1- Will the .obj files be included with colors and textures? Right now they are only monocolor when importing in external software. Even when including vertex colors is checked.
2. Will .fbx export included?
I am asking this because I use twinmotion as rendering software and texturing is very complex due to monocolor obj files.
3. Is it possible to expect a link between twinmotion and shapr3d?
Hi,
For the OBJ, it depends on the software you import it to. Most doesn’t support vertex colors, even if we include them in the export. Which software are you using? Do they support the vertex colors for OBJ?
I am using Twinmotion. I do import .fbx files from other sources with colors and textures included. Only the .obj files from shapr are mono-textured. This means I have to first split bodies to texture edges , etc, which I would like to avoid, because its very labor intensive. I am checking the twinmotion forums now. Its seems there is a bug there.
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Hello Laci, I still can’t export an obj file with visible colors. Will there be an .fbx export coming?
We don’t have plans to add .fbx support at this point.
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This is a shame because we have just started using Shapr3D for asset creation for games. Pretty much everything is in FBX.
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Do you still need it, with UE now supporting CAD import? We have x_t as it’s the native format of Parasolid, and STEP should work too.
I think Unity might also support CAD import with a plug-in, but I’m not totally sure as I’ve just started studying Unity as it seems easier to learn than Unreal.
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I think there is a disconnect on how game assets are created and used.
- Asset is designed in modeling software (Shapr3D, Maya, etc)
1a. Rotate -90 on X axis if Shapr3D using Maya (or Blender — I’ve used both)
1b. We may do a cleanup step on models that don’t use quads using Maya
1c. Group meshes and export to FBX (both Blender and Maya work well) - Asset is then flattened. We prefer Rizom UV
- Asset is painted. In our case, Adobe Substance Painter
- Asset is then imported and the shaders are created for the asset. These may be very simple or very complex depending on the asset.
The problem with OBJ files is that they don’t allow for hierarchies — so if I import into into Maya it’s just a bunch of meshes with no hierarchy, not even a top level.
- STEP isn’t supported by Maya, RIZOM or Adobe Substance Painter.
- Maya and Adobe Painter are pretty important in my industry.
STL is supported by Blender, but in the case of my drone, all the meshes are union’ed together INCLUDING the rotors. Hard to make a rotor move if it isn’t an individual mesh.
I can get the individual meshes by isolating and exporting the body then each mesh that moves but that is FIVE+ different saves. Might as well go with OBJ, fewer chances of making a mistake.
But, again, lack of hierarchies means that someone has to recreate what may have already been created in Shapr3D. This is the reason I’m disappointed that FBX won’t be supported: it means someone has to recreate what someone else did before. Duplication of effort.
I hope I’ve clarified this. Please let me know if you need more info.
Thanks!
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Thanks for the detailed explanation!
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That’s a great post and explains things very well. 
For visualization try twinmotion. Its very easy and works on the Unreal Engine, meaning you can render very fast. Pathtracer only works on Windows though.
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Indeed, recreating the hierarchy takes a lot of time. I export folders from shapr and import them separately to get some sort of hierarchy back in my twinmotion file . Then when I change something in Shapr I export the folder again and import and delete the old folder . It isn’t fun.
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@sander @CannaSoftware Just out of curiosity: would glTF work instead of FBX? glTF supports scenes (hierarchy of objects), materials and mesh geometry.
I know for a fact that Blender can import it (although its import functionality doesn’t support compressed meshes/textures, but as far as I understand that’s not a problem for you). UE and Unity support glTF too I think, and Maya and the rest either have a glTF add-in or you can use Blender to convert .glTF to .fbx
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glTF would be perfect for me, if the materials applied to the Shapr models will be embedded as textures into the glTF file that is. Is it possible to add this export format to Shapr3D?
We are currently using Legacy Maya LT which does not allow addons (lucky us).
FBX, whether good or for ill, is the lingua franca of game asset design. It literally works with everything.
But if gITF is how you want to go, it is certainly better than OBJ. As long as it contained the hierarchy as designed in S3D and didn’t UNION all the meshes (like STL does).
Dear Levente,
I was wondering if there have been any updates regarding the exporting feature to glTF format. I’m currently facing considerable difficulties in preserving the applied colors and textures when transferring my designs to external rendering software. Working with monocolored .obj files generated by Shapr3D is proving to be extremely time-consuming. If integrating with Datasmith is not part of the roadmap, would it be feasible for your team to develop a glTF export option instead?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
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gITF would be great for me too.
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We see that glTF export would add a lot for many use cases, but we don’t have it on the table for this year. It would take resources from other Visualization-related features that are planned for this year.
I appreciate your response, Peter, even though it was a bit disappointing. I’ve grown proficient with Shapr3D, rapidly creating detailed models on my iPad. Your software’s modelling feature (on the ipad) is exceptional - truly unparalleled. However, interfacing with external rendering software has been challenging. I used to use Keyshot, but recently I switched to Twinmotion for its speedy real-time rendering.
While I commend the effort you’ve put into Shapr3D’s visualisation feature, and I do use it occasionally, it doesn’t quite meet the professional standard I require. I primarily rely on external render engines, and I don’t anticipate Shapr3D replacing that.
My workflow might seem unconventional - I design intricate products, parts, and architectural spaces and everything in between in one Shapr3D file on my iPad. This portable workflow allows me to keep all data in one file. It means I can send STEP files for furniture parts directly to manufacturers, and the overall architectural plan directly to builders. Improvements to the drawing feature would make this even better, But as I understand Its coming very soon.
Throughout the design phase, I rely on external rendering software for visualization, constantly adjusting components in Shapr3D and reimporting them into the rendering software to keep the client updated. The difficulty arises when trying to apply textures and manage files, due to the lack of hierarchy in .obj files. I intend to persist with this process for now, with the hope that Shapr3D will introduce updates to ease this workflow. Yet, this approach is becoming less viable given the mounting time and financial constraints.