Blender exporter

[ZapperJet]

Looks like you guys are learning Blender fairly well.

Concerning double-sided faces, there is a button for game engine purposes that turns on double side faces in Blender.

After applying a UV texture, and selecting an active face, look for this panel in the Editing section (F9). You Must be in edit mode:

Click "Twoside". That should double-side the selected face. Then, hit A to select all of the mesh. Ctrl-C should open the property copy menu. Copy the "Active Mode".

That should set the faces double-sided in Blender. No telling if it works with exporter. (Having not yet used it, I don't know).

Cheerio,
John

 

[Barry]

------------ Thanks John. Quite instructive this thread. I always used to use the double sided option but the tabs tend to shift around with the different versions of Blender......... That works fine now and I can see the texture appear on both sides when clicked.... Can't get many of my pre-made blend files to export to im. Seems to be an entirely different system, as been using vrml2, and direct.x over the years...Objects that were duplicated and joined in solid mode now all appear to need a seperate material making as well as texturing, to export to the im file, etc....So will defer using the blender exporter until a later date ....Barry

 

[Barry]

John. Control and C is a new one for me and that works fine also. Always wondered about putting the double sided faces on several selected faces at the same time without having to click on each face seperately............ Bit more to put on my memo list.... Thanks Barry

 

[ZapperJet]

No problem Barry.

Please be aware that most of Blender's context menus can be found also in the 3D view's header bar.

Cheerio,
John

 

[uschi0815]

The exporter evaluates the button "Double Sided" at the Mesh panel.

 

[Barry]

The exporter evaluates the button "Double Sided" at the Mesh panel.

Thanks Torsten.

I use Blender for vrml2, and probably will also use obj. files, which needs the double sided texture as detailed in the other post plus texface clicked or mesh exports white.... I understand about the trainz exporter is automatically set to double side, etc.

Although I exported the coastal beacon and small boat ok to im and into trainz I am unable to export any other items.I would need a simple tutorial for say making a house with seperate chimney and chimney pots or simple castle which needs it towers and walls duplicating.
Anything made of several objects using image (photo) textures on the material colour.

Not sure how to link the materials back to image textures with multiple objects and a few different image textures. I know each seperate obejct needs a material colour. Link to object/material/add new. Barry........... P.S Is anybody trying out and using the exporter, especially if using photo texures, etc as little feedback from others at present on the thread. Barry

 

[Barry]

Just to bump this thread up.............. I am unable to test anything until I get TC3, but if CMP is OK would be using just Blender for content making................... Hence the reason for the posts............. Again would need some clarification on using multiple photo textures with a few parts onto one object as I detailed in the previous post. So far only tested 2 items of my previously made blend files into im and into trainz with a single photo type texture........... So at a full stop at present until others may post with more details....Thanks....Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

Sort of progress report, we had an issue with parents and children, (grouping things together) which has been resolved, a new version of the exporter should be loaded up shortly. The exporter lost the coordinates so the children ended up at 0,0,0.

One or two people were not aware of the N key giving a properties page so you can type in dimensions directly.

Blender seems nice and stable so you can delete unseen faces thus reducing the poly count, something I was unable to do with GMAX.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

Hello John Blender exporter functions seem to be working OK as far as I can make out from what I have read and the 2 items previously detailed. However from my point of view it is presently unusable............... Not because of the exporter but because I am unable to understand the method of assigning different photo textures on to seperate parts of on item. I know about each part needs a material colour first etc.......... Nor for that fact because of Blender, as well use to using it over the years but I export to different file types.............. Even with a single texture I have no real idea how to make a belnd file to suit the exporter............. Apparently even with a single texture I was unable to clone parts in object mode as each then needs a seperate material colour and the photo texture linked to it. In edit mode if cloning I also got an error notice,........ So no real idea how to join parts, or how to assign material colours to several parts or if extruding will work OK. also which columns to use in Blender.... I know about a single texture on one object as detailed previously in this thread and how to texture using the various UV options but that is all...... The machinery is there to do the job but I need some feedback from users to explain the basics for multiple parts to an object using a few photo type textures. Thanks Barry............. P.S.... The basics will do me fine as will not need it for animation, except for an occasional windmill c1800....... Also regarding the many functions for just using material colours, texturing, bump mapping, etc I have never used them for the simple reason the functions are not available in the current sailsim and mororboat sim dating from 2002 and 2004.... So just the basics I need regarding photo type textures and assigning them to multiple parts each assigned with a seperate material colour. This is all I would need for trainz to suit my current trainz scenery design interests which is now coastal UK c1785 to 1800. ............... Using firefox, with java disabled so no paragraphs.....

 

[Barry]

Question 1 - I wrote this note for myself With a single texture. Under Links and pipeline/ Link to Object. top boxes. Box MA (make the datablock name same name as texture)plane01........ Seaplane showed under links and materials ME (use up/down arrows to left), cylinder, cylinder02, cylinder 04, even though all joined one texture. When exported to im. we have an error notice no material on cylinder02, no material cylinder04.......... Cylinder was the plane, Cylinder 02, and 04 show as dots on the mesh. But the dots when clicked show the same number of vertices as the mesh. Dragged them from position and deleted.......... Links and materials now just shows cylinder which is the plane and vertices the same as before deleting the -dots-. Exports OK to im. but will wait for tc3 to test. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
John (johnwhelan) if you have a spare config table of a an item with one mesh and UV texture map perhaps could you email.
Any none animated object will do. Perhaps the 1800 beacon and simple boat I sent as blend files which you tried in trainz for me as im and are OK. ............I only know about 2004 trainz configs so no idea whats needed for 2006 and classics. I no longer will be spending umpteen hours pondering over trainz as before over the years, and it will save a bit of time when I get tc3 (cmp. willing)............. Thanks......... Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

