Will glTF replace FBX?

by Aug 21, 2017General

What's better than fbx?

There is a big problem with FBX file format and Autodesk does not seem to want to address it. the issue from the 3d scanning side is the lack of Physically Based Rendering (PBR) support. FBX does not natively support PBR which makes it super difficult to prepare 3d assets and transmit data in a common format.

What we end up doing is we are having to save High-Resolution Source files in ZTL, a Zbrush format. Save the Base or Low-Resolution files in OBJ or FBX and save Texture files as TIFF or PNG. What we get out of all of this is a bunch of files without a proper way of putting all of this together so our product renders correctly on both Scanlab side as well as our Client's side, because FBX is unable to keep the links between PBR shaders, which are now the industry standard.

There is hope though, that soon there will be a better file format for transmitting such information. The one we're betting on is GLTF. This format will be compatible with almost all technologies which are currently in use by the Visual Effects, Games and even Virtual Reality.

If you have any wishes, suggestions or feel this article could be improved, please, do not hesitate to leave us your comments in the section below.

Best Regards,

Ruslan Vasylev

Ruslan Vasylev

Founder

 

Professional 3D Modeler with 17 years of combined VFX and Games experience, managing Vancouver-based 3D Scanning Studio,

Servicing Visual Effects for Film, Television, Games and Virtual Reality production studios.

 

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