Games vs Cinema fidelity, wind control, and UE5

[mabab]

Trying to understand the differences between the versions in regards to UE5, fidelity, and wind controls. With nanite we're now leaning toward high poly tree meshes (~2mil), and no need for LODs. What we'd like to do is use cinema library assets with UE5 wind control.

Which package would allow us to do that?

Some other specific questions:

Can SpeedTree Game ingest and export Cinema library assets to UE5 for wind control?
Can SpeedTree Game ingest Cinema library assets and export fbx models?
Can SpeedTree Cinema export assets to UE5 for wind control?
Can SpeedTree Cinema import/export Game library assets?

Sorry for all the questions. Thank you for clarifying.

Mabab

[genevieve]

Hello mabab

In your case, the Game modeler would be the appropriate choice as the Cinema modeler can only be used in pre-rendered visualizations and not for real-time renderers (as prohibited by our EULA).
With the game modeler, you'll be able to export directly into UE5. You can find more information about export here .

To answer your question, you can export an FBX to UE5, but you will loose the wind information. To add wind to that model you would need to set up your own shader. If you want to export the Speedtree wind, other formats are available for you.
ST can be exported directly in Unity and Unreal and it will set up the material/wind/LODs for you. You can also export ST9 in UE4+, you can find more information about the two formats here!

Now regarding the last 2 questions, you can't export a model from the Cinema modeler to an engine and yes you could import or export a game model with it... just not to an engine.

Let us know if that answers your questions!

[mabab]

Thank you for the clarification Genevieve.

To clarify one note/question. Can cinema library assets/purchases be used freely in the SpeedTree Game modeler for real-time renderers? For UE5/ST/ST9/FBX exporting? Are there any EULA restrictions on doing that?

Thanks

[genevieve]

Hello mabab

Sorry I forgot to mention that, you can use cinema models in the Game modeler for real time rendering

[cheeses_H]

I find this all quite confusing, I'm about to get a license for work, and we are using UE5. They asked me what license do you need? So I looked at the site and said - tbh I'm not exactly sure!

With nanite I'm not expecting (hopefully) to need LODS, for instance, and we are looking for very high quality meshes - more polys/less alphas. What is the difference between a cinema tree and a games tree if bought off the store - like can my top LOD on a games model look as good as a cinema model?

Or is this a moot question as I'm not allowed to use a 'cinema' tree from the library in UE5 anyway - and what's the reason for that anyway, seems kinda strange?

[genevieve]

Hello cheeses_H

Both the cinema modeler and the game one can handle a large number of polygons. Like mentioned before, the Game modeler would be the appropriate choice as the Cinema modeler can only be used in pre-rendered visualizations and not for real-time renderers as UE5 (as prohibited by our EULA). There lies the main difference between the two versions of the modeler.
Plus, with the game modeler, you'll be able to export directly into UE5. You can find more information about export here .

If you buy a VFX tree on our library, there are a few parameters however that are optimised for the cinema pipeline that will need to be modified once imported in the game modeler:

• You will need to convert Batched leaf generators to Leaf generators (right click on the node / Convert to Leaf mesh)
• The wind will need to be changed from VFX to Games if you are exporting ST9 trees or Legacy for ST

Let us know if you have further questions!

[cheeses_H]

Ok we've ordered the Game modeler! Thanks for the quick reply