With the model layer you can render 3D model files.
Choose LAYER > Add layer > Add model layer... to add a new model layer.
The new model layer can be selected from the layers dropdown to make it the active layer.
The installer comes with shows demonstrating the possibilities of the model layer. Choose FILE > Open show... and select a show from the BluffTitler/Media/Shows/Model folder.
To quickly switch between your own shows and the ones that came with the installer, click on the Personal and App buttons in the upper right corner of the file dialog.
BluffTitler supports 3D models in the .GLB, .OBJ and .X formats. Change the model of the active layer by choosing MEDIA > Change model...
.MTL files are used by .OBJ files to store the materials. Without an accompanying .MTL file, .OBJ files are fully white and untextured. Make sure to place the .MTL file next to the .OBJ file.
When the model contains an animation, it automatically starts playing after loading. Control the animation with the Animation and Animation speed properties.
An animation from another model can be imported by choosing MEDIA > Change model.... Joints are matched by name, so this only works when the joints have the same name.
Mixamo automates the process of animating humanoid models. The generated .FBX file can be converted to .GLB with the standard Windows app 3D viewer.
The .GLB format stores the textures inside the .GLB file.
The .OBJ and .X formats store the textures as separate files. Make sure to place the textures next to the model file.
When the model features a colour map, it is offered in the 1st texture slot. Every submodel can have its own colour map.
The model textures can be replaced in the MEDIA > Change texture... dialog. Click on the Select texture... button to load your own texture. Learn more
Click on the Clear button to clear your own texture and go back to the model texture.
Click the Clear button again to use no texture, even when the model offers one.
When the model features a normal map, it is offered in the 2nd texture slot and the PBR effect is automatically selected.
Fine-tune the material with the FX Normal strength property.
The PBR effect accepts a cube map in its 3rd texture slot. When the model features a occlusion roughness metalness (ORM) map, not only the PBR effect is selected, but also the default cube map is placed in the 3rd texture slot.
The default cube map is Textures/CubeMap.dds. Change this in the Textures tab of the SETTINGS > Options... dialog.
Fine-tune the material with the FX Reflection factor property.
When the model features an occlusion roughness metalness (ORM) map, it is offered in the 4th texture slot and the PBR effect is automatically selected.
Fine-tune the ambient occlusion with the Occlusion factor property.
Overrule the roughness and metalness factors with the FX Roughness, metalness factor property.
A model is built out of submodels.
When the Submodel property is set to 0, all submodels are rendered. When this property is set to 1, only submodel 1 is rendered. And when this property is set to -1, all submodels except 1 are rendered.
You can automatically create a separate layer for every submodel by pressing <Ctrl> U.
The container layer can be used to group the submodels together:
This way you can give every submodel its own colour, texture and effect!
Set the FX Double sided property of the PBR effect to render all faces double sided. When this property is set to -1, it uses the setting as stored in the model file.
Use the FX Alpha test property of the PBR effect to fine-tune the transparent textures.
When the model features glowing/emissive parts, BluffTitler automatically renders the glow.
Control the effect with the Glow property.
The effect can further be adjusted with the glow properties of the camera layer.
When the model contains joints, they are added as layer properties with the prefixes JX (joint rotation) and SX (joint size).
The JX and SX properties can be animated just like any other property. For example, you can rotate the head of an avatar with the JX Head property. And you can scale the head with the SX Head property.
Joints can quickly be selected by double clicking on the model with the <Ctrl> key pressed.
Press <F2> to render the coordinate system of the active joint.
When the model contains morph targets, they are added as layer properties with the prefix MX.
The MX properties can be animated just like any other property. For example, you can make an avatar smile with the MX mouthSmile property.
The Ready Player Me generated avatars contain a huge collection of morph targets.
A container layer can be attached to a specific part of a model with the Model joint property of the container layer. The attached layers automatically follow the animation.
This way you can make a hand hold a phone... or an alien!
Here's a step by step guide how to attach a model to a joint of another model:
Models can contain multiple animations. The animation can be selected with the 1st slider of the Animation property. When this property is animated, BluffTitler is smart enough not to interpolate this animation index (for example jumping from 2 to 3 to 4), but instead blends the animation (making a smooth transition from 2 to 4).
To prevent the model jumps back to its start position after every loop, you can set the number of loops with the 3rd slider of the Animation property.
Set this slider to -1 to make the animation perform in place, which can be handy when attaching the model to a sketch layer.
When the model performs the walk cycle in place, you have to move the model yourself with its Position property, carefully matching animation speed with walk speed.
The model can be given special behaviour with the 3rd style.
When you only want to to give this special behaviour to a limited number of submodels, for example only rotating the wheels of a car, you can enter the wheel submodel indices in the MEDIA > Change model... dialog. Separate the indices by a comma.
Another way is to prepare the model in your modelling app:
When the name of a submodel contains the text [BluffTitlerWheel], it automatically rotates as a wheel when moving.
