--- title: "Pick the right 3D model for each task" nav_title: "Pick the right model" summary: - "One table for the whole course: which model to use for each 3D task, with a typical cost and time." - "Costs and times are typical: your settings change them, and Generate always shows the exact price before you run." - "Not sure which model? Ask the agent: describe your task, and it recommends one." description: "A decision table for every task in the 3D course: create, process, animate, split, edit, worlds, textures and skies, with the recommended model, a typical cost in credits and a typical time." section: 3d order: 90 type: guide level: Start roles: [creator, artist, art-director, marketer, team-lead, admin, developer] time: { read: 6 } last_verified: 2026-11-11 models_checked: ["Rodin Gen-2.5 Text to 3D", "Tripo 3.1", "Meshy 7.1 - Image to 3D", "Tripo P2 Multi View", "Claude Opus 5.5 3D", "GPT-6 Astra 3D", "Tripo Retopology", "Tencent UV Unwrapping", "Tripo 3.0 Texturing", "Meshy 7 - Retexture", "Meshy Rigging", "Tripo Segmentation v2", "Hitem3D Split", "Hitem3D Multicolor", "Marble 1.1 - World Generation", "HY World - Image to Splat", "TripoSplat", "Scenario Texture", "PATINA Image to Maps", "Scenario Skybox GPT"] hero: 3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-01-create-a-model.webp video: tutorials/3d-lesson-13-pick-the-right-3d-model.mp4 video_caption: "Pick the right 3D model" thumb: 3d/thumbs/lesson-13-pick-the-right-3d-model.webp chapters: - { at: 0, title: "Create a model", image: "/media/images/3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-01-create-a-model.webp" } - { at: 61.6, title: "Process", image: "/media/images/3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-02-process.webp" } - { at: 92.35, title: "Rig and animate", image: "/media/images/3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-03-rig-and-animate.webp" } - { at: 113.7, title: "Split and edit", image: "/media/images/3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-04-split-and-edit.webp" } - { at: 148.29, title: "Worlds, textures and skies", image: "/media/images/3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-05-worlds-textures-and-skies.webp" } - { at: 191.38, title: "Costs and the agent", image: "/media/images/3d/choose-a-3d-model/ch-06-costs-and-the-agent.webp" } related: [3d-on-scenario, game-ready-3d, 3d-worlds-and-splats] pdf: true updated: 2026-11-11 canonical: https://learn.scenario.com/3d/choose-a-3d-model --- Last updated: 2026-11-11 # Pick the right 3D model for each task > A decision table for every task in the 3D course: create, process, animate, split, edit, worlds, textures and skies, with the recommended model, a typical cost in credits and a typical time. In short: - One table for the whole course: which model to use for each 3D task, with a typical cost and time. - Costs and times are typical: your settings change them, and Generate always shows the exact price before you run. - Not sure which model? Ask the agent: describe your task, and it recommends one. This last lesson picks the right model for each 3D task, with what it typically costs and how long it takes. ## Create a model ![Film still: Create a model](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/07aa5775417eebac21ff80c505396a33047eb5a2397d02ed0d13b7bd6bee61f2.webp) | Task | Model | Why | Credits (typical) | Time (typical) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Text to 3D | Rodin Gen-2.5 | quick start from a prompt | 60 | about 2 min | | Image to 3D | Tripo 3.1 | fast, cheap first model | 45 | about 2 min | | More detail | Meshy 7.1 | finer detail from one image | 120 to 160 | 2 to 6 min | | Multi-view | Tripo P2 Multi View | front, side and back views | 260 to 270 | 2 to 4 min | | Build objects | Opus 5.5 3D or Astra 3D | clean objects, separate parts | 300 to 1,500 | 10 min or more | One clean, full body image becomes a textured 3D model. With more views, the model also sees the back, so less is guessed. ## Process ![Film still: Process](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/aa0dd1aef5163ae1ad2673c6cde77eec988a6c519eafaeab437849ef21f5fecf.webp) | Task | Model | Why | Credits (typical) | Time (typical) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Retopology | Tripo Retopology | lighter, cleaner topology | 15 | about 4 min | | UV unwrap | Tencent UV Unwrapping | lays out the UVs | 23 | about 1.5 min | | Retexture | Tripo 3.0 Texturing | new texture, same mesh | 15 to 30 | about 1.5 min | | Fast retexture | Meshy 7 Retexture | about a minute per run | 40 | about 1 min | ## Rig and animate ![Film still: Rig and animate](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/e660411d5727080dbcb3ca912e4d72bcd7b134fef7a815bbf63243a7188ddbb8.webp) | Task | Model | Why | Credits (typical) | Time (typical) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Rigging | Rodin Rigging | seven skeleton types | 60 | under 1 min | | Cheap rig | Meshy Rigging | the lowest cost rig | 20 | about 1 min | | Text to motion | Kimodo or Viggle | describe the move | 20 | under 1.5 min | | Video to motion | Viggle or Cartwheel | copy a filmed performance | 110 to 242 | about 5 min | ## Split and edit ![Film still: Split and edit](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/4ab4d40ad3d359d623703096bb7d68af819d188dbe87403a6017aa58b0e3f2c4.webp) | Task | Model | Why | Credits (typical) | Time (typical) | |---|---|---|---|---| | Segmentation | Tripo Segmentation v2 | keeps your exact faces | 80 | under 1 min | | Print parts | Hitem3D Split | parts with joints | 80 | about 3.5 min | | Print colors | Hitem3D Multicolor | one color per filament | 80 | about 3 min | | Edit a 3D file | Opus 5.5 3D or Astra 3D | change it with a prompt | 75 to 1,200 | 1.5 to 8 min | For Opus and Astra, **Effort** changes both the cost and the time: try ideas at **Standard**, and go higher for the final asset. ## Worlds, textures and skies ![Film still: Worlds, textures and skies](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/233edcf7f0125236ccfede373e5ab55c7ced4fb32028585f13d03df87efe9be2.webp) | Task | Model | Why | Credits (typical) | Time (typical) | |---|---|---|---|---| | World, prompt | Marble 1.1 | prompt, photo or video to a world | 40 to 496 | 1 to 6 min | | World, photo | HY World Image to Splat | one photo to a 360 world | 580 to 1,600 | about 30 min | | Object splat | TripoSplat | one object photo to a splat | 25 | under 1 min | | Texture | Scenario Texture | tileable texture from a prompt | 28 to 33 | about 1.5 min | | PBR maps | PATINA Image to Maps | five maps from one texture | 13 to 18 | under 30 s | | Skybox | Scenario Skybox GPT or Flux | 360 panorama from a prompt | 27 to 32 | about 1.5 min | ## Costs and the agent ![Film still: Costs and the agent](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/97d59ea69deed2725cf1f159b8c64163c5dfedb5c34309108396d24b542cd805.webp) These costs are typical. Your settings change them, and the **Generate** button always shows the exact price before you run. Not sure which model? Ask the agent: describe your task, and it recommends a model for you. Source: https://learn.scenario.com/3d/choose-a-3d-model