Manipulating DepthKit 's mesh files or OBJ sequences in Unity runtime without using Depthkit Unity plugin

Volumetric Filmmaking External Tools
1

Greetings
My questions are about manipulating a DepthKit mesh file (the clip itself) or an OBJ sequence in runtime for VR, authored in Unity Pro. Basically I need other choices for particle effects; I’m not too interested in retaining the texture/.mtl/rgb video.

  1. Can Unity’s VFX Graph target/use DepthKit’s mesh files directly without having to first export OBJ sequences? There is “static mesh sampling” and “point cache volume baker” in 2019.1 (LWRP), but I do not have knowledge or experience with these topics. Would like to hear about your experience.

I’m just finishing shooting DepthKit clips for a Unity VR project, and I would like to hear about your workflow, your caveats, etc. I’m not a programmer (other than some cut-and-paste C# hacking) but I use Maya for Unity and am proficient in After Effects and other 2D authoring environments.

The target for all this now is Oculus Rift or Vive.

As older legacy solutions:

  1. I know that Keijiro might import DepthKit’s mesh files directly, but I cannot find the information.
  2. I know I can export from DepthKit as an .OBJ sequence and use other Unity plugins such as:

Runtime OBJ Importer (free)
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/modeling/runtime-obj-importer-49547
With this I can grab a single still frame from an obj sequence then use it within a particle system. Correct?

SimpleOBJ _ wavefront.obj importer ($15)
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/input-management/simple-obj-22195
Ditto. With this I can grab a single still frame from an obj sequence then use it within a particle system. Correct?

MegaCache - .OBJ sequence importer with runtime particle effects ($50)
https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/modeling/mega-cache-26522
This imports and plays back an obj sequence with limited effects.

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Hey @NickVenden! To clarify, is your intended platform Unity for an XR experience, or are you open to other VFX tools?

We are currently revamping our Unity integration to support this kind of work. In the meantime, Keijiros’s DKVFX may be a good place to start. You can find the details here.

When it comes to obj sequences in Unity, we find that they can be too heavy for the game engine. I recommend importing a quick test before trying some of these plugins that you have mentioned. When you export an obj sequence from Depthkit, you can also reduce the mesh density, which will likely be needed.

Hope that is helpful and we’d be happy to keep you posted on our Unity development!