Welcome to OpenUSD in One Weekend — your gateway to mastering Universal Scene Description (USD), the industry-standard framework revolutionizing 3D content creation and collaboration.
What You’ll Learn¶
This book series is designed as a practical, weekend-intensive journey through OpenUSD. Whether you’re a 3D artist, technical director, software developer, or curious enthusiast, you’ll gain hands-on experience with:
- Core USD Concepts: Stages, layers, prims, and the fundamental building blocks of USD scenes
- Python Scripting: Programmatic creation and manipulation of USD files using Python APIs
- Asset Management: Building modular, reusable 3D assets and complex scene hierarchies
- Animation & Dynamics: Creating time-varying data, animations, and physics simulations
- Advanced Workflows: Multi-layered compositions, variants, and collaborative pipelines
- Real-World Applications: From digital twins to metaverse content creation
This book focuses on Python scripting with OpenUSD rather than GUI-based workflows. You’ll learn to harness the full programmatic power of USD, enabling automation, customization, and scalable 3D production pipelines.
Accessibility & Platform Support¶
Tested on recent versions of macOS, Ubuntu/Debian-based Linux distributions, and Windows 10/11.
This book is designed to be accessible and inclusive for learners at all levels:
- Plain-language explanations with step-by-step guidance
- Screen-reader friendly structure with semantic headings and alt text
- Copy-pasteable code and fully runnable scripts
- Minimal setup using
piporcondaorPython in Blender; no proprietary tools required - Cross-platform parity: the same exercises and scripts work on all major OSes
Why OpenUSD Matters¶
OpenUSD isn’t just another 3D file format — it’s a comprehensive ecosystem designed for the future of 3D content. Originally developed by Pixar and now stewarded by the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD), USD has become the foundation for:
- Film & Animation: Major studios use USD for complex production pipelines
- Games & Interactive Media: Real-time engines leverage USD for asset streaming
- Industrial Metaverse: Manufacturing and simulation workflows built on USD
- AI & Machine Learning: Training datasets and synthetic content generation
Book Structure¶
This series is organized as a progressive weekend learning experience:
- Before We Begin 🎨
- Get inspired by Andy’s artistic USD creations, understand the USD ecosystem, and set up your development environment
- Day One ⚡
- Master the fundamentals — create your first USD files, understand scene composition, and build reusable assets
- Day Two 🚀
- Dive into advanced topics — animation, physics simulation, complex scene assembly, and optimization techniques
- After the Weekend 🌟
- Explore cutting-edge applications, integration with modern tools, and prepare for production workflows
Who This Book Is For¶
- 3D Artists transitioning to code-driven workflows
- Technical Directors building USD-based pipelines
- Software Developers entering the 3D graphics domain
- Researchers working with synthetic datasets and simulations
- Students learning modern 3D content creation technologies
Prerequisites¶
- Basic Python programming knowledge
- Familiarity with 3D concepts (geometry, transformations, materials)
- Willingness to learn through hands-on coding
Ready to transform your weekend into a USD mastery journey? Let’s begin!