New Delhi, a detailed collection of 3D assets designed to recreate the layered architecture and street textures of India’s capital. The kit includes 84 models and 127 PBR materials, intended for artists working in VFX, games, animation, and visualisation. The collection mixes colonial-era façades, contemporary concrete towers, and dense market alleys. Kitbash3D states that the assets are built for “realistic, lived-in environments” and are designed for both large-scale cityscapes and street-level storytelling.

Compatible across pipelines

The New Delhi Kit is supplied in standard formats, including FBX and USD, and integrates with major DCC tools such as Blender, Maya, and 3ds Max. It is also compatible with realtime engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity, and supports common renderers including Arnold, Cycles, and Redshift.

Kitbash3D lists the kit as ready for immediate production use, with pre-optimised geometry and consistent scaling for modular assembly. The files use standard PBR workflows and are organised for straightforward import and texturing.

Architectural detail and reuse

According to the official description, the New Delhi Kit focuses on flexibility and reusability. Building assets can be mixed to create anything from residential areas to commercial centres. Street props, market stalls, and signage extend the set for scene dressing or background population.

The kit is part of Kitbash3D’s ongoing series of geographically themed city kits, following earlier releases such as Tokyo, Paris, and New York. The New Delhi collection adds a South Asian context to the library, expanding possibilities for worldbuilding and localisation in cinematic and interactive productions.

Available now

The kit is available for purchase directly from Kitbash3D. The New Delhi Kit is included in Kitbash3D Unlimited, the company’s annual subscription giving full access to its 3D asset library via the Cargo desktop app. Unlimited costs USD 995 per year for individual freelancers and USD 3,995 per year for small studios with up to 50 employees. Assets can be used in active productions during the subscription, but new projects require an active licence. Perpetual rights are available separately for specific kits.

Artists are advised to test the assets in their own production setups before integrating them into active pipelines, particularly when mixing renderers or real-time and offline workflows. A quick inspection of the models suggests consistent texutre naming and clean geometry, but the actual level of optimisation can vary depending on import method and scene scale.

https://kitbash3d.com/products/new-delhi

The post Delhi in 3D: Kitbash3D goes urban first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Fab is Epic Games marketplace for 3D assets, replacing the Unreal Marketplace. It regularly offers time-limited free asset sets that you can permanently add to your library once claimed. These packs are commercially usable, work in most DCC applications and engines, and are a practical way to expand or start an asset collection without cost.

Two weeks to go before the calendar expires, and if you are looking to bury your good intentions somewhere scenic, Epic Games has the perfect spot. The Cryptic Realms Necropolis pack, normally $99.99, is free on Fab until 27 January 2026.

The pack offers 371 placeable objects to construct a stylised graveyard environment. It includes 80 modular meshes for ruins, tombs and crumbling architecture, plus graves, coffins, and set dressing items to complete the scene of your artistic demise.

Death by detail

Each asset includes 23 materials and textures, up to 4,096 by 4,096 pixels. The models support Nanite and Lumen, Unreal Engine’s systems for high-density geometry and dynamic lighting. There are three preset lighting setups to choose from, along with a modular environmental audio system to ensure your ghosts sound convincing. The pack is built for Unreal Engine 5.1 and later. However, the Fab Standard licence allows use in any engine or tool, including commercial projects, as long as the Fab EULA is followed.

Available now, before it’s dead again

The Necropolis pack can be downloaded free from Fab until 27 January 2026, after which it returns to its regular price. Perfect timing if you plan to give your old projects a decent burial before the new year arrives. As always, test assets thoroughly before using them in production or before the next resurrection of your pipeline.

The post Bury Your Good Intentions in 3D first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Epic Games has released the Ancient Temple Ruins asset pack as part of its time-limited free content on Fab. The pack includes 80 modular environment assets for creating ruined temple scenes and will remain free to download until 13 January 2026.

Created by Shapefarm Senior Environment Artist Rasmus Bagner, the set provides modular architecture (walls, roofs, floors), vegetation (trees, palms, rubber plants) and a range of small scatter props. The assets are built for Unreal Engine 5, making full use of Nanite virtualised geometry. All textures ship at up to 4096×4096px resolution.

Lumen lighting and engine flexibility

The included sample project demonstrates the assets within a Lumen lighting setup, featuring four predefined lighting environments. According to Epic, only the main tree asset includes LODs; all other models rely on Nanite for rendering efficiency. The pack is compatible with Unreal Engine 5.2 or newer.

Although designed for Unreal, the assets are released under the Fab Standard licence, which allows use in “any engine or tool”, including for commercial projects, as long as users comply with the Fab EULA.

Download and production notes

The Ancient Temple Ruins pack can be claimed from Fab’s listing page before the deadline. Once added to a user’s library, the assets remain available permanently. The models can be imported into other tools such as Blender, Maya, or 3ds Max through standard file export.

