Setup Dynamic Object in Blender

Need to know

  • How to work in Blender
  • How to work with Blender X-Ray Addon
  • Familiarize yourself with the limitations and capabilities of the format *.object (because you may export to it more often than to *.ogf) to avoid errors
  • Familiarize yourself with Dynamic Object model type

About

If you want your model to interact with the world and be subject to game physics, Dynamic Objects are just right for the task.

Start

You must have a model downloaded or created by you.

You must have one UV map per mesh.

For my example, I’ll have a model with this UV map.

Сreate an armature (Shift + A > Armature).

Tip

When you create an armature, you may not see the created bone as it is rendered behind the object. To see the bone, go to Object Data PropertiesObject Data Properties svg-icon and in Viewport Display -> click the In Front checkbox.

Note

It is important to remember that in X-Ray, the bones act as a place to anchor the collision shape.

Go to Edit Mode and name the bone as you wish.

Creating Armature centered

Binding

Next, we need to bind our model to the bone we created.

With the Shift key held down, select the model and then the armature.

Press CTRL + P -> With Automatic Weights.

Model Binding centered

Tip

In Blender, there are several choices of binding methods. In this case (where there is a single bone), the method via With Automatic Weights is appropriate. For cases where there are more bones, you will most likely need manual binding via Weight Paint or other methods.

Shape

Select the bone and go to the Bone PropertiesBone Properties svg-icon tab.

We see the X-Ray Engine: Bone section.

X-Ray Engine: Bone centered

The desired field is Shape Type (where you choose the type of shape (for collision)).

From the whole list, our object is more suitable for the Cylinder type. Let’s choose it.

Next, click the Edit Shape button to check and edit the Shape itself.

Tip

To see Bone Shapes, go to Object Data PropertiesObject Data Properties svg-icon. In X-Ray Engine: Armature -> Display Bone Shapes.

My model fits quite nicely into the Bone Shape.

Model Bone Shape centered

Finish

Go to Object Properties.

In X-Ray Engine: Object select Dynamic in the Type list.

This completes the setup of the Dynamic Object. You can safely export it in the model format you need.