MAT Helper is a specialized utility designed for technical artists and modders who work with UModel (UE Viewer) exports. It automates the tedious process of manual texture importing and shader node setup, bridging the gap between raw data and Blender’s Principled BSDF.
- One-Click Batch Import: Read
.mat/.JSONconfiguration files and automatically load all referenced textures from a specified directory. - Smart Node Linking:
- Diffuse maps are automatically connected to the Base Color slot.
- Metallic maps are linked to the Metallic slot.
- Normal maps automatically create a Normal Map node and link to the Normal slot.
- Specular maps are smartly processed through an Invert node and linked to the Roughness slot, matching common game engine workflows.
- Automated Color Space Management: Automatically sets sRGB for Diffuse maps and Non-Color for Normal, Metallic, and Specular maps to ensure PBR accuracy.
- Clean Workflow: Nodes are generated using their original filenames as labels and organized vertically for better readability.
- Blender 4.2+ Ready: Fully compatible with the latest Blender Extension system and API.
- Open the Shader Editor and find the MAT Helper tab in the Sidebar (N-panel).
- MAT File Path: Select your exported
.mat/.JSONfile. - Image Location: Select the folder containing your texture images.
- Click Read and Connect to generate a full shader setup, or Read Only to just import the nodes into the workspace.
- For best results, it is recommended to keep all texture files and .mat files in the same directory for automatic detection.