asset-optimization

Asset Optimization

Enforce budgets. Clean geometry. Game-ready validation gate before export.

When to Use

Before every export
After modeling complete
LOD generation
Scene-wide performance audit
Pre-delivery validation

Workflow

Audit → Identify Issues → Fix → Re-Audit → LOD Generation → Validation Report

Audit Checklist

Run via MCP scene queries where possible:

Geometry

Triangle count vs budget (blender-mcp-workflow skill → references/polycount-budgets.md)
Duplicate vertices merged
Loose geometry removed
Non-manifold fixed
Interior faces deleted
Applied transforms (scale 1,1,1)

UVs

Pack efficiency > 75%
Texel density consistent
No unintended overlaps

Materials

Count within budget
No unused slots
Names follow MAT_ convention

Organization

All objects named SM_ prefix
Collections organized per convention
Collision meshes in COL_Collision

Optimization Techniques

Issue	Fix
Over budget	Remove unseen geo, decimate, bake detail
High triangle count on flat surfaces	Reduce subdiv/bevel segments
Many draw calls	Merge materials; atlas textures
Repeated geometry	Convert to instances
Heavy modifiers	Apply and merge strategically

LOD Generation

LOD0: Full detail (hero)
LOD1: 50% tris — remove micro-bevels, small greebles
LOD2: 25% tris — decimate modifier; preserve silhouette
LOD3: 10% tris — impostor/card or simple proxy

Naming: SM_Asset_LOD0, SM_Asset_LOD1, etc.

Use Decimate modifier:

Planar mode for hard surface
Collapse mode for organic
Always verify silhouette after decimate

Modifier Cleanup

Before export:

Apply stack OR export with modifiers per engine support
Remove unused modifiers
Collapse mirror/array if instances not needed
Document which modifiers remain live

Scene Audit Report Template

## Optimization Report: [Asset/Scene]

**Total Triangles:** [count] (budget: [target])
**Draw Calls (materials):** [count]
**Objects:** [count]
**Issues Fixed:** [list]

### Per-Object Breakdown
| Object | Tris | Materials | Status |
|--------|------|-----------|--------|
| SM_... | ... | ... | PASS/FAIL |

MCP Integration

Query polycount per object via MCP
Query material count via MCP
Run cleanup operations via MCP
Generate LOD duplicates via MCP
Validate naming conventions via MCP scene tree

Constraints

MUST DO

Run full validation before export
Document polycount in production brief
Create LODs for hero assets in games
Fix all non-manifold before export
Output validation report

MUST NOT DO

Write code or snippets for Blender versions before 5.2, or add version fallbacks: this plugin targets 5.2+, and legacy branches teach users APIs that no longer exist
Export without budget check
Decimate deforming meshes without testing
Remove collision proxies
Skip naming convention validation
Optimize hero face/hands below animation needs

Scripts

Tested on Blender 5.2 LTS via the official Blender MCP. Run with execute_blender_code (or headless, see the blender-mcp-workflow skill); read the script header for every argument. When the user will paste code into Blender themselves, give them the short runpy call with the absolute path of this installed script and their ARGS. Don't inline or rewrite the script: the tested file is the point.

Script	What it does
`scripts/optimize_mesh.py`	Safe mesh cleanup for game assets: merge by distance, delete loose geometry, dissolve degenerate faces, recalculate normals outward, and optionally limited dissolve + triangulate. Works on mesh data directly (no mode switching) and reports before/after counts.

import runpy
result = runpy.run_path("<skill_dir>/scripts/optimize_mesh.py", init_globals={"ARGS": {...}})["result"]

ARGS: objects, merge_distance, limited_dissolve, triangulate, backup

Reference Guide

Topic	Reference	Load When
Full validation	`blender-mcp-workflow` skill → `references/validation-checklist.md`	Final gate
Polycount budgets	`blender-mcp-workflow` skill → `references/polycount-budgets.md`	Budget setting
LOD strategies	`references/lod-strategies.md`	LOD creation