Simple 3D text geometry

Help & Support
1

Hi there,

I’m just evaluating the engine and so far I’m quite impressed how simple something is to achieve. But I’m kind of got stuck on one issue regarding simple 3D text creation. In Unity or Unreal is it very simple to create just a simple text in 3D, but I’m missing this option in Playcanvas.

I’m aware about the example of 2D Text rendered in 3D using billboards and canvas, but I’m looking just for simple 3D text primitive. Is it not possible with the engine?

Cheers for any help!

Best

2

3D text you mean actual 3D letters?
There is no built-in functionality for that unfortunately :frowning:
You could build some your own primitive based system for it.

3

Hi max,

thank you very much for such quick help! :slight_smile:

Since I’m little bit new to JavaScript GameDev (more old fashioned C++/C# :smiley:) have you any tipps where I can start? Maybe something that was already done for three.js and is compatible with Playcanvas and iOS/Android?

Thanks!
Sergej

4

If you haven’t done JS before, great place to start is codeacademy, but as you are experienced with C++/C# then it might appeal a bit boring to you.

I would suggest start small, check out how some examples work and so on.
If your 3D text is static, you can make it in 3D’s max or even sketchfab easily and simply drop FBX in playcanvas.

5

Is this text static? If so, you can simply model it in Blender/Max/Maya, export to FBX and then import into PlayCanvas. That takes a minute or two to do.

If it has to be dynamic, then you’d need to use something like this:

http://gero3.github.io/facetype.js/

I think that generates the font outlines and you can then generate an extruded mesh from that. Not trivial to write such mesh creation code if you’re new to JS though!

6

@max

Programming in JS isn’t the problem, I’m more unfamiliar with libraries and frameworks I could use to achieve that needed :slight_smile:

@will

Hey Will, thank you too! The text should be dynamic, so thanks for the tipp, I’ll give a look into facetype.js.

Have you any plans to implement such feature? I have to admit, I was a little bit surprised about the missing possibility to create 3D text.

Best,
Sergej

7

I haven’t seen 3D text in modern apps often. This is something special and usually very custom from case to case.
There are many different ways to do it, with different visual outcomes. So it would be hard to meet majority of needs with still flexible way to allow good level of control.

If you need simple solution, then pre-making letters in modeling tool, and then making simple script to put one after the other.

8

I haven’t seen 3D text in modern apps often. This is something special and usually very custom from case to case.

Maybe I’m to spoiled from Unity/Unreal :slight_smile:

I had similar idea with pre-made letters. I think this would be the easiest way for our prototype.

1 Like
9

A client just ask me about this. Three.js have a similar feature: https://threejs.org/examples/#webgl_geometry_text