Download 350+ free KitBash3D assets with Cargo 2.0
Online asset store KitBash3D has released Cargo 2.0: the latest version of its free asset manager.
The app – for browsing the firm’s kitbash asset kits and importing them 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Maya, Unity and UE5 – now imports directly into Houdini’s Solaris toolset as USD.
A free Cargo Basic account provides access to over 350 free assets, plus any KitBash3D kits you have previously bought; paid accounts give you access to all of KitBash3D’s assets.
An online library of kitbash assets for VFX, animation and game development
First released in 2023, Cargo streamlines the process of installing assets from KitBash3D’s digital building kits for concept art, VFX, animation and game development work.
Its online library, which now comprises over 20,000 models and materials, has been used on film franchises like Dr. Strange, TV shows like The Last of Us, and games like The Elder Scrolls.
Cargo makes it possible to browse assets from the library, with the option to filter by type, genre, or the kitbash asset kit from which they were taken.
The selected asset can then be downloaded and sent to linked DCC apps with a single click: plugins are available for 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Maya, Unity and Unreal Engine.
Cargo 2.0: import assets directly into Houdini’s Solaris as native USD
Cargo 2.0 rebuilds the plugin “from the ground up” to improve workflow and stability – and also to drive sales: users with free Basic accounts can now buy assets directly from the app.
However, if you use Houdini, another significant change will be that all of the assets now import directly into Solaris, Houdini’s look dev and layout environment, as native USD.
Developed in collaboration with SideFX, the changes to Cargo’s USD schema ensure that “instancing, references, and MaterialX behave exactly as Houdini artists expect”.
Houdini is also now supported in the macOS edition of Cargo, not just on Windows.
Includes over 350 free 3D vehicles, building models and materials
At the time of writing, Cargo users can download and install 364 free assets from KitBash3D.
That includes 215 models: mostly modular building parts in a range of real-world, sci-fi and fantasy styles, plus a few props, furniture assets and 3D plants.
There are also 141 free 3D materials, including a number of materials used in airplanes, plus eight detailed 3D vehicles, from real cars and planes to a fantasy airship and sci-fi spacecraft.
The assets come with texture maps up to 4K in resolution in JPG and PNG format.
They are licensed for personal projects, including demo reels, but to use them in commercial projects, you need to buy the corresponding asset kit, or to take out a paid subscription.
Price and system requirements
Cargo 2.0 is available for Windows 10+ and macOS 11.0+.
The macOS version is compatible with Blender 3.0+, Cinema 4D 2023+, Houdini 20.0+ and Unreal Engine 5.2+.
The Windows version is compatible with the same applications, plus 3ds Max 2021+, Maya 2020+, and Unity 2021.3+. Find a list of render engines supported.
The software itself is a free download, and a free Basic account provides access to the sample assets, licensed for personal use only, plus any KitBash3D kits you have previously purchased.
Paid Individual accounts provide access to KitBash3D’s full library of over 20,000 models and materials, and now cost $995/year. Business subscriptions now start at $3,995/year.
Read more about the new features in Cargo on the Kitbash3D and SideFX websites
Download Cargo from KitBash3D’s website
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