So I'm starting a video tutorial series, for beginners. I hope they'll help out others in the same way free knowledge from the internet has helped me! If you've never used Blender, or you've never 3D modeled before, then what are you waiting for - Blender is free!
Download it, and lets get started modeling in Blender!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
P3D for Viewing 3D Models
So recently I ran into this awesome online 3D model viewer called P3D. With their service, you can upload a model of your creation, and let others manipulate it through a web browser! No, it's not FLASH, no it's not a plugin - it's just pure BROWSER! WOWZERS! To top it all off, the P3D.in service is completely free!
Click and drag over the model!
So far, I've experienced NO hiccups with this app. I only suggest leaving the "Toggle Subdivide Surface" button alone for models with high polys like Minitaur (created in Sculptris - yet another FREE masterpiece worth downloading and playing with). He has 152,262 faces so I implore you NOT to press it.
The program supports Diffuse, Normal, and Specular maps too! You can toggle between different shaders by using the buttons on the left. Minitaur has no maps on him, but you can view his wireframe-shader, and see his outrageous underlying Sculptris geometry.
Have fun uploading your models, and if you do, post a preview here to share!
Click and drag over the model!
So far, I've experienced NO hiccups with this app. I only suggest leaving the "Toggle Subdivide Surface" button alone for models with high polys like Minitaur (created in Sculptris - yet another FREE masterpiece worth downloading and playing with). He has 152,262 faces so I implore you NOT to press it.
The program supports Diffuse, Normal, and Specular maps too! You can toggle between different shaders by using the buttons on the left. Minitaur has no maps on him, but you can view his wireframe-shader, and see his outrageous underlying Sculptris geometry.
Have fun uploading your models, and if you do, post a preview here to share!
My Game: a work in progress
So, I started making a game with blender and Unity some time ago, but have put the project on the shelf for a bit, so that I can learn Maya and extend my skills in modeling.
If you want to know how I did anything in this game preview, feel free to leave a comment, and I will answer questions.
If you want to know how I did anything in this game preview, feel free to leave a comment, and I will answer questions.
Friday, February 3, 2012
My Notes
Here are my notes on Blender so far. I write them as I go along, I won't dress them up. This is just how I wrote them.
SHORTCUTS
link objects (materials) : CTRL+L
snap camera to viewport : CTRL+ALT+ NUM PAD 0
loop select : CTRL+R-CLICK
repeat action : SHIFT+R
transformation lock plane / axis : SHIFT+XYZ / XYZ
soft select ( proportional editing ) : Edit mode > O > MMB scroll for size
reflect geometry : set 3D cursor to center > pivot point 3D cursor > select object > S > choose axis > -1 >ENTER
align vertices to axis : select vertices > S > choose axis > NUM PAD 0 > ENTER
translate (grab) / rotate / scale : G / R / S
extrude individual: ALT+E
toggle edit / object mode : TAB
center cursor : SHIFT+C
set camera focus to object : Select object > NUM PAD DELETE
bezier curve to mesh : ALT+C
smart fill faces : ALT+F
beautify faces : SHIFT+ALT+F
inverse kinematics (select target then tip) : SHIFT+I
remove triangles : ALT+J
combine : CTRL+J
knife cut : K or SHIFT+K
select linked faces : L
move to layer : M
separate : P
clear bone parent : ALT+P
remove parent-child relationship : ALT+P
parent bone (select child then parent) : CTRL+P
loop cut : CTRL+R (scroll to add subD)
merge : W
rename bones: W
propagate to all shape keys: W
select more / less : CTRL+NUM(+/-)
hide / unhide : H / ALT+H
render portion: (camera mode) CTRL+B
NODE EDITOR SHORTCUTS (materials)
expand/ minimize group : TAB
group nodes : CTRL+G
add node: SHIFT+A
:: CULLING OPTION ::
Blender Render mode > N > Display panel > Textured Solid [on]
:: MIRRORING ::
Mirror in Object Mode: Duplicate > Scale -1
:: TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND ::
