Making 3D Objects For Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality game and visualization engines like Unity usually don't include 3D modeling tools. You can make simple objects like font characters and geometric primitives, but that's about it. For making 3D models to populate a VR world-space, you'll need another software application like 3D Studio Max or Maya, or you'll need to find a resource for your models and animation.

Today there are many resources for 3D models of everything from furniture to automobiles to plants and animals to human bodies. TurboSquid is perhaps the best known by developers. There's so much competition among modelers that they usually give away a few of their less complex models to attract paying customers. That's how I came by the objects in the scene, above, minus the table. Pre-made animation is less common as it's typically application-specific and time consuming to produce.

3D models used in VR simulations and games usually include texture, bump, and light maps. It's good to know how to generate maps with a 3D modeling program, and how to tweak them in Photoshop. Ideally you will know how to modify sourced 3D models, too. The apples in the above image are clones of a single apple. I modified their surface geometry slightly, adding some randomness so they don't all look alike. I modified the materials and textures of all of the objects in the scene, then set up the lights and camera. I've been an artist and photographer most of my life so I understand shadow and light.

If you're going to do your own 3D modeling for a virtual reality experience, you need to know the basics. For ideas about how to approach the subject, search YouTube for 3D modeling and animation. As far as tools go, 3D Studio Max is free for three years to anyone with a .EDU email address. Blender is a free, professional product developed by a community of volunteers. If you're using Unity, search their on-line documentation for videos about importing and animating 3D models. Practice with some simple scenes and models first to get your feet wet.

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