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Manual 1.0 Manual 0.9.23
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Notch Essentials

Notch Essentials

Updated: 4 Dec 2023

Download Course Resource Pack

Introduction #

If you are new to Notch, this is the course for you. You’ll learn how to navigate the Builder UI, how to create effects, work with 3D objects and export your work. This course serves as the foundation for the Intermediate and Advanced courses and is a requirement to attend them in the future.

In this course, we’ll be using version 0.9.23.103 of Notch Builder. Make sure you are on the same or higher version when you start the course.
Throughout the course, we will also be using a resource pack we have prepared for you. You need to download (see above button) and unzip this pack on your computer before you continue with the course.

What you will learn #

  • Introduction to Builder: an in-depth walkthrough of the UI and workflow tools.
  • Video Compositing & VFX: adjusting the viewport, working with post-FX nodes, video nulls and green screen keying.
  • Lights: working with basic lights, deferred rendering, shadow casting, area lights, environment maps, volumetric lighting, using skyboxes and working with reflections.
  • Materials: basic material understanding, using separate material nodes, texture mapping and material editing inside of Builder.
  • Modifiers: workshop showcasing the use of math and continuous Modifiers, including some nice tips, tricks and best practices.
  • Particles: workshop teaching you how to set up a particle scene using Emitters, Affectors, 3D particle trails, IMAG emitting and post-FX.
  • File formats: we will explore the various 3D file formats and showcase the differences and benefits of each supported format (like .c4d, .fbx, .abc, .obj and .lwo)
  • Exporting: learning how to export videos (and the various options available), setting up a project for standalone EXE export, exporting to media servers for use as blocks, and network editing.
  • Tips & Tricks: we finish the course with a list of personal tips and tricks from Armin, including links to his favourite online resources.

Chapters #

01 UI and Workflow Overview01 UI and Workflow Overview

An introduction to the UI and Workflow

02 Video Compositing and Post-Processing Effects02 Video Compositing and Post-Processing Effects

In this chapter, we will look at applying post-effects to videos, how to combine multiple effects and how to work with video files in general.

03 Lights03 Lights

We'll be covering off simple lights, reflections, volumetric lighting, environment maps and image planes.

04 Materials04 Materials

In this chapter, we'll look at using textures and setting up materials, including their properties (metallicness, specularity and more). We'll also look at using advanced Substance materials.

05 Supported File Formats05 Supported File Formats

Time to look at using external files, specifically 3D formats.

06 Modifiers06 Modifiers

So far, we’ve looked at compositing video, building 3D scenes including lighting and texturing them. One way to give motion to your objects is using Modifiers, which are data generators that you can use to drive node properties, including their position, size, rotation and more.

07 Particles07 Particles

Notch has an incredibly powerful particle system. In this chapter, we’ll learn how to emit, control and render a variety of particles.

08 Export Options08 Export Options

Notch is not just for real-time use; you can of course export your work as video as well.

09 Tip and tricks09 Tip and tricks

Some useful nodes, links and resources as you get started in Notch.