Why would someone Use ProBuilder or UModeler?

Hi everyone. I've been hearing about ways to model in the Unity Editor, by downloading a package like ProBuilder or purchasing an asset like UModeler. But I'm wondering why would someone use these in-editor modeling tools when they can just use a separate modeling software like Blender? Do they use these tools for prototyping? Thanks.

 

Faster, simpler, more effective for white boxing. No turn-around time, you see and edit your mock environment right in the editor where you have everything else. Obviously these tools aren't DCC applications (although I saw people do great things with them, but that's beside the point).

 

I'm a decent example. I can use Blender and have made unwrapped ,trees and rocks, an animated unwrapped zombie and hopping bunny and so on. But It takes me 20 minutes to relearn blender every time (and more to remember the export settings) and the "import, test, redo in Blender" cycle is long. Currently I'm using "simple" shapes like bevelled boxes, 2-ended cones, bevelled wedges, adjustable "chips"... created by my own code in Unity. Basically, I've probably written 1/10th of what those programs do. If I was more serious about it, and didn't want to find a modeller, buying one of those would be a good deal (well, probably, I've never seen either).

 

Ok, so basically people use these tools to make basic models fast?

 

If you're prototyping a level, I would think you're probably going to want to play-test over and over as you work- Is there an area that's annoying to navigate because the obstacles are too close together? Are there impossible jumps? Are there places where character can get stuck? Does an area have the scale (visual impact) that you want?

With Probuilder it's easier to start building your level/ test in play mode/ adjust your level/ test in play mode again/ make more adjustments/... and so on. It's possible to do the same with blender, but then you have to go back and forth between two applications.

Some people only use probuilder to "white box" the level (i.e. you're blocking out the functional geometry without any graphical detail). They call it "white boxing" or "grey boxing" because you only use Probuilder's default material and the level will look like plain grey, or plain white, blocky geometry. Once you get your level working perfectly from a game-play standpoint, then you can use something like an obj exporter to export your Probuilder model in to Blender to use as a guideline for creating a fleshed-out version of the level with detailed graphics https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/utilities/scene-obj-exporter-22250

Even outside of Probuilder and Unity, White-boxing/Grey-boxing is a standard technique in the Games industry.

 

Thanks. So white-boxing is basically when I prototype my level design by using basic geometry (with the default material)?

 

Yeah, The idea is that you don't want to waste a lot of time making intricate level art and then discover that your level doesn't really work for some reason. If you find out that you need to make big, sweeping changes, then you might end-up throwing out some art that you had already spent time on.

Also if you're hiring an artist or something, it's better to have the whole level planned-out ahead of time, so that you know what assets that you'll need. You may not have the luxury of requesting new assets at a later date when you're finally reworking your level.

 

But the thing is, I sketch out testable levels just fine with Unity's cubes and cylinders. A long tall cube makes a fine wall, and 2 or 3 can fake curved sections pretty well. I suppose if you make a lot of complex levels it would be worth learning a new tool. Triangular pieces are a pain, but even for those I can get a triangle mesh.

 

So you won't need to swtich back and forth beetween blender and unity editor while making level prototype.

If you use blender for making levels, the process quickly becomes very cumbersome. Model in blender, transfer to unity, adjust all the material, notice a problem, go back to blender, modify the problem and reimport.

That's why brush-based approaches are often used for prototyping Examples are Realtim CSG and Sabre CSG.

 

Got it

 

I also do it "just fine", but I get much faster when I start using ProBuilder. No surprises there, because that's what it's designed for. It's much faster to do a split and an extrude than it is to copy-paste another piece of geo, scale it to size and then snap it to the right place. Maybe just a few seconds for simple operations, but those few seconds add up.

And, that's for "simple operations". Sometimes I want to do something like "move half of the level so that the middle area is bigger". In tools like ProBuilder you can do that kind of thing trivially easily. Doing it with built-in primitives probably means moving a bunch of stuff (easy), then selecting a bunch of other stuff and manually re-scaling and moving them as well (fiddly, time consuming).

Or even "put a window in this wall" is pretty easy in a modelling tool, or moderately fiddly with just primitive shapes.

And that's all despite the fact that, last time I used it (quite a while ago), ProBuilder wasn't even close to living up to its potential. For that reason I'll be checking out some of its newer competitors next time I need to do that kind of work.