Your 3D World Creation Resource Guide
A list of resources for you to get started creating 3D worlds! Where to start and how to implement your very own universe.
Start by Gathering References
Reference gathering is a big step in a path toward your world. It helps you understand the mood, colors, layout, composition, perspective, and style of the world. You can even buy reference packs from places like Gumroad if you want to get a head start. A few resources I’ve used to gather references:
Powerpoint or Figma
and I’ve also heard Pureref is a good local application to store references.
Block Out the World
Your map and its contents will shift as you iterate on the mechanics and content explorers interact with. But blocking the space out is a first necessary step. It’s best to use cubes or modular pieces to get some initial sense for the space before creating final assets.
A few resources to get you started:
- You can simulate terrain using something like World Machine .
- MapMagic was used to create the world of Sable, using a modular design approach.
Making your Assets
There is a whole world of resources in the Unity asset store and pieces online you can use to prototype or adjust for your world. Here’s a few places you can find some resources:
- Sketchfab — there’s some assets you can download or purchase here and it’s also a great source for inspiration!
- Kenney — a ton of different 2D and 3D assets for you to kitbash and use for your creations.
- Anything.world — a way to generate a 3D world through a prompt. Haven’t given it a try yet but looks interesting.
- Asset Forge by Kenney — a kitbashing tool for making all kinds of assets.
- The Base Mesh — a library of base meshes for you to reskin.
- Gumroad — a marketplace where you can find all kinds of things, including 3D assets and textures.
Hope this quick list is useful in getting your game off the ground!
