> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guide.404.xyz/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guide.404.xyz/404-gen-user-guide/getting-started/404-gen-unity-plugin.md).

# 404—GEN Unity Plugin

## Overview

The **404—GEN Unity Plugin** is a decentralised AI-powered toolset designed to generate production-ready 3D Meshes and 3D Gaussian Splats (3DGS) natively within the Unity Engine. Below is a breakdown of **404—GEN**’s core components:

* **3D Generation:** A text or 2D-to-3D asset generation engine.
* **Splat Editing:** Geometry and Shader Node trees that allow users to view and edit Gaussian Splats directly in the Unity Scene View,
* **Mesh Conversion for 3DGS**: A specialised texture baking and mesh generation pipeline optimised to convert 3D Gaussian Splats into production-ready engine geometry.

#### Additional Features:

* **Spatial Cutouts:** Mask or remove specific points to polish your models.
* **Instant Mesh Colliders:** Add physics-ready convex colliders in a single click.
* **Lightweight Proxy Shadows:** Cast clean viewport and runtime shadows effortlessly.
* **PLY Export Pipeline:** Save and export your Gaussian Splat data for external use.

#### System Requirements

* *Unity Version: 6000.3.2 (Unity 6)*
* *Graphics API Requirements:*
* *Windows: DirectX 12*
* *macOS: Metal*
* *Linux: Vulkan*

## Installation

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Upgrading Users:** You must completely delete any previous versions of the **404—GEN** plugin from your project and restart the Unity Editor before installing the latest release.
{% endhint %}

### Instructions

### Step 1: Add to My Assets

1. Visit the **404—GEN** page on the [**Unity Asset Store**](https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/slug/311107).
2. Click <mark style="color:$success;">**Add to My Assets**</mark> to link the plugin to your Unity account.

#### Step 2: Download the Package

1. Open your 3D Unity project.
2. Open the Package Manager by navigating to \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Window**</mark>] ➡️ \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Package Manager**</mark>].
3. Change the package source dropdown to \[<mark style="color:$success;">**My Assets**</mark>].

Select **404—GEN** from the list and click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Download**</mark>].

#### Step 3: Import the Assets

1. Once the download completes, click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Import**</mark>].
2. In the Unity Import dialog window, leave all files selected and click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Import**</mark>].

#### Step 4: Configure Graphics & Restart

1. Navigate to \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Edit**</mark>] ➡️ \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Project Settings**</mark>] ➡️ \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Player**</mark>].
2. Ensure your rendering backup is set to DirectX 12 for Windows, Metal for macOS, Vulkan for Linux.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Restart the Unity Editor to initialise the rendering pipeline.
{% endhint %}

## Usage Guide

### 1. Generating 3D Assets

1. Navigate to \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Window**</mark>] ➡️ \[<mark style="color:$success;">**404-GEN 3D Generator**</mark>] to open the central control panel.
2. Input a text description into the Text Prompt Field or assign an image to the 2D Image Prompt slot.
3. Click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Generate**</mark>]. Process times average 1 to 2 minutes.

<figure><img src="/files/YxO49mHeWiGfH8ZPBFoc" alt="" width="527"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Managing the Generation Queue

The Generator window monitors operational states (<mark style="color:$warning;">**Started**</mark>, <mark style="color:$success;">**Completed**</mark>, or <mark style="color:$danger;">**Failed**</mark>). Use the action icons to manage tasks:

* **Cancel:** Terminate the active generation task.
* **Toggle Visibility:** Instantly show or hide the created Gaussian Splat model in the viewport.
* **Focus Asset:** Ping and select the generated model in the Scene view and Inspector window.
* **Retry:** Resend a failed or canceled prompt back to the network queue.
* **Logs:** Hover over this element to view real-time compilation log messages in a tooltip.
* **Delete:** Wipe the prompt entry from your persistent history tray.
* **Settings**: Jump directly to the project settings panel dedicated to this package.

### Prompt Optimisation

&#x20;For structured prompt writing techniques, review our dedicated **Prompts Guide**.

{% content-ref url="/pages/e6nB40Vt4vaQCg3prgSW" %}
[404—GEN Prompt Guide](/404-gen-user-guide/getting-started/404-gen-prompt-guide.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Technical Features & Adjustments

#### Transformations & Splat Properties

Beyond standard Transform components (Position, Rotation, Scale), the **404—GEN** Inspector includes two specialised scalar values:

* **Splat Scale**: Adjusts the uniform size of the individual ellipsoids forming the Gaussian Splat.
* **Opacity Scale**: Globally scales the alpha/opacity curves across all points simultaneously.

#### Spatial Cutouts

Isolate or crop sections of your cloud data using parametric volumes.

1. Select your Gaussian Splat asset in the hierarchy.
2. In the Inspector panel, locate the Cutouts section and click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Add Cutout**</mark>].
3. Select a geometric primitive shape (Box or Ellipsoid) and scale/position it manually in the scene view.
4. **Optional:** Check Invert to flip the rendering mask (hiding points inside the shape instead of outside).

#### Physics Colliders

Because raw Gaussian Splats do not contain physical vertices, clicking \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Add Mesh Collider**</mark>] in the Inspector dynamically wraps the asset in a lightweight convex hull mesh collider for physics interactions.

<figure><img src="/files/DWEqbsRqxFCIRqKCcJky" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Model with Mesh Collider.</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Lightweight Shadows

To cast real-time lighting shadows without performance degradation, click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Add Shadow**</mark>]. This instantiates an invisible, highly optimised convex hull mesh proxy that matches the footprint of the splat to cast clean, low-poly shadows.

<figure><img src="/files/iD6I5teqkJcx0LQ7j4eU" alt="" width="394"><figcaption><p>Gaussian Splat with Shadow Applied.</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Mesh Conversion&#x20;

To convert a splat into standard engine geometry, click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Convert to Mesh**</mark>] to call up the conversion utility interface.

1. Target Assignment: Assign your active source Gaussian Splat component to the target input slot.
2. Path Setup: Define your chosen file output folder location inside the project ecosystem.
3. Detail Tuning: Utilise the integrated configuration sliders to adjust the level of detail (LOD) on the mesh output.
4. Execution: Click \[Start conversion to Mesh].

The pipeline takes approximately one minute to synthesise the Point Cloud data (.ply) into an FBX Mesh asset (.mesh). The utility automatically creates an operational GameObject instance directly in your current active Scene view hierarchy upon completion.

### PLY Export&#x20;

* **Exporting:** Select any active splat asset and click \[<mark style="color:$success;">**Export PLY**</mark>] to write standard format point cloud data out to disk.
* **Importing:** Drag and drop third-party .ply files directly into your Unity project's Assets folder, then install them directly into your scene.

## Gaussian Splats

To learn more about **3DGS** (3D Gaussian Splatting), visit the Gaussian Splatting section of this guide:

{% content-ref url="/pages/bZW3OYUQix6hx1nTgPWw" %}
[3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS)](/404-gen-user-guide/extended-resources/3d-gaussian-splatting-3dgs.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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