AssetsBridge Blender Addon

Bidirectional asset bridge between Blender and Unreal Engine.

AssetsBridge enables seamless round-trip asset workflows between Blender and Unreal Engine. Import meshes from Unreal, modify them in Blender, and send them back—preserving materials, transforms, skeleton references, and morph targets.

Sister Project: Unreal Engine Plugin

This Blender addon works in tandem with the AssetsBridge Unreal Engine Plugin:

🔗 AssetsBridge UE Plugin

Both components are required for the full workflow:

Component	Purpose
UE Plugin	Export assets to glTF, read modified assets back, manage UE-side integration
This Addon (Blender)	Import assets from Unreal, edit meshes/skeletons/shape keys, export back

Standalone vs. Combined Use

While each component can be used independently, the full workflow requires both:

• Blender Addon Only: Export meshes to FBX with Unreal-compatible settings, manage asset paths and collection hierarchies, split meshes into wearable parts
• UE Plugin Only: Export assets to a bridge directory for external editing
• Both Together: Full round-trip editing with automatic metadata preservation, skeleton references, material paths, and folder structure synchronization

Features

Import/Export

• Import from Unreal - Reads from-unreal.json, imports glTF files, creates collection hierarchy matching Unreal folder structure
• Export to Unreal - Writes from-blender.json, exports selected meshes as FBX with Unreal-compatible settings
• Metadata Preservation - Maintains object IDs, material paths, skeleton references, and world transforms
• Collection Hierarchy - Blender collections mirror Unreal's /Game/... folder structure

Mesh Tools

• Split to New Mesh - Separate faces into new wearable pieces (preserves weights, shape keys)
• Set Unreal Object Path - Configure Unreal destination path for entire object hierarchies
• Assign UE5 Skeleton - Reuse existing skeleton on reimport instead of creating new

Shape Key Tools

• Transfer All Shape Keys - Copy morph targets between meshes using closest-point mapping
• Selective Transfer - Choose specific shape keys to transfer (helmet doesn't need mouth morphs)

Skeleton Retargeting

• Automatic Bone Mapping - Fuzzy matching algorithm maps bones between different skeletons
• Manual Override - Adjust individual bone mappings in a list UI
• Weight Transfer - Transfers and remaps vertex group weights to the new skeleton

Installation

1. Download the latest .zip from Releases
2. In Blender: Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Install
3. Select the downloaded .zip file
4. Enable "AssetsBridge" in the addon list

Configuration

1. Go to Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → AssetsBridge
2. Browse to any file in your AssetsBridge exchange directory
3. The addon automatically uses the directory containing that file

Tip: Use a shared folder that both Blender and Unreal can access. The Unreal plugin should be configured to use the same directory.

Usage Workflow

Unreal → Blender (Import)

1. In Unreal: Export assets using the AssetsBridge UE plugin
2. In Blender: Click Import Objects in the AssetsBridge panel (View3D → Toolbar → AssetsBridge)
3. Assets appear with collection hierarchy matching Unreal folder structure

Blender → Unreal (Export)

1. Make your modifications in Blender
2. Select modified objects
3. Click Export Selected in the AssetsBridge panel
4. In Unreal: Use the UE plugin to import modified assets

Mesh Tools

• Split to New Mesh - Select faces in Edit Mode, click Split to New Mesh, configure name and path
• Set Unreal Object Path - Set destination like /Game/Assets/Wearables/Armor/SK_F_Trooper
• Assign UE5 Skeleton - Link mesh to existing skeleton: /Game/Characters/Skeleton

Supported Asset Types

Type	Export	Import	Notes
Static Mesh	✅	✅	Full support with materials
Skeletal Mesh	✅	✅	Includes skeleton and weights
Morph Targets	✅	✅	Shape keys preserved by name
Materials	✅	✅	Material slots tracked

Requirements

• Blender 5.0+
• Unreal Engine 5.5+ (for full workflow with UE plugin)

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
"Import file not found"	Export from Unreal first to create from-unreal.json
Objects not appearing in Unreal	Ensure the UE plugin is configured to the same bridge directory
Skeleton mismatch on import	Use Assign UE5 Skeleton to specify which skeleton to reuse
Collection hierarchy wrong	Use Set Unreal Object Path to fix the /Game/... path

Documentation

Detailed documentation available in Docs:

• MeshTools - Split to New Mesh, Set Unreal Object Path, Assign UE5 Skeleton

Support

If you find this project useful, consider supporting development:

☕ Buy me a coffee

License

This project is open source under the GPL license.

---

Made with ❤️ by Nitecon Studios LLC