ShipShaper FBX export: Formats, Engine Setup, and License Rights

Export 3D ship models from ShipShaper as FBX files. Review upper-left menu steps, Unity vertex color setups, and commercial license terms.

ShipShaper allows creators to export custom vessels directly into 3D modeling software, game engines, and 3D printing slicers. Developed by Tomas Sala as part of the Falconeer Chronicles franchise, the tool generates clean 3D assets that carry full commercial usage rights for external game development, digital art, physical prints, and modding.

How to Export FBX Files in ShipShaper

Exporting an asset from ShipShaper requires only a few clicks inside the creation viewport. The developer designed the export pipeline to operate natively without third-party converters or external mesh extraction tools.

Open your completed vessel in the ShipShaper editor workspace.
Locate the file management menu positioned in the upper-left corner of the screen.
Click the menu to reveal the save, load, and export controls.
Select the Export option.
Choose FBX from the available export formats to generate the mesh file on your local storage.

The same upper-left menu structure handles project saves and loads, keeping file management consolidated in one minimal interface.

Technical Specifications: Vertex Colors and Engine Import

ShipShaper builds its models using procedural mesh deformation rather than standard multi-texture maps. Every exported FBX file relies on vertex coloring to display materials, hull paint, and thematic palettes.

Unity Setup

The exported FBX imports cleanly into Unity, but requires a shader that reads vertex color data to display the painted appearance seen in-game.

Import the exported FBX file into your Unity project Assets folder.
Create or open a custom shader in Shader Graph.
Add a Vertex Color node to the graph workspace.
Connect the output of the Vertex Color node directly to the Base Color or Diffuse input of your master shader node.
If your design utilizes glowing elements such as floodlights or signal lamps, configure the emissive channel to display those surfaces properly.

Blender and Unreal Engine

Developer forum posts and community tests confirm that the FBX file imports directly into Blender and Unreal Engine without preparatory file conversions. The vertex colors create sharp, well-defined boundaries across hulls, superstructures, decks, and turrets, allowing developers to isolate and subdivide surfaces rapidly in digital content creation (DCC) suites.

Format	Primary Intended Use	Supported Channels & Data
FBX	Game development (Unity, Unreal Engine), 3D suites (Blender, Maya)	Mesh geometry, vertex colors, emissive channel
GLB	Web 3D viewing, Sketchfab, lightweight asset pipelines	Mesh geometry, vertex color data
STL	Standard single-material 3D printing	Surface mesh geometry
3MF	Multicolor 3D printers	Mesh geometry, mapped color segmentation

Commercial License and Usage Rights

The primary distinction between ShipShaper and conventional creative building games is asset ownership. Most sandbox titles retain proprietary lock-in on player creations, preventing external commercial use. ShipShaper grants players full commercial ownership under a free commercial license.

Official Steam listings and developer announcements outline the following permitted uses:

Independent Game Development: You can import exported FBX models into commercial games published on any store without paying royalties or licensing fees to Tomas Sala or Wired Productions.
Physical 3D Printing: You can slice, print, and sell physical miniatures or tabletop models created with the tool.
Board Games and Tabletop RPGs: Digital renders and physical prints may be incorporated into commercial tabletop products.
Digital Modding: Creators can use meshes to develop ship mods for other titles.
Merchandise: The developer has explicitly affirmed that creators own their outputs and can utilize designs on physical merchandise, including clothing.

In addition to external third-party software, exported vessels can be loaded directly into Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles to serve as functional fleet units, as well as an unreleased sailing game currently under development by the studio.

3D Printing Preparation Considerations

While ShipShaper exports STL and 3MF files intended specifically for slicers, mesh elements created for on-screen digital rendering do not always translate directly to a physical print bed.

Rigging Lines: Thin dynamic rigging and ropes generated by the game engine are often too delicate for standard FDM printing nozzles and may fail to slice or adhere. Slicing experts generally need to strip rigging props before sending files to print.
Canvas Sails: Fine sail meshes may require thickening or removal depending on printer tolerance. The developer has noted that future updates may introduce dedicated print-friendly sail variations that simulate depth without thin-wall slicing errors.
Detached Props and Emplacements: Floating stations, overhangs, and sponsons must be oriented with adequate bed support structures inside your slicing software to prevent print failure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the export button located in ShipShaper?

The export button is located inside the file menu in the upper-left corner of the editor interface, alongside the load and save options.

Do I have to pay royalties if I sell a game featuring ShipShaper FBX models?

No. Official store documentation and developer announcements confirm that models exported from ShipShaper include a free commercial license covering personal projects, commercial video games, physical miniatures, and modding ventures without royalty obligations.

Why does my exported FBX look plain gray when imported into Unity?

ShipShaper stores color data inside the mesh's vertex colors rather than on a traditional 2D texture map. In Unity, you must assign a shader that connects a Vertex Color node to the diffuse or base color channel to render the ship's colors.