3d Solid Modelers for Trainz Content

[hminky]

I have Pro/Engineer Wildfire 4.0 and can create solid models. They can be exported and imported into Blender as .obj files. And converted to Gmax .3ds through blender.

Anyone else doing this with solid modelers with any success.

This is Pro/E model of a cattle loader I made to make an O scale model. I made an .im and the loader has 2500 polys. Is this acceptable. I also have a problem with the mesh showing up as a Trainz object, but that is another problem.

Thanks Harold

 

[Euphod]

I hate to see a query regarding content go unanswered.
Firstly, I like the look of the loader, and secondly, I don't think 2500 is too poly heavy. Nice work!

 

[whitepass]

Why not just export from Blender? Looks OK for an O scale model where size is a big limiting factor but for Trainz you can make things real size witch in this case would be mush bigger.

 

[hminky]

Why not just export from Blender? Looks OK for an O scale model where size is a big limiting factor but for Trainz you can make things real size witch in this case would be mush bigger.

Size is the reason I moved from "model" trains. The cattle loader is the only thing "railroady" I had done in Pro/e, that is why I was using it as an example. The size factor is the reason I have went virtual, one cannot create a realistic railroad in the "hard" world, it is always a terrible compromise.

My original question was addressed to anyone who has used a 3d solid modeler and if they had difficulties in poly counts, etc. Importing the meshes in and out of Blender is really easy.

I can model in Pro/e a lot faster than Blender.

Harold

 

[paulzmay]

I've done a few things exported from Inventor. Poly count can definitely be an issue, but it's not hard to work around. The important thing to remember is that poly counts increase when you join stuff and export them as a single solid. A cube is 12 polys, but a small cube sat on a large one can be 28 or even more. I export my Inventor models in pieces and re-assemble them in GMax to get round this. It's also still important to remove hidden faces. Note that curved surfaces may have more polys than you anticipate - there may be some control over this when exporting / importing - in general go for the lowest poly option.

The other tip is not to try to put too much detail in the mesh - that's what textures are for (within reason). It looks like the ramp sides of your loader may be made from individually modelled planks - it would be better with a plank texture.

Hope this helps - I haven't used Pro-E or Blender, so I may be a little off the mark, but I'm sure many of the issues I face are the same.

Paul

 

[johnwhelan]

Size is the reason I moved from "model" trains. The cattle loader is the only thing "railroady" I had done in Pro/e, that is why I was using it as an example. The size factor is the reason I have went virtual, one cannot create a realistic railroad in the "hard" world, it is always a terrible compromise.

My original question was addressed to anyone who has used a 3d solid modeler and if they had difficulties in poly counts, etc. Importing the meshes in and out of Blender is really easy.

I can model in Pro/e a lot faster than Blender.

Harold

Generally speaking there is a trade off between easy of use and poly counts. Programs that give you more control normally give you lower poly counts but TRS2009 doesn't worry quite so much about poly counts. It's probably worth the time to delete unseen faces in Blender by the way this should reduce the poly count substantially without affecting the model. With a 2,500 poly count model lod is worthwhile, any saving over 500 polys is worth doing lod.

Cheerio John

 

[hminky]

After a week of working with Blender I find it a very good modeler. It takes awhile to get the concept, but once you understand the principles it is fairly easy. Download Paul Hobbs Tutorials at:

http://www.44090digitalmodels.co.uk/

After I got to this point in his great tutorial the bell had rang and I understood the concept of blender:

I also found these video tutorials very helpful at:

http://www.gryllus.net/Blender/3D.html

Blender for Dummies was somewhat helpful after the video tutorials but on its own it was like an AutoCad tutorial, it didn't turn my light on. There is too much "this key and that key".

I probably will do most modeling in Blender now. When I taught myself to use Pro/e and AutoCad there is a point where the light comes on and the concept is realized, it is like finding the program's Rosetta stone. It is getting to that point that is frustrating.

Harold