When the name of a submodel contains the text [BluffTitlerWalkingSquare], it automatically walks as a tilting square when moving.
In this style, the 3D model is rendered in the background.
In this style, the 3D model can intersect other layers.
In this style, 3D model is rendered in the foreground.
The model is top aligned
The model is centre aligned
This style is useful when placing models on the floor.
This style uses the positions as stored in the model file, without any scaling and translations. It can be useful when a bigger model must be built out of separate model files.
No special behaviour
The model rolls when it is moved.
The model walks as a tilting square when it is moved.
The position of the model.
1st slider: horizontal (x) position
2nd slider: vertical (y) position
3rd slider: depth (z) position
Press <F2> to render the coordinate system.
The rotation of the model.
1st slider: heading
2nd slider: pitch
3rd slider: roll
Press <F2> to render the coordinate system.
The point around which the model rotates when animating the Rotation property.
When you press <F2>, the pivot point is visualised with cyan, yellow and purple arrows.
The size of the model.
1st slider: width (x)
2nd slider: height (y)
3rd slider: depth (z)
The diffuse colour of the model.
1st slider: red
2nd slider: green
3rd slider: blue
When the mouse is inside the tool window and you press <F3>, the colour dialog is displayed. But when the mouse is outside the tool window, the colour of the current mouse position is picked.
The colour used for specular highlights.
1st slider: red
2nd slider: green
3rd slider: blue
When the mouse is inside the tool window and you press <F3>, the colour dialog is displayed. But when the mouse is outside the tool window, the colour of the current mouse position is picked.
When this property is (0, 0, 0), the specular light colour is used.
The size of the specular highlights.
Set the specular colour with the Specular colour property.
When the model defines glowing (emissive) parts, their brightness can be set with this property.
When the Glow checkbox is marked in the LAYER > Active layer properties... dialog, the whole model glows.
Use the Glow properties of the camera layer to control the global glow.
The transparency of the model.
0 means fully opaque
1 means fully transparent (invisible)
When the Submodel property is set to 0, all submodels are rendered. When this property is set to 1, only submodel 1 is rendered. And when this property is set to -1, all submodels except 1 are rendered.
The Submodel explosion property explodes the model into its submodels.
1st slider: the positions of the submodels.
2nd slider: the rotations of the submodels.
3rd slider: random seed.
For a typical animation, the 1st and 2nd sliders are animated and the 3rd is fixed.
Use the Special/FragmentExplosion effect to colour the fragments.
The 3rd slider has special meaning when using a negative value:
-1: Not X
-2: Not Y
-4: Not Z
-8: Positive X
-16: Positive Y
-32: Positive Z
-64: Negative X
-128: Negative Y
-256: Negative Z
Values can be added. For example:
-6: Only X
-5: Only Y
-3: Only Z
-24: Positive X and positive Y
1st slider: the active animation. Models can contain multiple animations. 0 turns all animation off.
2nd slider: the playmode
0: looping
1: ping pong
3rd slider: the number of loops after which the model returns to its start position. This is typically used for making a walk cycle loop seamlessly. When this value is -1, the model moves in place, which can be useful when you want to move the model yourself.
1st slider: the animation speed.
0: no animation
1: normal speed
2nd slider: the animation position. This is only used when the 1st slider is 0.
0: first frame
1: last frame
When you want to animate the animation speed, keep the 1st slider fixed at 0 and only animate the 2nd slider. This gives you full control.
This property can be used to solve sorting problems.
Layers have to be sorted according to their distance to the camera. This sometimes goes wrong when using very big, very small or irregular shaped layers. When this happens, use the Depth bias property to fix it.
The BluffTitler installer comes with a few models to play around with.
Bix is the alien mascot of Outerspace Software.
You can bring him to life by applying the Special/Bix effect. With this effect you can move his arms, legs and eyes.
Bix's sidekick is called EZ, pronounced as "easy".
You can bring EZ to life by applying the Special/EZ effect.
The avatar model is a low-poly, low-res game character. By editing Avatar.png next to the model file, you can easily create your own characters.
You can bring your avatar to life by applying the Special/Avatar effect.
There are many sites where you can download 3D models.
sketchfab offers many animated models in the .GLB format.
Ready Player Me offers an excellent avatar creation system. Models can be downloaded in the .GLB format.
MakeHuman is another tool that automates the process of creating avatars.
Mixamo automates the process of animating humanoids.
The Windows 3D Viewer app comes with a huge collection of 3D models. Choose File > 3D library to open a model. Choose File > Save as to save as .GLB.
ActorCore offers high quality avatars.
cgtrader offers many models in the .OBJ format.
hum3d.com offers many models in the .OBJ format.
3D CAD BROWSER offers many models in the .OBJ format.
Cascadeur is an app for 3D keyframe animation of humanoid and other characters.