For this next tutorial, I will be explaining a fast, straightforward FBX to Daz3D method. It is important to highlight that the 3D content comes in a diversity of formats and likewise fundamental to understand the characteristics of all file formats and how they play along in each platform.
If you prefer to watch, see our latest video about importing FBX Files into Daz Studio. Otherwise keep reading.
Understanding FBX Files – Rigged and Static Meshes
An FBX (.fbx) file is a format used to exchange 3D geometry and animation data. The acronym comes from a former application named FilmBox. The application later changed its name to MotionBuilder and was acquired by Autodesk. This is the reason the file format FBX is directly related to this company. FBX files are currently used in film, game, and augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) development.
Now, an .fbx file can either be static or rigged. What does it mean? Basically, if the content is rigged, it means that the 3D geometry has a skeleton mesh as well and can be animated through bones (animate). Examples are: a walking character, a dog or a robot. On the contrary, if the content is static, there is no animation and behaves just as an .obj file. Example for this is: a tree, a house, a bridge (inanimate).
How to Import Static FBX to Daz3D Studio
In this opportunity I will be explaining how to import a static mesh only. However, you might wonder why not a rigged model. The reality is that even though the FBX file in origin was developed to work across platforms, the DAZ Software does not encourage the use of this file format. As a result for rigged models, more often than not, they end up not working as it was thought. To avoid any inconvenience and misunderstanding, we will prepare a tutorial only after making sure the software can properly deal with animated FBX files.
Nonetheless, Daz Studio does provide a way to export to FBX format, more details in the following link for exporting, as an example, from Daz to Blender.
Back to the tutorial, importing a static mesh into Daz Studios is quite simple, for real. For this occasion, I have downloaded this model that is available for free.
Abandoned Cottage House – Source Free3D.com
The first thing to notice is that if you import the file in .fbx format directly to Daz Studio it will not read the scale properly and you will not even see the model in the viewport. So, the best thing will be to convert the file into .obj which is a more stable file format for Daz Studio. You will find the link here to this free and fast 3D file converter.
FBX to OBJ Converter – Source Aspose.app
Once we have our .obj file ready as well as textures files for the house we will put them in a folder, convenient for us to work on with later.
We open Daz Studio and head to Import from the File dropdown menu. We locate our.obj file and click on Open.
In the OBJ Import Options Panel, we want to make sure the Axis Conversion items match. For the Scale option, it will be more of a testing until we find the correct scale. For the house 30% Scale will look good, compared to the scale of a Genesis model. Click on Accept.
If the scale does not look appropriate you can always twitch it in the Editor, in the Posing Tab.
Our model has been successfully imported. For the second part, we will apply our texture map and render settings.
Texture Maps and Render Settings
To apply our maps, click on the object in the first place and go to our Surface Tab in the right panel.
Where says Base Color we will click on the small thumbnail image and browse our diffuse map that we previously saved in our folder with the rest of the files.
Once done, we do the same process for the cottage_normal file.
Medieval house 3d model – Source Bishops House
Locate our Normal Map option, click on the image thumbnail > Browse > Cottage_Normal
To understand a little better, the diffuse map is the texture file for the .obj object. The normal map is an added map that creates depth without creating extra polygons so it gives the look of a more complex figure without eating resources. You can adjust the depth manually in the slider.
You can also export the model to work on later in Blender, you can check the steps in our Daz Blender Bridge Tutorial.
All done, our model is ready to be rendered!
You can see related models as well in the Daz official marketplace.
Medieval house 3d model – Source Bishops House
Autodesk FBX Converter
Can be downloaded here for free.
The Autodesk FBX Converter does as the name suggests. It is a very light software that helps us convert any FBX file into .obj or .dae and vice versa. It is property of Autodesk so you can expect accurate outcomes. This tool is available for free and even though it is somewhat outdated, it does the job.
Common Issues and Problems FBX to Daz3D
Advantages of FBX Files
Even though there is still no consensus to determine a universal transferable file format between platforms, FBX has the most compatibility between applications for seamless collaboration.
Do FBX files contain textures?
In general they contain the geometry data, the mesh, the camera & lighting information as well as animation. Textures often come in a separate file.
Converting FBX to OBJ, does it affect the file?
It will affect the file since the result will be a static mesh. The file will be lighter in size but that is because some data will be lost in the conversion. To understand, OBJ contains only geometry data. Lighting settings, as an example, will have to be manually adjusted in Daz Studio with external lighting sources. Therefore FBX to Daz3D Studio might be a better choice.
FBX Content on the Web
You can find FREE high-quality resources in FBX format in a vast array of websites and marketplaces as well. Some of them are:
- https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/3D-Models/free/fbx
- https://archive3d.net/
- https://clara.io/
- https://gallery.autodesk.com/
- https://free3d.com/
- https://sketchfab.com/
- https://3dexport.com/
Conclusion FBX to Daz3D
As shown in this FBX to Daz3D tutorial, importing a static mesh into Daz Studio is quite simple and presents a lot of advantages. A few keywords here: Readability of the file across platforms, compatibility between softwares and ultimately, quality of the mesh and its render. As 3D artists which we are, we need to be able to work with all file formats and variables in the market.
Working with FBX enriches our content library and makes us reach out to new possibilities across platforms. I encourage all artists to try and test as much importing and exporting files until you fully understand the workflow of this file format with Daz Studios and the main 3D Software platforms alike.