Placement in the Ecosystem: glTF from the Khronos Group is a lightweight asset format for realtime engines, viewers, and DCC export, commonly used between tools rather than inside them, and now it wants splats too. Visit their site here.

A careful step into splat territory

The Khronos Group has published a release candidate for a new glTF extension that adds support for Gaussian splatting. The proposal, named KHR_gaussian_splatting, defines how 3D Gaussian splats can be represented inside glTF 2.0 assets using a common, vendor-neutral schema.

Gaussian splatting is a scene representation technique where geometry is described as large numbers of oriented 3D Gaussians rather than polygon meshes. Each splat typically carries position, scale, rotation, colour and opacity. Rendering relies on blending these splats in screen space to approximate surfaces and volumetric detail. The approach is increasingly used in photogrammetry-derived captures and radiance field research, particularly where dense detail and rapid rendering are required.

Until now, Gaussian splats have circulated in a growing number of ad hoc file formats. Khronos is explicitly positioning this extension to prevent early fragmentation by defining a baseline encoding before incompatible variants become entrenched.

What the extension actually defines

KHR_gaussian_splatting introduces a standardised way to store splat data in glTF without redefining the rendering algorithm. The extension specifies how splats are described as primitives and which attributes are required or optional. These include spatial transforms and per-splat appearance data, mapped onto existing glTF data structures where possible.

The proposal does not mandate a specific splatting technique or optimisation strategy. Khronos describes the design as algorithm-agnostic, with the goal of supporting multiple implementations rather than locking vendors into a single approach. This restraint is notable given how quickly splat rendering methods are evolving.

Viewers that do not support the extension are expected to fall back gracefully, typically treating the data as a point cloud. This preserves basic visibility rather than failing outright, which aligns with glTF’s long-standing emphasis on predictable degradation.

Why Khronos is getting involved now

Gaussian splatting has moved from research into production-adjacent tools at a speed that has made standardisation awkward but necessary. Khronos frames this release candidate as a response to real usage rather than speculative future demand. The organisation is inviting feedback from developers and vendors before final ratification, signalling that the format is still open to adjustment.

The work builds on earlier collaboration between Khronos and geospatial and platform vendors exploring splat-based representations for large-scale scenes. While those efforts are not detailed in the extension itself, the context suggests a desire to make splats a first-class citizen alongside meshes, animations and textures in glTF.

glTF is often described by Khronos as a transmission format rather than a working format. Adding splats does not change that positioning, but it does acknowledge that realtime pipelines are absorbing data types that were previously confined to research or proprietary viewers.

Interoperability over novelty

There are no promises of faster rendering, smaller files, or better fidelity. Instead, the emphasis is on interoperability and predictability. This is a conservative but welcome stance for a standard that already underpins web viewers, game engines and real-time visualisation tools.

Compression is not part of the core proposal. Khronos notes that companion extensions may be introduced to improve storage efficiency, but they are not part of the current release candidate. No compression scheme is ratified as part of KHR_gaussian_splatting yet.

This separation is sensible. It allows the base representation to stabilise before additional complexity is layered on top, and avoids repeating past mistakes where format and codec decisions were entangled too early.

A positive but cautious signal

As proposed, KHR_gaussian_splatting does not attempt to redefine how Gaussian splats are generated or rendered. It simply gives them a place to live in a widely adopted container format. That restraint is arguably its strongest feature.

For production teams experimenting with splat-based capture or visualisation, a common interchange format reduces risk. For tool developers, it provides a reference target rather than another reverse-engineered file. For Khronos, it reinforces glTF’s role as a neutral meeting point rather than a battleground of features. As always, new formats and extensions should be tested thoroughly before being relied on in production environments.

// Khronos Group press release on glTF Gaussian Splatting
// https://www.khronos.org/news/press/gltf-gaussian-splatting-press-release

The post glTF learns to splat without losing the plot first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t now the tool: Resolume develops realtime visual performance software for live events, LED walls, and installations. Its core tools Resolume Arena, Resolume Avenue and Resolume Wire focus on fast playback, live control, and GPU driven image processing, occasionally crossing paths with VFX and virtual production, but usually living in a different department with louder music.

Colour depth, finally

Resolume has released an update adding 10 bit colour output across its software line. According to the company, this increases output precision from 8 bit colour to approximately 1.07 billion colours, reducing visible banding in gradients. The feature is aimed at LED walls, broadcast pipelines, and other display systems where colour depth matters and dithering is not sufficient.

