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Add in transmission method and geometry (USD ShaderBall) infrastructure#2860

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kwokcb wants to merge 5 commits intoAcademySoftwareFoundation:mainfrom
kwokcb:usdshaderball
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Add in transmission method and geometry (USD ShaderBall) infrastructure#2860
kwokcb wants to merge 5 commits intoAcademySoftwareFoundation:mainfrom
kwokcb:usdshaderball

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@kwokcb kwokcb commented Apr 11, 2026

Purpose

  • Allow for USD ShaderBall preview and validation
  • Allow support infrastructure for transmission method testing

Geometry

  • Add in USD standard shaderball glTF (glb) file. This was converted from the USD asset repository content . Details of conversion can be found here
    • Only the shaderball without materials is converted.
    • No geometric properties were modified (*)

Viewing

  • Change the MaterialX Viewer to use the USD shaderball by default.

Materials

  • Update existing standard surface brass look document to include assignments which will work with the USD shaderball.

Transmission

  • Add a new look which uses the glass material.
  • Modify so that transmission method can be specified from command line vs having to run interactive. This allows batch rendering / capture for development as well as CI.

Results

Desktop MaterialXView

Geometry Material Preview
Arnold Shaderball Glass (opacity option) glass_opacity_arnold
Arnold Shaderball Glass (refraction option) glass_refraction_arnold
USD Shaderball Glass (opacity option) glass_opacity
USD Shaderball Glass (refraction option) glass_refraction

Web Viewer

USD shaderball with new glass look material document

image

(*) Note that the glTF modifications made here, are not included here. They are worth considering as a possible later change but suggested this be done on the original USD asset.

kwokcb added 5 commits April 11, 2026 09:35
- Add converted shader ball as glTF (glb) resource
- Modify existing brass look for std surface to use greysphere for non preview materials and add assignments for usd shader ball
- Add new glass look
- Change default for viewer to usd shader ball
- Add in "transmissionMethod" option: opacity / refraction. Default is still refraction. To allow command line rendering of different methods.
…gnment as

UI is tied to materials not assignments.
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