As with any new asset pack, we recommend testing performance and compatibility within active pipelines before using the models in production scenes. Seriously. Remember your New Year’s resolutions!

The post Epic drops 80 free temple assets on Fab first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Godot users can now experience the drama of a boss fight while typing. Ridiculous Coding, a free editor extension by developer John Watson (aka jotson), adds real-time chaos to the script editor: screenshake, fireworks, progress XP bars, and visual effects every time you hit Enter.

The plugin’s only purpose is to make coding “less boring”. When you write code, it rewards progress with particle bursts and celebratory effects. Syntax errors might not yet trigger explosions, but judging from the developer’s sense of humour, it feels inevitable. Watson is also developing The Mailroom, a “cozy horror job simulator” built in Godot, where you process infernal paperwork in a small regional office of Hell, located in Modesto, California. Ridiculous Coding is available now in the Godot Asset Library. As with any experimental editor plugin, artists and developers should test stability before adding it to production pipelines.

Anyone curious how serious Godot development actually works might want to visit Helge Maus on Patreon. His in-depth courses and project breakdowns show Godot at work, without the fireworks.

The post Godot Now Shakes When You Code Badly first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Jules Neghnagh Chenavas has released GodotARKit, an open-source plug-in that enables real-time facial motion capture inside Godot 4. The plug-in streams facial tracking data from Apple’s ARKit via UDP and is designed to work directly with Apple’s Live Link Face mobile app.

The system uses ARKit’s full set of facial blendshapes (52 standard expressions plus head and eye rotations) and feeds them straight into Godot, eliminating the need for intermediate DCC software. The data is handled in-game, which makes the plug-in suitable for live performance capture, real-time animation previews, or in-engine cutscenes.

Live Link Face Integration

According to the README, users set up Live Link Face to send data to their local network’s IP and port, which GodotARKit then receives and visualises through an integrated editor panel. The interface displays connected devices, current blendshape values, packet frame info, and error messages in real time. The plug-in acts as an autoload singleton, meaning all blendshape data are accessible globally from scripts. The developer provides a working demo script in the repository that shows how to map blendshapes and head rotations to a character rig in a few lines of GDScript.

Under the Hood

The plug-in architecture includes a UDP server, packet decoder, and ARKitSubject class for device management. Each connected iOS device becomes a “subject” broadcasting ARKit blendshape frames. Users can monitor connection status and debug data within Godot’s bottom panel without leaving the editor. A weak reference and signal-based communication structure prevents memory leaks and redundant object references, a common issue in real-time networked systems. The developer explicitly mentions using this method to avoid referencing the ARKitSingleton directly.

Example Implementation

The example provided shows how to animate a MeshInstance3D by looping through blendshapes in the incoming data packet. Head and eye rotations are handled separately, with blendshape values converted into rotation quaternions for neck and eye bones. The demo also includes a note that both eyes currently share identical rotation behaviour—a known limitation marked for future refinement.

Licensing and Contributions

GodotARKit is distributed under the MIT license, meaning both commercial and non-commercial use are permitted. The developer encourages community contributions and openly admits limited testing with multiple devices and UI elements. As of the latest commit (last week), the plug-in is at version 1.0 and has updated documentation and icons. The repository shows regular activity and version control discipline, indicating ongoing maintenance.

Compatibility

The plug-in targets Godot 4 and uses standard UDP communication, so it does not require proprietary middleware or additional network libraries. Compatibility with ARKit implies it will function with any iPhone or iPad supporting Apple’s facial tracking API, though the author does not specify minimum device requirements.

Summary

For Godot developers seeking a real-time facial capture solution without switching to Unreal or Unity, GodotARKit provides a minimal and open-source option. It leverages existing ARKit infrastructure and Apple’s Live Link Face app to feed high-fidelity facial data into Godot with minimal setup. As with any new open-source tool, users should test stability and latency performance before deploying it in production environments.

The post Godot ARKit: Facial Mocap Without the Detour first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The World Creator (by BiteTheBytes) has issued version 2025.3 of its real-time GPU-based terrain-generation tool. The release adds significant pipeline and export enhancements.

ORBX export enables OctaneRender workflows

Version 2025.3 introduces support for exporting terrain in ORBX format — the scene format used by OctaneRender. This makes it possible to take terrains created in World Creator directly into any DCC (digital-content creation) application that has an OctaneRender plugin, such as Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D, 3ds Max or Nuke. This provides a more streamlined route for pushing terrain through professional rendering pipelines.

Godot bridge plugin extends engine support

The update adds an official bridge plugin for Godot (open-source game engine), allowing direct export of terrain to Godot. With this, Godot joins the list of engines and DCCs supported by World Creator, alongside Blender, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Unity and Unreal Engine.

