Hi all,
this request comes from trying to get models created in SU into unreal4. Some amazing things are happening in unreal 4 and I think a lot of sketchup users are missing out. This is due to the way SU creates uv’s and exports models through the .fbx and .obj formats.
The unreal forums are littered with people trying and failing to get SU models into UE4.
The answer to these problems is to get/learn another program to uv map your model. I’m trying but it’s a whole mass of knowledge to take on board and understand. It seems a bit crazy. One of the delights about working with SU is its simplicity. For instance I never knew what a UV map was until sketch UV came out. They’re very important!!
I’m not sure if it’s possible but is there a way to get SU to export models so they are uv mapped like other 3d software??? Or a plugin that exports model for unreal4 (… playup doesn’t seem want to make one for unreal4 - Udk yes).
The problems seem to be (not that I understand them fully)
No second uv channel
Overlapping uv’s.
pretty sure it’s possible. If someone’s willing to hire me to look in to it, I’d gladly make this exporter. If I could get SketchUp in to V-Ray, I’m pretty sure I can get it in to Unreal.
Oh I have lots of ideas, and do all sorts of magic. It takes time to write software though, and I currently am supporting my family of 4, with nothing but freelance work . I might be able to write something and market it as my own IP at some point, but it’ll be a while unless someone can compensate my time while I write it. I suppose I could start a kickstarter for projects like this. Not sure how much demand there is though.
cmeed - The plugin I am currently working on, has a 6-8 week projected dev life cycle. My last product, V-Ray for SketchUp, took about 3 years to get up and running fully (starting from when we rewrote the plugin). So it all depends on how complex you want to get. I’m guessing it would take 3-6 months to write the exporter. If you are interested in contracting me to write it, I should be able to begin my next project in a couple weeks.
I found this plugin (PlayUp Tools) for exporting Sketchup models to Unreal Engine. You can download the export extension (PlayUp Tools Exporter to Game Enginesby Sushi 8 Studios) from Sketchup Extension Warehouse and download the import plugin for UE4 from Browse and Search the Unreal Engine Marketplace - UE Marketplace
Just playing around with it. It’s working but not getting all the textures right. Not much experience with UE4, but want to learn it.
Exporting a .fbx file from Sketchup Pro and importing this in UE4 is also working, but it’s better to add the textures (materials) in UE4 I think. Anyone else?
Unreal can automatically create lightmap coordinates by copy-ing the uv coordinates from the texture channel and to re-use and rearrange them for the lightmap channel. Its working for more simple objects. For more complex objects it will fail.
Unreal materials are superior to SketchUp’s. Just use the SketchUp textures (=uv coordinates) as a placeholder for more PBR Unreal materials.
. I might be able to write something and market it as my own IP at some point, but it’ll be a while unless someone can compensate my time while I write it. I suppose I could start a kickstarter for projects like this. Not sure how much demand there is though.