How to Add Custom Models

Custom model support was added in Tabletop Simulator version 1.7. This guide explains how to use pastebin and imgur to upload an OBJ (model) and a JPG (texture) which are used in TTS for the custom models. Ideally this guide will be made obsolete in later versions of TTS as you will upload these straight to the Steam Workshop. This guide does not explain how to create the 3D models in the first place, as there are plenty of tutorials that cover this on the internet.

Create Model and Texture

Step 1) Create your model. If you have not modeled before, Blender[www.blender.org] is a well featured and free 3D modeling tool. There are also many tutorials on the internet to help you with learning to model and unwrap.

Step 2) Export your model as an OBJ file. The OBJ file format contains vertex, face, and UV data. Though if your object is to be a single flat color, you can include a very simple UV unwrap.

In Blender, the simplest unwrap would be to go into edit mode, press A to highlight everything, then select Unwrap -> Reset.

Or, simply edit the OBJ file. After the vertices are defined (the lines that look like "v # # #"), paste the following to define the most basic unwrap:

vt 0.000000 0.000000
vt 1.000000 0.000000
vt 1.000000 1.000000
vt 0.000000 1.000000

Step 3) Using the UV data from your model, create an appropriate texture.



I recommend saving the texture as a JPG. PNGs behave oddly in TTS currently. I also recommend keeping the texture to a reasonable size. Simple textures should be smaller, but a detailed and complex texture like on a figurine may need to be higher. If your object is a single flat color, a 16x16 pixel image will work. But in any case a texture is required.

Make Model Downloadable

Tabletop Simulator version 1.7 supports models in the same way it supports custom textures for paperdolls and card decks. That is, put the file on a webserver so the game can download it. The official recommended method (until we get Steam Workshop support) is to use http://www.pastebin.com.

Note: Be aware that pastebin.com has limited daily uploads. Users without an account are limited to 10 uploads per day, and those with a free account are limited to 25 uploads per day.

Step 1) Locate the OBJ file you have saved out. You'll want to verify it's smaller than pastebin's maximum upload size of 500KB.




If the file is larger than 500KB, consider simplifying the model's geometry. The "decimate" modifier in Blender could help you here.

Step 2) Open the OBJ file in notepad or wordpad. It is an ASCII/human readable file as opposed to a binary file, so this should be possible with minimal problems.

Right click on the OBJ. Select "Open With." Three things will happen here.

1) There is no "Open With." This means the file is not associated with anything. Choose "Open," it will result in the same thing.



2) There is "Open With" and you can simply click it.



3) There is "Open With" and it expands into another menu. If Notepad or Wordpad are not on the list, choose the bottom option called "Choose Default Program."



When prompted, select options such as "open with" and "Select a program from a list of installed programs."



If Notepad is on the list that appears, select it. Wordpad will also work fine.



If it is not in the list, select Browse in the lower right.

Enter this location: C:\Windows\notepad.exe

If you installed Windows to another location, use your Windows directory location instead.

If you want to simply double click OBJ files in the future to open them with Notepad, make sure the checkbox at the bottom is checked. It should say "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file."

Click OK. The file should open.



Step 3) With the Notepad window selected, press Ctrl-A (select all) and Ctrl-C (copy).

Step 4) Navigate to http://www.pastebin.com and press Ctrl-V (paste) in the data input window.



If you have a pastebin account, make sure you have logged in first. A free account will increase your daily upload limit from 10 to 25.

Step 5) Get the raw pastebin URL for your upload. It should be near the top of the page, to the right of your user icon, inside the row of links started with "EDIT | DELETE" etc.




Click "RAW," then copy (CTRL-C) the URL in your browser's address bar.

Make Texture Downloadable

Textures need to be available on the web, much like trading cards, and just like the models themselves.

I recommend using http://imgur.com for textures. You will need to create an account in order to upload pictures.

Step 1) Create an account/login.



Step 2) Choose to upload an image from your computer.



The "computer" upload button should appear on nearly every single page of imgur. If it does not, click on the "images" menu item in the upper right to get a similar page to the one pictured here.

Step 3) A standard explorer window will pop up when you choose upload. Navigate to and choose your model's texture.

