Blender

From Game Making Tools Wiki
Release date:
Made by: Open-Source
Runs on: BSD
Haiku
Linux
Mac OS
Raspberry Pi
Windows
Imports:
Exports:


Blender is mostly recognised as a free 3-D modeller (with an idiosyncratic interface), but it also functions as a video editor. It's probably the most advanced, and most popular, completely free 3-D modelling software available, so a very useful thing to learn.

It used to be able to be used to make games, but support for that was dropped in version 2.8. UPBGE and Armoury3D and successors to this functionality.

Add-ons

Modelling

Level Design

  • Level Buddy is a pay-what-you-want CSG-based level modelling plugin.
  • Level Builder is a USD$20 plugin for composing levels from different blocks (you have to model the blocks).
  • libsm64-blender - Let's you move Mario round your Blender models D:

Warnings / Workarounds

Blender and Godot

NB: Info here may be out-of-date. I think it naturally works better with Blender stuff now? — rjt (talk)

Godot doesn't get along so well with Blender's implementation of collada / .DAE files, but you can install the plug-in 'Godot Engine's "Better" Collada exporter for Blender' to get a better export.

I think for current versions of both programs you're better served by just export as GLTF2, see:

There's also a plug-in for exporting to Godot's native scene format:

Godot Game Tools helps with animation and tileset things.

Blender and Unity

Blender and Unity treat models a little differently: The forward direction is X in Blender and Z in Unity >:s

More info., and solutions in the guides section.

See Also

  • Blender in the guides section of this wiki.
  • Blender on Wikipedia.
  • Bforartists - A fork of Blender aimed at remedying Blender's often complained about interface, making it more intuitive. It should be noted the the interface for Blender 2.8 has had a big overhaul, and it's pretty neat now!
  • UPBGE - Game engine using Blender.
  • Armoury3D - Game engine using Blender.