Paint-holes and cave/tunnel masks for terrain design

A new “paint holes” feature enables artists to carve holes directly into terrain for caves, tunnels or dungeons. The position of those holes can be exported as a mask for use in game engines or DCC apps, giving more control over subterranean or cut-away geometry. In addition, World Creator 2025.3 allows exporting relief maps for terrain. Relief maps emphasise elevation variation and can be used for topographic visualisations or stylised designs.

What this means for studios and creators

For studios and artists working in game development, VFX, environment art or realtime rendering, the ORBX export plus Godot integration expands pipeline flexibility. You can now build terrain in World Creator and send it directly into OctaneRender or Godot, without manual format conversions. Cave and tunnel masking adds value for level design. That said, as always: test these new features thoroughly before integrating them in a production pipeline, especially for complex terrains or engine builds.

The post World Creator 2025.3 adds ORBX , Godot bridge and caves first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

According to the official Blackmagic Design (Germany) website, several PYXIS and Pocket Cinema Camera models are now significantly discounted, and not by the usual token amount after riasing prices (I see you, cat-toy-manufacturers!). The company’s German store currently lists the Blackmagic PYXIS 6K and the PYXIS 6K EF, both reduced from 3 089 € to 2 165 €, while the PYXIS 6K PL drops from 3 279 € to 2 300 €. These prices include VAT.

The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2, the 6K Pro and the Cinema Camera 6K also receive a 25 percent reduction. So, from 2675 € down to 2010€. The Blackmagic PYXIS Monitor range receives a smaller but still notable discount. The base monitor, the Monitor Kit and the Monitor EVF Kit are all down by 20 percent. The official banner labels every promotion as “Begrenzt verfügbar” (limited availability) and no end date is given.

Who this matters for

A 30 percent reduction on full-frame 6K cameras brings the PYXIS 6K EF and PL models into the low-two-thousand-euro bracket, a price point rarely seen in this segment. The promotion lowers the entry barrier for cinematographers moving up from mirrorless systems or small-format video cameras, and makes it easier for small studios to standardise on a 6K workflow without crossing into high-end rental territory.

For mobile operators, the Pocket 6K G2 and 6K Pro remain attractive for lightweight production and second-unit work, offering internal BRAW recording and colour science that integrates smoothly into DaVinci Resolve pipelines. At current pricing, the cost-to-performance ratio is difficult to criticise.

Check before you click

The promotion appears genuine and active across Europe, though stock levels are not specified and availability may differ by region. Prices on the German site include VAT, but delivery charges and import duties can still apply within the EU. Not every configuration or lens mount is discounted; buyers should confirm the mount type (EF, PL or L-Mount) before ordering. It is also worth verifying firmware compatibility and accessory fit if the camera will join an existing rig. As with any newly purchased production hardware, thorough testing before live use remains essential.

A rare exception

Digital Production does not usually cover seasonal shopping events. But when a company called Blackmagic runs an actual Black Friday promotion, the pun alone justifies a short mention and the discounts happen to be serious.

The post Black Friday Turns Blackmagic: 30% Off Cinema Gear first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

At Unite 2025, Unity unveiled its official roadmap through 2026. The presentation focused on the core engine, the package ecosystem, and Unity Gaming Services, while the leadership repeatedly stressed one theme: stability before novelty. The roadmap confirms a measured rollout of new architecture and workflow improvements under the Unity 6 generation. Upcoming versions will follow a quarterly supported-update cadence through 6.7 LTS in 2026.

Verified Quality, Smaller Deltas

Unity’s Production Verification (PV) programme, now central to its release process, links internal and external studios to test new features in real projects. The company reports a 43 percent faster regression-fix time and a 54 percent smaller backlog since expanding PV to partners such as Kinetic Games and Ten Chambers.

Diagnostics and analytics are being merged under the Developer Data Framework, a unified telemetry system that provides early issue detection while keeping player data consent “cautious by default.” Engine diagnostics now ship active in new projects and can be managed or disabled at runtime.

Signed Packages and Core Standards

Security and traceability in the package ecosystem were a major focus. Starting with Unity 6.3, the editor gains built-in support for signed packages and visible trust indicators in the Package Manager. Unsigned packages trigger warnings, while verified authorship will be handled either by Unity, an organisation admin, or an approved publisher. From early 2026, Asset Store publishers can distribute extensions directly as Unity Package Manager (UPM) packages with strong versioning and dependency metadata. Unity calls this framework its new Core Standards, a more or less polite term for supply-chain hygiene.

Editor Quality of Life

The Unity Hub and editor receive long-requested usability upgrades. In 6.3, the main toolbar becomes customisable, the grid and snapping systems are rebuilt, and the internal search database moves to LMDB for large-project speed. A rewritten scene hierarchy using UI Toolkit handles “millions of objects” and finally introduces horizontal scrolling.

