A very useful but unglamorous tool, a "dropper" is a simple level editor that lets you position objects in 3D space and then writes all the positions/rotations/etc. to an easily parsed text file. Your game can then read this file to put everything in the same place.
This is a pair of Python scripts that allow you to use either Maya or Blender as a dropper. It will export any custom attributes that you set, plus you can choose either JSON or XML for the output format. The included scene demonstrates how to setup objects for export.
also available at:
https://jhocking.itch.io/dropper-for-maya
https://jhocking.itch.io/dropper-for-blender
written in Maya 2017
MIT license
open in Script Editor window, then Execute
Saves info about objects in the scene:
name, position, rotation, scale, custom attributes
(ignore objects with ~[ somewhere in the name)
Select either XML or JSON for the data format.
code for Blender 2.8 (originally 2.77)
GPL license https://www.blender.org/support/faq/
install in Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
once installed: File > Export > Dropper
Saves info about objects in the scene:
name, position, rotation, scale, custom properties
(ignore objects with ~[ somewhere in the name)
Select either XML or JSON for the data format.