The company states that capture devices supporting 10 bit can now input and output higher precision colour. Updated capture support includes NDI version 6.1.1 and Blackmagic Desktop Video 12.1. These changes are limited to devices and signal paths that already support 10 bit. No claims are made about automatic colour management or calibration.

Speed and responsiveness

Resolume reports faster composition loading, particularly in projects with many layers and groups. MIDI processing has also been optimised to reduce interface lag when handling dense control data. The Arena title bar now indicates when a composition is opening, saving, or closing, making internal busy states more visible during live operation.

These changes are described as workflow and stability improvements rather than architectural changes. Performance gains are not quantified and are Not independently verified at press time.

Wire gets more readable

The update includes several usability changes to Wire. A new Patch Navigator panel allows faster navigation in large node graphs. A Notes panel has been added for in patch documentation. Texture previews now appear when hovering over outlets, and new commands allow inserting nodes before or after existing connections with automatic rewiring.

The node search popup now shows previews, and new nodes include Kaleidoscope, Gaussian blur, cylindrical and spherical coordinate tools, and a stable sort node. Resolume describes these as quality of life improvements rather than new rendering features.

Effects and control plumbing

A new CRT effect has been added, built in Wire and fully editable. Resolume positions it as a starting point rather than a fixed look. MIDI and OSC monitors can now be paused and resumed, allowing inspection of incoming data without continuous scrolling. The REST API has been expanded with new calls for loading compositions, opening multiple clips, adding columns, and checking file accessibility.

Where this sits for VFX people

Realtime event graphics and VFX pipelines do intersect, particularly around LED volumes, previs, and on set playback. However, Resolume remains focused on live performance and operator driven graphics rather than shot based rendering or asset management. It is quite a cool, vibrant tool for what it is, but it does not try to replace traditional VFX or virtual production systems.

The post Resolume adds 10 bit colour and speed fixes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The new CardCutter add-on for Blender converts texture masks into usable 3D geometry for Nanite-based projects in Unreal Engine 5. Created by developer Philipp Russo, the tool simplifies building game-ready foliage and decals by generating optimised meshes directly from source textures.

CardCutter operates as a geometry generation tool that converts 2D texture data, either alpha-masked colour images or greyscale masks, into fully triangulated 3D meshes suitable for Nanite rendering. The add-on functions within Blender’s Python API and supports Blender 4.0 or higher. According to the developer, the geometry output is designed to conform to Nanite’s mesh constraints, favouring dense, evenly distributed triangles over traditional quad-based topologies.

Each processed mask is interpreted as a binary image, with the alpha threshold defining the polygon contour. The tool applies an internal vectorisation step to trace the boundary of the visible region, followed by a polygon simplification algorithm to remove redundant vertices. It then uses a relaxation solver to re-distribute triangle density uniformly across the surface, creating stable topology for Nanite’s internal micro-polygon clustering.

Automatic atlas splitting

When the user provides a texture atlas (for example, a leaf sheet), CardCutter automatically detects discrete masked regions using connected-component labelling. Each detected region becomes a separate mesh object in Blender’s scene graph. This removes the need for manual cutting or polygon mask painting, which is typically required in foliage production. Each region retains its local UV coordinates, preserving the original texture mapping from the atlas. The output meshes can be exported directly as FBX or glTF, maintaining UV alignment and pivot orientation suitable for Unreal Engine import.

Geometry presets for performance tiers

CardCutter offers several density presets: Low, Medium, and High, which define the target number of triangles per pixel area. The lower settings generate lightweight meshes for background vegetation, while the higher settings produce Nanite-ready geometry that benefits from Unreal’s automatic cluster streaming.

The generated meshes are particularly intended for organic and irregular silhouettes like leaves, vines, ivy, ferns, but the developer also notes suitable use cases in flat debris, stickers, posters, and paper scraps, where alpha planes normally create overdraw problems.

In Nanite rendering, alpha cutouts are computationally expensive since masked fragments are still rasterised. By converting them into actual geometry, CardCutter removes the transparency pass entirely, allowing the GPU to perform visibility culling at the triangle level. This is beneficial for scenes with dense foliage or decal overlays.

