FBX
What is it?
.FBX is a widely used file format for 3D assets, developed by Autodesk, intended for exchanging models and animations between different 3D applications. It can store mesh data, UVs, basic materials, textures, skeletal rigs, skinning weights and keyframe animations, which helps keep complex scenes intact during export and import. Because many packages (like Blender, Maya, Unity and Unreal) support FBX, it is popular in games, XR and animation productions; however, be aware of version incompatibilities and items that may not transfer perfectly, such as advanced shader node graphs or engine‑specific material setups.
Practical example
You create an animated character in Blender with an armature, skin weights and several walk cycles. When exporting to .fbx you make sure to apply transforms (scale/rotation), choose the correct axis orientation and bake animations if necessary; you also check the FBX version so Unity or Unreal can read the file correctly. In Unity you import the .fbx, set the Rig type (e.g. Humanoid or Generic), verify materials and relink textures or replace engine‑specific shaders; for XR projects this workflow quickly gives you a usable model with animations in your app.
Test your knowledge
Which of the following items is typically NOT fully or reliably transferred by an FBX export between different 3D software packages?