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Using AI-Generated 3D Models in Unity, Godot, Unreal and Blender

8 min read · Published 2026-09-24 · By the ImageTo3DFree team

Downloading a model is the easy part. Getting it to sit on the ground at the right size, with the right materials and collision, takes a few more steps. Here is a checklist for the most common tools, based on importing GLB files, which is the format we recommend for real-time use (see file formats compared).

Before you import: what to expect from the file

• Scale is arbitrary. GLB uses metres by convention, but a generated model is normalised, not measured, so it may arrive tiny or huge. Scale it to fit.
• Pivot (origin) is usually at or near the object's center, not its base. Characters and props then float or sink into the floor until you move the pivot.
• Orientation can differ: glTF uses Y-up, Blender uses Z-up internally, Unreal Z-up. Importers convert this, but check that the model is not lying on its back.
• One mesh, one material. A textured GLB typically has a single material and a single texture, which is efficient.

Blender

1. File > Import > glTF 2.0 (.glb/.gltf).
2. Press N to see dimensions and scale the object to a real-world size (Object mode, S), then apply the scale with Ctrl+A > Scale.
3. Move the origin to the base: in Edit mode, select the bottom vertices, snap the 3D cursor to the selection, then Object > Set Origin > Origin to 3D Cursor.
4. To reduce triangles, add a Decimate modifier, and to clean up, use Mesh > Clean Up > Merge by Distance.
5. Export again as GLB, FBX or another format for your engine.

Godot

Godot supports glTF natively. Drag the .glb into the FileSystem panel; double-click it to open the import settings, where you can generate collision shapes and lightmap UVs. Instance the scene in your level. For a static prop, add a StaticBody3D with a CollisionShape3D using a simplified shape such as a convex hull rather than the full mesh, which is much cheaper for physics.

Unity

Unity does not import GLB natively in all versions; install the glTFast package from the Package Manager (it is widely used and free), then drop the .glb into the Assets folder. Alternatively convert to FBX in Blender. Set Scale Factor in the model import settings if the size is wrong. To fix the pivot without editing the mesh, place the model as a child of an empty parent object positioned where you want the origin. Add a Mesh Collider (convex for physics objects) or, for cheaper collisions, a Box or Capsule collider.

Unreal Engine

Unreal's Interchange or the glTF importer plugin (enable in Plugins) handles GLB. Alternatively, export FBX from Blender. After import, open the Static Mesh editor to set a simple collision shape, adjust the pivot by editing in the Modeling Tools, and confirm the material looks correct; you may need to connect the base color texture in a new material if the automatic one does not appear.

Materials and lighting

Texture generated from a photo bakes in the lighting present in that photo to some degree. If a model has a bright highlight painted onto it, it will look odd under a different scene light. Reduce the effect by using even lighting in the source photo (see the photo checklist), and in your engine, set the material's roughness high and metallic to zero for a matte look.

Performance and collision

• Match triangle count to the object's importance; see low poly vs high poly.
• Use a simple collider instead of the visual mesh.
• Compress textures in the engine's import settings; a 2048 pixel texture for a small prop is often wasteful.
• Combine or batch many small props where the engine supports it.

Voxel models in engines

The voxel editor exports .vox files, which MagicaVoxel and several engine plugins import, as well as GLB and OBJ. Voxel GLBs are made of many cubes, so consider hollow structures and a modest resolution to keep them light (see voxel resolution and palette).

Licensing check

Before shipping a game or selling assets, read copyright and AI-generated 3D models: it matters where your source image came from.

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