I developed one which uses Python/PyQT/SQL and perforce (was used sucessfully on our last project which is about to be shipped), but it's just for lighweight assets (.emdls). Basically all tracking is done using SQL, storage and version control is left to perforce, with only very lightweight wrapper library (I wrote it to simplify perforce interactions only) to interface with asset manager. It works on a higher level than just .emdl, deifning an asset as an abstract database record/entity, so you can have an asset which contains rigs, meshes etc. components. Component is defined as an abstract class with only save/load methods (which come from packagae specific custom module, so in theory should be easy to port to other 3d app) and a couple of properties like version and perforce path, so it's easily extendable to any component type (obj, textures, fbx files I even had some reference pictures etc.. as components within an asset). It makes it easy to add custom properties like root node and bone count for the rigs etc. All these components can be freely instanced between multple assets, so you can have a rig shared between multiple creatures, for example.
It is a push system, so when someone modfies and saves an asset, everyone gets it automatically (there is a warning and choice to cancel tho). We used it mainly for characters. I am not sure about performance (load/save/sync speed) when attempting this approach with caches/obj and other heavy data, but I'd think it's mainly dependend on the speed of your network/servers during sync/submit. For lightweight models it was very fast. I generate thumbnails on save and they are stored as plain files in perforce, also store connections between components in SQL records (link withs coming from rig .emdl to mesh .emdl, envelopes, etc), they are recreated on load, so there is no issue having connections between different components or mutiple instances of the same assets in the scene (evelopes and other stuff will connect correctly). QT takes care of the infterface, it's all displayed in a tree like browser with thumbnails. It's really nothing fancy, just simple database tracking with an interface, doing all perforce work for the user in the background. Having everything tracked in SQL database allowed easy comminuctations with our animation production database and export/importscene building tools. I am sure it can be done quicker and better with help of tools like Fabric Engine. On Tue, Sep 4, 2012 at 6:45 PM, Marc-Andre Carbonneau <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > > We’re looking into archiving and building a library of assets we have. > > > > By assets I mean: > > 3D assets(.obj, .FBX, .abc, .emdl…) and > > 2D assets(reference images, textures, concept art…) > > > > How are you guys organizing all this in your studio? > > Do you use a system that’s both a viewer and a repository or you’re using > regular windows folders along with a viewer? > > > > Thanks for any advice, info you can give me. > > MAC > > -- ---------- Michal http://uk.linkedin.com/in/mdoniec
