Getting Started

Before getting started using OtS it is best to get a tour of the editor.

Editor Tour

Learn more about the various pieces of the OtS editor.

The workflow most users will follow is to import a 3D model, convert it into blocks, and then export it to Minecraft. If this suits your needs, continue to the Basic Workflow section. Alternatively, if you're interested in other functionality OtS has to offer then skip to the Alternative Workflows section.

Basic Workflow

This begins with importing a 3D model into the scene. This will create a Mesh object. Then the 3D model is converted into a Voxels object. Finally, the mesh is converted into a Blocks object.

1. Importing 3D models

First you need to import a 3D model. The recommended model format is glTF. You can also import OBJ files though this requires more manual work to configure materials and textures.

Follow one of the below links on how to import a model.

Once you're done you should have a Mesh object in your scene.

2. Converting to Voxels

To convert your Mesh object into a Voxels object, select your Mesh and in the right Properties panel scroll down to the Actions section and click the Generate Voxels button.

This will enter you into the "Generate Voxels" mode. If you need help on using this mode, the following guide will step through this mode's features.

When you have finished you should have a Voxels object in your scene. The original Mesh object you imported still exists as a separate object in the scene but has been automatically hidden.

The next stage converts the Voxels object into a Blocks object so make sure you are happy with the voxels you currently have before moving on.

If you want to make some changes first you can click the Apply Modifiers button. Alternatively you can manually edit/place/remove each voxel individually by clicking the Edit Voxels button.

Instead, if you want to start again, you can delete the Voxels object, select the original Mesh object and click the Generate Voxels button again.

3. Converting to Blocks

To convert your Voxels object into a Blocks object, select your Voxels and in the right Properties panel scroll down to the Actions section and click the Generate Blocks button.

This will enter you into the "Generate Blocks" mode. If you need help on using this mode, the following guide will step through this mode's features.

When you have finished you should have a Blocks object in your scene. The original Voxels object you imported still exists as a separate object in the scene but has been automatically hidden.

The next stage is to export your Blocks object into Minecraft so make sure you are happy with the block structure you currently have before moving on.

If you want to make some changes first you can click the Apply Modifiers button. Alternatively you can manually edit/place/remove each block individually by clicking the Edit Blocks button.

Instead, if you want to start again, you can delete the Blocks object, select the original Voxels object and click the Generate Blocks button again.

4. Exporting to Minecraft

The final step is to export your Blocks object so that you can import it into Minecraft. There are various ways to do this including vanilla and modded methods. The following guide goes through the various options.

You're done! This is the traditional use case for OtS but the editor has more features to offer.

What's next?

Now you're familiar with importing 3D models you can try some other use cases. You can import images to create 2D pixel/map art, import custom resource packs, write custom Lua scripts to make structures programatically, make a statue of your Minecraft skin, and more!

Take a look at some of the other guides on this wiki. If you encounter any problems visit the FAQ page on how to get help.

Alternative Workflows

In the Basic Workflow section we covered how to import a 3D model, how to convert it to voxels and then into blocks and finally how to export it into Minecaft. This section covers some other workflows.

Importing Images

In the Add Object menu, select "Image".

Choose a PNG or JPEG image to load can click "Import".

This will import your image as a Mesh object. From here you can use the Generate Voxels action like a regular 3D model.

Using Shapes

In the Add Object menu there are a range of 2D and 3D shapes to add to the scene.

These are regular Mesh objects so they behave just like a regular 3D model. You can move, rotate, and scale them and turn them into voxels with the Generate Voxels action.

Importing MagicaVoxel files

OtS supports importing a MagicaVoxel file into the scene as a Voxels object. Open the Add Object menu and click "MagicaVoxel".

Importing .ots_voxels files

The .ots_voxels format exists so that you can save your Voxels objects to a file to save for later use. You can then open the editor and import them to resume your progress.

In the Add Object menu, click the ".ots_voxels" option.

To get a ".ots_voxels" file you first need to have a Voxels object in your scene and then export it as a ".ots_voxels" file using the Export As action.

Importing .ots_blocks files

The same goes for Blocks objects and the ".ots_blocks" file format.

Lua Scripting

With Lua scripting you can make your own Voxels and Blocks objects by writing scripts to place the voxels/blocks programatically. You can also write your own custom modifiers to apply during the "Generate Voxels" and "Generate Blocks" modes.

The following guide walks through what to do.