Hytale Asset Editor & Blockbench: Creating Custom Models, Blocks, and Items

Every custom block, item, NPC, and decoration in a Hytale mod starts in one of two places: the Asset Editor (for data and properties) and Blockbench (for 3D models and animations). Together, they form the complete creative pipeline — and neither requires writing code. This guide covers the full workflow from creating your first custom block to publishing a polished asset pack. The Two Tools: Asset Editor vs Blockbench ToolWhat It DoesWhere It Runs Asset EditorDefines data properties — block behavior, item stats, entity configuration, drop tables, categoriesIn-game (Creative Mode) BlockbenchCreates 3D models, textures, and animations in .blockymodel and .blockyanim formatsStandalone app (with Hytale plugin) Think of it this way: the Asset Editor defines what something does (a sword that deals 10 damage, a block that drops iron ore). Blockbench defines what it looks like (the 3D model, texture, and animations). The Asset Editor: In-Game Content Creation Accessing the Asset Editor Create or load a Creative World Type /op self in chat Press B to open the Creative Tools Hub Go to Assets → Asset Editor Click the three dots (top-left) → "Add Pack" to create a new asset pack The Asset Editor displays the game's complete directory tree — Audio, Camera, Entity, Environment, Item, Particles, GameplayConfig. Browse any folder to see how vanilla content is configured, then copy and modify it for your own packs. The Copy Workflow The fastest way to create custom content is the "Copy Asset" workflow: Find an existing item/block/entity similar to what you want Copy it to your pack Modify the properties you want to change Add your custom texture/model Click Apply Changes — your item appears in-game immediately This is significantly faster than creating assets from scratch and ensures you don't miss required fields. Creating a Custom Block Step-by-step for a new block: Create the JSON definition at Packs/YourPack/Server/Item/Items/my_block.json Add the texture at Packs/YourPack/Common/BlockTextures/my_block.png Add the inventory icon at Packs/YourPack/Common/Icons/ItemsGenerated/My_Block.png Open in Asset Editor — switch to the Source tab, configure properties Apply Changes — hot-reloads immediately Equip and test — search for your block, click "Equip Item" Properties you can configure per block: Material type and breaking behavior Sound effects (place, break, walk) Particle effects on break Drop items and drop rates Stack size and inventory category Light emission Hardness and tool requirements Creating a Custom Item Items follow the same copy workflow. Duplicate an existing weapon or tool, then modify: Damage values and attack speed Durability Crafting recipe (which workbench, what ingredients) Model reference (point to your Blockbench model) Category assignment For localization, create a Server/Languages/en-US/server.lang file with your item's display name key. Configuring Entities The Asset Editor handles entity base properties: stats (health, damage, speed), drop tables, model/animation references, and spawn conditions. NPC behavior logic uses the separate sensor-action system through JSON configuration — see our Visual Scripting Guide for details on the behavior system. Particles and VFX The Asset Editor includes a full particle editor for creating custom visual effects: Layered particle emitters Color gradients over lifetime Physics interactions (gravity, wind, collision) Time-based property changes Attachment to entities or world positions Blockbench: 3D Models and Animations Blockbench has officially replaced the original Hytale Model Maker as the recommended modeling tool. Hypixel Studios made this strategic decision to embrace software the community already knew rather than forcing modders to learn proprietary tools. Setup Download Blockbench from blockbench.net (free) Install the Hytale Blockbench Plugin by JannisX11 (available on GitHub) Create a new project → select Hytale Model as the format The plugin adds support for Hytale's .blockymodel and .blockyanim file formats, with automatic validation for Hytale's style guidelines. The Blockbench Workspace When creating a Hytale model, your workspace includes: 3D Viewport — visual modeling space with orbit, pan, and zoom Outliner — bone/element hierarchy (bones must follow naming conventions for animation compatibility) UV Editor — texture mapping with auto-generated UV templates Timeline — animation keyframes for position, rotation, and scale Modeling Rules Hytale models use cuboids and flat planes — no smooth geometry. Follow these guidelines: Characters/Attachments: 64px per unit texel density Props/Blocks: 32px per unit texel density Geometry stretching: Keep between 0.7x and 1.3x to prevent visible pixel distortion Avoid pure white/black: These break in-game lighting calculations Character bone naming: head, body, left_arm, right_arm, left_leg, right_leg — the animation system auto-applies when bones match these