Exporting FBX Geometries

If you are prototyping a 3D scene layout in Flame, or you want to send a particular model to another 3D program, such as Maya, you can export the FBX, make changes, then re-import it into Flame.

Supported objects available for FBX export are:

• Surfaces
• Geometries
• Lights
• Cameras
• Point Cache
Note: Textures and Extended Bicubic surfaces are only supported at the current frame (that is, animations are not supported).

To export an FBX geometry:

1. In the schematic, select the FBX geometry that you want to export (or no selection if you are planning on exporting the whole scene).
2. From the right-click contextual menu in the schematic, select Export.
3. In the Export Geom menu, select whether to export Selected Objects or All Supported Objects.
4. Set other export options, as needed (see below).
5. Set the filename and directory path for the export.
6. Click Save.
Tip: When re-importing the FBX geometry into Action, enable Import As Action Object in FBX Options to import Action objects embedded in the FBX file, that had been previously exported from Action. For example, an exported FBX with extended bicubic data remembers this upon re-import, and creates the Extended Bicubic surface, in addition to the Geometry. UDIM-enabled Action textures are exported to matching UDIM tiles, so they can be loaded in other software.

Support for Stingray PBS Shading on Export

Using FBX export, Flame supports Stingray PBS shading to Maya, 3DS Max and Stingray. This ensures physically based rendering parity and assets exchange between these applications.

Flame supports the default configuration of Stingray PBS. On export, the following maps and parameters are supported and exported as Stingray PBS material in the FBX file.

• BaseColor
• Roughness
• Metallic
• AO
• Emissive

Flame supports only the default configuration of Stingray PBS, which allows for the usage of BaseColor, Roughness, Metallic, AO and Emissive texture maps, as well as their individual colour values and float values, when no maps are used. They are imported to Action as corresponding texture maps or shader/material node values.

On Export the opposite happens:

FBX Export Settings

FBX Mode box

Select whether to export all supported FBX objects, or only the selected FBX objects.

File Extension field

Displays the default extension for the file type selected (in this case, FBX).

Filename field

Displays the file name for the exported FBX model. Editable.

Pixels to FBX Units field

Displays the scaling factor to apply to the exported FBX file to be used in the 3D application. Use the Units box to select the unit of measurement. Editable.

Units box

Select a unit of measurement to apply to the exported FBX file.

Framerate box

Select a framerate for the exported FBX file.

FBX File Version box

Select which FBX version to export the file to.

Bake Animation button

Enable to add a keyframe at every frame of the exported FBX camera file.

Export Axes button

Enable to export the animated axes present in the Action scene.

Export Point Locators button

Enable to export the 3D point locators created by the Analyzer.

Note: You can also export Cameras and 3D Cameras to the FBX format, from their respective menus.