Import Options in Twinmotion | Twinmotion Documentation

The tables below show the import options you can choose for Geometry, Datasmith Direct Links, Animation, and Landscape files. Some of the options may not be available, depending on the type of file you are importing.

Geometry and Datasmith Direct Links

The following import options are available when importing all types of geometry files (including .udatasmith files) and when you create Datasmith Direct Links.

Option	Description
Collapse	Keep hierarchy: Select this option to retain the same geometry hierarchy that is used in your source file. In Twinmotion, all objects will be separate and have their own pivot point, so you can move and manipulate them independently. When you select this option, you can also view metadata for each element in your scene. This option is useful if you want to create phasing groups and view sets. All objects inside your scene will be separate, making it possible to hide and show them as needed. Retaining hierarchy is also useful if your scene contains dummy objects that need to be replaced by Twinmotion objects, as you will need each object to be separate. Although keeping the hierarchy is sometimes necessary, selecting this option will increase the size of your scene in Twinmotion. Collapse by material: This option optimizes the model for real-time rendering, as it reduces the number of objects imported into Twinmotion—all objects that use the same material are grouped together as a single mesh. Collapse all: Select this option to import objects or scenes as a whole. In Twinmotion, the entire object or scene will be grouped as one element and controlled by one pivot point only, making it easier to move, select, or delete, or to save in the User library.
Enable substitution	Select this option if you want to enable material substitution. When importing or reimporting scenes, this option enables you to replace any material that is used in your source file with a Twinmotion material. The material substitutions are defined in a `.csv` file. This can be useful if your scene contains many objects and you want to simplify material changes by being able to apply the same material to many objects. This option can be used with any of the Collapse options.
Full precision normals	Select this option to improve the precision and quality of shading, which results in the improved precision and quality of reflections. Useful for automotive and product renderings.
Full precision UVs	Select this option to ensure that the UV map layouts projected on objects imported into Twinmotion are maintained accurately and with the maximum precision possible. Selecting this option can increase memory consumption during the import process. Selecting this option resolves most UV map precision issues. Some issues may not be resolved on import due to geometry issues originating in the 3D modeling process in the original design application.
Light settings	When the Process option is set to either All or Light, this property determines the settings of imported Omnidirectional lights, Spot lights, and Area lights when imported into Twinmotion. These settings affect the imported light source only, and do not affect imported geometry. Lights that are disabled when imported are not fully supported. They may not be imported, or the color of the light may change to black. There are some conversion inconsistencies when importing lights between design applications and Twinmotion. Options: Use original: The original lighting parameters such as intensity, color, angle, IES profile, and other compatible settings that were set in the design application are used. Set intensity to 300lm: The original lighting parameters that were set in the design application are used, but the intensity of lights is set to 300lm. Set all values to TM default: The lighting parameters are converted to Twinmotion default lighting parameters.
Process	When a source file contains lights, this setting determines if only the light source, or the mesh of the light source, or both, are imported into Twinmotion. This option is only available when you first import a `.udatasmith`, `.glb`, or `.gltf` file or create a Datasmith Direct Link; it is not available in the import settings (File settings or Direct Link settings) when you reset, reimport or update a scene. Options: All: Imports the light source and the geometry of the light. By default, this option is selected. Meshes: Imports the geometry of the light only. Light: Imports the light source only.
Substitution table	The `.csv` file that defines the material substitutions that you want to make when importing or reimporting a scene. By default, the `.csv` file is located in `C:\Users[user name]\Documents\Twinmotion[version number]`.
Up axis	Determines the up-axis in which models are imported. As the up-axis is not defined in the same way in all design applications, if a 3D model that you import is not oriented correctly, try importing it with another up-axis. Options: Auto: Imports using the same up-axis of the design application that was used to create the file. X up Y up Z up X down Y down Z down
Unit conversion	Use this option to control the scale of 3D models you import into Twinmotion. In general, most imported geometry files contain unit information about the scale of objects, and this is detected automatically and used by Twinmotion when Auto is selected. However, if a geometry file does not contain this information, or if you want to use another unit, deselect the Auto checkbox and enter a value.
Two sided geometry	Select this option when importing 3D models that have different materials applied to the front and back of a single plane.
Tessellation
Tessellation preset	Defines the quality of the tessellation depending on which preset you choose. Higher presets provide more detailed tessellation but can slow down the import speed. Options: Coarse, Low, Medium, High, Custom
Chord Tolerance	Sets the maximum distance between any generated triangle and the original surface. Smaller values produce more triangles.
Use Max Edge	If disabled, there are no constraints on the length of edges.
Max Edge Length	The maximum length of any edge in the generated triangles. Smaller values produce more triangles.
Normal Tolerance	The maximum angle between adjacent triangles. Smaller values produce more triangles.
Stitching technique	Defines the stitching technique applied on neighboring surfaces before tessellation. Options: None: No stitching applied. Sewing: Connects surfaces, within a set of objects, that do not have the same topology but share the same physical boundaries. This technique can sometimes modify the structure of the model by removing and adding objects. Healing: Connects surfaces, within a set of objects, that do not have the same topology but share the same physical boundaries.

