Intro to Blender

Unleash your creativity by building custom 3D mesh objects. This guide covers the absolute basics of Blender and how to get your creations into Alife Virtual.

Step 1: Get Blender

Blender is a powerful and completely free 3D creation suite. You can download the recommended version from our website to ensure compatibility.

Download Blender Here

The Blender Basics

Blender can seem complex, but you only need to know a few things to get started.

Navigating the 3D Viewport

This is your main workspace. Use these controls to look around:

  • Orbit: Hold the Middle Mouse Button and drag.
  • Pan/Move: Hold Shift + Middle Mouse Button and drag.
  • Zoom: Use the Mouse Scroll Wheel.
Navigating in the Blender 3D viewport
Adding & Manipulating Objects

You'll build things from basic shapes called "primitives."

  • Add Object: Press Shift + A and choose from the `Mesh` menu (e.g., Cube, Sphere).
  • Move: Select an object and press G.
  • Rotate: Select an object and press R.
  • Scale: Select an object and press S.
Moving, rotating, and scaling an object in Blender
Object Mode vs. Edit Mode

This is a core concept! Switch between modes using the TAB key.

  • Object Mode: Move, rotate, and scale the entire object.
  • Edit Mode: Modify the building blocks of the object: its vertices (points), edges (lines), and faces (surfaces).
Editing the vertices, edges, and faces of an object in Edit Mode

The Most Important Step: Exporting for Alife Virtual

To upload your model to Alife Virtual, you must export it in the correct format: Collada (.dae).

Export Process

  1. In Object Mode, select the object you want to export.
  2. Go to File > Export > Collada (Default) (.dae).
  3. In the Export window on the right, check the box Selection Only. This is very important to avoid exporting the camera and lights.
  4. Name your file and click Export Collada.
Your `.dae` file is now ready! You can upload it in the Alife Virtual viewer by going to `Build > Upload > Model...` and selecting your file.
Blender's Collada (.dae) export window with 'Selection Only' checked

What to Learn Next

You've successfully made and exported your first model! Here are the next creative steps.