Asset Composition using Scene Instances

This is how you can create more complex models using Scene Instances in Uniform. A workspace file in Uniform can contain multiple, independent scenes where you can work on different assets. These assets can then be instanced into other scenes to build the final model. Uniform automatically tracks all dependencies between scenes and updates the model in real time as you edit individual assets. This allows you to manage complex projects while keeping everything organized and editable.

To get started with scene instancing, you’ll need at least two scenes in your workspace. When using the tablet profile, Uniform automatically creates a scene with a GeoMesh sphere by default. This scene is initially named “Main Scene,” but you can rename it later.

Open a new tab, scroll down the preset list, and select GeoMesh Cube. This will create a new scene containing a GeoMesh cube within the same workspace. For this example, we’ll be creating instances of this cube scene within the main sphere scene.

In the current viewport header, you’ll find the Global Scene Source button. Clicking this sets the active scene in that viewport as the global instancing source. Any scene instancing action performed in another viewport will use this source scene. You can verify which scene is set as the source in the top bar, and you can also clear the source using the same button.

Now switch back to the tab containing the viewport with the main sphere scene and tap on the sphere to activate it. Open the Add panel and scroll down the preset list; you should see a new “Scene Instance” preset. Selecting it will create an instance of the cube scene you previously marked as the source.

You can also insert instances of the source scene using the Scene Instance tool. Click and drag to place a new instance with your desired scale. The instance will be oriented with its positive Z-axis pointing away from the surface.

Unlike other object types in Uniform, scene instances can be scaled. After selecting an instance, open the Evaluator panel and adjust the scale value within the Scene Instance module.

To change the scene displayed in a viewport, open the Viewport Settings panel and choose a different scene via the Scene ID property. From here, you can also rename or delete scenes in the workspace. Note that closing a scene’s viewport does not remove it from the workspace.

Finally, let’s create a new tab to edit both scenes side by side and view real-time changes. Open a new tab and select “New Arrange.” From the menu, choose “Horizontal Split” under the “Empty Arrange” category. This will split the tab into two empty panels, ready to be configured.

In the left panel, select “New Arrange.” Under the “Scene Arrange” section, you’ll see a list of all scenes in the workspace, with one highlighted. The highlighted scene will be used to build the Scene Arrange below. If the sphere scene is selected and you choose the Single Viewport preset, Uniform will create a viewport for the sphere scene in that panel.

Repeat the process for the right panel, but this time select the cube scene before choosing the Single Viewport preset. With this setup, you can edit the cube scene while observing real-time updates in the sphere scene. The workspace still retains full-screen tabs for each scene if you want to work on them individually.