Anyone using 3d Canvas

jmclarke

New member
Hi All,

My first post so please be gentle!

I wondered if anyone here uses 3dcanvas to create content and if so can anyone give me some tips please.

Many Thanks in advance

Jason
 
Why would you want to use 3DCanvas if you want to learn 3D. Use GMax, the learning curves would be somewhat similar but once you master it, you can do a lot of more modding in other games as well (NeverWinterNight, Oblivion, Morrowind, Doom, Quake etc.)

The only use I can think of for using 3DCanvas is to convert MSTS files for TRS. This would limit you very much and btw, GMax is free whereas you have to pay for 3DCanvasPro.

My opinion :)

VinnyBarb
 
Why would you want to use 3DCanvas if you want to learn 3D.

Lots of good reasons if you want to model for train simulators :)

MSTS, TRS, Kuju Rail Sim, BVE, RailSim3d, MSTS-X(?) exporters as well as flight sims and many other formats.
It is also still being developed, runs on Vista and has lots of nice plugins to help you build Train sim models.
$70 for the pro version is still a lot less than 3DSMax (and cheap with the current Pound/Dollar exchange rate)

(BTW Jason has already produced models for MSTS using 3D Canvas)
 
Thanks to its x-File importer/exporter also usable for Zusi, even if most Zusi modellers concentrate on Blender. Found the 3DC tutorials quite helpful. And, of course, decapod has provided some very useful railway-related plug-ins.
 
From what I gather, the learning curve for 3D Canvas is much easier, that is UNLESS you have already dived into Gmax/3dsmax. I doubt I'd be alone in saying this, but due to the uniqueness and complexity of the Max interface, once you learn it, it's very difficult to switch. If you do however get used to the Max interface, you'll love it 'till the end.

For 3D Canvas there ARE exporters which will export directly into TRS.

All I can recommend is try out both, and follow as many tutorials as possible. There are many for both editors.
 
Hi all

Sorry I didnt make myself clear, as Decapod already said I have produced several models for MSTS and am looking to convert both these and new model I will be creating to trs2006, I am struggling to use decapods plugin at the moment (my fault not the fault of the plugin.

I cant seem to grasp the file structure required to convert these models (again I am sure my fault) and any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Jason
 
I use 3D canvas for all my content for trainz. My biggest reason is that models in 3D canvas look the same when exported to trainz. With Gmax you can have a lot more surprises. In either case GMAX is no longer being supported and will never get new features.

Howard
 
It's a bit of a strange issue - Gmax is no longer supported, but is used by nearly everyone in our community. 3D Canvas on the other hand is continuously updated, though there are only a handful of users on these forums.

For anyone using 3D Canvas, you would probably find it easier to get support amongst the MSTS community, where it is used in prominence. There are excellent tutorials around, many of them cover making a steam locomotive from scratch.
As long as one is keenly aware of the differences between the process of creating for each game, there should be few troubles.

There is an excellent list of tutorials here:

http://steam4me.railpage.org.au/trainsim/tutorials/index.html#models
 
G'day jmclarke,

Welcome to the Trainz community. I really should apologise for some of my fellow community members here. I don't know why but nobody seems to have grasped the crux of your problem (I can only hope I am not the only one). I count myself amongst those few here who do actually use 3D Canvas Pro, although I have to admit that it is only basically for the purpose of creating animated wheelsets, etc. (using the aforementioned 'decapod's' excellent plug-in), which I then convert into *.3ds format to work on in 3ds Max or Gmax.

From what I can gather, you require some assistance with the conversion of some of your MSTS models into Trainz by means of the again, aforementioned 'decapod's' plug-in, on this occasion, the one that directly exports the model into the Trainz *.IM and *.KIN formats? Please, I would be only too willing to assist you if I am able to supply answers to your questions.

Ask on mercutio....

Jerker {:)}
 
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