Types of 3D Models Supported by Godot: 1 Minute to Understand Godot's 3D Model Capabilities

Godot is a powerful open-source game engine renowned for its flexibility and broad support of 3D file types. As of version 4.x, Godot supports a variety of 3D model formats, making it easy for developers, artists, and designers to integrate models from popular digital content creation tools. The most commonly used formats include glTF 2.0 (.gltf, .glb), Collada (.dae), Wavefront OBJ (.obj), and Godot’s own native scene format (.tscn, .scn). Among these, the glTF 2.0 format is highly recommended due to its efficient asset packaging, ease of animation export, and compatibility with PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflows. While importing, Godot automatically converts these formats to its internal structures, allowing seamless material, texture, and animation support within your projects.

As a designer, I find glTF ideal for architectural visualizations or interior design workflows—especially when you need accurate representations and smooth adaptability across platforms. For instance, when creating virtual walkthroughs, you can optimize layouts by leveraging compatible 3D files within an interactive 3D floor planner, ensuring both geometry and texturing stay true to your original concepts.

Tips 1:

Always check for model scale, pivot orientation, and texture compatibility before importing into Godot. glTF models typically preserve real-world scale and ORM textures (Occlusion, Roughness, Metallic), but formats like OBJ might require manual adjustments. For complex scenes or large environments, consider breaking down your models into manageable chunks—this speeds up scene loading and improves overall performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best 3D file format to use with Godot?

A: glTF 2.0 is the most recommended format due to its native support for PBR workflows, animations, and compact file structure.

Q: Can Godot import models with animations?

A: Yes, Godot supports animated models, especially through glTF and Collada formats which retain animation data during import.

Q: Are textures and materials imported with the 3D models?

A: Supported formats like glTF and Collada allow importing of embedded textures and materials, though some manual tweaking may be needed to match Godot’s PBR pipeline.

Q: Does Godot support Blender files directly?

A: Godot does not natively support .blend files; it’s best to export your Blender models to the glTF 2.0 format for optimal compatibility.

Q: How can I reduce 3D file size for my Godot project?

A: Use mesh decimation tools, bake textures where possible, and export in glTF (.glb) binary format to achieve optimal file size without sacrificing quality.