How to Use Any 3D Asset In Construct Classic or 2

Hello all!

Today I bring you an incredible resource, I am only ashamed I didn't think to tell you guys about this sooner. I think some of you are going to lose your minds over this info. I made the switch to Unity about a year ago, and am actually coding in C# now, and couldn't be happier. So I didn't really think to come on these forums, that I never really took advantage of in the first place. Anyway....

So, how does the following sound: How would you like to be able to convert and 3D model to a sprite to use in construct? Be it one you made if you a a 3D artist, a free one you found online, or one you purchased? Not only static 3D art, but animated ones too. - Converting animated 3D models to individual frames as if you had animated it by hand like some kind of high poly Pixel art. Lets take it even further! What if you had thousands and thousands of particle effects at your disposal, from God Rays, to tornados, snow storms, rain, fire, etc. and could convert *those* to sprites as well?

Woah! We're getting a little crazy here huh?! It's all possible. Keep reading.

Upon my quest to find awesome assets in the Unity asset store, I found a $10 little plugin called "Sprite Maker" and it does everything I just talked about, yes, even in the Free version of Unity. So all you have to do, is grab a copy of Unity Free, and buy sprite Maker, and boom, you can convert models to sprites.

To be clear, I did not make Sprite Maker. It's such an amazing plugin this guy is getting free advertising through me because I think it's so great and could help people here. Imagine being able to use any asset store 3D asset in your construct 2 games. any model from turbosquid or the google 3D warehouse. It's endless. Guys it's freaking endless how much art would be at your disposal.

The best part is, once you have your models rendered as images, you can take them into photoshop and do whatever you want with them! Apply a filter, or trace over them with your graphics tablet. You can still have an original art style. That's why it's so amazing.

I really hope this helps you guys out. I know it doesn't really help anybody hear in terms of selling anything, but I truly hope this gives people a chance who don't feel confidant in their art skills yet, that maybe they can still make an awesome game as the resources for 3D to me look like they are like a thousand times bigger than 2D.

Also, if you're willing to spend another ten smackers you can do something else really cool. Unity has the ability to retarget bipedal animation to biped characters. There are plenty of resources to get animations for free. But if you get a rigged character, or make one yourself, you can get "Animation Baker" and bake the animations into your character, and then you'll be able to render it in sprite Maker. So basically, it allows you to animate your characters with custom animations so you can get exactly what you need, not just what it came with or didn't come with etc.

Links:

Unity: http://unity3d.com/

Sprite Maker: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/15688

Animation Baker: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/18217

My goal is not to steal people away from here and get them into Unity. Please don't take it that way. I am really trying to show you guys you can use Unity as a way to convert 3D artwork, to 2D artwork, to use inside Construct. If it weren't for construct I may never have had the courage to even try opening up a game engine in the first place, as the ability to not have to touch code is what made me feel like I could handle it. The team behind this app and site will forever hold a high place in my heart, and I respect everyone hear very much, it's one of the main reasons I made this thread for you guys.

Let me know what you think or if you have any questions! I hope this proves to be a great resource for this site! Take care everyone!

Are you aware of that all current 3d programs comes with modeling, animation and rendering? And any one of them can export images to many different formats without wasting time to export to other programs or using paid third party plugins.

Wow dude, that was harsh. You make it sound like I don't know what I'm talking about when it fact that would be you. However I will admit that it's partially in part to me not explaining what is you don't understand.

Not being a user of the Unity game engine, maybe you don't know that it's actually quite difficult to get assets *out* of the engine into another app. Have you ever even explored the Asset Store? There is some AMAZING artwork, a lot of actually that you can only get there. My main point of this thread should have been titled I guess "Use any Unity Asset Store Artwork with Construct." But the fact is you can also use your original artwork, as well as paid. So I broadened the title of my thread.

Also yeah, I am aware you can render a model as an image. Duh. That's kind of the whole point of modeling something haha! I'm no an idiot! But Sprite Maker automates the whole process. If you have the animations set up in the settings, you just click one button, and it captures all the frames out to individual images with PNG and transparent background. Also something I should note - when I used to convert my models to Sprites with Blender, I always had to edit out the background myself, and that takes a long time for *every* photo you convert. So Sprite Maker makes your workflow faster. If you're against that then why do you even use Construct? Code your engine then. What logic is this? I do it in part because it's easier for me.

If you really take a moment to think about this it's an amazing opportunity for people who are afraid of using a giant 3D modeling program like you're suggesting, and I can only imagine that's true if one is using Construct; It opens the doors for non coders and beginner artists to very quickly produce artwork for their games. I was trying to do a nice thing and it feels like you just crapped all over it lol. I'm sorry the plugins aren't free, but I can't help that. Construct 2 wasn't free, but I was happy to buy that when I used it. I'm not trying to con anyone, I don't work for the people who made those plugins. I don't work for Unity. Really, truly, thought I was doing something for your community.....

Have you ever even explored the Asset Store?

