Building a Simple Fidget Spinner Taught Me More Than I Expected

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

I built a simple fidget spinner in Blender as part of my daily learning journey in game development (Day 44). The project taught me several essential Blender basics and boosted my confidence.

Modeling the Spinner

• Started with basic shapes.
• Used the Array Modifier instead of manually duplicating parts.

Benefits of the Array Modifier

• Keeps spacing perfectly equal.
• Maintains symmetry.
• Allows rapid changes.

Adding Detail

• Applied a Subdivision Surface Modifier to smooth the model and give it a polished look.

Materials

• Wooden texture for the three wings.
• Metal material for the central balls.

Mixing materials instantly made the model feel more realistic rather than flat.

Challenges & Confusions

• Determining the correct array count and rotation values.
• Understanding how modifier order affects the result.
• Dealing with rough shading even after subdivision.
• Assigning multiple materials to a single object.

Small mistakes caused noticeable visual issues.

Solutions & Insights

• The Array Modifier works exceptionally well for circular objects.
• Subdivision Surface requires clean topology to look good.
• Materials must be assigned in Edit Mode to specific faces.
• Fixed normals and used Shade Smooth for a much better appearance.

Key Takeaways

• Practice with simple objects to master fundamentals.
• Apply scale before using modifiers.
• Array modifiers save a lot of time.
• Clean topology improves shading.
• Simple textures can still look good when applied thoughtfully.

Conclusion

Progress may feel slow, but building a strong foundation is essential.

If you’re also learning game development, what was the first thing that confused you when you started?

See you in the next post 🎮🚀