What are the best ways to optimize AR and 3D modeling projects for virtual and augmented reality headsets?

One thing helpful is also to merge as many meshes together as possible. If the model in the end can only be one mesh with one material this is great. Multiple meshes will create multiple draw calls in your rendering loop and you want to avoid having too many draw calls. Keep your textures as small as possible 256, 512, 1024 etc .. depending on the quality of the rendering you need.

When working on AR and 3D modeling projects for virtual and augmented reality headsets, it's crucial to optimize your models for a smooth and immersive experience. Unlike VR, where occlusion culling and baked lighting are commonly used, AR applications require different considerations due to the real-world environment. Focus on reducing polygon count and texture size without compromising quality to avoid lag and maintain high resolution. Additionally, utilize LOD techniques to manage model complexity based on distance. Real-time lighting adjustments should also be made to ensure models blend seamlessly with the surroundings. By prioritizing these optimizations, you can create AR experiences that are visually impressive and performant.

There's a solid workflow for making 3D assets suitable for games and AR/VR experiences. Ideally, assets should be built with a low-poly approach from the start to make optimization easier later on. To optimize a 3D asset effectively, focus on reducing its geometry without losing important details or UV maps and simplify geometry by baking normal and displacement maps into it. Don't forget to use Draco mesh compression when exporting to GLB/GLTF format. Additionally, optimize materials using a PBR workflow and texture packing. Adjust image texture sizes based on how objects will appear in the scene; objects closer to the camera may require larger textures.

To ensure your AR and 3D projects are fully optimized, it's crucial to test them across a range of devices. Don't just rely on computer screens; also use AR headsets like the Oculus Quest, HoloLens, and Magic Leap for a real sense of how your models perform in different environments. Additionally, consider testing on popular smartphones and tablets that support ARKit (for Apple devices) and ARCore (for Android devices) to understand how your project works on mobile AR platforms. Gather feedback from users and then iterate based on their insights. This hands-on approach ensures your project delivers a consistent and engaging experience for all users.

If you are using Blender and exporting to GLB/GLTF format, try using webP format on Export Options: it will save you precious megabytes and won't affect the quality of your textures.