How powerful is Pro Builder

I have never used Pro Builder personally but I heard from my co-worker that all the Snaps Prototype assets are created with Pro Builder.

I never touched any modelling programs professionally before. Just some simple stuff like changing the pivot of the model if the modeller is too busy with other stuff etc.

Now, my question is how good is pro builder? Looking at Snaps Prototype assets it looks real powerful but the catch here is that the company behind the asset is Unity, same people who currently develops Pro Builder. They know it's ins and outs pretty well. From an outsider perspective how would you describe it? Also, features wise how would it compare with other 3D Modelling software's such as Blender or Maya? Does it have UV Mapping or texturing features and stuff etc.

What I am probably trying to understand is, is it possible to make a game using Pro Builder without ever touching any 3D modelling software?

 

ProBuilder is no substitute for a dedicated modelling program like Blender, etc. It does have UV and texture features, but they are nowhere near as robust or well implemented in a dedicated program. In fact, if you want to use something for environment modelling/prototyping, I'd go so far as to recommend skipping on ProBuilder and using the far more robust RealtimeCSG, which went free and open source not too long ago. It covers a few use cases that ProBuilder doesn't handle so well, such as windows and other holes.

 

Last time I tried pro-builder, it felt like extremely basic stripped down modeling program. Granted that was a very long time ago.

You'll be faster and more efficient with a dedicated modeling program. However, pro builder has an advantage of working in the viewport. On other hand it is probably the only advantage it has.

Like Murgilod said, RealtimeCSG is also a good option to consider (brush based building).

Details:

It is completely inferior to blender and maya and does not have even remotely similar feature set.

It depends on the game. Something like a low poly walking simulator or abstract shapes would be possible,

(Something like that, maybe?)

but in the end you'll want modeling software. By trying to use only probuilder only you'll be only making your life unnecessarily difficult.

 

Probuilder intended for mostly whiteboxing out of the box, ie prototyping levels.

 

blender and a few weeks of tutorials from YouTube and you’ll be able to make simple models quickly with relative ease. As mentioned, in editor tings like probuilder are good if you need to do some grey boxing. Anything else you’ll have much more efficiency to do in modeling app. I wouldMy recommend doing any straight up modeling in anything less than a dedicated 3D program like blender. The good news is they aren’t that hard to learn and all the instruction you could need is available free online. But you do need dedicated practice time to learn. The big thing is just understanding common workflows. Don’t get too hung up on individual tools at first, just try to get the big picture down first by going through several step by step tutorials and not trying to “get” all the details in first go.

 

This would depend entirely on the game.

But another question is, why would you want to? ProBuilder has its place, which is creating basic level geometry, and for some asset "bblock-ins". For props, set dressing, characters, etc. you'll want a separate modelling program which is designed for that type of work. Once you're using that then you might be inclined to skip the in-Editor modelling solution altogether, though I personally find it to be a useful part of our workflow. It'll depend on your game and your team. The key point is to use the right tool for the right job, rather than arbitrarily trying to stick to specific tools.

As others have suggested, RealtimeCSG looks snazzy, and I may well move future projects over to that for level geo and asset block-ins.

 

my question is how do i do maps for unity? proportions are very hard in blender, and i dont know how to implement damage models ore rigidbodys to the models. It feels like it is impossible to make destructable maps with blender and unity.

 

You can do pretty much anything with Blender and Unity! To make something destructable, you can use Blender veronoi fracturing to make broken pieces for any model. In Unity, create one prefab that has the original model (the good version) and a prefab that has all of the broken pieces included (the Broken version). Put a convex mesh collider and rigidbody on each piece in the broken version. Next, write a script that will replace the ordinary model with the broken version on certain conditions. You might want to add an explosion force on each piece to get things rolling.

If all of this is too much work for you, you can automate a lot of the asset creation with an asset store plugin. I hear the Rayfire is the best. I've used DinoFracture, but it took me a while to figure out how to get useable results from it.

 

Not that this is really related to the OP, but the suggestion to use two models, one fractured and one not is exactly how I implemented this. In my case, I wanted the object to crumble on impact and so I ended up baking the dynamics simulation in my 3D program (Cinema4D) as an animation track. Cinema has a voronoi fracture deformer that does what it sounds like Blender is doing.

Each time the object is hit, it crumbles a bit more and has accurate-looking physics and collisions. It turned out perfectly. I felt trying to do that dynamically in Unity was too risky and unpredictable.

 

IDK why people see Pro Builder as a modelling solution, it always has been for basic boxes and prototypes, that is a clear point in the documentation and all the tutorials on internet, the main use for pro builder is to create simple basic prototypes for your maps to use as guide in a professional dedicated 3d modelling software.
Yes you can do pretty cool things with pro builder or that Realtime CSG asset, but that's it.

Yes but your assets will be pretty basic and ugly.

 

Dusk was made with ProBuilder
https://mobile.twitter.com/duskdev/status/1204569581156732928

If you dig deeper you will find some pros/cons on how well it worked for that type of game.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2zh9Vh0Pec

 

my point exactly, ProBuilder is not useful to make games, is not its function

 

I occasionally use Probuilder as an additional tool in level design.
My levels are made out of modular kits that I create in Blender - this, for the most part, works brilliantly. I can pretty quickly and easily assemble and iterate on a level in editor.
But its not without problems - occasionally I encounter a situation where my kit actually physically cannot fill a hole in the floor because I simply don't have a set of floor pieces that would work there. sometimes, its way too specific a shape to justify going back to Blender and making a whole new floor piece (or multiple pieces) to fill it.

So, I just fill the hole in the floor with Probuilder geometry. It can be whatever shape I want, and its very easy to make sure it fits because I am literally making it in editor. Getting the textures to line up can be tricky sometimes, but its not too hard.

