3D Objects

3D modeling is the process of creating an object (for example: a character, creature, clothing, or vehicle) via specialized software using vertices, and polygons in a simulated 3D space.

There are tons of different software options available to create 3D content and export it.

Below are some free, easy-to-learn tools:

• Blender: Modeling, rendering, animation (Free, open-source)
• SketchUp: Modeling with a focus on ease of use (Free)
• Unity: Cross-platform game engine (Free)

There are also several paid 3D tools for professionals and artists:

• Maya: Modeling and animation
• ZBrush: Sculpting, texturing and painting

All of the above softwares support export of .obj files, as well as other formats including .fbx, .glb, and .gltf.

OBJ files are a long running standard in 3D file formats.

A .obj file can contain one 3D object, which is a collection of 3D vertices and polygons. Although .obj files are widely used as a standard, they only support 1 mesh, and do not natively support lighting and texture files.

In order to support textures, an .obj file is often accompanied by a .mtl file (Material file). This .mtl file tells the 3D software what texture files should be assigned to an object, and the corresponding file paths to find those texture files.

Texture files are 2D images that contain color, bump, and even lighting information about an object. Traditionally, texture files are in either .jpeg or .png format.

In order to upload a .obj file with textures to Proto Cloud, you will need a .zip archive containing the .mtl file and any corresponding .jpg or .png texture files. The folder structure should look something like this:

Armchair.zip
|_ chair.obj
|_ chair.mtl
|_ Textures
      |_ chairtexture.png
      |_ bumpmap.jpg

 In the above example, the 3D object is an armchair consisting of 1 mesh, 1 material (.mtl file) and multiple texture files within a "Textures" folder.

Using your preferred 3D software, you can export a file tree similar to the one above and then zip the folder for upload to Proto Cloud.

Each 3D software is different, but typically, the software will have an option to export under File>Export...

Depending on your 3D software, you may also need to enable .obj exports from settings or install additional plugins. Youtube is an excellent resource for hands on tutorials on exporting 3D objects.

TIPS:

• Proto will try to play the object in 1:1 scale with real life on the Epic (objects may appear smaller in the M). Make sure your 3D object is exported in the correct unit of measurement in your 3D program settings. For example, Unity uses a default of 1 unit = 1 meter while other programs may use cm or inches as 1 unit of measurement. You can also adjust the Scale of the object once imported to Proto Cloud, using the "Scale" slider.
• Make sure you export the object with the correct orientation. Typically 3D programs will use the X-Axis and Z-axis as the ground plane and the Y-axis as the vertical axis. Other programs may flip this so that Z axis is vertical. Check your export settings to make sure your object is exported in the correct orientation.

Importing 3D Objects to Proto Cloud

To import a 3D object, simply log into your Proto Cloud account and navigate to the Content Page. Similar to videos, you can upload a 3D object file or zip archive by dragging and dropping or browsing on your computer.

Once you upload the file, you will be able to preview it and adjust certain parameters like "Scale" of the object. You can also save a thumbnail from your preferred view using the Thumbnail tool.

You can click and drag to rotate around the object in the preview window to view the object from your preferred angle. You can also apply a turntable animation by toggling on the Turntable setting. Any settings changes made here will also flow to your Proto devices once you hit "Save".

Assigning 3D Objects to a Proto Device

Once you have uploaded a 3D object to Proto Cloud, you can assign it to a Proto device for playback.

NOTE: Only Proto M units on Proto OS can currently play 3D objects.

To do so, simply open the options dropdown and select "Assign" and pick the devices you would like to assign the 3D object to.

Playing 3D Objects on a Proto Device

 To play a 3D object, you can simply select it from the touchscreen via the device (once it is assigned) or you can navigate to the Device>Device Details page to play from the Cloud.

Once a 3D object is on the screen, you can tap and drag to rotate around the object. You can also zoom with a two finger gesture.

Finally, you can stop the playback and exit the 3D viewer by double tapping on the screen. This will bring up an "X" button to close the player.