Question 1 - I wrote this note for myself With a single texture. Under Links and pipeline/ Link to Object. top boxes. Box MA (make the datablock name same name as texture)plane01........ Seaplane showed under links and materials ME (use up/down arrows to left), cylinder, cylinder02, cylinder 04, even though all joined one texture. When exported to im. we have an error notice no material on cylinder02, no material cylinder04.......... Cylinder was the plane, Cylinder 02, and 04 show as dots on the mesh. But the dots when clicked show the same number of vertices as the mesh. Dragged them from position and deleted.......... Links and materials now just shows cylinder which is the plane and vertices the same as before deleting the -dots-. Exports OK to im. but will wait for tc3 to test. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
John (johnwhelan) if you have a spare config table of a an item with one mesh and UV texture map perhaps could you email.
Any none animated object will do. Perhaps the 1800 beacon and simple boat I sent as blend files which you tried in trainz for me as im and are OK. ............I only know about 2004 trainz configs so no idea whats needed for 2006 and classics. I no longer will be spending umpteen hours pondering over trainz as before over the years, and it will save a bit of time when I get tc3 (cmp. willing)............. Thanks......... Barry

Not a problem I'll have a look later on this evening.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

Well with no further discussion, will see what happens with single UV textures and if the UV multiple textures on seperated parts of mesh doesn't work will remake the seperate UV textures, into a single texture map then onto a single mesh................... I have about 150 previously made blend files made over the last few years and all work OK as vrml2. Also recently made about 7 castles for North Wales which are fine as vrml2. I know a few of the 150 or items so far export to im ok and into trainz...................... Classics 3 pre orders have now been despatched for UK, so I will see what happens with cmp this time round, also as only used 2004 version a year or so ago and over the years previous, may take a while..... Got as far downloading the CCG for 2006, etc...........Barry

 

[johnwhelan]

It is possible to export .md3 format from GMAX and import this into Blender. On the one I did I still need to texture it.

Cheerio John

 

[Barry]

John what was the zip program name you mentioned for opening the sample you sent.
I had downloaded and used it but lost in the reinstall of Vista last night.
Czech name I think.



Barry

 

[Barry]

Blender did not load after reinstalling Vista.
...Vista brought up a solution page with link to MS.
vsvcr71.dll - Downloaded net1.1 and copied file out of it into vista system 32 folder. This file is in tc3 also received today.
Blender seems to be working again OK (touch wood) so have saved file just in case needed again............

Barry

 

[Barry]

A quick summary.
Using TC3 - CMP - CCP
Blender and exporter to im
No longer using CCG now as deleted Acrobat reader or similar.
Basically require config templates for TC3 or 2006 and TC 1/2 probably similar for basic coastal scenery and drivable boats.
perhaps house with smoke, night, animated windmill/watermill for 1800.
I know I can refer to configs in tc3 but much content was made for earlier editions and CCP decides it likes TC3 content.
All similar items I have made previously mainly in gmax but for trs2004 and available on DS under user name Barry.

Barry

 

[AHSAN]

Hello Barry

TC3 CCG is included in TC3:

C:\Program Files\Auran\TC\Docs\manuals_cd\extras\CCGTC.pdf

why not give it a try in your reading time.

Looks like CMP is happy with you so far.:wave:

Regards

Ahsan

 

[Barry]

The centering was wrong and recentred and re-exported to im from the blend file.
Will delete, rotate, etc from a point near the bow etc, although probably cmp reading previous file?
Will try some more of my different blend files and make sure they are centred correctly first....
If anybody could post a few basic template blend configs. (for tc3 or similar... 2006 probably would do) and would be useful...
More for basic scenery items and basic drivable as detailed in previous post...
Surprised there isn't more feedback on this thread.....
Unless there are other Blender exporter threads on forums...
Barry

 

[Barry]

Hello Barry

TC3 CCG is included in TC3:

C:\Program Files\Auran\TC\Docs\manuals_cd\extras\CCGTC.pdf

why not give a try in your reading time.

Looks like CMP is happy with you so far.:wave:

Regards

Ahsan

Hello Ahsan I have looked at them all in TC3... however...I no longer wish to use Acrobat reader and have unistalled it.
Unless there is a another free program preferably, open source that reads pdf files.

I don't really need to refer to the ccg further at present as I prefer a different approach now, as have used ccg over the years since trainz started using gmax, making drivable boats, etc.

All that I need is the basic templates of configs for certain types of basic content as detailed in previous post.
I will probably find some relevant content eventually to refer to the configs that TC3 likes and the forthcoming 2009..and 2010 versions. Probably mush easier that way for me.

Have you made any content with Blender and the exporter and put it into trs2006 onwards?

Barry


RE CMP ...Only put my trainz user name in the set up, as don't need the Internet connection as use ftp.
No problems so far with it crashing computer or locking like last time.
CCP seems reasonable at present.
Also had to reinstall Vista, updates and programs a few days back (nothing to do with trainz) but all seems OK so far.

 

[paulhobbs]

http://portableapps.com/apps

for a light weight pdf reader and lots of other stuff you can copy to a USB stick and use anywhere. Blender is also a portable app BTW, so it doesn't need installing.

Paul