MeshInstance

Inherits: GeometryInstance < VisualInstance < CullInstance < Spatial < Node < Object

Inherited By: SoftBody

Node that instances meshes into a scenario.

Description

MeshInstance 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 to get 3D geometry rendered 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 instanced more than thousands of times at close proximity, consider using a MultiMesh in a MultiMeshInstance instead.

Tutorials

Properties

Mesh

mesh

NodePath

skeleton

NodePath("..")

Skin

skin

bool

software_skinning_transform_normals

true

Methods

void

create_convex_collision ( bool clean=true, bool simplify=false )

void

create_debug_tangents ( )

void

create_multiple_convex_collisions ( )

void

create_trimesh_collision ( )

Material

get_active_material ( int surface ) const

Material

get_surface_material ( int surface ) const

int

get_surface_material_count ( ) const

bool

is_mergeable_with ( Node other_mesh_instance, bool shadows_only=false ) const

bool

merge_meshes ( Array mesh_instances, bool use_global_space=false, bool check_compatibility=true, bool shadows_only=false )

void

set_surface_material ( int surface, Material material )

Property Descriptions

Mesh mesh

  • void set_mesh ( Mesh value )

  • Mesh get_mesh ( )

The Mesh resource for the instance.

NodePath skeleton = NodePath("..")

NodePath to the Skeleton associated with the instance.

Skin skin

  • void set_skin ( Skin value )

  • Skin get_skin ( )

Sets the skin to be used by this instance.

bool software_skinning_transform_normals = true

  • void set_software_skinning_transform_normals ( bool value )

  • bool is_software_skinning_transform_normals_enabled ( )

If true, normals are transformed when software skinning is used. Set to false when normals are not needed for better performance.

See ProjectSettings.rendering/quality/skinning/software_skinning_fallback for details about how software skinning is enabled.

Method Descriptions

void create_convex_collision ( bool clean=true, bool simplify=false )

This helper creates a StaticBody child node with a ConvexPolygonShape 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 amount of vertices. Disabled by default.

void create_debug_tangents ( )

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

void create_multiple_convex_collisions ( )

This helper creates a StaticBody child node with multiple ConvexPolygonShape collision shapes calculated from the mesh geometry via convex decomposition. It's mainly used for testing.

void create_trimesh_collision ( )

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

Material get_active_material ( int surface ) const

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

Material get_surface_material ( int surface ) const

Returns the override Material for a surface of the Mesh resource.

Note: This function only returns override materials associated with this MeshInstance. Consider using get_active_material or Mesh.surface_get_material to get materials associated with the Mesh resource.

int get_surface_material_count ( ) const

Returns the number of surface override materials.

bool is_mergeable_with ( Node other_mesh_instance, bool shadows_only=false ) const

Returns true if this MeshInstance can be merged with the specified other_mesh_instance, using the merge_meshes function.

In order to be mergeable, properties of the MeshInstance must match, and each surface must match, in terms of material, attributes and vertex format.

bool merge_meshes ( Array mesh_instances, bool use_global_space=false, bool check_compatibility=true, bool shadows_only=false )

This function can merge together the data from several source MeshInstances into a single destination MeshInstance (the MeshInstance the function is called from). This is primarily useful for improving performance by reducing the number of drawcalls and Nodes.

Merging should only be attempted for simple meshes that do not contain animation.

The final vertices can either be returned in global space, or in local space relative to the destination MeshInstance global transform (the destination Node must be inside the SceneTree for local space to work).

The function will make a final check for compatibility between the MeshInstances by default, this should always be used unless you have previously checked for compatibility using is_mergeable_with. If the compatibility check is omitted and the meshes are merged, you may see rendering errors.

Note: The requirements for similarity between meshes are quite stringent. They can be checked using the is_mergeable_with function prior to calling merge_meshes.

Also note that any initial data in the destination MeshInstance data will be discarded.

void set_surface_material ( int surface, Material material )

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