3D Paths are meshes generated with points and bezier curves.
They allow you to easily create objects like Tubes, Pipes, Ropes, Cables, Rails, Pathways, etc. As well as creating paths for other objects to follow.
Creating a 3D Path
- Click on the “Plus” icon in the toolbar.
- Select “Path”.
- Start drawing your Path in the 3D space by adding new points.
Editing a 3D Path
The Path Panel is composed of the following parameters:
- Size (Size of the path object)
- Corner (Add curve to all points of the path that don’t have a bezier curve already)
- Subdivision (Control subdivision of the path mesh)
- Edit Path Button (Enter Edit Path mode to make changes on the 3D Path)
Editing a 3D Path Point
When selecting a 3D Path Point, you’ll be able to control the following parameters:
- Position (Where the point is positioned in the 3D space)
- Corner (Add curve to a specific point)
Customizing a 3D Path
Shape
On the shape parameter you can choose the shape of your 3D Path.
Here are the shape options available:
- Rectangle
- Circle
- Polygon
- Star
- Custom
With a custom shape, you can select any vector shape from your scene to use as a shape for a 3D Path.
Here are all the rest of the 3D Path parameters:
- Depth (The length of the mesh along the path)
- Offset (Offset the start of the mesh along the path)
- Angle (Change the angle of the path shape)
- Twist (Twist the shape along the path)
- Start Scale (Scale of the shape at the start of the path)
- End Scale (Scale of the shape at the end of the path)
Animating a 3D Path
It’s possible to animate the parameters of a 3D Path by creating States and Transitions.
Align Objects to 3D Paths
When selecting an object there’s an Align To Path panel where you can select to which path you want to align the object to.
Here are the parameters for aligning an object to a path:
- Object (Select the path to align the object to)
- Orientation (Will the object be oriented along the path or to the world)
- Slide (The position of the object on the path)
Convert Vector Shapes into 3D Paths
When selecting a Vector Shape, there’s a Convert to Path button available.
This button will convert the Vector Shape selected into a 3D Path.
👉 Next Steps
Learn how to add interactions and animations to your scenes with States, Events, and Actions.