Building USD Scenes

A USD scene is composed of multiple layers.

A layer is a container that comprises of information about an asset (eg. file/object), properties on an asset, its relationships and more.

Here’s an example of how a layer might look:

• In USD, objects and locations are called Prims, and come in many forms, such as cubes, meshes, and xforms.

• Prims can have various Properties which make up its Attributes. Editing these changes the Prim itself.

• Properties also define Relationships. These are the connections and interactions between Prims.

Note:  To read more about USD terminology, see OpenUSD’s USD Glossary.

How does it fit together?

In order to put together a scene, you will need various types of layers. Different layers have different functions, and certain layers naturally override others. Understanding and composing this hierarchy is key to building a USD scene. To learn about this, see Composition Arcs - Understanding LIVRPS.