UI Toolkit itself gains world-space UI, custom shaders, filters, and vector graphics. Despite the focus on the new system, Unity reaffirmed long-term investment in uGUI, including performance fixes drawn from its own Survival Kids game. The Graph Toolkit moves from an experimental package into the core editor, becoming the default node-based framework. Shader Graph receives major upgrades, including nested properties and UI/terrain templates, with stencil support due in 6.5.

Graphics and Performance

Lighting tools gain XAtlas UV packing, a unified ray-tracing API, and early work on dynamic global illumination for the Universal Render Pipeline (URP). A shared Render Graph backend and cross-pipeline upscaling framework are being introduced to unify HDRP and URP features. Vulkan and DirectX 12 remain the focus for desktop, with DX12 now the Windows default after memory-usage optimisations and smoother pipeline compilation. Burst 1.8.25 adds cross-CPU determinism for consistent multiplayer simulations, and new build settings reduce shader compilation time by up to 45 percent in URP.

CoreCLR, ECS and the Long Merge

A major architectural shift is the gradual migration from Mono/.NET to Microsoft CoreCLR, promising higher runtime performance and full modern C# compatibility. An experimental desktop player using CoreCLR is planned for 6.7, followed by a CoreCLR-powered editor. The Entity Component System (ECS) becomes a core engine package in 6.4, with unified transforms for ECS and GameObjects to follow. Unity intends to allow ECS components to attach directly to GameObjects without re-architecting existing projects, an incremental unification rather than a rewrite.

AI Gets “Agentic”

Unity introduced Agentic AI tools,editor-integrated assistants that understand project context, index assets, and offer diff-verified code suggestions. Agents will analyse profiler data for optimisation hints, assist in UI Toolkit layouts, and generate assets such as skyboxes or textures through a built-in chat interface. All code changes must be manually approved, with Git-diff visualisation built in. These features begin rolling out with 6.4 and expand later with visual-context inputs and performance debugging. So, another tool with a barely working assitant nobody asked for.

Platform Toolkit and Device Expansion

The new Platform Toolkit abstracts console and device SDKs, allowing cross-platform certification code to be written once. The API launches in 6.3 with successful Xbox and Nintendo Switch 2 certification already confirmed. Unity supports Nintendo Switch 2 out of the box (HDR, 120 Hz, 4K output), and continues work on Android XR and Meta Quest platforms via OpenXR. Mobile updates include a rewritten Apple integration layer in Swift, due in 6.6, and Android startup optimisations through thin LTO builds in 6.5. Unity WebRequest now defaults to HTTP/2, cutting server load by up to 40 percent in internal tests.

A Pause for Foundations

Unity confirmed it has paused work on new animation and world-building workflows to focus on architectural stability and the CoreCLR migration. The company says this pause will accelerate the delivery of foundational systems across the entire engine stack.

Reality Check

Unity’s roadmap finally reads less like a sales pitch and more like a maintenance schedule. Most features arrive through incremental 6.x updates, with verification baked in before rollout. Production teams should, as always, test every new version before adopting it in live pipelines.

The post Unity’s 2026 Roadmap: CoreCLR, Verified Packages, Fewer Surprises first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

If you’ve been using Blender for years, brushing through 2.x and 4.x versions and checking for that “next big thing”, here it is. The Blender Foundation today published Blender 5.0, marking not just a point-update but a clearly defined production ready milestone. Find the official announcement here: https://www.blender.org/press/blender-5-0-release/

Blender 5.0 introduces full support for the ACES workflow (Academy Colour Encoding System), enabling a more accurate and unified colour management system across pipelines. The release also brings HDR (High Dynamic Range) support, allowing for consistent high-fidelity colour reproduction on modern displays and rendering workflows.

Handling of large-scale geometry has been improved significantly. The software can now manage much larger .blend files and assets containing millions of vertices without becoming unstable or unresponsive. This directly benefits studios handling detailed scans, simulation caches, or complex game-ready environments.

Rendering also receives notable refinements. There are new passes such as the Render Time Pass and Portal Depth Light Pass, and the OptiX Denoiser (for NVIDIA GPUs) now produces cleaner and more stable results, improving overall render efficiency. The UI and workflow have been tightened up as well. Drag-and-drop now feels smoother, the Outliner behaves more predictably, and widget styles have been unified for better readability. The Video Sequencer gains a useful improvement: using Shift + A now places a new strip directly under the mouse cursor, a small but meaningful quality-of-life fix for editors.

One caveat: Blender 5.0 introduces breaking changes that affect file compatibility. Projects saved in version 5.0 may not open properly in earlier 4.x versions. This should be considered before committing ongoing production work to the new version.

Grease Pencil

In Blender 5.0 the Grease Pencil toolset receives a new “Pen” tool in Edit Mode, which behaves similarly to the legacy curves pen tool, allowing more direct stroke-editing of Grease Pencil generated geometry. In addition, changes such as improved cyclic-stroke handling (start and end segments now connect without overlaps or gaps) are documented, improving reliability for looped 2D/3D hybrid animations.

