{"id":45,"date":"2025-09-16T20:22:03","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T20:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studiox.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/greenhouse\/?p=45"},"modified":"2025-09-30T20:13:01","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T20:13:01","slug":"how-to-import-your-npc-from-blender-into-unity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studiox.digitalscholar.rochester.edu\/greenhouse\/unity\/how-to-import-your-npc-from-blender-into-unity\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Import Your NPC From Blender Into Unity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Step 1:<\/strong> Open your NPC .blend<\/code> file in Blender<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Step 2:<\/strong> Select your character’s model by clicking and dragging your mouse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You will know your character is selected once it is fully outlined in orange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Step 3:<\/strong> Press the Control<\/code> and A<\/code> keys at the same time. Then, select All Transforms<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanation<\/summary>\n

This sets the model’s scale to 1<\/code>,1<\/code>,1<\/code> and rotation to 0<\/code>,0<\/code>,0<\/code>. This is how Unity expects imported models to be.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

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Step 4:<\/strong> Ensure Face Orientations are normal. Do this by entering the overlays menu and checking the Face Orientation<\/code> setting. Your character should now be highlighted in blue (NOTE: In more recent versions of Blender, the blue highlight may not show up).

Move your view around your character and make sure there are no red highlights. If there are red highlights, see the Blender Tutorial How to Fix Face Orientations<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Step 5:<\/strong> While your model is selected, start the .fbx<\/code> file export by going to File<\/code> -> Export<\/code> -> FBX (.fbx)<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanation<\/summary>\n

Unity prefers the .fbx<\/code> file format because it\u2019s a stable, widely supported format that imports consistently, while .blend<\/code> files rely on Blender\u2019s background conversion, which can cause version or compatibility issues.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

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Step 6:<\/strong> Edit the export settings as so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Under Include<\/code> -> Limit to<\/code>, check the box for Selected Objects<\/code> (make sure only<\/em> your model is currently selected in blender).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Under Include<\/code> -> Object Types<\/code>, click the selections while holding the shift<\/code> key down until only Armature<\/code> and Mesh<\/code> are left selected in blue.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Then, select Export FBX<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Step 7:<\/strong> Open Unity, and navigate to the Assets\/_Models<\/code> folder in the project folder. Double click the _Models<\/code> folder to enter it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Step 8:<\/strong> Import the .fbx<\/code> file into Unity by heading to Assets<\/code> -> Import New Asset...<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Then Select your .fbx<\/code> file and click Import<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    You should see your .fbx<\/code> file in the _Models<\/code> folder. If the .fbx<\/code> file was placed in a different folder you can simply drag it into the _Models<\/code> folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You will notice that your character’s textured material is not currently applied to your .fbx<\/code> file. This is normal, and we will import the texture in a later step. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Step 9:<\/strong> Make a new Empty GameObject<\/code> to hold your NPC model. Click the plus sign in the Hierarchy<\/code> window, and then click Create Empty<\/code>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Rename the GameObject<\/code> to whatever you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Step 10:<\/strong> Drag your model into the empty GameObject<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Step 11:<\/strong> Import the model’s texture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Navigate to the Assets\/_Materials\/Textures<\/code> folder in the project window. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Then, head to Assets<\/code> -> Import New Asset...<\/code> and import the .png<\/code> file of your model’s texture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Then, click and drag your texture from the project window onto your model in the scene view.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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      Step 12:<\/strong> Save your NPC as a Prefab by dragging it from the Hierarchy Window<\/code> into the Assets\/_Prefabs<\/code> folder in the Project Window<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Next Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n