Blender exporter
- Thread starter johnwhelan
- Start date
johnwhelan
Well-known member
Thanks for the help. But the read me doesn't tell me how to transfer the importer to.or how to use it.
Copy the importer into the Blender script folder. When you run the Blender xml export Torsten has the python script run the xml importer transparently.
Cheerio John
Hi Guys,
I have been learning to use blender over the last couple of weeks and I finally got to the point of exporting a simple object to trainz.
I will start by saying that the new XML exporter worked as expected and all files where created successfully. The only problem I had was when I started playing with alpha channels and exporting. I eventually managed to get the object to display correctly in Blender and look the same in Trainz. I had to fidle with the different Alpha settings in different areas within blender.
My next challenge is to try normal maps. Does anybody know how to use a normal map that doesn't make the object look like it is made from plastic? ie a concrete wall should have a mat finish not a shinny one.
What I would like if possible is a small tutorial on creating a simple cube that has both alpha and normal maps in blender that is then exported to trainz. This would help me to confirm that I am using the right options within blender.
Keep up the good work with the exporter.
Kenneth
I have been learning to use blender over the last couple of weeks and I finally got to the point of exporting a simple object to trainz.
I will start by saying that the new XML exporter worked as expected and all files where created successfully. The only problem I had was when I started playing with alpha channels and exporting. I eventually managed to get the object to display correctly in Blender and look the same in Trainz. I had to fidle with the different Alpha settings in different areas within blender.
My next challenge is to try normal maps. Does anybody know how to use a normal map that doesn't make the object look like it is made from plastic? ie a concrete wall should have a mat finish not a shinny one.
What I would like if possible is a small tutorial on creating a simple cube that has both alpha and normal maps in blender that is then exported to trainz. This would help me to confirm that I am using the right options within blender.
Keep up the good work with the exporter.
Kenneth
johnwhelan
Well-known member
Trainz specific tutorials are few and far between at the moment. Want to add your information about alpha to the Wikibook and hopefully some one will expand on it.
Thanks John
I second your request for a tutorial from a Trainz perspective. I have been through the Blender tutorials and they seem to be obsessed with rounding corners & doing subsurf stuff. Is this appropriate for a Trainz object?
hope this helps.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Tutorial_for_Blender#Self_Illumination
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Tutorial_for_Blender#Self_Illumination
No problem.
Thanks for this link.
This information has confirmed that what I have been doing was almost right. Although at first I thought I my way could not have been right. The sample files on the SourceForge link are helpfull only as a final reference.
Now I need to learn more about normal mapping. I have got it working but it doesn't look as realistic as I would like. Still looks to glossie. I found somewhere a comment on using the alpha channel in the normal map to control the specularity lighting on the object. If I could only find out how to do it.
After this I will start looking at animations and attachment points. By the time I get these working I should be able to create objects as good as those that I started in Gmax.
Thanks again
Kenneth
This information has confirmed that what I have been doing was almost right. Although at first I thought I my way could not have been right. The sample files on the SourceForge link are helpfull only as a final reference.
Now I need to learn more about normal mapping. I have got it working but it doesn't look as realistic as I would like. Still looks to glossie. I found somewhere a comment on using the alpha channel in the normal map to control the specularity lighting on the object. If I could only find out how to do it.
After this I will start looking at animations and attachment points. By the time I get these working I should be able to create objects as good as those that I started in Gmax.
Thanks again
Kenneth
johnwhelan
Well-known member
I couldn't spot any of your work on the DLS, are they on TPR or somewhere?
Thanks John
You won't find anything on the DLS, as I don't feel that I have created anything to of a high enough level to release yet. You can see information on the Junction kit that I am working on over at victrainz.com.au. These are still in a very early beta stage. All going well I am going to very soon recreate the models in Blender.
Do you use normal maps without alpha channel? The alpha channel of a normal map is used as specular-texture. Lowest alpha -> lowest specularity, highest alpha -> highest specularity. If no alpha channel is present, Trainz default to a full alpha value. Maybe that causes "your" plastic-look.
Regards,
uschi
This is how I though it was ment to be done, but how do I set the alpha value in the normal map. Do I need to edit the normal map in photoshop and adjust the alpha layer? Is lowest alpha equal to 0% or 100% transparent?
Thanks
Kenneth
So if I understand you correctly if I have a normal map with an alpha channel that is set entirely to 0 then I will have the lowest specularity, which will remove the gloss shine from the object completely. If I have some sort of pattern on the Alpha channel then I would get some sort of specular effect as well. Is this the idea? If so, then thank you for helping me to understand this better.
Kenneth
Hello
Blender 2.47 Released:
http://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-247/
Regards
Ahsan
Blender 2.47 Released:
http://www.blender.org/development/release-logs/blender-247/
Regards
Ahsan