Animation

The following import options are available when importing all types of animated files.

Option	Description
Full precision UVs	Select this option to ensure that the UV map layouts projected on objects imported into Twinmotion are maintained accurately and with the maximum precision possible. Selecting this option can increase memory consumption during the import process. Selecting this option resolves most UV map precision issues. Some issues may not be resolved on import due to geometry issues originating in the 3D modeling process in the original design application.
Full precision normals	Select this option to improve the precision and quality of shading, which results in the improved precision and quality of reflections. Useful for automotive and product renderings.
Uniform scale factor	Use this option to uniformly control the overall scale of 3D models you import into Twinmotion. This setting scales the imported model and animation at root (Container) level. By default, the value is set to 1.00. This adjustment can potentially affect the lighting of these objects within the scene. Options: 1.00 to 100.00 If you plan on using the Lumen Global Illumination rendering mode, we recommend that you scale your 3D model with this setting, instead of scaling it once it’s imported in the Viewport. When the scale is set with this option, Lumen generates a Surface Cache of the material properties and creates Cards for each mesh. For more information on Lumen, see Lumen Global Illumination.

Option

Description

Full precision UVs

Select this option to ensure that the UV map layouts projected on objects imported into Twinmotion are maintained accurately and with the maximum precision possible. Selecting this option can increase memory consumption during the import process.

Selecting this option resolves most UV map precision issues. Some issues may not be resolved on import due to geometry issues originating in the 3D modeling process in the original design application.

Full precision normals

Select this option to improve the precision and quality of shading, which results in the improved precision and quality of reflections. Useful for automotive and product renderings.

Uniform scale factor

Use this option to uniformly control the overall scale of 3D models you import into Twinmotion. This setting scales the imported model and animation at root (Container) level. By default, the value is set to 1.00.

This adjustment can potentially affect the lighting of these objects within the scene.

Options: 1.00 to 100.00

If you plan on using the Lumen Global Illumination rendering mode, we recommend that you scale your 3D model with this setting, instead of scaling it once it’s imported in the Viewport. When the scale is set with this option, Lumen generates a Surface Cache of the material properties and creates Cards for each mesh. For more information on Lumen, see Lumen Global Illumination.

Landscapes

The following import options are available when importing heightmap images and landscapes.

Option Description

Option	Description
Amplitude	This option is available when importing a heightmap image, and sets the maximum height in (altitude) of the generated landscape. In a heightmap image, white pixels represent the highest points of the terrain and black pixels represent the lowest points. The Amplitude value (which represents meters) is applied to the white pixels and defines the highest point. For example, if the value is set to 512, the altitude of the terrain will vary between 0 (black pixels) and 512 (white pixels).
Largest dimension	This option is available when importing a heightmap image, and sets the scale and resolution in which the image will be imported. When you click the Reset icon, Twinmotion detects the actual width and height of the image and displays it in this field. If the image is rectangular, the value corresponds to the longer side (largest dimension) of the rectangle. For example, if the dimension of the heightmap image is 1024 x 2048, when you click the Reset icon Twinmotion detects the actual dimension of the image; the value in the Largest dimension field changes to 2048 (meters) and the image will be imported as a 1.024 km x 2.048 km landscape. If you change the value in the Largest dimension field to 512, the image will be imported as a 0.256 km x 0.512 km landscape. Reset icon.
Smoothing	This option is available when importing all types of landscape files. It reduces sharp ridges, transitions, and valleys on the meshes of landscapes, especially for the `.xyz` file format.

Amplitude

This option is available when importing a heightmap image, and sets the maximum height in (altitude) of the generated landscape.

In a heightmap image, white pixels represent the highest points of the terrain and black pixels represent the lowest points. The Amplitude value (which represents meters) is applied to the white pixels and defines the highest point. For example, if the value is set to 512, the altitude of the terrain will vary between 0 (black pixels) and 512 (white pixels).

Largest dimension

This option is available when importing a heightmap image, and sets the scale and resolution in which the image will be imported.

When you click the Reset icon, Twinmotion detects the actual width and height of the image and displays it in this field. If the image is rectangular, the value corresponds to the longer side (largest dimension) of the rectangle. For example, if the dimension of the heightmap image is 1024 x 2048, when you click the Reset icon Twinmotion detects the actual dimension of the image; the value in the Largest dimension field changes to 2048 (meters) and the image will be imported as a 1.024 km x 2.048 km landscape. If you change the value in the Largest dimension field to 512, the image will be imported as a 0.256 km x 0.512 km landscape.

Smoothing

This option is available when importing all types of landscape files. It reduces sharp ridges, transitions, and valleys on the meshes of landscapes, especially for the .xyz file format.