OpenVAT
View full documentation at https://github.com/sharpen3d/openvat
Encode vertex animated textures (VATs) from your animated mesh for use in game engines and VFX. Bake any type of vertex animation: animated modifiers, animated geometry nodes, simulations, armature, shape keys, and more.
Exports an optimized VAT, a mesh with VAT-compatible additional UV set, JSON remapping data (to inform engine shaders), and optionally exports relative vertex normals in a secondary (VNRM) texture.
Install the satellite Unity package via Unity's Package manager for openVAT auto-import and setup tools for unity. Add via git with this URL - https://github.com/sharpen3d/openvat-unity.git
-See README in documentation for more details on Engine Usage.
Running the tool automatically sets up the newly-created VAT on an included geometry node method to decode the VAT and provides an example implementation and instant preview to check the quality of the generated information.
Encoding directly from dependency graph vertex information, this vertex encoding method is fast, accurate, and extremely powerful. Geometry node animations and simulations can be captured and exported accurately to game engines. Relative color space in RGB is remapped to MIN-MAX per-channel to represent the best-possible use of spectral information in RGB.
VATs are typically used for CPU optimization in game engines. With careful implementation in engine shaders, effects such as clothing simulations, complex character/creature animation, interactive/animated environmental effects and more can be driven by VAT on GPU.
What's New
1.0.3 May 19th, 2025
OpenVAT v1.0.3 — Release Notes
Release Date: 2025-04-29
Minimum Blender Version: 4.2.0
New Features
EXR Export Option Export as RGB(half) EXR in addition to the existing PNG option
RGB (no alpha) Default Export Previously, VATs exported with blank Alpha channel, now all exports strip the Alpha channel for better (RGB) formatting.
Custom Frame Range Encoding
Export VATs with precise control over the frame range to encode.Deformation Basis Options
Choose deformation basis from Start Frame, Current Frame, or a Custom Proxy object.GLTF Export Support Export model by default as GLTF or GLB (for Godot) or choose to not automatically export a model - handle this yourself after creating the VAT.
Attribute Stripping Often after creating a VAT, there is no use for vertex data like vertex groups and colors - an option has been added to strip this data from the mesh result, as to not carry unnecessary data.
Transform Space Control
Select whether to bake object space or world space deformation into the VAT.Target 'Collection Combined' Mode
Export a combined mesh from all objects in a collection into a single VAT.Normal-Safe Edge Splitting (Optional)
Automatically splits sharp edges for safe per-vertex normal capture without modifying the original mesh.
Improvements
- Refactored and organized code for improved readability and maintainability.
- General stability and execution consistency improvements.
- (functions and methods) for testing and eventual UI integration for custom attribute encoding.
IDK anything about what kinda work goes on behind the scenes of this, but it works and works well and without it my blender-unity pipeline for VAT would be impossible. I thank you for this. I must add tho, often I have to sort of "cheat" it to get it to make the damn texture. For no reason it refuses to do it with neither of the normals options checked, then another time it does it first try, then another time it doesnt work with the cleanup option checked, and yet another it does etc. I would REALLY like to be able to see what the hell its actually "thinking" and what exactly it does and how to stop it. For example it keeps outputting "vat.001" when the folder is emptied etc ect. Its very useful and mildly to medium frustrating. Please try and perfect it if you can.
sharpen3d has done an incredible job especially with this new version. It's intuitive to use, makes efficient use of texture space while keeping to power of 2 texture sizes, and is actively developed.
if you need easy vertex animation textures, look no further