names Texturing Blockbench provides three texturing workflows: Paint directly on the 3D model — intuitive but less precise Use the 2D texture editor — pixel-level control on the UV map External editor — connect Photoshop, GIMP, or any image editor for advanced work Textures must be non-square and multiples of 32px (32, 64, 96, 128, etc.). Hytale's Art Style The art team treats each texture as an "illustration" — they paint shadows, ambient occlusion, and highlights directly into the texture to simulate more complex lighting than the engine actually provides. This is a deliberate stylistic choice, not a limitation. When creating custom textures, follow this approach for visual consistency with vanilla content. Shading Modes (Materials) Instead of traditional PBR materials, Hytale uses a controlled set of shading modes assigned per model node. This is for performance and visual consistency. In Blockbench, you can assign shading modes per node, though the plugin cannot yet visually preview them. Animation Blockbench's animation editor uses keyframe animation with: Position, rotation, and scale keyframes Graph editor for fine-tuning interpolation curves Export to .blockyanim format Correctly named bones get automatic animation support — if your character model has left_arm and right_arm bones, Hytale's animation system can apply walk cycles and combat animations automatically. The Legacy: Hytale Model Maker Before Blockbench, Hytale had its own built-in Hytale Model Maker (HMM), created by Elisée Maurer and Nicolas "Bilou" Gauthier. Key features included: Browser-based (no installation needed) Real-time collaboration — multiple users could work on the same model simultaneously, Google Docs-style Built-in texture painting with gradient mapping Keyframe animation timeline Attachment points for defining how items connect to characters Cloud-saved projects While the collaborative features were impressive, Hypixel Studios chose Blockbench because the community already knew it. Some HMM features (like real-time collaboration) may return as Blockbench plugin features in the future. Packaging and Distribution Asset Pack Structure MyAssetPack/ manifest.json # IncludesAssetPack: true Common/ BlockTextures/ # Block face textures Icons/ ItemsGenerated/ # Inventory icons Models/ # .blockymodel files Animations/ # .blockyanim files Server/ Item/Items/ # Item/block definitions Item/Category/ # Category assignments Block/ # Block behavior configs Languages/en-US/ server.lang # Display names Distribution Local testing: Your pack is initially stored within the specific world where you created it Global availability: Compress the manifest and folders into a .zip and move to %AppData%/Hytale/UserData/Mods/ Server deployment: Drop the .zip into the server's mods/ folder CurseForge: Publish as a Pack for the community to download Remember: Hytale's server-side architecture means players connecting to your server receive your custom assets automatically. They don't need to download anything separately. The Complete Workflow Here's the end-to-end process for adding a custom sword to your server: Model it in Blockbench: Create the sword shape using cuboids, texture it, set up idle and swing animations Export: Save as .blockymodel and .blockyanim in your pack's Common/Models/ directory Define it in Asset Editor: Copy an existing sword's JSON, change the model reference, adjust damage/speed/durability values Add a crafting recipe: Configure which workbench crafts it and what materials are needed Add localization: Add the display name to server.lang Test: Apply changes, equip the item, test in-game Package: Zip the pack folder Deploy: Drop into your server's mods/ folder Tips from the Community Start by modifying, not creating. Copy existing assets and change one thing at a time. It's faster and you learn the format. Use the documentation tooltips. Update 2 added tooltips to the Asset Editor — hover over any field to see what it does. Test with Apply Changes constantly. Hot-reload is your best friend. Don't batch changes. Follow texture density rules. 64px for characters, 32px for props/blocks. Violating this creates visible quality mismatches. Check Britakee's tutorials. Their YouTube and GitBook are the most comprehensive step-by-step resources available. Resources ResourceTypeFocus Britakee Studios GitBookDocumentationTested tutorials for Pack creation and Asset Editor HytaleModding.devWiki + DiscordOfficial doc mirrors, community guides, 8,000+ members Kaupenjoe (YouTube)Video seriesComprehensive modding video tutorials HytaleCreators.netBlog + VideosCustom item creation video tutorials Hytale Blockbench Plugin (GitHub)ToolJannisX11's official Hytale format support for Blockbench For server plugin development that complements your visual assets, see our Modding API Guide. For world generation, check out our World Builder V2 Guide. Created something cool? Share your work on our Discord and CurseForge — the community is always looking for quality asset packs.