Blender exporter
- Thread starter johnwhelan
- Start date
Regarding baking textures not sure if this would be applicable to texturing with Blender for my interests.
I only use photographic textures not material textures which are two different things in Blender.
These need the texface tab or the texture is not exported with mesh to a file type and shows white, currently vrml2 and eventually also obj.
Been curious for a few years about having to retexture if you move the folder with the blend file in or rename it.
This is using photographic textures not material colour textures with or without the various effects, bump mapping etc, which don't work anyway in the simulator I am using of 2004.
I know you can set the file path in top default window (pull down bar to see it) but with dozens of blend files made over the years sometimes have to retexture but the textures usually go back on if not too complex.
Do the folders/directories have to be in the Blender default installation folder or can they be in documents folders etc, for the mesh to retain the texture (not material).
Barry
I only use photographic textures not material textures which are two different things in Blender.
These need the texface tab or the texture is not exported with mesh to a file type and shows white, currently vrml2 and eventually also obj.
Been curious for a few years about having to retexture if you move the folder with the blend file in or rename it.
This is using photographic textures not material colour textures with or without the various effects, bump mapping etc, which don't work anyway in the simulator I am using of 2004.
I know you can set the file path in top default window (pull down bar to see it) but with dozens of blend files made over the years sometimes have to retexture but the textures usually go back on if not too complex.
Do the folders/directories have to be in the Blender default installation folder or can they be in documents folders etc, for the mesh to retain the texture (not material).
Barry
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1) Materials and Textures are two different data groups in Blender. A material includes shader information, base color, light emit, etc. A texture is an image that is a assigned to a material by various coordinate methods (UV, Orco, Global, Object, Normals, etc). Procedurals are also available in Blender, but not likely to be used.
2) Texture baking works with our without animated objects. It's just a way of enhancing a model and giving it more depth rather than flatshading it (which is what trainz does in the first place, so fake the depth with an Ambient Occlusion bake).
3) In the UV image editor, there is a script called "Fix Broken Links", or something to that effect. If you select a folder with that tool it will automatically find the files depending on name and size.
Hope this helps,
John
2) Texture baking works with our without animated objects. It's just a way of enhancing a model and giving it more depth rather than flatshading it (which is what trainz does in the first place, so fake the depth with an Ambient Occlusion bake).
3) In the UV image editor, there is a script called "Fix Broken Links", or something to that effect. If you select a folder with that tool it will automatically find the files depending on name and size.
Hope this helps,
John
Hello John.
I have tried fix broken link in the past but think I used to try linking to a texture in the directory.
Anyway just gave it another try with search route directory, to folder and works a treat.
Got my textures back on Conway castle with a mouse click.
Just a simple explanation and a few mouse clicks makes all the difference with Blender.
I have tried fix broken link in the past but think I used to try linking to a texture in the directory.
Anyway just gave it another try with search route directory, to folder and works a treat.
Got my textures back on Conway castle with a mouse click.
Just a simple explanation and a few mouse clicks makes all the difference with Blender.
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new exporter version
Hi all,
a script update(BETv0.62) is available at sourceforge. No new features were implemented, but I recommend the update as some potential problems are solved which will be hard to track if they occure.
Regards
Uschi
PS @Xanax:
Hi all,
a script update(BETv0.62) is available at sourceforge. No new features were implemented, but I recommend the update as some potential problems are solved which will be hard to track if they occure.
Regards
Uschi
PS @Xanax:
Many thanks for that interesting link
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Hi all,
a script update(BETv0.62) is available at sourceforge. No new features were implemented, but I recommend the update as some potential problems are solved which will be hard to track if they occure.
Regards
Uschi
Hello
Thanks for the update.
Regards
Ahsan:wave:
Capt_Haddock
New member
Hello everyone,
As a “rank and file” creator I have been following this thread with interest.
If Blender is the way forward for Trainz asset creation is there any point in struggling to learn Gmax any more? If the answer is no, count me in, I’ll download the program and the tutorials and go for it.
Regards
Chris
ps
If only there was an exporter for Pro-Desktop, it’s a million times easier to use than Gmax (bit hard to get hold of if you don’t work in design education though).
pps
Thank you to all you content creators and program gurus who give your time and expertise to push the great Trainz project forward.
As a “rank and file” creator I have been following this thread with interest.
If Blender is the way forward for Trainz asset creation is there any point in struggling to learn Gmax any more? If the answer is no, count me in, I’ll download the program and the tutorials and go for it.