Compositing

The compositor in Blender 5.0 sees enhancements aimed at more efficient node-based workflows. For instance, new nodes like Chromatic Aberration (simulating lens fringing) and Sensor Noise have been added. Also worth noting: the addition of an Asset Shelf in the node editor enables reuse of node groups across files, facilitating more modular compositing setups.

Geometry Nodes

Blender 5.0 significantly expands the capabilities of the Geometry Nodes system. A new volume grid data type is supported, enabling volumetric workflows in procedural layouts (via OpenVDB grids) rather than converting to mesh forms. It also introduces SDF-Grid Laplacian and SDF-Grid Median nodes to process signed distance fields for curvature flow and noise reduction within SDF data sets.

Cycles

The rendering engine Cycles in Blender 5.0 receives updates such as a new default volume rendering algorithm based on “null scattering” which reduces artefacts in overlapping volumes and simplifies parameter tuning. cSupport for thin-film iridescence in the Metallic BSDF shader and improvements in subsurface scattering (SSS) via the Random Walk model are also included.

Video Editing (Sequencer)

In the Video Sequencer module of Blender 5.0 there is now the ability to apply compositing node trees directly inside the Sequencer via a ‘Compositor modifier’, allowing editors and motion-graphics artists to work within a unified timeline rather than switching contexts. General timeline behaviour improvements and UI refinements accompany this feature, though documentation of major new video-editing specific nodes remains minimal.

Production Tips & Caveats

For anyone planning to introduce Blender 5.0 into a studio or pipeline environment, caution and preparation remain essential. It is strongly recommended to first test 5.0 on non-critical projects to assess stability and compatibility with existing tools. Large pipelines have complex dependencies, and even minor version changes can lead to unexpected issues in rendering, scripting, or I/O.

Before migrating, verify that essential add-ons and Python scripts are compatible with the new version. Major releases often introduce API changes that can break automation tools or extensions. Keeping a parallel installation of the previous stable version (such as 4.5 LTS) ensures that ongoing projects remain safe while the team evaluates the upgrade. While the release notes provide strong technical documentation, it has not been independently verified at press time how stable every new feature performs under heavy production workloads. Testing before adoption in live projects is essential.

Final Thoughts

After years of steady iteration, Blender 5.0 feels like a landmark release. It brings the open-source 3D suite closer to the needs of real production environments, not through flashy gimmicks but through practical improvements: robust colour workflows, more reliable geometry handling, and thoughtful interface refinements.

For anyone who has been with Blender since the endless 2.x days, this version might be the moment it finally explodes. If your pipeline can handle a test migration, now is a good time to download, install, and see what Blender 5.0 can actually do for your studio.

The post Blender 5.0 – it’s here! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

KitBash3D has released its DieselPunk environment kit—normally priced at US $245—for free download via Epic Games’ Fab marketplace. The offer runs until 18 November 2025. The kit targets artists building cinematic-quality, retro-futuristic environments in Unreal Engine 5, and is described by the studio as a “high-poly asset collection intended for use in cinematics within UE5.”

The DieselPunk kit channels Edwardian and interwar industrial design: cathedrals and palaces meet refineries and fuel stations. The architecture is “darkly beautiful,” filled with “greasy machinery, rugged materials, and industrial spires,” according to the official KitBash3D description.

Inside the kit

The package contains 316 unique actors built from 1,395 unique meshes, totalling approximately 17.8 million polygons. Mesh collision is enabled and automatically generated, but no LODs are included. There are 90 materials and 637 textures, all at 4K resolution. Texture and mesh quality clearly target cinematic or offline rendering rather than performance-constrained realtime scenes.

Formats provided include FBX and OBJ (on kitbash3d.com), and the Unreal build supports UE 4.26–4.27 and UE 5.0–5.4. Supported platforms are Windows, macOS, Linux, PS4, and Xbox One. The DieselPunk release date for this update is 8 November 2025; distribution is via the Fab marketplace as an “Asset Package.”

World-building details

The kit’s scope covers both civic and industrial architecture. Included are hotels, palaces, distilleries, apartments, mansions, towers, oil derricks, fuel stations, factories, pubs, stores, trams, bridges, storage tanks, walkways and chimneys. KitBash3D describes it as ideal for “retrofuturistic dystopias or grungy post-modern noir,” designed to help artists “make cohesive fuel-powered worlds.”

Licensing and restrictions

The Fab release uses the Fab Standard Licence, which allows both personal and commercial use across engines and tools, within Fab’s terms.

By contrast, KitBash3D’s own “free asset” policy states that assets downloaded via its Cargo app are for personal use only, whereas kits obtained directly from kitbash3d.com can be used commercially. Because DieselPunk is distributed through Fab, users should confirm commercial rights under Fab’s EULA before production use.