Render panel
png - rbga
shading - alpha - sky
:: Unwrap UV Map ::
Edit Mode > Create Mesh
Select edges > CTR+E > Mark Seams
A(select all) > U > Unwrap
UV/Image Editor Panel
UVs > Export UV Layout
(go to favorite image editor and create a .PNG with transparent background)
UV/Image Editor Panel > A (select all) > ALT+O ( Image > Open Image )
:: Transparent UV Image Mapping ::
Object Mode
Properties Panel
Object Data option > add new UV Texture
Texture option > add Texture
Preview > select Both
Image > select Image
Image > Premultiply / Premul (makes image edges smooth)
Image Sampling > Alpha > Use
Mapping > Coordinates > UV
Mapping > Choose the created UV Map
Influence > Diffuse > Color
Influence > Blend > Mix
:: Texture on a Transparent Material ::
Object Mode
Properties Panel
Materials > Transparency> Alpha : 0
Texture > Influence > Alpha : 1
:: Mirror Armature ::
Build half of armature
Name all bones to be reflected with .L extention
Parent to mesh and create empty vertex groups
Set Vertex Groups
Object Mode > Select armature
Duplicate > Inverse Scale to Cursor
Select duplicate > Edit Mode
Delete axis bones (ones that don't need mirroring)
W > rename (change .L to .R)
Object Mode
Select both Armatures > CTR+J
Delete original Armature Modifier from mesh
Select Mesh > select Armature
CTR+P > create empty vertex groups
Be sure that Vertex Groups is checked under the Mesh's Mirror Modifier
:: UV Image Black Background Problem ::
Set UV/Image editor to "draw image with RGB colors and alpha transparency"
Edit Mode
Select a plane
Properties > Object Data > Texture Face > Transparency > Alpha
Select all planes > CTRL+C > Copy Transparency
SHORTCUTS
link objects (materials) : CTRL+L
snap camera to viewport : CTRL+ALT+ NUM PAD 0
loop select : CTRL+R-CLICK
repeat action : SHIFT+R
transformation lock plane / axis : SHIFT+XYZ / XYZ
soft select ( proportional editing ) : Edit mode > O > MMB scroll for size
reflect geometry : set 3D cursor to center > pivot point 3D cursor > select object > S > choose axis > -1 >ENTER
align vertices to axis : select vertices > S > choose axis > NUM PAD 0 > ENTER
translate (grab) / rotate / scale : G / R / S
extrude individual: ALT+E
toggle edit / object mode : TAB
center cursor : SHIFT+C
set camera focus to object : Select object > NUM PAD DELETE
bezier curve to mesh : ALT+C
smart fill faces : ALT+F
beautify faces : SHIFT+ALT+F
inverse kinematics (select target then tip) : SHIFT+I
remove triangles : ALT+J
combine : CTRL+J
knife cut : K or SHIFT+K
select linked faces : L
move to layer : M
separate : P
clear bone parent : ALT+P
remove parent-child relationship : ALT+P
parent bone (select child then parent) : CTRL+P
loop cut : CTRL+R (scroll to add subD)
snap menu : SHIFT+S
align vertices to an axis : S > Axis > 0merge : W
rename bones: W
propagate to all shape keys: W
select more / less : CTRL+NUM(+/-)
hide / unhide : H / ALT+H
render portion: (camera mode) CTRL+B
NODE EDITOR SHORTCUTS (materials)
expand/ minimize group : TAB
group nodes : CTRL+G
add node: SHIFT+A
:: CULLING OPTION ::
Blender Render mode > N > Display panel > Textured Solid [on]
:: MIRRORING ::
Mirror in Object Mode: Duplicate > Scale -1
:: TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND ::
Render panel
png - rbga
shading - alpha - sky
:: Unwrap UV Map ::
Edit Mode > Create Mesh
Select edges > CTR+E > Mark Seams
A(select all) > U > Unwrap
UV/Image Editor Panel
UVs > Export UV Layout
(go to favorite image editor and create a .PNG with transparent background)
UV/Image Editor Panel > A (select all) > ALT+O ( Image > Open Image )
:: Transparent UV Image Mapping ::
Object Mode
Properties Panel
Object Data option > add new UV Texture
Texture option > add Texture
Preview > select Both
Image > select Image
Image > Premultiply / Premul (makes image edges smooth)
Image Sampling > Alpha > Use
Mapping > Coordinates > UV
Mapping > Choose the created UV Map
Influence > Diffuse > Color
Influence > Blend > Mix
:: Texture on a Transparent Material ::
Object Mode
Properties Panel
Materials > Transparency> Alpha : 0
Texture > Influence > Alpha : 1
:: Mirror Armature ::
Build half of armature
Name all bones to be reflected with .L extention
