Importing Scenes

Crown can import most useful elements from 3D scenes saved in FBX format. When you import an FBX file, Crown opens a dialog where you can select import options and choose which parts of the scene to bring into your project:

../_images/import_fbx.png

The FBX import dialog.

FBX import dialog

The FBX import dialog is divided into two main sections:

  • Units: import geometry, lights, cameras, materials and any associated textures.

  • Animation: import skeleton and animation clips. If your scene contains no animations, you can ignore this section.

One FBX per clip

A common workflow for animated 3D models is to export the geometry and skeleton together in one FBX file, and export each animation clip as a separate FBX file. Crown supports and recommends this approach because it simplifies asset management and make faster iterations possible.

To import models organized in this way, always follow these 2 steps:

1) Importing geometry and skeleton

Start by importing the FBX that contains the geometry and skeleton. In the Project Browser create or select the target folder, make sure Import Animations is unchecked, then click Import to begin:

../_images/import_fbx_unchecked_animations.svg

Disabling animation import when importing geometry and skeleton.

When the import completes, the unit (geometry), the skeleton, and any other objects you selected in the Unit section will appear as separate items in the Project Browser:

../_images/project_browser_import_clips_unit_and_skeleton.svg

Imported unit, skeleton, and related resources in the Project Browser.

2) Importing animation clips

After importing geometry and skeleton, import the FBX files that contain the individual animation clips. Right-click the same folder, choose Import..., and select the FBX files with the clips. In the importer dialog:

  • Uncheck the entire Unit section to avoid importing any undesired resource.

  • Uncheck New Skeleton to indicate that the skeleton already exists.

  • Set Target Skeleton to the skeleton you imported in the previous step.

../_images/import_fbx_select_skeleton.svg

Selecting the target skeleton when importing animation clips.

When the importer finishes, it creates an animations folder and places the imported clips inside it, with correct references to the existing skeleton and geometry:

../_images/project_browser_imported_clips.svg

Imported animation clips in the dedicated animations folder.