DayZ Geometry Maker – Docs

Docs / DayZ Geometry Maker

Overview

DayZ Geometry Maker is a free, open-source Blender extension that lets you export models directly to the Arma MLOD P3D format — no ArmaToolbox or Object Builder required for the export step.

It handles the full LOD pipeline: geometry, fire geometry, roadway, resolution LODs, and the memory LOD — all from inside Blender. Named selections are synced from vertex groups, and a model.cfg is written alongside the P3D automatically. For container items with doors, it also generates your config.cpp and 4_World scripts.

P3D Export

Export directly to Arma MLOD format

Resolution LODs

Up to 6 LODs with auto decimation

Geometry LOD

Convex components with one click, from selection, or per door

Fire Geometry

Reuses all geometry objects automatically

Roadway LOD

Extracted from upward-facing geometry faces

Memory LOD

Bounding box, camera, doors, lights, weapon points

Door Setup

Slider-based door rotation preview with hinge axis from memory points

Named Selections

Synced from Blender vertex groups

model.cfg generation

Written automatically on export with skeleton and animations

Mod Export

Generates config.cpp and 4_World scripts for Container_Base items

Correct Normals

No F5 needed in Object Builder

Texture Baking

Optional integration with DayZ Texture Tools

Installation

Requires Blender 4.2 or later. No other addons needed for core P3D export.

1 Download the latest .zip from the GitHub Releases page.
2 Drag and drop the .zip directly into the Blender window — it installs automatically.
3 Alternatively: go to Edit → Preferences → Extensions, click Install from Disk and select the .zip.
4 The panel appears in the 3D Viewport → N Panel → DayZ tab.

Getting Started

Once installed, open the DayZ tab in the N panel of the 3D viewport. The panel is split into collapsible sections — click any section header to expand it.

1 Select or create a mesh object in the viewport.
2 Set it as the Target Object at the top of the DayZ panel.
3 Use Add Geometry under Collision & Functional to generate geometry components.
4 Generate resolution LODs, set memory points, and sync named selections as needed.
5 In the Export section, set your P3D path and click Export.

Geometry LOD

The Geometry LOD defines the collision shape for your model in DayZ. Each component must be convex. The tool creates separate Component01, Component02 etc. named selections automatically. All components are merged into a single Geometry LOD at export time.

Add Geometry

Creates a box around the entire target object. Resize it in the viewport. Click multiple times to add more components for complex models.

Add Geometry from Selection

Go into Edit Mode, select the vertices or faces you want covered, then click this button. A convex hull is calculated from just those selected verts. Ideal for pillars, arches, or individual parts of a scan mesh.

Add Door Geometry

Appears in the Memory Points section once door vertex groups are configured. Creates a convex hull Geometry LOD component per door, shaped from the door's vertex group, set to 10kg. The component is named after the door (e.g. leftdoor) so DayZ can animate it. Press again at any time to regenerate fresh.

Fire Geometry

Fire Geometry controls bullet and rocket collision. The tool copies every object in the Geometry collection — including door geometry — to build the Fire Geometry LOD automatically. No separate setup required. The total point count must stay under 3,500.

Roadway LOD

The Roadway LOD defines walkable surfaces — rooftops, platforms, stairs. The tool extracts upward-facing faces from your geometry components to build this LOD automatically.

Resolution LODs

Resolution LODs are progressively lower-detail versions of your model shown at increasing view distances. You can generate up to 6 LODs. Toggle each one on in the panel and click Create Selected LODs. The wiki recommends halving polygon count at each step, with the lowest LOD at around 500 polygons.

Memory LOD

The Memory LOD contains named points that DayZ uses for gameplay. Add the points you need from the panel and reposition them using the move button next to each point.

Point	Purpose
Bounding Box	Defines model extents for loot spawning and inventory display
Inventory Camera	Camera angle shown in the inventory screen
Center / Radius	Center of mass and bounding sphere reference
Door Points	Two points per door defining the hinge axis for animation
Light Points	Positions for dynamic lights or particle effects
Ladder	Top and bottom points for climbable ladders
Muzzle Points	Breech and muzzle positions for weapons
Bolt Axis	Two points defining bolt travel direction
Case Eject	Casing ejection start and end path
Eye / ADS	ADS aiming eye position
Trigger	Trigger position on the weapon
Magazine	Magazine attachment and detachment point
Damage Hide	Point used to hide model parts when damaged

Door Setup

Doors are configured per-door inside the Memory Points section. For each door you need two axis points in the Memory LOD and a vertex group on your target mesh covering just the door faces.