Parent to mesh and create empty vertex groups
Set Vertex Groups
Object Mode > Select armature
Duplicate > Inverse Scale to Cursor
Select duplicate > Edit Mode
Delete axis bones (ones that don't need mirroring)
W > rename (change .L to .R)
Object Mode
Select both Armatures > CTR+J
Delete original Armature Modifier from mesh
Select Mesh > select Armature
CTR+P > create empty vertex groups
Be sure that Vertex Groups is checked under the Mesh's Mirror Modifier
:: UV Image Black Background Problem ::
Set UV/Image editor to "draw image with RGB colors and alpha transparency"
Edit Mode
Select a plane
Properties > Object Data > Texture Face > Transparency > Alpha
Select all planes > CTRL+C > Copy Transparency
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Skinned Meshes (clothes)
To make a cloth scarf for my character, I modeled a mesh in Blender, and added an armature with a single bone.
In Unity, once an armature is added to a mesh, it is considered a skinned mesh and "Skinned Mesh Renderer" is automatically added as a component to a prefab set in the scene.
I then added a "Skinned Cloth" component to the armature's root bone in the prefab, and painted "max Distance" on the vertices.
Example:
2. In Object Mode, select your mesh > select your Armature > CTRL+P > create empty vertex groups.
3. Select your mesh and go to Edit Mode > Properties Panel > Object Data (the upside down triangle symbol) >Vertex Groups
7. Import to Unity.
8. Create prefab of the scarf to be used in scene > Drag it into the scene.
9. In the Hierarchy, select your scarf and navigate until you get to the bone you created in Blender. Your Skinned Mesh Renderer will be on this bone NOT on the mesh itself. See image below.
10. After selecting the bone, add the Skinned Cloth component. On the top menu bar select, Component > Physics > Skinned Cloth. Your scene should now look like the one below. You can copy my settings but I suggest reading the documentation and experimenting.
YOU'RE ALMOST DONE!!!
11. Click the paint brush button under the Skinned Cloth Component. This will allow you to paint weights on each of the vertices on the scarf. I only used the Max Distance parameter. The points at the tail end of the scarf are at 5 (long stretch), the ones in the middle are between 3 - 0.2 , and the verts at the neck have 0 (no stretch). This tool actually seems to be buggy, but with some tweaking, you'll get it right.
TRY IT OUT!!!
Find a way to attach your cloth to your character and watch it move! Have fun! And let me know if you still run into problems.
Example:
Create the scarf in Blender, then added an Armature and one tiny Bone where the scarf will attach to the character. You only needed one Vertex Group and one Bone for this example.
Before you even start, be sure that your scarf has enough geometry to deform! This means that your mesh should not be made of one square. The mesh works best when there are enough "hinges". Imagine a wooden snake. If the snake is only cut from one piece of wood, it will be stiff like a pencil, but if you create hinges in the wood, then the wooden snake will be able to bend at the hinges. See the image below. My scarf has a nice amount of hinges.
Before you even start, be sure that your scarf has enough geometry to deform! This means that your mesh should not be made of one square. The mesh works best when there are enough "hinges". Imagine a wooden snake. If the snake is only cut from one piece of wood, it will be stiff like a pencil, but if you create hinges in the wood, then the wooden snake will be able to bend at the hinges. See the image below. My scarf has a nice amount of hinges.
1. Model your scarf, then create your Armature in Object Mode and add one Bone to it.
2. In Object Mode, select your mesh > select your Armature > CTRL+P > create empty vertex groups.
3. Select your mesh and go to Edit Mode > Properties Panel > Object Data (the upside down triangle symbol) >Vertex Groups
4.Check that Weight is set to 1 (the highest weight) and be sure that you have a vertex group with the same name as your bone. This assigns the vertex group to the bone with a matching name.
