Game Ready LOD Add-on Documentation

Welcome to the Game Ready LOD add-on for Blender! This add-on allows you to quickly create Levels of Detail (LODs) for your 3D models and efficiently export them, streamlining your workflow for game development and real-time applications.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Features

• Installation

• Quick Start Guide

• Detailed Usage

• Adding LODs

• Adjusting Visibility

• Applying LODs

• Exporting FBX

• Batch Exporting FBX

• Tips and Best Practices

• Troubleshooting

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Support and Feedback

Introduction

The Game Ready LOD add-on is designed to simplify the process of creating and managing LODs in Blender. It provides an intuitive interface for generating decimate modifiers, adjusting LOD visibility, applying LODs as separate objects, and exporting them in FBX format for use in game engines or other real-time applications.

Features

• Easy LOD Generation: Quickly add multiple LOD levels to selected objects with customizable settings.

• Visibility Control: Adjust the visibility of LODs to preview different levels in the viewport.

• Modifier Synchronization: Automatically select the corresponding modifier in the modifier stack when changing LOD visibility.

• LOD Application: Apply LODs to create separate objects for each level, organized in collections.

• Export Options: Export selected objects or batches of collections to FBX format using Blender's default exporter.

• Batch Export FBX: Export multiple collections at once with customizable export settings.

• User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive panels and controls integrated into Blender's sidebar.

Installation

1. Download the Add-on Script:

• Obtain the game_ready_lod.py file containing the add-on script.

2. Install the Add-on:

• Open Blender.

• Go to Edit > Preferences.

• In the Preferences window, select Add-ons from the sidebar.

• Click Install... at the top.

• Navigate to the location of the game_ready_lod.py file.

• Select the file and click Install Add-on.

3. Enable the Add-on:

• After installation, search for "Game Ready LOD" in the add-on list.

• Check the box next to "Game Ready LOD" to enable it.

• Optionally, save your preferences by clicking Save Preferences at the bottom left.

Quick Start Guide

1. Prepare Your Scene:

• Open your Blender project.

• Ensure your mesh objects are ready for LOD generation.

2. Access the Game Ready LOD Panel:

• In the 3D Viewport, press N to open the sidebar.

• Navigate to the Game Ready LOD tab.

3. Add LODs to Objects:

• Select one or more mesh objects.

• Adjust the settings under the "Settings" panel as needed.

• Click Add LODs in the "LOD Group" panel.

4. Adjust LOD Visibility:

• Use the Visibility slider to preview different LOD levels.

• The corresponding modifier will be selected in the modifier stack.

5. Apply LODs:

• Click Apply LODs to create separate objects for each LOD level.

• New collections containing the LODs will be created.

6. Export LODs:

• Select the objects or collections you wish to export.

• Click Export FBX or Batch Export FBX under the "Export" panel.

• Configure export settings as needed and complete the export.

Detailed Usage

Adding LODs

1. Select Mesh Objects:

• In the 3D Viewport, select the mesh object(s) you want to generate LODs for.

2. Configure Settings:

• Amount: Number of LOD levels to create (minimum 2, maximum 10).

• Intensity: Controls the decimation strength (1 to 100).

• Ratio: Adjusts the decimation ratio curve (2.0 to 6.0).

• Symmetry: Enable if your model is symmetrical to preserve symmetry during decimation.

3. Add LODs:

• In the "LOD Group" panel, click Add LODs.

• The add-on will add decimate modifiers to the selected objects based on your settings.

• A message will confirm the successful addition.

Adjusting Visibility

• Visibility Slider:

• Use the Visibility slider to change which LOD level is visible in the viewport.

• The slider ranges from 0% (lowest LOD) to 100% (highest LOD).

• As you adjust the slider:

• The corresponding LOD modifier becomes active and visible.

• The modifier is selected in the modifier stack for easy inspection.

• Current LOD Display:

• The Current LOD label shows the name of the active LOD modifier.

Applying LODs

1. Select Objects with LODs:

• Select the objects that have LODs added.

2. Apply LODs:

• Click Apply LODs in the "LOD Group" panel.

• The add-on will create new objects for each LOD level.

• LOD objects are organized into new collections named after the original object with the _LODs suffix.

3. Result:

• You will have separate objects for each LOD level.

• Original objects remain unchanged with their modifiers intact.

Exporting FBX

• Export Selected Objects:

• Select the objects you wish to export.

• Click Export FBX in the "Export" panel.

• Blender's default FBX export window will appear.

• Configure export settings as needed (ensure Selected Objects is checked).

• Choose the destination and filename, then click Export FBX.

Batch Exporting FBX

1. Prepare Collections:

• Organize your LOD objects into collections.

• Each collection will be exported as a separate FBX file.

2. Select Collections (Optional):

• If you want to export specific collections, select them in the Outliner.

• Enable Selected Collections Only during export.

3. Batch Export:

• Click Batch Export FBX in the "Export" panel.

• A file browser window will appear.

• Set the destination folder (the filename is not used).

• Configure export settings:

• Include:

• Selected Collections Only: Export only the selected collections.

• Visible Objects Only: Export only visible objects.

• Object Types: Choose which object types to include.

• Transform: Adjust global scale, axis settings, and apply transformations.

• Geometry, Armature, Animation: Configure as needed.

• Click Batch Export FBX in the file browser to start the export.

4. Result:

• Each collection will be exported as an individual FBX file.

• Files are named after their respective collections.

Tips and Best Practices

• Save Before Operations: Always save your project before adding or applying LODs to prevent data loss.

• Non-Destructive Workflow: The add-on doesn't modify your original objects when applying LODs; it creates copies.

• Organize Your Scene: Use collections to manage your objects and LODs effectively.

• Check Modifiers: Ensure that your objects don't have conflicting modifiers that might affect decimation.

• Test Exported LODs: After exporting, import the FBX files into your target application to verify correctness.

Troubleshooting

• No Objects Selected:

• Issue: Receiving a warning that no objects are selected.

• Solution: Ensure you have selected at least one mesh object before performing operations.

• LODs Not Applying:

• Issue: Clicking Apply LODs doesn't create new objects.

• Solution: Confirm that the selected objects have LOD modifiers added. If not, use Add LODs first.

• Export Errors:

• Issue: Problems when exporting FBX files.

• Solution: Check your export settings, ensure objects are selected, and that the destination path is valid.

• Visibility Slider Not Working:

• Issue: Adjusting the Visibility slider doesn't change the LOD.

• Solution: Make sure the selected objects have LOD modifiers. Also, the active object should be one of the selected objects.