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Modern 3D Realtime Engine (GPU) for VFX and Motion Graphics

After Effects finally needs a competitive 3D Realtime Engine (GPU) for 3D compositing and virtual workflows of the future. The Link to Cinema is too slow, complicated and unstable for simple 3D compositing tasks. So it needs something like "3D Elements" on steroids and native in AE.

Dranging some 3D Assets into AE, add some effects, tweak and light them, is a must have in 2022. Compositing, Motion Graphics and VFX are not only 2D/2,5D! - they happen now also in 3D and Realtime!

What this new real time 3D Engine needs:
- 3D Geometry Support (import/export)
- PBR Shaders
- Link to Substance Painter/Designer
- Primitives' and very basics modeling (box, spline) and deformer Tools
- Raytrace Lighting, Reflections (GPU)
- Support of 3D Volumes and Point Clouds (vdb.)
- Camera Mapping Tools
- Advanced Camera Tracker (more manuell control, constrains, import/export)
- Smart 3D Particles with Physics (node editor)
- VR HMD Support

thx

PS: I wirte this since years. please don't delete my requests again.

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  • Nate Foster commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    something like Element 3D built into AE would be amazing. Just for its super fast rendering of a 3D working space alone would be enough. Element 3D is VERY fast especially compared to the sluggish AE 3D working space. If the team at Video Copilot figured out how to make it work and work that fast, maybe the devs should have made some calls by now. Its original release was July 10th of 2012. Speed is important.

    an improved camera tracking workflow is essential
    https://adobe-video.uservoice.com/forums/911311-after-effects/suggestions/44600286-3d-camera-tracker-missing-functionality

    Camera mapping tools: absolutely.

    Anything we can do to not have to wait for another 3D render, but we need to be able to work faster than it would take to render out a new pass. I've had issues with EXRs with imbedded Cryptomattes literally taking 20-30 seconds to load PER FRAME. no other effects, just the file with cyrptomatte selections. I've done side by side comparisons with AE and Nuke and Nuke can select all the parts of a crtyptomatte needed and render out a matte faster than AE could just select 2-3 crypto matte areas. That's the speed issue I've been talking about.

    In the end, AE is 2 things: a compositing tool and a motion graphics tool. It's not a CG rendering tool. we don't have Redshift or Vray built in, nor do I want to deal with that.

  • Matt Tillman commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    The fact that AE still can't natively import FBX camera data is astounding to me.

    Regarding a 3d engine, I completely agree. The ability to pull in 3d models for simple tasks like plate reprojection or light projection templates is incredibly useful. Both Fusion and Nuke have supported this for years.

    No one is saying AE should be able to handle 3d in a way that rivals an actual dedicated 3d package, however there are so many compositing tasks that can be trivialised by the ability to import some cameras and meshes and do a simple openGL render.

  • pat pro commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    @ autocroma: At the moment i don't know any 3D package that can handle VFX Compositing tasks like Keying, Roto, Retouche, Tracking, Stabilizing, In painting, DeNoise, Color Grading and and and ...like Composting Tools like AE or Nuke.
    Blender is in my opinion the closest of all 3D Packages but still far away.

    Your Strategie makes only sense if you work mainly in 3D and add only a video BG or some 2D Plates into your 3D Scene.

    After Effects should go the way of Blender but only the other way around: Focus on Film/Video Compositing/Motion Graphics/Animation and add some Importen real time 3D functions and native import/export options of modern 3D/VFX standards like fbx, alembic, usd, vdb, bvh...

  • Patrick Proier commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    @autokroma: To mix 3D with 2D or Video Footage.
    It makes absolutely no sense to switch for every little 3D-task, like 3D camera mapping, insert a existing 3D object or vdb. particle volume, every time to Maya/Max/Houdini. If I like to animate or simulate a photorealistic, burning dragon with dynamic feathers who is jumping in a river this extra mile makes totally sense!!!, but not for simple 3D compositing tasks. ...further, this Link-Tools from AE to 3D packages (except to C4D) do not exist, or are very slow and not stable. I think, the Maya-Link isn't working over two years now!!! And there are no simple and streamlined workflows to bring your 3D tracking data fast to Unreal, Max, Houdini and the 3D multi pass renderings without troubles back. It's too complicated/slow that nearly no one works productive that way.

  • Bruno Quintin commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

    There are 3D engines that render photorealistic images at 60 frames per second and there is After Effects that does 15 frames per second to move a solid in the viewer. And that drops to 10 frames per second in the new Properties Panel ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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