5. Select all vertices on your scarf mesh > be sure that the vertex group is highlighted on the list > click Assign. It will look like nothing happened, but now when you click the Select and Deselect buttons, the assigned vertices will toggle on and off - this shows which verts are being controlled by the highlighted group
6. Export your model being sure to include the armature in whatever format you choose. (I used FBX).
 |
| Click for larger image |
7. Import to Unity.
8. Create prefab of the scarf to be used in scene > Drag it into the scene.
9. In the Hierarchy, select your scarf and navigate until you get to the bone you created in Blender. Your Skinned Mesh Renderer will be on this bone NOT on the mesh itself. See image below.
10. After selecting the bone, add the Skinned Cloth component. On the top menu bar select, Component > Physics > Skinned Cloth. Your scene should now look like the one below. You can copy my settings but I suggest reading the documentation and experimenting.
 |
| Click for larger image |
11. Click the paint brush button under the Skinned Cloth Component. This will allow you to paint weights on each of the vertices on the scarf. I only used the Max Distance parameter. The points at the tail end of the scarf are at 5 (long stretch), the ones in the middle are between 3 - 0.2 , and the verts at the neck have 0 (no stretch). This tool actually seems to be buggy, but with some tweaking, you'll get it right.
 |
| Click for larger image |
Find a way to attach your cloth to your character and watch it move! Have fun! And let me know if you still run into problems.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Alpa Transparency and Unity
I ran into a problem when I tried to create a material with a transparent texture in Unity.
The image (texture) would always show with a black background on my model. I had saved it as a PNG so it should have worked. The solution was to change the shader on the material to Decal and place the transparent texture image in the RBGA slot (the second one).
Also you can set the shader to Transparent-Diffuse or something similar within the Transparent option. Don't forget to set the image as the texture.
Shader options can be found by selecting the material in the Project panel, then choosing options in the Inspector panel.
link: How do I use Material/Texture alpha on a plane?
The image (texture) would always show with a black background on my model. I had saved it as a PNG so it should have worked. The solution was to change the shader on the material to Decal and place the transparent texture image in the RBGA slot (the second one).
Also you can set the shader to Transparent-Diffuse or something similar within the Transparent option. Don't forget to set the image as the texture.
Shader options can be found by selecting the material in the Project panel, then choosing options in the Inspector panel.
link: How do I use Material/Texture alpha on a plane?
Importing FBX files from Blender to Unity
First off, here are two good video to watch:
Importing Blender 2.5 Objects into Unity 3
Exporting a Lowpoly Model to Unity 3D
I had so much trouble with this that its not even funny (well it sort of is now) but it took me an incredibly long time to figure out how to get my lovely models from Blender into the Unity game engine.
Here is a checklist of things you must do and problems you may run into (I'm sure I ran into ALL possible problems):
"You need to have Blender version 2.45-2.49 or 2.56 or later (versions 2.50-2.55 do not work, because FBX export was changed/broken in Blender)." According to the Unity Manual.
Fix: Get the newest version (2.56a) which seems to be working fine for me.
You may get an error that says: "Object '...' has a scale of ..., Armature deformation will not work as expected. (Apply scale to fix). This is because the model was scaled, rotated, or moved around in object mode. If you don't fix this, you won't be able to save the .fbx file.
Fix: While in object mode with your model selected, click Object > Apply > Rotation (as well as Location and Scale). Be sure to set the origin to (0,0,0) Object > Transform > Geometry to Origin.
link to answer:
BlenderArtists.org: wont export to .FBX
You may succeed in saving the .fbx but find that there is nothing visible when you get into Unity. Also, you may have imported unwanted objects like camera or lights. Or you may have not been able to import animations.
Fix: The first video up top has the answer to that, so watch it for more detail, but basically you have to select the item(s) in Blender that you want to export before you save your .fbx file.
link to answer:
Importing Blender 2.5 Objects into Unity 3
Model imports to Unity VERY small! This problem has to do with Unity - it defaults to import fbx at .01 scale (sort of dumb).
