Working with Unreal in AYON

Last updated 5 days ago

Quick Start

Launch UE Via AYON Launcher

To launch Unreal Engine with AYON, users should start UE using the AYON Launcher instead of the Epic Games Launcher.

Unreal Project Structure

After opening your UE project, you’ll notice /Content/AYON/ folder which is the default AYON root directory. Its contents reflect AYON project hierarchy.

For more info refer to: Understadning AYON Unreal Project Strcuture

Meet AYON Tools

Build Sequence Hierarchy

Ayon supports to build the shot structure accordingly to the folder hierarchies. Users can click on Ayon menu -> Build sequence hierarchy

There would be the folder selector dialog popping up for users to choose the folders to build shot structure.

Once the users select the preferred folder(s) to build the sequence, AYON would create map(s) and level sequence(s) inside it.

It also builds the level sequence(s) in its parent folder, which stores level visibility of the map(s) and subsequences storing with the level sequence(s) of the preferred folder.

Loading AYON Products

Steps for loading AYON products

  • Choose AYON → Load ....

  • Loader window pops up

  • Select product to load

  • Right-click and select desired load plugin.

Each loaded product gets a AyonAssetContainer asset created in the same folder. It’s used for the product’s metadata, and you shouldn’t use it in the scene.
Instead, rely on the loader tool to load more products.

Static and Skeletal Meshes​

Unreal handles models and rigs as Static and Skeletal Meshes. These meshes can be loaded as FBX or as Alembic. Skeletal meshes can be also be loaded as a point cache, but with some limitations.

Available Loaders:

  • Alembic:

    • Import Alembic Pointcache: Load Point Cache from Alembic.

    • Import Alembic Static Mesh: Load Unreal StaticMesh from Alembic.

    • Import Alembic Skeletal Mesh: Load Unreal SkeletalMesh from Alembic.

  • FBX:

    • Import FBX Static Mesh: Load Unreal StaticMesh from FBX.

    • Import FBX Skeletal Mesh: Load Unreal SkeletalMesh from FBX.

When selecting Alembic loaders such as Import Alembic Pointcache and Import Alembic Static Mesh, A pop up window appears allowing you to choose which preset to use. Admins can set the default value in settings, here.

Cameras and Layouts

When working with layouts, Update only the layout.
DO NOT update rigs or models imported with a layout.

Available Loaders:

  • Cameras and Layouts:

    • Load Camera: Load Unreal StaticMesh from FBX.

    • Load Layout: Load Layout from a JSON file.

    • Load Layout on Existing Scene: In case you already loaded the assets in Unreal, or imported them manually, and have assembled a scene in Unreal, you can still load the layout to match the existing assets.

Linear Animation Vs. Interactive Modes

Admins can specify the mode in Unread Addon Settings.

This section explain concepts that helps users understand expected results of camera, layout and animation load plugins.

  • Linear Animation: Typically, the project hierarchy consists of several shots organized into scenes. When loading a layout or camera, AYON creates a Level Sequence for each layer. Then, AYON parents them to a Master Sequence to track the entire level sequence hierarchy.

  • Interactive: AYON creates only a single Level Sequence per layout or camera product.

Navigate Created Levels for Linear Animation Projects

The layout is divided into two subfolders. In /Content/AYON/Assets, you'll find all the rigs and models. The folder named after the layout contains the levels and level sequences.

When loading Cameras or Layouts, you'll see the same hierarchy. If you load one first, the whole hierarchy is generated. If you load the other later, and the hierarchy already exists, the new asset is added to it.

When opening the master level, go to the Levels window (Windows → Levels menu) to view the list of levels for each shot of the episode with a loaded layout.

Navigate Created Levels for Interactive Projects

The layout level should only contain data included in the layout. To add elements like the environment or lighting, create a master level and add your layout level as a streaming level along with other necessary levels.

Adding another level

In master sequences, you can add any other level you need.
For example, add the environment level so it's always loaded when you open the master level, or any level with lighting.

To add a level to the master level:

  • Open the Levels window
    (Windows → Levels menu).

  • Click the Levels menu in the top right corner.

  • Click Add Existing...

  • Select the level to add to the master level.

