What are the best practices for ensuring your 3D models are suitable for virtual sets?

2 Choose your file format

Another factor that affects the suitability of your 3D models for virtual sets is the file format that you use to export them. Different file formats have different advantages and disadvantages, depending on the software and hardware that you are using for your virtual set. Some of the most common file formats for 3D models are FBX, OBJ, GLTF, and USDZ. You should choose the file format that best supports the features and functions that you need, such as animation, lighting, textures, and metadata.

3 Apply proper UV mapping

UV mapping is the process of assigning coordinates to the vertices of your 3D models, so that you can apply textures to them. Proper UV mapping is essential for ensuring that your 3D models look realistic and consistent in your virtual set. You should avoid overlapping, stretching, or distorting your UVs, as this can cause visual artifacts and errors. You should also use appropriate UV layout and packing methods, such as UDIM, to optimize your texture resolution and quality.

4 Use PBR materials

PBR stands for physically based rendering, which is a method of simulating how light interacts with different materials in a realistic way. PBR materials are composed of various parameters and maps, such as albedo, metallic, roughness, normal, and ambient occlusion. Using PBR materials for your 3D models will help you achieve more accurate and consistent results in your virtual set, as they will adapt to different lighting conditions and environments. You should follow the PBR standards and guidelines for creating and applying your materials, such as using linear color space and gamma correction.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?