Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Jason shows how to use USD to import animated meshes into the Unreal Engine. Part of a 10-lesson workshop for aspiring technical artists. Expand this description for download links and more.

00:00 - Intro
00:07 - Animated USD and game engines
01:20 - Building the flag
01:30 - How loop_cache works
05:30 - Some ideas on tool creation for tech artists
08:50 - New Zealand represent!
09:15 - Vertex colors
11:25 - Rebuilding the animated export
11:40 - Define USD mesh
12:00 - Unique names
12:20 - Add to stage (visualise)
12:50 - Viewing switch (USD/BF)
14:40 - Setup USD hierarchy
16:10 - Material binding
17:30 - Setting up the materials switch
18:35 - Vertex color
19:20 - Hacking a default node for array input
23:30 - Hacking it again for correct workflow
25:10 - Texture/vertex color switch
26:45 - Checking it in Unreal
27:40 - Writing animated objects through USD
29:10 - Adding the port feedback system and logic
31:30 - set_stage_time_code
32:00 - Tidy up
36:00 - Use frame
37:10 - Set fps (set stage metadata)
38:20 - Check the USD file
42:00 - Recap
43:00 - Tool setup notes

Download the scenes, compounds, slides, lesson plans and other files to follow along or adapt for your own curriculum: areadownloads.autodesk.com/wdm/maya/bifrost_bootcamp_lesson_9_files.zip