SpecialMesh

Show Deprecated

The SpecialMesh object applies a mesh to a BasePart depending on the MeshType property. A number of options are available.

Brick - A block shape, equivalent to a BlockMesh
Cylinder - A cylinder, identical to a Part with a Part.Shape of 'Cylinder'
FileMesh - A user uploaded Mesh, equivalent to FileMesh that a texture can be applied to using the FileMesh.TextureId property
Head - A character head shape
Sphere - A sphere shape, similar to a Part with a Part.Shape of 'Ball' but can be freely resized on all axis
Wedge - A wedge shape, identical to a WedgePart
Torso - A block with sloped sides, due to be deprecated

Note, each SpecialMesh.MeshType will scale differently when using DataModelMesh.Scale, for more information on this please see the page on DataModelMesh.Scale. The SpecialMesh object also exposes the DataModelMesh.Offset property.

It is important to remember that when using a SpecialMesh, only the appearance of a part changes. The collision model of the part remains the same. For example, a character will not be able to walk correctly over a mesh as the mesh geometry is not taken into account.

SpecialMesh vs MeshPart

There are currently two ways of using a developer created mesh. They are using a SpecialMesh with the SpecialMesh.FileType set to 'FileMesh', or by using a MeshPart. Although, on the whole, the MeshPart object has superseded the SpecialMesh there are some differences developers should be aware of.

BasePart.Material displays correctly on the mesh when using a MeshPart and not when using a SpecialMesh
MeshParts include the MeshPart.CollisionFidelity property, meaning the collision model of a MeshPart can be set to resemble the geometry of the mesh. The SpecialMesh object by contrast, uses the parent BaseParts collision model
The mesh of a MeshPart scales on all axis depending on the Size property of the MeshPart, the mesh of a SpecialMesh does not
The SpecialMesh object includes the Offset and Scale properties whereas MeshParts do not
The MeshId property of a SpecialMesh can be changed by a Script or LocalScript during runtime. The MeshId property of a MeshPart can not.

Code Samples

Mesh Offset and Scale

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")

-- instance a part and a mesh
local part = Instance.new("Part")
part.Size = Vector3.new(4, 8, 4)
part.Position = Vector3.new(0, 4, 0)
part.Anchored = true
part.CanCollide = false

local mesh = Instance.new("SpecialMesh")
mesh.MeshType = Enum.MeshType.FileMesh
mesh.MeshId = "rbxassetid://1086413449"
mesh.TextureId = "rbxassetid://1461576423"
mesh.Offset = Vector3.new(0, 0, 0)
mesh.Scale = Vector3.new(4, 4, 4)
mesh.Parent = part

-- selection box to show part extents
local box = Instance.new("SelectionBox")
box.Adornee = part
box.Parent = part

-- parent part to workspace
part.Parent = workspace

-- animate offset and scale with a tween
local tween = TweenService:Create(
	mesh,
	TweenInfo.new(1, Enum.EasingStyle.Linear, Enum.EasingDirection.Out, -1, true, 0),
	{ Scale = Vector3.new(1, 1, 1), Offset = Vector3.new(0, 3, 0) }
)

tween:Play()

Mesh VertexColor

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")

-- instance a part and a mesh
local part = Instance.new("Part")
part.Size = Vector3.new(4, 8, 4)
part.Position = Vector3.new(0, 4, 0)
part.Anchored = true
part.CanCollide = false

local mesh = Instance.new("SpecialMesh")
mesh.MeshType = Enum.MeshType.FileMesh
mesh.MeshId = "rbxassetid://1086413449"
mesh.TextureId = "rbxassetid://1461576423"
mesh.Offset = Vector3.new(0, 0, 0)
mesh.Scale = Vector3.new(4, 4, 4)
mesh.VertexColor = Vector3.new(1, 1, 1)
mesh.Parent = part