Technical notes for production artists

The assets are high-poly, built for cinematic fidelity. Artists targeting realtime or VR projects should expect to retopologise or create custom LODs. The automatic collision setup is adequate for blockouts, but may require manual refinement for gameplay environments.

Since materials are 4K, expect heavy texture memory use; production teams should test streaming and compression settings within Unreal Engine.

Why it matters

For concept, film, and cinematic environment work, this kit provides a time-saving foundation of consistent industrial architecture. The cohesive design language can accelerate set-dressing, look-dev and lighting passes for any diesel-era or noir-futuristic aesthetic.

Reminder

As always, test all assets in your pipeline before relying on them in production. Confirm file format compatibility, check materials and UVs, and validate licence terms before commercial deployment.

The post KitBash3D’s “DieselPunk” kit free till 18 Nov – retro-futurism ahoy! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Hothifa Smair, known for iCity and iCars, has released iCrowds — a full-featured crowd simulation system for Blender 4.5 and newer. The add-on targets film, games, architectural visualisation, and urban design, offering seven integrated systems for both static placement and dynamic movement of thousands of autonomous agents.

Seven Systems for Every Scenario

iCrowds divides its toolkit into static and dynamic subsystems.
The static systems provide surface, curve, vertex, and structured venue distribution.
The dynamic systems introduce motion, pathfinding, and crowd intelligence.

The core modules are:

• On Ground System: Scatters agents across terrain surfaces using vertex group masking, density gradients, and natural variation noise. Supports both single agents and cluster formations.
• On Curve System: Generates linear distributions along user-defined paths with width control, automatic orientation, and curve radius–based density scaling.
• On Vertex System: Enables precision placement on mesh vertices for architectural and design layouts, supporting weight painting and group-based patterning.
• Stadium System: Builds structured seating or audience arrangements, with grid controls for rows and columns, and alignment parameters for rotation and orientation.
• Walkers System: Simulates organised pedestrian flows along curves with bidirectional traffic, lane control, and personal-space handling.
• Fluid System: Adds real-time dynamic behaviour with physics-based attraction, repulsion, and path following. Agents react to scene elements and adjustable flow fields, suitable for events or evacuation simulations.
• City System: A full urban AI layer inspired by games like The Sims. Agents respond to internal needs—hunger, rest, fun, or bladder—and navigate to context-appropriate locations (restaurants, homes, toilets). Debug tools permit real-time inspection of individual agent states.

Performance and Scalability

The developer states that iCrowds supports up to 100,000 agents, depending on hardware and scene complexity. It includes LOD (Level of Detail) options for real-time performance, and baking tools to commit simulations for render-heavy scenes. The add-on uses efficient memory management for scaling from architectural previews to large film visualisations.

Characters and Customisation

The package provides 10 human base models in high- and low-poly variants, available in multiple outfits. Clothing options include formal, casual, and accessory combinations such as hats and glasses. Each model can be randomised for diversity in background and mid-distance crowd shots.

Workflow and Pipeline Integration

iCrowds fits into Blender’s standard workflow:

1. Artists select a static distribution system.
2. Density and masking are refined via vertex groups or curves.
3. Static layouts are imported into dynamic systems such as Fluid or City for movement simulation.
4. Final adjustments include variation, physics tuning, and performance baking.

Systems can be mixed for specific production needs:
Urban environments benefit from combining City and Fluid systems; structured events can merge Walkers and Stadium; architectural projects may pair On Vertex with Fluid.

Use Cases Across Industries

The toolset is aimed at multidisciplinary users:

• Architecture & Visualisation: Quickly populate renders, simulate building capacity, and contextualise scenes with human scale.
• Game Development: Populate open worlds, generate background NPCs, and run behavioural simulations for day/night cycles.
• Film & Animation: Animate large background crowds and pre-visualise crowd movement in sequences.
• Urban Planning: Test pedestrian flow, space usage, and crowd density during design studies.

Price and Availability

iCrowds is available for $19 per licence on Superhive Market. The add-on supports Blender 4.5 and above on all major operating systems.

Stability Reminder

While iCrowds appears production-ready and technically mature, artists should verify performance and reliability in their own pipelines before integrating it into ongoing projects. Stability, agent count limits, and render compatibility may vary by system configuration.

The post City Life for Crowds: iCrowds Lands in Blender first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The legendary FMX conference will celebrate its 30th edition from May 5 to 8, 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany. Founded in 1994 by Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, FMX has evolved from a student event into one of (or even THE) the world’s leading gatherings for professionals in animation, visual effects, realtime graphics, and digital media.

The 2026 edition runs under the theme “The Road Ahead”, a nod to both the conference’s anniversary and the industry’s perpetual motion. According to FMX organisers, the event will explore transformation in creative production, from AI-driven workflows to new collaborative models, all while honouring three decades of digital artistry and technical ingenuity.

