3D Scene
Updated: 28 Jan 2025
Add an imported 3D scene to the scene.
3D Scene
Method #
This node generates a self contained node tree from the meshes, lights, and cameras, within an external resource which has been imported from one of the valid scene file formats.
The supported formats are:
- LightWave (.LWO)
- Cinema4D (.C4D)
- FBX (.FBX)
- Alembic (.ABC)
When a valid scene resource is set, sub-nodes are created for each node imported from the original scene - such as objects, lights, cameras, bones or transform nodes - and linked together as they appear in the original scene’s hierarchy. This allows complex scenes with skins, skeletons and hierarchical animation to work properly. These sub-nodes may not be deleted, their linkages may not be changed and some of their parameters, such as transforms, can not be edited - they are representations of elements loaded from the imported scene file. However other nodes from outside of the imported scene may be connected to them.
In Notch, animation playback is framerate independent; there is no “frame rate”, and animations are interpolated accurately at any given time point. In some 3D packages, however, time is locked to a certain frame rate and there is no sub-frame interpolation of animations: the playback time is always quantised to a division based on the frame rate. This difference in behaviours can lead to errors in animation playback, when interpolations occur that were not intended - e.g. rotation going full circle when interpolating between values at two discrete frames. To resolve this issue the Lock to Frame Rate parameter may be used to force playback times to be quantised to divisions of a given frame rate as in the 3D package that authored the animation.
The outputs from this node are primarily transformation, but the internal nodes may be able to output their mesh data, lighting data, or camera data, if the object exists within the resource.
Parameters
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
Parameter Details Position X The objects position along the local x-axis.
Position Y The objects position along the local y-axis.
Position Z The objects position along the local z-axis.
Rotation Heading The objects rotation around the local y-axis.
Rotation Pitch The objects rotation around the local x-axis.
Rotation Bank The objects rotation around the local z-axis.
Scale X The objects scale along the local x-axis.
Scale Y The objects scale along the local y-axis.
Scale Z The objects scale along the local z-axis.
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
Parameter Details Position Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent.
Rotation Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent.
Scale Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent.
World Position Only Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties.
Inherit Time Toggle inheritance of time from the parent.
These properties control the pivot position the object, the point at which the transforms will be applied around.
Parameter Details Pivot Mode Control where the pivot point is generated for the object.
Pivot Point Selection In custom mode, filter the points shown on the bounding box for placing the pivot.
Pivot Position X In custom mode, directly edit the x position of the pivot.
Pivot Position Y In custom mode, directly edit the y position of the pivot.
Pivot Position Z In custom mode, directly edit the z position of the pivot.
Dynamic Update Control whether the changes to the pivot dynamically update the object.
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details Isolate In Viewport When enabled, all other objects in the scene will be hidden and only this node will be rendered.
3D Scene Select a 3D scene resource to use (FBX, Alembic, LightWave, Cinema 4D).
Loop Start The start time of any scene animation.
Loop End The end time of any scene animation.
Playback Speed The relative speed at which the scene is played.
Visible Control whether the node is visible or not to the scene.
Loop Mode Change the way in which the time loops when the end of the loop is reached.
- Repeat : The time returns to that specified by the Loop Start parameter.
- One Shot : The time continues indefinitely and does not loop.
Lock to Frame Rate Quantise the playback time used in scene playback to exact divisions of the specified Locked Frame Rate.
Locked Frame Rate The frame rate at which the playback rate is quantised to.
Use Cameras Use the cameras imported within the scene node as camera nodes in the scene.
Use Lights Use the Lights imported within the scene node as light nodes in the scene.
Animation Set Select an animation set from the imported scene.
Convert To Editable Nodes Converts the entire scene to normal notch nodes, for easier editting and manipulating. Once converted to editable nodes, reloading the scene can cause problems to the node layout.
Inputs
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position X | The objects position along the local x-axis. |
| Position Y | The objects position along the local y-axis. |
| Position Z | The objects position along the local z-axis. |
| Rotation Heading | The objects rotation around the local y-axis. |
| Rotation Pitch | The objects rotation around the local x-axis. |
| Rotation Bank | The objects rotation around the local z-axis. |
| Scale X | The objects scale along the local x-axis. |
| Scale Y | The objects scale along the local y-axis. |
| Scale Z | The objects scale along the local z-axis. |
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent. |
| Rotation | Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent. |
| Scale | Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent. |
| World Position Only | Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties. |
| Inherit Time | Toggle inheritance of time from the parent. |
These properties control the pivot position the object, the point at which the transforms will be applied around.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Pivot Mode | Control where the pivot point is generated for the object. |
| Pivot Point Selection | In custom mode, filter the points shown on the bounding box for placing the pivot. |
| Pivot Position X | In custom mode, directly edit the x position of the pivot. |
| Pivot Position Y | In custom mode, directly edit the y position of the pivot. |
| Pivot Position Z | In custom mode, directly edit the z position of the pivot. |
| Dynamic Update | Control whether the changes to the pivot dynamically update the object. |
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Isolate In Viewport | When enabled, all other objects in the scene will be hidden and only this node will be rendered. |
| 3D Scene | Select a 3D scene resource to use (FBX, Alembic, LightWave, Cinema 4D). |
| Loop Start | The start time of any scene animation. |
| Loop End | The end time of any scene animation. |
| Playback Speed | The relative speed at which the scene is played. |
| Visible | Control whether the node is visible or not to the scene. |
| Loop Mode | Change the way in which the time loops when the end of the loop is reached.
|
| Lock to Frame Rate | Quantise the playback time used in scene playback to exact divisions of the specified Locked Frame Rate. |
| Locked Frame Rate | The frame rate at which the playback rate is quantised to. |
| Use Cameras | Use the cameras imported within the scene node as camera nodes in the scene. |
| Use Lights | Use the Lights imported within the scene node as light nodes in the scene. |
| Animation Set | Select an animation set from the imported scene. |
| Convert To Editable Nodes | Converts the entire scene to normal notch nodes, for easier editting and manipulating. Once converted to editable nodes, reloading the scene can cause problems to the node layout. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Transform Modifiers | TBC | TBC |
| Target Node | TBC | TBC |
| Local Transform Override | TBC | TBC |
| Position X | TBC | TBC |
| Position Y | TBC | TBC |
| Position Z | TBC | TBC |
| Rotation Heading | TBC | TBC |
| Rotation Pitch | TBC | TBC |
| Rotation Bank | TBC | TBC |
| Scale X | TBC | TBC |
| Scale Y | TBC | TBC |
| Scale Z | TBC | TBC |
| Get World Position X | TBC | TBC |
| Get World Position Y | TBC | TBC |
| Get World Position Z | TBC | TBC |
| Visible | TBC | TBC |
| LWS Time Controlller | TBC | TBC |