Actually I have. Been using Unity some time ago. Never liked it, but still following it for good 4 years now.

Also yeah, I am aware you can render a model as an image. Duh. That's kind of the whole point of modeling something haha! I'm no an idiot!

Glad to hear that!

But Sprite Maker automates the whole process. If you have the animations set up in the settings, you just click one button, and it captures all the frames out to individual images with PNG and transparent background. Also something I should note - when I used to convert my models to Sprites with Blender, I always had to edit out the background myself, and that takes a long time for *every* photo you convert. So Sprite Maker makes your workflow faster.

I know nothing about Blender, and frankly don't want to. But if 3d modeling app can't save images with transparent background then You don't know how to do it or this 3d app is a joke. And for your information every decent 3d modeling app can save renders as image sequences (even with transparency - for future compositing). And if you spend few minutes you will get nice free plugins for most of them to render not to frames but nicely aligned sprite sheets.

If you're against that then why do you even use Construct? Code your engine then. What logic is this?

Excuse You?

If you really take a moment to think about this it's an amazing opportunity for people who are afraid of using a giant 3D modeling program like you're suggesting, and I can only imagine that's true if one is using Construct; It opens the doors for non coders and beginner artists to very quickly produce artwork for their games. I was trying to do a nice thing and it feels like you just crapped all over it lol. I'm sorry the plugins aren't free, but I can't help that. Construct 2 wasn't free, but I was happy to buy that when I used it. I'm not trying to con anyone, I don't work for the people who made those plugins. I don't work for Unity. Really, truly, thought I was doing something for your community.....

Honestly have no idea what you are trying to say here...

I have even a better lifehack. No plugins needed.

Click Printe Screen on your keyboard. Then open Ms Paint and press CTRL+V

MAGIC! :O

Angelus1818 of course its possible to do that with any 3d program the whole image sequences render it to multiple images pngs or whatever you want with transparency. So you dont need to buy any plugin to do that. blender is free is powerfull and do the same job with one button too..

beware that many assets or most of them are cost some $$$ so its not only the 10$ for the plugin its more for the models.

i dont argue that this plugin is helpfull yes it is but the same job can be done for free and easy too.

I encourage you to try some 3d modelling program cause the happiness of creativity and the originality at least for me is the goal at the end of the day. Why should i buy an asset and dont create my 3d model. the asset is possible to download it over 1000 users and add it to their games. my model whould be only in mine. and who knows maybe i sell it too in the future.

ps sorry what do u mean by "I always had to edit out the background myself, and that takes a long time for *every* photo you convert"?

if you mean that you try to make the backround transparent around your model then try to render it in blender internal renderer and change in shading options in alpha from "sky" to "transparent" or if you use cycles renderer check the box transparent in film options. there you go now you have a transparent backround the need of any editing..

Man, you guys are on some next level stuff for some reason. I came here with good intentions. I got snippy when that guy wrote a really blatant message that ignored some of my key points when I had just taken the time to write a full page of what I thought was useful info. Maybe it's much more useful for as I actually use Unity. I can accept that.

You guys are still just blowing smoke though, you just won't hear me out for some reason, and won't think about a few things you really should know about:

1) I'll say it again, I am quite confidant in saying that most Construct Users are not going to want to open Blender, 3DS Max, Cinema 4D, or the like, and learn how to use it at all, if they won't even learn how to code. I think that's more than fair to assume, 3D apps are time consuming to learn, even just to navigate properly.

2) If you're using Construct you're a 2D Artist. Same Point as above - You don't want to touch a massive 3D app.

3) That brings me to Unity itself. It's much less frightening. It's very easy to use the plugins I mentioned, you literally just click a few things, plus they come with tutorials on how to use them. You will get up and running with them very quickly, so it actually makes a lot of sense I said Unity.

4) The Asset Store, again...you can't get that artwork anywhere else, from 3D models, animated or static, to Particle effects. Yes some Cost money, but actually, an incredible amount is free. Like really, a lot. Enough to be a great Recourse. Also a tons of stuff is like $5 or $10.

5) Are you guys really going to pull the "screw you guy, if you don't make the art work yourself then it sucks" card? Then why does Scirra sell art packs and toolkits here? You guys have fallen into the same trap of where there are to kinds of people. The people who literally can't do it themselves or are lazy, or don't have time to do it from the ground up even if they don't know how, so they use Assets to make things faster. How is this a problem?

6) If you are a big player here or have been in the game maker/Construct scene for awhile, you should know that there are an insane number of people who use game makers, and still can't make art. They can't code, they can't do art, they can't do music, but they still long to make games. So What I thought I was doing was saying; "Hey guys, I know those feels of how there aren't nearly as many 2D recourses out there as 3D, here is a really easy way to use any 3D Resource in your Construct games!"

7) Unity's Bipedal animation retargeting is amazing. You will never win the argument that baking Mocap animations one by one in blender is easier than using animation Baker/Mecanim with pre made fbx animations (Literally thousands of free fbx animations on the asset store) by simply clicking a few things and letting it bake. You know how much time this saves? You're crazy to not want to integrate this into your workflow regardless of what game engine you're using.

