blockbench-modeling
Blockbench Modeling
Build 3D models using cubes and meshes in Blockbench.
Plan the Shape and Target
Before a new model or substantial geometry redesign, resolve the user's appearance/accuracy, performance, or balanced preference through Blockbench use. Follow appearance and performance planning to set a working element/face budget and choose which details belong in geometry, UV tiles, or PBR. Prototype and count one repeated section before multiplying it; braces, infills, foot plates, and fasteners should not automatically become separate cubes.
Spend faces on silhouette, parallax, and deformation. Delete faces no required view or pose reveals, since real-time meshes need not be watertight. Let parts intersect instead of stitching edge loops around the joint, and float thin detail planes instead of cutting detail in. Keep geometry for recesses and openings whose depth must change as the camera moves. See real-time asset planning sections 4–6 for per-target budgets and face-removal rules.
Use format and delivery guidance when selecting a format or exporting. Block out the silhouette and proportions before UV layout and surface detail. Match polygon density to visible shape or deformation needs; automatic subdivision is not a quality step by itself.
For articulated parts, create a hierarchy with pivots at joints and unique, consistent bone names. Group origins are pivots, not translations added to a cube's from/to coordinates. Place cube bounds in the model's rest coordinate space; the hierarchy applies rotations around those pivots. Mesh vertices are mesh-local, as described below. Check overlapping surfaces for z-fighting and preview moving parts for hidden gaps. See the official modeling overview.
When resizing or duplicating textured geometry at a different size, re-evaluate the face UV spans rather than blindly retaining the source rectangle. Follow UV scale and distortion guidance for side/end proportions, final scale transforms, and shared-material density. Correct mapping within the chosen geometry budget; additional cubes are not the default remedy for texture stretching.