Importing Exporting 3D Models - AK-NSF-EPSCoR/Vis-Space GitHub Wiki

This tutorial will be a quick rundown of the steps needed to obtain models that can be used in Vis Space with the software we have. This is largely directed at individuals who are intending to design software for presentations, or to properly use models found or purchased from online databases.

The software used will primarily be Blender as an extensive free resource, however there are a myriad of other modeling programs such as Zbrush, Maya, and SketchUp depending on the user's needs.

Importing and Exporting Models Using Blender

• To start, open up Blender to the default project. Depending on the setup, there will be a cube, a camera, and a light. Go ahead and delete all three by either right-clicking on the objects in the 3D view and then pressing the 'x' key, or by right-clicking the objects in the menu in the upper right of the default display.

• To import a model, go to File -> Import and then choose the file type of the downloaded model. Simply locate the model in the location it is stored, along with any textures or additional files it came with, and confirm the import.

• Exporting works much the same as importing, going to File -> Export, and then choosing the desired file type. After choosing a location and confirming, Blender will export the model and associated files such as textures if necessary to the chosen location.

• Blender supports most common modeling file types by default, and allows for more options by enabling addons. By going to File -> User Preferences and then clicking on the addons tab, a variety of options are available for expanding the default functionality. Clicking on the Import-Export tab on the left will then narrow down the list of addons to the available additional options for file types.

Use Cases

Development Software

• Software Development engines such as Unity or Unreal engine can take a few file types, however .obj and .fbx are the most straightforward to use. For any software developed for Vis Space, export models as one of the above types, and then import it into the projects through the use of file folders or importing directly through the engine.

Google Tilt Brush

• The Google Tilt Brush software allows users to import models into the application so that they can be made a part of the scene and drawn around or upon. It uses .obj models, and has a relatively simple import process.
• On the computer, going to PC -> Documents -> Tilt Brush -> Media Library -> Models shows all models that Tilt brush has access to. To add another model, simply add a folder, and place in the .obj file along with the .mtl and relevant textures if they exist.
• Then, upon opening up Tilt Brush, select the "..." icon at the bottom of the controller menu for more options and select media library. A list of all models in the earlier folder will then show up if they are the proper file type. Selecting an option from here will load it into Tilt Brush, a process that could take some time depending upon the size of the model file. Clicking on the icon of the loaded model will then load it into the scene, where it can be moved, rotated, and scaled at will using the controllers.