After adding the environment level, set it as always loaded by right-clicking it, selecting Change Streaming Method and choosing Always Loaded.

Otherwise, set the visibility in the master sequence.


Loading Animation

Loading animations only works with Linear animation mode.

Available Loaders:

  • Import Alembic Animation: Load Unreal SkeletalMesh from Alembic.

  • Import FBX Animation: Load Unreal SkeletalMesh from FBX.

Loading Images

Available Loaders:

  • Import image texture 2d: Load Unreal texture from PNG file.

Loading UAssets

Available Loaders:

  • Load UAsset

Loading Yeti Cache

Available Loaders:

  • Import Yeti: Load Yeti Cache.

Manage Loaded Products

Scene Inventory tool allows you to manage loaded products. e.g. to switch version or remove products.

Generic Actions

It includes

  • Update to latest

  • Set Version

  • Switch Folder

  • Remove Items

Every time you update/set the version, Ayon would create a new exclusive version folder which stores the related assets(level sequence and map) in the updated version if they never loaded.

Additional Actions

These actions are Unreal specific and they live in Actions sub menu when right-click any products in scene inventory tool.

Connect FBX Animation to Level Sequence

You can connect your loaded animation sequence and camera to the level sequence loaded via layout loader.

  • To connect your loaded animation sequence, click on the AYON icon in Unreal’s main taskbar, and select Manage.

  • Select the element(s) respectively from the animation and layout product type.

  • Right click Actions and Connect Fbx Animation to Level Sequence or Connect Alembic Animation to Level Sequence

  • It would add the loaded camera and animation sequence into the level sequence which stores the meshes loaded from the layout.

The current connect action is not applicable for the level sequence which has an existing camera cut track. If users want to connect camera and animation, they need to remove the camera cut track first and perform the action.

Publishing Products

Creator / Publisher is used to create and publish AYON publish instances.

To publish from Unreal, you need to create a publish instance.

  • Select your work in the Content Browser.

  • Click on AYON → Publisher ... to open the Publisher screen.

    • Create an instance:

      • On the top bar, switch to the Create tab.

      • In the Creator screen, select product type to create.

      • Set the name of the product.

      • Set Use selection.

      • Click on Create. This will create a AyonPublishInstance file in /Content/AYON/PublishInstances, with the metadata necessary to publish the asset.

    • Publish an instance:

      • Then, On the top bar, switch to the Publish tab.

      • On the left, you will see all the publish instances that you have created.

      • In the middle, you can see the publish attributes.

        You can publish the product to other AYON folders by changning the folder path attribute.

      • Select the ones that you want to publish, and click on Publish.

Available Product types to publish

  • Camera

  • Layout

  • Static Mesh (FBX)

  • UAsset

    Publishing UAssets has some limitations currently. You can only publish a single UAssets, and it must not have any dependencies.

    Before publishing, you need to make sure the template, which is used for publishing UAssets, has been set up.

  • Level

  • Render

Rendering

It follows the same steps outlined in the previous section Publishing Products.
Additionally, it requires few more steps to make sure it works as you need to setup your render queue configs.

It’s expected to have Movie Render Queue plugin.

Farm Rendering Requirements

AYON requires Render Queue and Render Configuration uassets to be physically present in the Unreal project.

By default, they are expected at these locations:

  • /Game/Ayon/renderQueue

  • /Game/Ayon/DefaultMovieRenderQueueConfig

It’s possible to create a custom render settings preset but you’d need to contact your admin to specify them in the Unreal Addon Settings.

Create render instances

Select level sequence and create render instance, you can also crete a new level sequence which creates a master sequence and selection to it.

Publish Render

Keep in mind that you can publish your renders to different AYON folder paths within your current project. For more information, see Unreal Project and Shots in AYON.

AYON Unreal render publishing supports two render targets:

  • Local Machine Rendering: Currently, this option doesn't perform rendering itself. It expects render files to already exist, similar to the "Use existing frames (local)" render target in other DCCs.

  • Farm Rendering: This option creates a farm job, where the farm handles both generating the render and publishing it.

    Farm rendering requires Deadline Addon and Unreal Engine 5 Plugin as well as Farm Rendering Requirements.