Fix: in the Project panel, click on your imported model > look in the Inspector panel for the FBXImporter section > set Scale Factor option to "1". Then click somewhere else for it to take effect, some message will pop up - just click okay.
link to answer:
Objects from Blender (FBX Exported) are scaled wrong
For a while, my objects were showing up just fine in Unity, but when I pressed play, the model would "disappear"! If this is happening, your object is not disappearing from the scene, it is just jumping its location from where you put it to (0,0,0) the origin of the scene. I was so mad, but I realized that I had missed an important step.
Fix: You have to place a prefab of your object into an Empty Game Object. Click up top on Game Object > Create Empty. Shortcut (ctrl + shift + N). In the Hierarchy panel, the new Game Object will appear. Drag your prefab model object into this Game Object. Rename it to whatever you want.
links to answer:
3d Studio MAX FBX Export question
extreme newb - importing keyframed maya mesh
I highly suggest going to all of the links listed and reading the posts, because they were very helpful to me - they could give you a better idea of what you should do.
While trying to paint trees on a terrain I got this error : "Tree...couldn't be instanced because the prefab contains no valid mesh renderer".
Fix: Be sure to import a single mesh, object, or model or it may break Unity. I had my tree's Trunk and Leaves as different meshes in the saved .fbx file. After I went back in and joined the meshes in Blender and re-exported to .fbx as one mesh, the problem was solved.
Importing Blender 2.5 Objects into Unity 3
Exporting a Lowpoly Model to Unity 3D
I had so much trouble with this that its not even funny (well it sort of is now) but it took me an incredibly long time to figure out how to get my lovely models from Blender into the Unity game engine.
Here is a checklist of things you must do and problems you may run into (I'm sure I ran into ALL possible problems):
"You need to have Blender version 2.45-2.49 or 2.56 or later (versions 2.50-2.55 do not work, because FBX export was changed/broken in Blender)." According to the Unity Manual.
Fix: Get the newest version (2.56a) which seems to be working fine for me.
You may get an error that says: "Object '...' has a scale of ..., Armature deformation will not work as expected. (Apply scale to fix). This is because the model was scaled, rotated, or moved around in object mode. If you don't fix this, you won't be able to save the .fbx file.
Fix: While in object mode with your model selected, click Object > Apply > Rotation (as well as Location and Scale). Be sure to set the origin to (0,0,0) Object > Transform > Geometry to Origin.
link to answer:
BlenderArtists.org: wont export to .FBX
You may succeed in saving the .fbx but find that there is nothing visible when you get into Unity. Also, you may have imported unwanted objects like camera or lights. Or you may have not been able to import animations.
Fix: The first video up top has the answer to that, so watch it for more detail, but basically you have to select the item(s) in Blender that you want to export before you save your .fbx file.
link to answer:
Importing Blender 2.5 Objects into Unity 3
Model imports to Unity VERY small! This problem has to do with Unity - it defaults to import fbx at .01 scale (sort of dumb).
Fix: in the Project panel, click on your imported model > look in the Inspector panel for the FBXImporter section > set Scale Factor option to "1". Then click somewhere else for it to take effect, some message will pop up - just click okay.
link to answer:
Objects from Blender (FBX Exported) are scaled wrong
For a while, my objects were showing up just fine in Unity, but when I pressed play, the model would "disappear"! If this is happening, your object is not disappearing from the scene, it is just jumping its location from where you put it to (0,0,0) the origin of the scene. I was so mad, but I realized that I had missed an important step.
Fix: You have to place a prefab of your object into an Empty Game Object. Click up top on Game Object > Create Empty. Shortcut (ctrl + shift + N). In the Hierarchy panel, the new Game Object will appear. Drag your prefab model object into this Game Object. Rename it to whatever you want.
links to answer:
3d Studio MAX FBX Export question
extreme newb - importing keyframed maya mesh
I highly suggest going to all of the links listed and reading the posts, because they were very helpful to me - they could give you a better idea of what you should do.
While trying to paint trees on a terrain I got this error : "Tree...couldn't be instanced because the prefab contains no valid mesh renderer".
Fix: Be sure to import a single mesh, object, or model or it may break Unity. I had my tree's Trunk and Leaves as different meshes in the saved .fbx file. After I went back in and joined the meshes in Blender and re-exported to .fbx as one mesh, the problem was solved.
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