Model Types

Simple Entities

By Simple Entity, we mean an object that consists of a single VXM file created in and exported from VoxEdit Modeler.

The object may be big and complex in design but, as long as it is stored in a single file, it fits into this category.

In regards to gameplay, simple entities behave like statues. They are mostly used for decoration and as static objects, such as Furniture, Tools, Weapons, Items, Consumables, etc.

  • Polycount (Facecount)

There is a limit of 5000 faces per asset, but ideally, assets should try to be as far from that limit as the design allows it.

High polycount puts more load on the performance of the game, so technically every face counts, especially for assets that can be used multiple times in a single game.

It is always important to find ways to simplify the geometry of your design without losing your concept.

Usually using painted textures (pixel art) instead of carved geometry, helps to keep nice details while saving a lot of faces.

You can use the animator to create interesting models made of rotating parts instead of doing every shape and diagonal with voxels.

In Vox Edit, the number of faces is located at the top left of your screen.

You can see below how with just a few changes you can dramatically increase the face count of your model.

  • 1 voxel (or one 1x1 node) = 6 faces

  • One 3x3 node = 6 faces

  • One 3x3 node - 1 voxel = 14 faces!

Here is another example where removing a face can drastically change the total face count of your assets.

In the above example you can see that: A has been filled with holes by removing voxels and = 1606 faces. ❌ B. Has the illusion of holes by using coloured voxels = 6 faces.

Over all this will lead to better performance, especially if the asset has repeated use in an expereience.

Faces show up on the animator, Voxels show in modeler. They are not the same.

Orientation

In both the Modeler and the Animator, the front of the asset must be facing in the same direction as the white arrow shown on the ground.

The front of the object must correspond to the orientation of the positive Z-axis

Compound Entities

By compound entities we refer to assets made up of multiple of VXMs. These get assembled in the animator and do not need to have animations.

Animated Assets

These are assets with at least 2 keyframes in different locations along the timeline, whether there is a change of position or rotation, the game maker will read it as an animation.

Unfortunately, animated assets will create a unique box collider as big as the entire asset’s animated asset space.

This means that the players will collide with apparent empty spaces even if the models are perfectly split, rigged, and cropped.

See the example below, the platform is animated and the player can’t stand on the surface.

The unique box collider is determined by the sizes of the individual model colliders, so it is still very important to trim all the models in animated assets as well.

Assets with multiple animations use one collider, and the animation collider is created from the first animation in alphanumeric order.

For instance, if your asset has 3 animations named Idle 01, Idle 02, and A Idle, the collider will be created from the A Idle animation.

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