1 Add Door Points in the Memory LOD — two points per door defining the hinge axis. Position them along the hinge edge.
2 Create a vertex group on your target mesh containing just the door faces. Assign it in the Door Geometry field that appears under each door's rotation setup.
3 Click Enter Rotate Mode. A temporary preview mesh of the door appears. Use the Preview Angle slider on the panel to rotate it around the hinge axis in real time.
4 With the slider at the closed position, click Set as Closed. Move it to the fully open position and click Set as Open. Click Done to remove the preview.
5 Set the Anim Period — how many seconds the door takes to open/close.
6 Click Add Door Geometry to create convex hull collision for the door. This is required for the door to have physical presence in-game.

The closed and open angles are exported to model.cfg automatically. DayZ uses an inverted sign convention for angles — the addon handles this negation for you.

Named Selections

Named selections control which faces have textures and materials applied in DayZ. They are driven by Blender vertex groups — assign faces to a vertex group, then add it in the Named Selections panel.

Each named selection has a hidden selection name (the export name written into the P3D and model.cfg), a texture path (.paa), and an optional RVMAT path. Set these manually or let the texture baker assign them automatically after baking.

Texture Baking

Optional integration with the Phlanka Blender addon (Texture Baker module required). When installed and licensed, a baking section appears in the Named Selections panel.

Mark any named selection with Bake Texture — the Textures path field appears in the Export section. On export the baker runs automatically after the P3D is written, outputting files to the folder you specified.

Each selection is baked individually — the addon isolates that selection's geometry, runs the baker, collects the output, then moves to the next. This ensures models with multiple material slots get correctly separated texture sets per selection.

Get the Texture Baker

Available as part of the Phlanka Blender addon — you need the Texture Baker module specifically. Find it in the store on this site.

Exporting

The Export section at the bottom of the panel has three path fields — set them before clicking Export.

P3D (always shown)

Where to save the P3D file. Click the folder icon to open a save dialog — the filename you choose becomes the class name used throughout the export. The model.cfg and config.cpp are written to the same folder.

Textures (shown when bake selections are marked)

Folder where baked textures and RVMATs are written. Texture paths in the P3D are set to point here automatically.

Scripts (shown when door points exist)

Point this at your mod's scripts folder. A 4_World subfolder is created inside it with all generated scripts.

Click Export. The exporter will:

→ Write the MLOD P3D with all LODs, with modifiers and transforms applied
→ Generate deduplicated split normals — no F5 needed in Object Builder
→ Write model.cfg alongside the P3D with skeleton, bones, and door animation entries
→ Write config.cpp alongside the P3D with CfgPatches, CfgMods, and CfgVehicles
→ Generate 4_World scripts if Scripts folder is set
→ Run texture baking if any selections are marked for baking

Mod Export & Scripts

When door points are configured in the Memory LOD, the Export section shows a Scripts path and a Container Base toggle. With these set, the addon generates everything you need for a working deployable container mod.

File	What it contains
config.cpp (next to P3D)	CfgPatches, CfgMods (with correct script paths), CfgVehicles inheriting Container_Base
model.cfg (next to P3D)	CfgSkeletons with door bones, CfgModels with sections[], animations, and door angle entries
4_World/entities/itembase/ClassName.c	Entity class inheriting DeployableContainer_Base — open/close logic, cargo, deploy behaviour
4_World/Actions/ActionOpen_ClassName.c	Open action with condition and server execute
4_World/Actions/ActionClose_ClassName.c	Close action with condition and server execute
4_World/Actions/moddedActionConstructor.c	Registers the two actions in the DayZ action system

All class names, bone names, animation periods, and script paths are substituted automatically from what you set up in the panel. The generated files match the structure of a working DayZ mod — place the P3D folder inside your mod root, load the mod, and the item should be functional.

Tips & Troubleshooting

Normals look wrong in-game

The exporter applies a Weighted Normal modifier and deduplicates split normals before export. Make sure your mesh has clean geometry — avoid zero-area faces and non-manifold edges.

Texture paths not appearing in P3D

Set up named selections and assign texture paths before exporting. Texture paths are stamped onto the P3D at export time — they do not update retroactively.

Baked images are .png not .paa

The baker may write .png if PAA conversion is not enabled in the Phlanka addon preferences. Run them through TexView or enable PAA conversion in the baker settings.

Door has no collision in-game

Use the Add Door Geometry button in the Memory Points section to create a Geometry LOD component for each door. Without this the door mesh has no physical collision.

Door angles are wrong in-game

DayZ uses an inverted sign convention for rotation angles. The addon automatically negates the values when writing model.cfg — if you are entering angles manually, enter them as they look in Blender and the addon will handle the inversion.

Scripts path: where to point it

Point the Scripts field at the scripts folder inside your mod root — e.g. P:\MyMod\scripts. The addon creates a 4_World subfolder inside it. Do not point it at 4_World itself.

Auto-updater

The addon checks GitHub for a newer release on every Blender startup. If an update is available, a banner appears at the top of the DayZ panel with a one-click Install button. You can also trigger a manual check with the Check for Updates button at the bottom of the Export section.

Contributors

Built and maintained by Phlanka.

7ooWORKS

Contributed to the mod export and config generation system