Volume Grid VDB export to realtime viewer like Sketchfab

[cmeusy]

Hello,

I was wondering if a simulated VDB file from Phoenix FD (one frame volume grid) can be exported to a Realtime 3d viewer like Sketchfab. If so is there a file format that supports .VDB like .FBX or some other format?

Thank you,
C.

[georgi.zhekov]

Hey,

The VDB format is quite universal, so if the viewer or the application supports reading vdbs - it should be working with vdb files exported from Phoenix.

Cheers!

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

cmeusy , does Sketchfab support volumes though?

Also, sorry if I'm pointing out the obvious, but does the Phoenix Standalone Preview work for you (https://docs.chaos.com/display/PHX4M...ne+Previewer)? What is your workflow?

[cmeusy]

Hello Svetlin / Georgi,

Not familiar with the previewer, I will look at that more carefully thank you.

No Sketchfab does not seem to support volumes. However people are somehow slicing the voxel grid and applying a texture for that slice in XYZ. Seems like a tedious process to do manually.
But I would love to show off some Phoenix FD smoke/fire/explosions (Single frame) in a real time format like Marmoset Toolbag or Sketchfab online.

Attached is an example. The model viewer shows the grid construction.
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/fluf...9d2ea39eff74d1

The alternative I guess is converting the volume into a mesh, but how do I get a UVW texture projection onto the mesh?
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/expl...2fec5f5556a621

I know this is a bit outside the scope of Phoenix, but it would be good to know of a way to export this into another real-time viewable format.

Thank you for reading.
Cyril

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Ahuuuum, looks like a lot of manual work if these were done manually. I wonder how we could make this conversion to a mesh more automatic somehow...