Regards
Chris
ps
If only there was an exporter for Pro-Desktop, it’s a million times easier to use than Gmax (bit hard to get hold of if you don’t work in design education though).
pps
Thank you to all you content creators and program gurus who give your time and expertise to push the great Trainz project forward.
You can also export dxf from Blender and drag the mesh into the gmax window.
It is posible to put the texture back on from Blender without opening the UV window in gmax.
Just needs a few mouse clicks but may not work for more complex textures as only tried it with one.
I wrote a short tutorial about it but not sure if the post is still on the forum. Barry
It is posible to put the texture back on from Blender without opening the UV window in gmax.
Just needs a few mouse clicks but may not work for more complex textures as only tried it with one.
I wrote a short tutorial about it but not sure if the post is still on the forum. Barry
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Hello
I prefer anyone who wants to learn blender use 2.45 first then 2.46.
Regards
Ahsan:wave:
Ahsan Hi
Just had another look at Blender and can't see much difference now between the methods.
Edit mode and click the little triangle symbol which then is face select mode. RIGHT click on faces to select them.
The triangle symbol is the polygon shape.
Hold down shift to select several.
Now to extrude just click E. or click the 4 dots symbol which represents the vertices to select any particular vertices required right click hold down shift.
E for extrude then you can shape it anyway, use S for scale at same time if you wish.
If you click the line it is the edge symbol. and you can move the edge wth G for grab, or if you click E for extrude you extrude any number of faces that you wish.
Just the same as selecting 2 end vertices and extruding I suppose gets the same result.
Will add a bit more to the tutorial.
Seems ok for me, but it up to the individual whichever version seems best as you get the same result.
Barry
Just had another look at Blender and can't see much difference now between the methods.
Edit mode and click the little triangle symbol which then is face select mode. RIGHT click on faces to select them.
The triangle symbol is the polygon shape.
Hold down shift to select several.
Now to extrude just click E. or click the 4 dots symbol which represents the vertices to select any particular vertices required right click hold down shift.
E for extrude then you can shape it anyway, use S for scale at same time if you wish.
If you click the line it is the edge symbol. and you can move the edge wth G for grab, or if you click E for extrude you extrude any number of faces that you wish.
Just the same as selecting 2 end vertices and extruding I suppose gets the same result.
Will add a bit more to the tutorial.
Seems ok for me, but it up to the individual whichever version seems best as you get the same result.
Barry
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Hello John
Bit wary of bandwidth with my ISP as pay a fixed price
so mainly just text for the collectables and the few tutorials and screen shots for Blender, and historical sailsim sceneries, etc.
Although have had sceneries and objects for download on it previously for the sailsimulator.
Many Thanks
Barry
Bit wary of bandwidth with my ISP as pay a fixed price
so mainly just text for the collectables and the few tutorials and screen shots for Blender, and historical sailsim sceneries, etc.
Although have had sceneries and objects for download on it previously for the sailsimulator.
Many Thanks
Barry
Hello
Is it not better if we can do them in PDF with more screenshots and less writing.
Regards
Ahsan
johnwhelan
Well-known member
Hello
Is it not better if we can do them in PDF with more screenshots and less writing.
Regards
Ahsan
Having seen the Blender video tutorials I'd say some pdfs work for some people and some videos are useful as well. Downloading bandwidth is a problem, Utube hasn't the resolution, could we do it with torrents?
Cheerio John
Hello
Maybe if I switch my site over to a different service provider with unlimited downloads, current one is 15GB a month,
Regards
Ahsan:wave:
GreatEastern
Tug builder
Depending on the size of the videos I may be able to help - I get 5000Gb transfer a month. Is this of any use in this project?
Personally I am quite interested in the project and trying to learn to use Blender.
Andy
Personally I am quite interested in the project and trying to learn to use Blender.
Andy
Hello
Yes you can get involved in the blender Trainz exporter project and contact ZapperJet regards to the video tutorials.
Learning blender is easy than Gmax.:wave:
I suggest you to have a look at the INN tutorial and Texturing the INN tutorial on Barry's website: http://www.barandshe.clara.net/blendertuts.html
The latest stable version of blender is 2.46: http://www.blender.org/
The latest version of exporter is 0.62: https://sourceforge.net/projects/blenderextrainz/
I suggest starting with a first few of these: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro
Gives you the basic information on the Blender Wiki site: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Tutorial_for_Blender
There are some very good video tutorials: http://www.blender.org/education-help/video-tutorials/getting-started/
Regards
Ahsan
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