How do we set up a custom scene for developing materials? This is a followup to the problem I was trying to solve in this post, now with a better subject line:
Why a custom scene? The sphere is not an ideal test shape for many materials, and the default scene has a pronounced blue cast to the lighting environment. That’s a 50% gray matte material but it sure looks blue, doesn’t it?
Step one, the Model
Pick a model that’s a better fit for the materials you’ll be developing.
1A: In the LOGIC panel, create an Attribute of type Asset / Material. Name it “Asset”
As far as I can tell this won’t work unless you use the name “Asset” throughout.
1B: Create a new rule with Action: Set Material. Fill out the rule to set [mesh name] to attribute [attribute name]. Click “Done”
Step Two, the Scene
Create a scene, add lighting to taste. (I like to use a simple HDRI with a big area light on one side, and an empty room elsewhere. Makes it easier to see how reflections work, how glancing-angle effects like fresnel falloff and sheen work.)
Add the model from step 1 to the Scene Objects. You can add more than one object, and not every object needs to get its material replaced. I like to use a “color calibration object” in the Scene to confirm my lighting is behaving as desired.
2A: In the LOGIC panel, create an Attribute of type Asset/Material, also named “Asset”
2B: Create a new rule with Action: Set Material. Set [model name(s)] to attribute [attribute name]. You can add more than one model to this rule, and it will override the material on all of them.