I'm sorry I was rude to that guy who responded but not to go all elementary here, he was rude first. I think some of you guys really need to evaluate how you treat people who aren't part of your community or who don't use your game engine. This experience made me feel like I was apart of some stupid internet war like COD vs. BF4, or Mac vs PC, but instead it's Unity vs. Construct 2. It was truly quite awful, like I said I really do respect what the Construct Team does, and had the best of intention coming here with this info, I made it very clear why I was doing this, and you guys didn't even take the time to think the entire scope of the situation through. You just were Jerks.

So with that I bid you farewell, I know you don't care at all, but my last impressions of this forum and app are now filled with bitterness instead of joy. So, thanks for that. Thanks for ruining the tool that got me into game design. As now I feel like it's just filled with people who can't even be bothered to be kind to someone who isn't an active user in their community.

Really don't know why you keep calling me rude. I did not post anything bad or offensive. Simply asked you a question which for some reason instead of giving me a straight answer you turned into "something else".

"...you just won't hear me out for some reason, and won't think about a few things you really should know about"

We only saying that there's a faster and better ways to convert 3d models into 2d images and for some reason you are the one who won't listen to us and keep insisting "your ways of doing things".

1. If they don't want to learn 3d app then why did they should learn Unity? Rule is the same, import 3d model - > save it. You can do it in unity with few clicks without knowing the program, and you can do it in any 3d app on same basis.

2. Are you serious on this one?

3. Ok.

4. No. There are literally more then dozen websites from where you can get (free or paid) 3d models (static or animated) or whatever you want.

5. No idea where this comes from, no one ever said things like that on this post - except you in your post.

6. I don't think anyone would want to download and install any other game engine just to buy some models from their store to make 2d images from them...

7. And now you want them to actually start learning how to use Unity just to export this animations....

We are all very welcoming and always open to people from "other engines". There is no hate, envy, jealous or whatever. If you know this forum you should know that already that this is the most polite forum off all game makers out there.

But for some reasons unknown to me only you keep calling people rude and jerks only because, like I said above don't want to do things you want them to do.

I feel like I'm being attacked when that guy said he knows "a better life hack in where you just hit print screen" said in a vert sarcastic way. When if you read what I said that would be an insanely wasteful way to go about this if you wanted to do this. It would take a lot longer Imagine hitting print screen for each of the animated frames. He just said that to be rude, and like what I said has no real merit.

Also literally nobody said they don't want to do this, everyone keeps saying they know they can do it better, and that's simply not the case. This is one of the most efficient ways to go about making 2D artwork out of 3D artwork, yet one I write an entire bulky paragraph explaining my positioning, you respond with either " are you serious" or "Ok" instead of actually defending your position and giving a reason as to why I should see your side. You may as well be saying "LOL right dude hahah" it's the same thing.

If none of that makes sense for you then I don't know what else to say. This was no a friendly experience, I'm sorry to shatter your views here. I came her with honest intentions, my intro thread was very well presented aside from a few typos, and you gus were just not very cool about it. If you can't see that that honestly just lowers my opinion of you even further if you think you were being nice. You don't have to actually call someone a name or swear at them to be mean you know.

Anyway I'm done with this respond all you want, I don't care. Tell me "Ok, whatever" or write whatever you feel like, I'm not ever logging back in here.

"1) I'll say it again, I am quite confidant in saying that most Construct Users are not going to want to open Blender, 3DS Max, Cinema 4D, or the like, and learn how to use it at all, if they won't even learn how to code. I think that's more than fair to assume, 3D apps are time consuming to learn, even just to navigate properly. "

• Thats a joke some people understand/like better coding some people understand/like better art. You cant take for granted that a person who doesnt know how to code cant handle a 3d program also. Cause i dont know coding but i use blender, truespace (rip) and other similar programs. 3d apps are time consuming ok i agree but which program isnt? Unity? i also trying it with unity the thing is that everything is hard to learn if you dont give time to it and really love it. But you wrote that you waste your time trying to edit the backround in your blender rendered images and you dont give a try to search for transparent backround to youtube or google to see how you can do it in blender.

And i agree with shinkan "you want them to actually start learning how to use Unity just to export this animations"..

2)Are you guys really going to pull the "screw you guy, if you don't make the art work yourself then it sucks" card?

• No mate i will not pull anything its just my opinion of how im doing my stuff. Every person is free to do what he likes i dont judge anyone.

What i do is open unity3d. Download all free assets you like. Export assets. Use Unity package extractor , oh yeah done, Music , sounds, sprites,

A lot of indies that want to make their own rendered 3d characters but don't want to model most likely use Poser or Daz3D where you have permission to use the outputted renders anyway you like. That is why Poser now have a Game Dev edition which is more for the 3D indies. The regular version is good for 2d developers.