Locking textures.

[SodorProductions]

Hi there, I've just started modelling today and have completed a small building, however, I do not know how to lock textures. CCP is telling me the .texture files are missing (which seems strange to me as I've seen plenty of assets in my day without any .texture files to be found within the cdp. In addition, I heard commiting the item will create .texture files, however, this did not work, and a further error popping up saying the object has a mesh that cannot normally be seen.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[NSWGR_46Class]

What program are you using to create the source mesh?

 

[SodorProductions]

The original model was created in Google Sketchup, then converted to a 3DS file and ported into Gmax.

 

[Retro00064]

<snip> ...and a further error popping up saying the object has a mesh that cannot normally be seen.

<snip>

That error means that none of the mesh containers in the mesh table have the tag "auto-create 1".

At least one of the mesh containers in the mesh table needs to have that tag, e. g.:

mesh-table
{
    default
    {
        mesh "example.im"
        auto-create 1
    }
}

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Retro.

 

[SodorProductions]

That error means that none of the mesh containers in the mesh table have the tag "auto-create 1".

At least one of the mesh containers in the mesh table needs to have that tag, e. g.:

mesh-table
{
    default
    {
        mesh "example.im"
        auto-create 1
    }
}

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Retro.

Thank you, I will add that into my config file straightaway. I still don't know how to lock my textures though.

 

[paulzmay]

The trainz exporter in the content creation studio for GMax should create a .texture.txt file for every graphics file used. These and the graphics files used need to be in the same folder as the config.txt file (or in a sub-folder). Note that you need textures mapped to each surface for them to show.

Paul

 

[SodorProductions]

Unfortunately neither Gmax nor the content creation studio want to install properly on my laptop. When I finished this building of mine, I saved it as a 3DS file and sent over the file to a friend who ported it to Gmax. Strangely his export did not create any .texture files and the black texture I used for the sign was not exported either.

 

[privite]

Hi,

in Gmax, when you have selected the whole model, like when you export it, in the same file as the .im is in, click the hammer, resource collecter, then browse, just under output path.

hope this helps

 

[SodorProductions]

Thank you, I'll foward this to my friend so that we can finally get this right. This is our first time trying to export models, so naturally we've had a lot to learn.

Just one last question: how do we add attachment points for smoke? The bulding has a square-ish brick chimney with two cylindrical shapes at the top, and we wanted to add some smoke for some added realism. Below is how the model looked when we imported the 3DS:

 

[privite]

Im just learning that now (or trying to).:hehe: You need to download pevs attachment maker, from here: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~villaump/pevsoft.htm

Im not sure exactly how you do it, but heres part of one of my configs which im trying to fix now...

mesh-table
{
default
{
mesh "Mocrossing/Mocrossing.IM"
auto-create 1
}

mesh-element0
{
mesh "mocrossing/mocrossing - attachment.im"
auto-create 1
}
}
kuid-table
{
}

attached-track
{
attached-track-element0
{
track <kuid*:*****:*****:*>
useadjoiningtracktype 0

vertices
{
0 "******"
1 "******"
}
}
}

yours needs to be a bit different, like instead of attached-track you may need something else, but this will hopefully help. the mesh-element0 bit is the im file with the attachment in, you need to copy the im file, 1 the actual im file and one the attachment file, if that makes sence. i just found this tutorial actually http://members.optusnet.com.au/~villaump/tutorials/Attachment Maker Tutorial.pdf

hope this helps

 

[Shortline2]

Hi,

In gmax press the little tape measure icon to get to the helpers, and use the button marked as "Point" to put into the scene as an attachment point.
Name it anything as long as you start the name with a.xxxx where xxxx is anything, most often used for smokepoints is a.smoke0 and if needed more then one, just change 0 to 1 and 2 and so on for the points you need.

also, visit the Trainz wiki for info about the direction of the attachment point, as it needs to point upward I think in the Y direction for smoke to go up, but please check that up as it is a long forgotten memory speaking here.

In the config part you need to have the following for a smoke point:

smoke0 {
attachment "a.smoke0"
mode "timeofday"
color 85,85,85,200
accel 0,0,0.3
start 0.25
period 1
rate 4
velocity 0.6
lifetime 12
minsize 0.3
maxsize 3.0
}

Note, this is from an old TRS2004 asset as that is what I have access to on this computer, it may turn out something in there are no longer valid in newer versions of Trainz, again, aging memory is not helping me.

Now, the locking of textures bit. Have that been resolved?
A mesh in Trainz needs to have the mesh, the textures, and a corresponding txt file with same name as the texture file - that txt file is created by the exporter of the mesh file (the *.im file) so no need to worry about that.

The *.texture file mention - the locked one - is not something you should care about as it is made by CMP when you commit the item into the database.
You need to make a texture to use with gmax, using only colors found inside the program will generate nothing to use as far as I remember.
That texture needs to be in correct sizes, power of 2 I always been told, but I tend to think in terms of pixel sizes instead.

8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048 is the numbers your textures needs to stick to, no need to use a square size, a rectangle also works.

Hope this helps?

Best of luck

Linda

 

[paulzmay]

Looks like a nice asset, but modelling all that text in 3D will turn it into a polymonster. Use a single texture for the entire model, and use the UVW unwrap tool....

I assume you are using texture files, and not just using GMax's internal colouring, as that isn't a good way to go (and generally doesn't work).

Paul

 

[SodorProductions]

Looks like a nice asset, but modelling all that text in 3D will turn it into a polymonster. Use a single texture for the entire model, and use the UVW unwrap tool....

I assume you are using texture files, and not just using GMax's internal colouring, as that isn't a good way to go (and generally doesn't work).

Paul

Yes, yes, We are using textures, though for some reason they didn't seem to show up in that picture. Odd.

I may redo the text if the poly count becomes too high (and if the export even works this time.) Which brings me to another question: what would be a sufficient poly-count for a small model?

 

[privite]

Hows the building going??

 

[SodorProductions]

Well, I've retextured the whole thing and saved the textures as .bmp files to a power of 2 (as per a suggestion of a friend of mine). I've scaled the 3D text to be thinner so that it won't be a poly-count monster

All that it really needs its a slight adjustment to the roof, then we'll be putting it back in Gmax, retexturing it and hopefully adding the attachment points.

 

[privite]

Hope it all goes ok and if you need more help just PM me and i will see wht i can do, or post here and i will try to reply quite quick

cheers

 

[leeferr]

I may have missed it, but you said that you sent it to a friend with Gmax. Does your friend have the Trainz Asset Creation Studio plug-in installed. The plug-in must be used to export it for trainz from Gmax. The plug-in will create the .texture.txt files.

Mike

 

[SodorProductions]

I thought he did, I will have to double-check. Keep in mind this is our first model, too.

 

[leeferr]

I thought he did, I will have to double-check. Keep in mind this is our first model, too.

We all have had to take our first steps. Be patient and you'll get there with the help of all of the great creators around this forum.

Good luck

Mike

 

[privite]

We all have had to take our first steps. Be patient and you'll get there with the help of all of the great creators around this forum.

Good luck

Mike

I agree, i've ben creating for around 2 months now, and im still learning shortcuts etc. in Gmax.