-- parent part to workspace
part.Parent = workspace

-- create tweens
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(1, Enum.EasingStyle.Linear, Enum.EasingDirection.Out)
local blackTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(0, 0, 0) })
local redTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(1, 0, 0) })
local greenTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(0, 1, 0) })
local blueTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(0, 0, 1) })
local resetTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(1, 1, 1) })

-- animate
while true do
	blackTween:Play()
	blackTween.Completed:Wait()
	redTween:Play()
	redTween.Completed:Wait()
	greenTween:Play()
	greenTween.Completed:Wait()
	blueTween:Play()
	blueTween.Completed:Wait()
	resetTween:Play()
	resetTween.Completed:Wait()
	task.wait()
end

Summary

Properties

MeshType:Enum.MeshType
Read Parallel
Determines the type of mesh that will be applied to the BasePart the SpecialMesh is parented to.

Properties inherited from FileMesh

MeshId:ContentId
Read Parallel
The MeshId is the content ID of the mesh that is to be displayed.
TextureId:ContentId
Read Parallel
The TextureId is the content ID of the texture that is to be applied to the mesh.

Properties inherited from DataModelMesh

Offset:Vector3
Read Parallel
The Offset of a mesh determines the relative position from the BasePart.Position of a BasePart that the mesh will be displayed at.
Scale:Vector3
Read Parallel
The Scale of a mesh determines the size of the mesh relative to its original dimensions.
VertexColor:Vector3
Read Parallel
Changes the hue of a mesh's texture, used with FileMesh.TextureId.

View all inherited from Instance

View all inherited from Object

Methods

View all inherited from Instance

View all inherited from Object

Events

View all inherited from Instance

View all inherited from Object

Properties

MeshType

Enum.MeshType

Read Parallel

The mesh that the SpecialMeshobject applies to the BasePart depends on the MeshType property. A number of options are available.

Brick - A block shape, equivalent to a BlockMesh
Cylinder - A cylinder, identical to a Part with a Part.Shape of 'Cylinder'
FileMesh - A user uploaded Mesh, equivalent to FileMesh that a texture can be applied to using the FileMesh.TextureId property
Head - A character head shape
Sphere - A sphere shape, similar to a Part with a Part.Shape of 'Ball' but can be freely resized on all axis
Wedge - A wedge shape, identical to a WedgePart
Torso - A block with sloped sides, due to be deprecated

Note, each MeshType will scale differently when using DataModelMesh.Scale, for more information on this please see the page on DataModelMesh.Scale.

Code Samples

Mesh VertexColor

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")

-- instance a part and a mesh
local part = Instance.new("Part")
part.Size = Vector3.new(4, 8, 4)
part.Position = Vector3.new(0, 4, 0)
part.Anchored = true
part.CanCollide = false

local mesh = Instance.new("SpecialMesh")
mesh.MeshType = Enum.MeshType.FileMesh
mesh.MeshId = "rbxassetid://1086413449"
mesh.TextureId = "rbxassetid://1461576423"
mesh.Offset = Vector3.new(0, 0, 0)
mesh.Scale = Vector3.new(4, 4, 4)
mesh.VertexColor = Vector3.new(1, 1, 1)
mesh.Parent = part

-- parent part to workspace
part.Parent = workspace

-- create tweens
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(1, Enum.EasingStyle.Linear, Enum.EasingDirection.Out)
local blackTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(0, 0, 0) })
local redTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(1, 0, 0) })
local greenTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(0, 1, 0) })
local blueTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(0, 0, 1) })
local resetTween = TweenService:Create(mesh, tweenInfo, { VertexColor = Vector3.new(1, 1, 1) })

-- animate
while true do
	blackTween:Play()
	blackTween.Completed:Wait()
	redTween:Play()
	redTween.Completed:Wait()
	greenTween:Play()
	greenTween.Completed:Wait()
	blueTween:Play()
	blueTween.Completed:Wait()
	resetTween:Play()
	resetTween.Completed:Wait()
	task.wait()
end