Outside of that, I dont see much justification to use Probuilder for building an entire level unless your making a game thats going for a simpler look (Eg Dusk or Gloomwood, both of which I think use Probuilder). It does work - you can make a level with Probuilder. It its just a lot easier to do it in Blender or use a kit.

My general advice is to use Probuilder for prototyping, greyboxing, and fixing the occasional one-off problem. You shouldn't be using it to create an entire level (though it may be suitable for some games), or as a replacement for a 3d modelling program.

 

Yeah definitely, using Probuilder it would definitely be difficult or maybe impossible to create the sort high-quality environmental graphics you'd expect in a modern game level (retro styles aside).

Although, one thing that I could see Probuilder being very useful for is to create a low-poly mesh collider for your level. That way, no matter what adjustments to your level that you need to make in the editor, you can quickly and easily update your collider mesh to match.

 

It’s not very powerful. It’s very limited by design, but even with those limitations in mind, it falls short of being average.

 

Yeah, that definitely sounds like a sensible use case for Probuilder. The toolset is pretty clearly designed for flat, clean, and simple geometry. Such geometry is pretty much what you want for collision meshes, or indeed any mesh that serves a purpose aside from communicating gameplay information (ie is visible to the player)

With all that said, I do want to clarify something: While I dont recomend it, it is okay to use Probuilder, or any tool for that matter, for level design. People have been using it like this for a long time now and its worked for them.
The only 'incorrect' usage of probuilder that truly baffles me is using it as a replacement for 3d modelling software altogether.

 

i disagree, is very useful for concept, definitelly more than "average" watch some tutorials and learn how to use it, for a tool to make concept levels is more than enough

 

I guess Probuilder cannot compete with Blender. But Blender and other software has so much functionality, it can get very complicated to use. Many 3D modellers will tell you speed in creation is very important. Probuilder can make things quickly and simply. I really think many people have used Probuilder for a limited time and cannot see much of it's potential if you delve in to it and think outside the box when creating things. After all, you create the model, not the software. I have put together some basic tutorials on Youtube under Buildmdr, on how to overcome some perceived drawbacks at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnjZhrOAIzLMgkEGnUzU2Yw. It might help to change your mind a little.

 

You mean the potential for it too fall apart after things get somewhat complicated?

People have indeed experienced that:

(skip to around 11 minutes)

 

it is clear that the answer to this question "How powerful is Pro Builder?" is right there on the website, is literally the first thing on the feature's page and i think this thread does not need any other answer, comment or anything, just go to the page, read it and you will understand how "powerful" it is. But if you don't get it (like many others here) i'll give you a hint... Design, prototype, and play-test levels rapidly in the Unity Editor.



Edit: to be clear, you don't make pro levels or complex models with this feature.

 

So we all agree, even Unity, that it's not very powerful, or do we have a disagreement somehow?

 

Probuilder and Umodeler (a 3rd party modelling system) can both be very effective depending on what you need to do. Neither are trying to replace blender or Maya, but do allow the generation of items in game, in an environment you are used to. Umodeler X has some much more advanced items than probuilder, however, probuilder can do things umodeler does not.. Right tool, right job. Umodeler, is not really for making scenes.. its for making objects / models/ even basic characters, probuilder is more for making buildings, landscapes, mazes, tunnels, and larger things. It can make smaller things, but Umodeler(X) does do that a lot better.

 

Yeah I wouldn't make landscapes with probuilder. Any 3D tool is going to depend more on the person using it than the tool itself. IMO most 3D modeling programs are way too complex. Probuilder is great for hard face modeling, not so much for sculpting. Most 3D models are horrible for real time rendering so regardless of what people are using, they are usually not using it very well....might as well use what's most intuitive to you, because it doesn't make a difference other than your ability and understanding of realtime 3d modeling and OPTIMIZATION.

 

Simply not true. Whether you are using probuilder or not has nothing to do with making modern game levels look good. It doesn't matter. What does matter is the materials and the way the models are made. There is no detail limitation in probuilder and I use it to make detailed levels all the time. I didn't use probuilder to make all of SP Bakery, but I could have easily and it would have NOT made a single difference. It's still faster and looks better than most 3D assets (without post processing).

 

Yes, in the sense that a good artist will figure out the strengths and weaknesses of a tool and play to its strengths and work around its weaknesses to get the results they want.

But there are tools that are definitely better or worse in certain tasks if not in terms of results, definitely in terms of how fast you can get to those results (and those 2 are the same, right? if you get to better results faster, you have more time to further improve your results).

ProBuilder didn't have the ability to remove an edge for many years (maybe it does now?), if it's mostly on the user I guess that didn't matter either. If the tool hangs or crashes when your models get complicated, does that not matter?

The last page of the manual of Lightwave had the famous "it's a poor craftsman that blames his tools" line. It was repeated a lot by lightwave users on the forums during a time where important people had left the company that made it, and the software was clearly past its prime and dying a slow death. I'm having a strong sense of deja vu these days, but maybe it's just me.

Because people can do great things in spite of their tools, it doesn't mean that their tools don't matter. A tool may demand more time, more energy, more frustration and can completely suck the joy out of creation, and that's why it matters, a lot.

 

You can delete faces. Deleting an edge seems problematic, but we might be talking about the same thing.

I hear you on the rest. How fast a tool performs is really on per person basis.

Blender did this to me when I first started. The interface has been so much better since 2.8 though.

I have the same hotkeys and control scheme set-up in blender that I have in probuilder. I just really like seeing exactly what my models/materials are looking like in unity in realtime. Personally, it's helped me make my models display more consistent, especially across rendering pipelines.