Export workflow and integration

Meshes generated by CardCutter can be exported directly from Blender using Unreal’s standard FBX pipeline. The add-on does not alter material data; instead, it preserves UV maps for external shading setups. Unreal users can apply the same texture as an opacity mask or base colour without modification.

CardCutter also supports consistent vertex orientation to avoid flipped normals during export. According to the developer, all geometry is manifold and suitable for Nanite import without further cleanup, though it may require triangulation if the user modifies topology post-generation.

Pricing and licensing

CardCutter is distributed via Gumroad. The Individual/Freelance licence costs €12 and includes full functionality, updates, and one user seat. The Studio/Enterprise licence, priced at €50, allows unlimited installations within one facility and provides priority support for pipeline integration. Both include lifetime updates and are maintained by Philipp Russo under The Triangle Forge label.

Technical limitations and notes

At the time of publication, CardCutter is compatible exclusively with Blender 4.0 or newer. The add-on does not currently support real-time texture-to-mesh previews or batch automation through the command line.

Users should test export consistency when integrating the tool into complex Unreal foliage systems that depend on hierarchical instancing or runtime material overrides. The add-on outputs static geometry only, without procedural modifiers or animation rigs.

The post CardCutter turns texture into Nanite meshes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Since CERN hasn’t yet opened a black hole under Switzerland, After Effects users may as well make their own. ProductionCrate has released Crates Black Hole, a free plugin that turns your timeline into a gravitational field. It’s part of the LaForge Suite, a collection of experimental VFX tools distributed through the ProductionCrate Portal app.

The plugin simulates relativistic lensing and accretion discs using a ray-marching algorithm. You can tweak physical parameters like mass, disc thickness, colour gradient, and absorption colour. The results range from physically inspired to gloriously implausible. Built-in volumetric fog and shadow casting add three-dimensional depth without leaving After Effects.

The recommended workflow uses OCIO colour management and 32-bit linear colour space to ensure the glow behaves like something that might have escaped from physics class. High-quality and default render modes allow users to trade precision for speed.

Black Hole Accretion and reflection

ProductionCrate’s demo suggests enhancing the effect with its Easy Glow plugin and dirty-lens overlays for a more cinematic look (Have your own interstellar at home!). The combination produces the faint grime, colour drift, and saturation roll-off characteristic of high-energy photography or a very very very very expensive and difficult to use telescope. The plugin allows chromatic aberration, curve-based colour shaping, and per-channel gradient biasing for the accretion disc. You can even simulate Doppler redshift, giving the illusion of orbital velocity differences across the disc.

Density and data

Crates Black Hole’s volumetric fog uses ray-marched shadows with adjustable step count, strength, softness, and falloff. Disc opacity, outer radius, and density parameters determine how the fog interacts with light. A lower ray-march step size increases quality at the cost of render time. The approach is computationally demanding but produces visuals well beyond traditional glow-and-warp effects. According to ProductionCrate, the system approximates gravitational light bending through iterative ray accumulation. Platform compatibility appears to cover both Windows and macOS under After Effects, though GPU dependencies were not specified and have not been independently verified.

Black Hole presets and controls

The plugin ships with preset configurations that demonstrate a variety of disc and fog behaviours. Each can be adjusted in real time within After Effects, with camera linking for orbital fly-throughs. Installation is handled through the ProductionCrate Portal, which also manages updates for other LaForge tools. A free ProductionCrate account is required.

Render quality can be increased by adjusting ray-march step size or maximum disc multiplier, both of which affect detail and smoothness. It is recommended to preview at low settings before switching to high quality for final renders.

Verdict: attractive forces

Crates Black Hole brings a dose of theoretical astrophysics and some fun to everyday compositing. Its physically-based ray marching and volumetric fog give After Effects users a taste of simulation-grade rendering without leaving Adobe’s 2D universe. Performance depends on system specs, but the results are striking. Particularly for a free plugin.

DP is reviewing the other tools in the LaForge Suite to assess their production potential. Keep your eyes open forthat. And until CERN changes its mind, this plugin remains the most practical way to bend light and time in postproduction. Test it carefully before deploying to the pipeline, and remember: in After Effects, nothing escapes the event horizon faster than your render time.

By the way, writing this news gave us a full-day earworm. Not difficult to guess, with our age, but here you go. The video still rocks, surprisingly.

The post DIY Gravity: Make Your Own Black Hole (In After Effects) 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.