From “Jurassic Park” to Generative Pixels

The first FMX took place in the wake of Jurassic Park’s CG revolution and just before Toy Story hit theatres. Thirty years later, the creative toolbox has shifted from Silicon Graphics workstations to neural networks, but the mission remains: connect artists, engineers, and educators in a space where future workflows are debated and occasionally demystified.

FMX’s organisers call this anniversary “an opportunity to honour the past, survey the present, and discuss the future of digital media creation.” The quote of choice for 2026 comes from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “Our task is not to predict the future, but to make it possible.” In other words: no crystal balls—just solid pipeline design.

On Site, Online, and Still in Stuttgart

FMX 2026 continues the hybrid format introduced in recent years: three days on site in Stuttgart’s Haus der Wirtschaft, followed by one exclusive online day for remote sessions. The organisers promise “brand-new and first-hand tech and innovation” as well as discussions around AI, global production pipelines, and sustainability in digital media—though detailed programme announcements are still pending at press time.

If past editions are any indication, attendees can expect a mix of production breakdowns, realtime showcases, and a steady supply of caffeine-fuelled networking. Also, if you plan to attend: book your hotel early. By the time the keynote titles are announced, Stuttgart tends to run out of beds.

A History in Motion

From Jurassic Park to Avatar, from Toy Story to Fortnite, FMX has mirrored the evolution of film and interactive media. It has hosted artists and technologists from across the world, reflecting how postproduction and visual storytelling have adapted to every new wave of technology.

The 2026 key visual, titled “Bus Buddy”, comes from the FMX trailer produced by Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, another annual tradition that gives the event its visual identity. The trailer itself will be unveiled on FMX’s online channels soon.

Save the Date, Seriously

FMX is a calendar fixture for many in postproduction, VFX, and realtime graphics. Hitting its 30th anniversary is both a reason to celebrate and a reminder that, yes, we’ve all been rendering frames for quite a while now.

So: mark your calendars, Stuttgart, May 5–8, 2026, and prepare for another round of technical talks, production insights, and the occasional philosophical debate over whether Pixels can actually “have a soul”, and if “color is real” while standing atthe Schlesinger or Maritim Bar. Just random examples.

And if the last three decades of FMX have taught us anything, it’s this: the tools will keep changing, but the coffee machine will always be there.

The post FMX Turns 30 in 2026 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

PCG Hits Production Readiness

Unreal Engine 5.7 Preview is now available free via the Epic Games Launcher, GitHub, and Linux.
The headline feature: the Procedural Content Generation Framework (PCG) is now officially marked Production-Ready. Epic reports that GPU and game-thread optimizations have pushed PCG to nearly twice the performance vs UE 5.5. Parameter overrides for GPU nodes allow dynamic tuning; scaling and improvements make the GPU Compute path (including FastGeo use) more viable across platforms.
A new PCG editor mode adds spline drawing, paint, and volume tools. PCG Graphs may now run as standalone flows. Epic emphasises, however, that PCG is still under active development (i.e. not final in every respect).

Procedural Vegetation: Grow Inside the Editor

An Experimental Procedural Vegetation Editor plugin arrives, built on PCG nodes. It lets users grow, sculpt, and vary Nanite-ready foliage in real time inside Unreal, without hopping to external tools. You can adjust tree structure under gravity, scale branches/leaves, swap models, and export as static or skeletal meshes.
Epic plans new Quixel Megaplants assets timed to the full 5.7 launch to support this workflow.

Nanite Foliage: Dense, Animated, and Experimental

Nanite Foliage is shipping as Experimental. It’s composed of three linked systems: Nanite Assemblies (for variation/instancing), Nanite Skinning (for animation like wind), and Nanite Voxel (for preserving detail at all distances).

Epic claims these allow rendering and animating dense foliage at 60 fps on current gen hardware, while managing memory, variation cost, and visual fidelity.

Lighting Revamp via MegaLights

MegaLights advances to Beta. It now supports directional lights, Niagara particle lighting, translucency lighting, and hair grooms.
New controls let devs tune resolution scale and update rates. Noise reduction is improved to reduce visual artifacts while keeping performance manageable.

Substrate Materials Graduate to Production

Substrate materials exit beta and enter full production-readiness. This modular system replaces legacy fixed shading models with layered, flexible materials.
Unreal now supports both Adaptive GBuffer (for complex, per-pixel topology and layered closures) and Blendable GBuffer (for broader platform coverage). Developers can combine layers like metal, cloth, clear coat, and skin with physically accurate blending under the same framework.

Animation & Rigging Enhancements

UE 5.7 continues and extends 5.6’s trajectory. New Selection Sets allow animators to define groups of controls easily and share them across teams—reducing dependence on bespoke GUI Pickers.
The Animation Mode UI has been refactored: tools may be minimized to free up viewport space. The Constraint UX window merges Space, Constraints, and Snapper tools under one symbol for unified access.

