Table of Contents

Class MeshInstance3D

Node that instances meshes into a scenario.

Inheritance
MeshInstance3D
Derived

Remarks

MeshInstance3D is a node that takes a Mesh resource and adds it to the current scenario by creating an instance of it. This is the class most often used render 3D geometry and can be used to instance a single Mesh in many places. This allows reusing geometry, which can save on resources. When a Mesh has to be instantiated more than thousands of times at close proximity, consider using a MultiMesh in a MultiMeshInstance3D instead.

See Also

3D Material Testers Demo
3D Kinematic Character Demo
3D Platformer Demo
Third Person Shooter (TPS) Demo

Properties

mesh

The Mesh resource for the instance.

var mesh : Mesh

Property Value

Mesh

Remarks

  • void set_mesh(Mesh value)
  • Mesh get_mesh

skeleton

NodePath to the Skeleton3D associated with the instance.

var skeleton : NodePath = NodePath("..")

Property Value

NodePath

Remarks

skin

The Skin to be used by this instance.

var skin : Skin

Property Value

Skin

Remarks

  • void set_skin(Skin value)
  • Skin get_skin

Methods

bake_mesh_from_current_blend_shape_mix(ArrayMesh)

Takes a snapshot from the current ArrayMesh with all blend shapes applied according to their current weights and bakes it to the provided existing mesh. If no existing mesh is provided a new ArrayMesh is created, baked and returned. Mesh surface materials are not copied.

Performance: Mesh data needs to be received from the GPU, stalling the RenderingServer in the process.

ArrayMesh bake_mesh_from_current_blend_shape_mix(ArrayMesh existing)

Parameters

existing ArrayMesh

bake_mesh_from_current_skeleton_pose(ArrayMesh)

Takes a snapshot of the current animated skeleton pose of the skinned mesh and bakes it to the provided existing mesh. If no existing mesh is provided a new ArrayMesh is created, baked, and returned. Requires a skeleton with a registered skin to work. Blendshapes are ignored. Mesh surface materials are not copied.

Performance: Mesh data needs to be retrieved from the GPU, stalling the RenderingServer in the process.

ArrayMesh bake_mesh_from_current_skeleton_pose(ArrayMesh existing)

Parameters

existing ArrayMesh

create_convex_collision(bool, bool)

This helper creates a StaticBody3D child node with a ConvexPolygonShape3D collision shape calculated from the mesh geometry. It's mainly used for testing.

If clean is true (default), duplicate and interior vertices are removed automatically. You can set it to false to make the process faster if not needed.

If simplify is true, the geometry can be further simplified to reduce the number of vertices. Disabled by default.

void create_convex_collision(bool clean, bool simplify)

Parameters

clean bool
simplify bool

create_debug_tangents

This helper creates a MeshInstance3D child node with gizmos at every vertex calculated from the mesh geometry. It's mainly used for testing.

void create_debug_tangents

create_multiple_convex_collisions(MeshConvexDecompositionSettings)

This helper creates a StaticBody3D child node with multiple ConvexPolygonShape3D collision shapes calculated from the mesh geometry via convex decomposition. The convex decomposition operation can be controlled with parameters from the optional settings.

void create_multiple_convex_collisions(MeshConvexDecompositionSettings settings)

Parameters

settings MeshConvexDecompositionSettings

create_trimesh_collision

This helper creates a StaticBody3D child node with a ConcavePolygonShape3D collision shape calculated from the mesh geometry. It's mainly used for testing.

void create_trimesh_collision

find_blend_shape_by_name(StringName)

Returns the index of the blend shape with the given name. Returns -1 if no blend shape with this name exists, including when mesh is null.

int find_blend_shape_by_name(StringName name)

Parameters

name StringName

get_active_material(int)

Qualifiers: const

Returns the Material that will be used by the Mesh when drawing. This can return the material_override, the surface override Material defined in this MeshInstance3D, or the surface Material defined in the mesh. For example, if material_override is used, all surfaces will return the override material.

Returns null if no material is active, including when mesh is null.

Material get_active_material(int surface)

Parameters

surface int

get_blend_shape_count

Qualifiers: const

Returns the number of blend shapes available. Produces an error if mesh is null.

int get_blend_shape_count

get_blend_shape_value(int)

Qualifiers: const

Returns the value of the blend shape at the given blend_shape_idx. Returns 0.0 and produces an error if mesh is null or doesn't have a blend shape at that index.

float get_blend_shape_value(int blend_shape_idx)

Parameters

blend_shape_idx int

get_skin_reference

Qualifiers: const

Returns the internal SkinReference containing the skeleton's RID attached to this RID. See also get_rid, get_skeleton, and RenderingServer.instance_attach_skeleton.

SkinReference get_skin_reference

get_surface_override_material(int)

Qualifiers: const

Returns the override Material for the specified surface of the Mesh resource. See also get_surface_override_material_count.

Note: This returns the Material associated to the MeshInstance3D's Surface Material Override properties, not the material within the Mesh resource. To get the material within the Mesh resource, use Mesh.surface_get_material instead.

Material get_surface_override_material(int surface)

Parameters

surface int

get_surface_override_material_count

Qualifiers: const

Returns the number of surface override materials. This is equivalent to get_surface_count. See also MeshInstance3D.get_surface_override_material.

int get_surface_override_material_count

set_blend_shape_value(int, float)

Sets the value of the blend shape at blend_shape_idx to value. Produces an error if mesh is null or doesn't have a blend shape at that index.

void set_blend_shape_value(int blend_shape_idx, float value)

Parameters

blend_shape_idx int
value float

set_surface_override_material(int, Material)

Sets the override material for the specified surface of the Mesh resource. This material is associated with this MeshInstance3D rather than with mesh.

Note: This assigns the Material associated to the MeshInstance3D's Surface Material Override properties, not the material within the Mesh resource. To set the material within the Mesh resource, use Mesh.surface_set_material instead.

void set_surface_override_material(int surface, Material material)

Parameters

surface int
material Material