Unity 3D is a 3D game engine that allows users to create 3D games in an environment. Users can create 3d models and import them into Unity, but what file types are supported? This blog post will look at the 3d file formats Unity 2021 supports – including FBX files- and how to import these 3d models.

Unity supports the following 3D file formats: .fbx, .dae, .obj, .dxf, .skp, and .stl. Unity does not support the following 3d file formats: .ply or any other type of 3D files with a PLY extension. In addition to these file types, Unity also supports various application files from external software like 3DsMax (.3ds), Maya (.ma), Blender (.blend), Cinema 4D (.c4d), Modo (.lxo), Lightwave (.iff), SpeedTree (.stf) and Cheetah 3D.

How to Import a 3D file into Unity

The import process is very simple and involves a few steps: open Unity 3D, click “File” then select Import New Asset… It will show all available 3d files on your computer that you can place in the 3D space of your game.

Another option is to keep your project files in an organized project structure. 3D models can be imported into Unity through a project’s file browser and then dragged to the 3D space of your game.

The Best 3D File Type for Unity

1. .FBX (Flexible Binary Exchange Format) is an open standard file format for transferring 3D data between various applications developed by Autodesk 3D Studio. 3ds Max, 3D Studio MAX and 3DS are 3d modeling software that use FBX as the file format for 3D data exchange. FBX is a 3D file type Unity 2021 supports and can import into your game. So it’s not too surprising to see why this is one of the most popular 3d formats for 3D modeling software.
2. .DAE (or Collada) is an open 3D file format for animated 3d models, designed to be both easily readable by humans and machine-readable.
3. .OBJ (or interchange) files are a 3D data files that contain only the geometry of a 3D model without any texture maps or other properties. If you export a .obj from a 3D modeling software it will likely be accompanied by a .mtl file typewhich is the file that stores information about the material ID’s and UV mapping of an object.
4. .DXF (or Drawing Exchange Format) files are 3D modeling software formats for 3d objects and surfaces. If you are an architect working with a 3D modeling software like Autodesk Revit that creates meshes out of triangles, your files will triangulate and render terribly when imported into Unity.
5. .SKP (or SketchUp Pro) files are 3D modeling files created using SketchUp. 3D .skp files are 3D file format that contains geometry data of 3D models in the form of polygons or triangles, without texture maps or materials information. SketchUp files can be tricky to texture properly on 3D models because 3D modeling software does not support 3d textures and the original software has little to no UV mapping tools.
6. .STL (or stereolithography) are 3D printer data formats that contain only the geometry of a 3D model without any texture maps or other properties. The file extension is .stl, and it can be exported from most 3d design software programs like Google Sketchup, Maya, 3DsMax, 3D Studio, and more.

Proprietary 3D Application Files

So what are proprietary 3D application files? 3D application files are 3d file types that can only be used in 3rd party 3d modeling software. These 3d filetypes cannot be imported into Unity, but these 3D models can still be exported to an open standard 3d file type like .fbx or obj – which is then importable into Unity 2021.

• .3DS (or 3Ds Max) can be used interchangeably with Unity 3D. 3Ds Max is a 3d modeling software developed by Autodesk 3D Studio and can be used as an external design tool for 3ds max files in Unity 3D, while exporting any changes to the original file format.
• .MA (or Maya) is another popular 3d modeler that’s often used for 3d modeling. 3ds Max and Maya are both 3D animation software designed to create 3D computer graphics, with a variety of special effects for different fields like VFX (visual effects), game development, architectural visualization or medical imaging.
• .BLEND (or Blender 3D) 3d software is 3D animation software designed to create 3D computer graphics and video animations.
• .CINEMA (or Cinema) are 3D modeling, rendering, compositing, titling and non-linear editing systems developed by The Foundry – a company that specializes in 3d design for the film industry.
• .LXO (or Modo) 3d modeling software is 3D animation software designed to create 3D computer graphics.
• .IFF (or Lightwave) 3d modeling, rendering, and compositing system for 3D design in the film, television, video game, and advertising industries developed by NewTek – a company that specializes in 3ds max plugins/scripts as well as other 3d animation software.
• .STF (or SpeedTree) 3d software is 3D animation software designed to create 3D computer graphics and video animations developed by Interactive Data Visualization (IDV) Systems. More often than not, as its name gives it away, this file type is used to generate foilage for environments within Unity.
• .CAT 3D (or Cheetah 3D) is a 3ds max plugin/script that can be used as an external design tool for 3d modeling in Unity 3D, without exporting any changes to the original file format.

The 3D file formats that Unity 2021 can import and what 3d modeling software the 3D models were created with are discussed. FBX (.fbx) is one of the most popular 3ds max plugins/scripts because it’s an open standard file format for transferring 3d data between various applications developed by Autodesk 3Ds Max, 3D Studio MAX, and 3DS.

Tips for Exporting 3D Models to Unity

As you can see there are many options when it comes to importing 3d models into a game engine like Unity. Depending on what file types your 3d modeling software supports and the 3d file types Unity 2021 supports, you may need to export 3D models from your modeling software.

We recommend exporting a 3ds Max (.max) or Maya (.ma ) 3D model because they are both 3dt animation software designed to create 3D computer graphics and video animations. The difference is that 3Ds Max can be used as an external 3D modeling tool for 3DS Max files in Unity while exporting any changes to the original file format. Maya on the other hand is a 3ds max plugin/script that can be used as an external design tool for 3d modeling in Unity without exporting any changes to the original file format.

Now you know 3D file formats Unity 2021 supports and 3d modeling software that 3DS Max, Maya, or 3ds max plugin/script can open. In order to import 3d models into Unity without any issues, you’ll need a 3dx animation software like VFX (visual effects) game development, architectural visualization, or medical imaging with 3dt capabilities for creating realistic 3D computer graphics.

3ds Max, Maya or max can be used as 3dt 3d animation software for 3DS Max files in Unity without exporting any changes to the original file format while a plugin/script like Cheetah 3D is best suited for 3d modeling in Unity without exporting any changes to the original file format. However, if 3dx is your 3d modeling software of choice but you need to export 3D models from 3ds Max, Maya or max and 3dt isn’t supported in that 3d animation software then a file conversion program like COLLADA can be used.

COLLADA (or Collada) 3DXML (XML Schema Definition) 3d animation software for 3DS Max files in Unity without exporting any changes to the original file format and 3dx is not supported by 3ds max.

The COLLADA converter can be used as a plugin/script that allows users to convert 3D models from multiple formats including .max, Maya or 3ds max plugin/script into 3DXML 3d animation software for 3DS Max files in Unity without exporting any changes to the original file format.

Can 3ds max plugin/script import 3DS Max files?

Yes, 3D Studio MAX can be used as 3dt animation software for 3DS Max files in Unity without exporting any changes to the original file format. The only difference is that if 3DX is your chosen 3d modeling software then you may need a .max conversion program, such as COLLADA before 3ds max plugin/script can import 3DS Max files.

Can 3D modeling software support more than one 3d file type?

Yes! The most popular 3d animation software like VFX (visual effects) game development, architectural visualization or medical imaging with 3dt capabilities for creating realistic 3D computer graphics, 3ds max plugin/script or Maya can support 3d files types like .max and 3dx.