On the rigging side (Experimental), Unreal adds sculpting and blend shape editing in-engine. You can create or adjust morph targets, bones, and skin weights without leaving Unreal. Physics World Collisions strengthen real-world interactions, and a new Dependency View visualises how rig data flows, aiding debugging and optimization.

Epic Developer Assistant: UI, But Not Yet Active

The UI for the forthcoming Epic Developer Assistant is included in the preview, but functionality will only activate with the full 5.7 release. The planned assistant aims to deliver context-aware help, code generation (C++) and guidance within the editor.
While it’s not fully in the preview, the tool is operational on the Epic Developer Community for Unreal Engine 5.6 users.

MetaHuman 5.7: Cross-OS, Smarter, Fancier Hair

In 5.7 Preview, MetaHuman gains important upgrades. The MetaHuman Creator plugin now supports Linux and macOS, and almost all editing/assembly operations are exposed via Python and Blueprint APIs.
Body conforming becomes pose-agnostic, using UV-space vertex correspondence for consistent rig deformation. Improvements include better calibration for stereo-camera capture data and more expressive hair control (joint-based deformation, paint-based guide control). Additional mood overrides enhance audio-driven animations.
Epic cautions that some issues remain in Preview — crashes on reassembly, texture blackouts with Substrate, blending errors in body presets, and limitations in UEFN export support. Developers are encouraged to test in separate project copies.

When Will Full 5.7 Arrive?

Epic maintains a public Unreal Engine roadmap via ProductBoard. portal.productboard.com The roadmap includes a “Forward-Looking” section marked for UE 5.7 However, Epic has not publicly committed to a firm release date for 5.7 (or its full stability). The roadmap items transition to concrete features only as the version approaches launch. Until Epic issues a formal release schedule, we only know that 5.7 remains in active development.

Early Access Means Early Risk

Epic reminds users that Preview builds are not fully quality-tested and remain unstable. Projects should be duplicated before testing. Avoid converting production assets or codebases until the final release.

Availability: Unreal Engine 5.7 Preview is free. Download via the Epic Games Launcher, GitHub, or build for Linux.

Reminder: Always validate preview features in controlled tests before integrating into production pipelines.

Unreal Engine Forums – Unreal Engine 5.7 Preview
Unreal Engine Public Roadmap

The post Unreal 5.7 Preview: PCG Grows Up, Foliage Gets Fancy first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Rizom Lab has released RizomUV 2025, the latest version of its standalone UV unwrapping software. The main addition is GPU-based packing, available only on Windows with CUDA-capable NVIDIA GPUs.

The new algorithm produces UV layouts 2–4% more efficient in tile coverage compared to CPU packing. More importantly, Rizom Lab reports typical speed increases of three to four times. The gains apply to both single-tile and multi-tile (UDIM) workflows. GPU packing does not extend to macOS or Linux. Users on those systems remain limited to CPU packing.

Packing Gets Choices

The release introduces four selectable packing “strategies”. Each prioritises a different outcome: faster speed, maximum coverage, minimised artifacts, or a mode tailored to pixel-art pipelines. These strategies work on both CPU and GPU packing. Packing to tiles in UDIM workflows has also been improved. Objects grouped together can now be automatically distributed across tiles.

Scene Outliner and UI Tweaks

A new scene outliner displays a hierarchical view of objects, with controls for visibility and isolation. This should improve navigation in complex assets. “Align UV to 3D” has been reworked. The tool now interprets the original 3D orientation more accurately, ignoring irrelevant surface noise. Users can align islands along specific directions (+U, –U, +V, –V) with fallback axes. Workflow settings can be saved as defaults across sessions. These include UI preferences, UV set resolution, scene units and packing padding. The update also extends support for vertex, edge and polygon selections, including border selection.

Editions, Pricing and Platforms

RizomUV is available in two editions. The Virtual Spaces (VS) edition targets game and VFX workflows with normalised UV space. The Real Space (RS) edition is intended for product and industrial design with non-normalised UVs. Pricing for VS: perpetual licence €149.90, or rent-to-own at €14.90/month. The Pro version is rental only at €34.90/month. Pricing for RS: perpetual licence €299.90, or rent-to-own at €29.90/month. The Pro version is €59.90/month rental. Supported platforms are Windows 10+, macOS 11.0+, and RHEL 8.6+ Linux. GPU packing requires Windows and an NVIDIA GPU with CUDA support.

Caution Before Deployment

RizomUV 2025 promises real benefits for Windows users with NVIDIA GPUs, especially when handling dense models or many islands. On other platforms, the gains are more incremental. As with any new feature set, studios should test GPU packing performance and reliability on in-house hardware before deploying the update in production.

The post RizomUV 2025: Faster Packing, But Only If You’re on Windows with CUDA first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.