Step 4) If you uploaded from the main page, you'll an intermediary upload window where you could choose to upload additional files. Your currently uploaded file should appear at the bottom. Just click "Start Upload" in the lower right to continue.




Step 5) Get the URL for this file. Imgur will call this link the "Direct Link (email & IM)".

If you uploaded in your "images" window, the image should appear in the upper left. Click it to expand it and see more information about it, including the direct image link.



If you uploaded from the main page, the image should automatically appear embiggened and include the relevant links on the right.

Insert Model Ingame

Step 1) Start up Tabletop Simulator. (As if you don't have it running 24/7 anyway.)

Step 2) When in a game, under the Host menu, click Spawn Objects.



Click Misc at the very bottom.




Click Custom Model at the top.




It will create a placeholder white cube and ask you for two URLs: model and texture.

Step 3) Paste in the RAW pastebin URL for the model.

Step 4) Paste in the imgur URL for the texture.



Step 5) Select the material and the type. These determine properties and shaders of the object. If what you want isn't obvious, experiment and find what works.

Step 6) Click Import to add the model to the game.



If it returns an error, double check that you entered the URLs right. You can paste them into the address bar of a browser to see the contents and make sure they're correct.

GOTCHAS

Something went wrong? Noes!

Here's my guesses.

Pastebin.com won't let me upload!
There is a limit to uploads you can do every 24 hours. If you're not logged in, the limit is 10. If you are logged in, the limit is 25. Accounts are free, so create one for an additional 15 uploads.

Otherwise, check the pastebin FAQs[pastebin.com].

I made a 100 sided dice and it's only ever coming up on the same six numbers!
In Tabletop Simulator version 1.7, the collision model is automatically generated. And it generated as a cube. A cube has only six sides so you can't create complex dice with the custom model uploads yet.

Ironically, I created the guide image to be a d80, which is useless ingame.

My texture is coming out all pink or red and totally not what I wanted! It looks FINE in the browser, just not in Tabletop Simulator!
PNGs behave poorly in Tabletop Simulator. I haven't tested, but I suspect 32-bit PNGs may work fine. 24-bits are likely interpreted as 32-bit. I found it easier to simply avoid the situation and use JPGs rather than do some testing and figure out what's really happening.

The texture isn't working! I totally pasted in the right imgur address!
If the URL does end in ".jpg" then you're likely pasting a link to the supporting framework. Make sure you right click on the image and select "copy image URL".

Also, if you're not using imgur.com, be aware that some sites force fancy displays around the image even if you try to link directly to the image. You will be unable to use these sites to host textures in TTS.

I'm trying to import more than one piece that should act as a single piece, but only one is showing up!
When importing an OBJ, TTS v1.7 appears to only import the first object listed in the OBJ. If you have multiple separate objects, the additional will likely be ignored.

You can resolve this by joining all of the objects into a single object. In Blender, highlight the objects and press Ctrl-J to join them. The object will then import as expected.

My model is coming out with weird artifacts! Half of it looks like an old TV with bad reception!
It's likely your OBJ does not have an unwrap included. Edit the OBJ file and look for some lines that start with "vt". If these lines do not exist, you do not have an unwrap defined.

Simple insert the following lines after the vertices are defined. Eg, insert the following after the lines that begin with a lone "v".

vt 0.000000 0.000000
vt 1.000000 0.000000
vt 1.000000 1.000000
vt 0.000000 1.000000

My model is coming out a metallic grey and not the color my texture is!
Textures smaller than 16x16 do not work properly. Make sure your texture is at least 16 pixels square.

[tlatitude]

@Stickman, I want to let you know this "How to add a custom model" guide is out of date.
A new one would be appreciated.

[thorvindr]

Guide needs an update. TTS now has workshop support.

[chris.australia]

After the vertices are defined (the lines that look like "v # # #")
I have other data staring with "f" .
usemtl Glow-in-the-dark_neon_blue
f 1 2 3
f 4 5 6
...
Should I paste unwrap stuff above that and below the "v" stuff?

[emilyy]

V Nevermind about the non responding part, my bad.

[emilyy]

May i ask if doing this would work for other games such as GMOD.

and when I go into notepad it won't respond.