Blender Setup

[MrScott2006]

Just before I got back into Trainz I was working in Blender creating content for another game. I was pleased to see that Blender can be used for creating Trainz content too. I did a forum search and I found about three years worth of reading on the subject. I thought I'd start this thread to ask some basic questions.
1. What downloads (programs) are needed to create Trainz content in Blender?

2. I know there is an export tool to export IM files. Is there a way to import an IM file into Blender?

3. I've read somewhere that you can only use Blender for TRS2009 content. Is this true?

 

[paulhobbs]

Just before I got back into Trainz I was working in Blender creating content for another game. I was pleased to see that Blender can be used for creating Trainz content too. I did a forum search and I found about three years worth of reading on the subject. I thought I'd start this thread to ask some basic questions.
1. What downloads (programs) are needed to create Trainz content in Blender?

2. I know there is an export tool to export IM files. Is there a way to import an IM file into Blender?

3. I've read somewhere that you can only use Blender for TRS2009 content. Is this true?

1. Get hold of my tutorials from http://www.44090digitalmodels.co.uk the third one explains exporting and what you need.
2. no
3. no, not true. You can use it to make content for any version of Trainz, but there may be issues in TRS2004 and earlier due to the new exporter.

Paul

 

[MrScott2006]

Thanks! Everything is where it needs to be but it looks like I still got some reading to do. My goal is to create buildings and maybe vehicles with nightmode for TSR2006. I've downloaded the CCG for TSR2006. Can anybody suggest parts of the CCG that I will need to read for this task?

 

[rweber95]

Chapter 8 - Modeling Guides

Bob

 

[MrScott2006]

I'm stuck with one last question. I'm re-installing everything on my computer, including Blender. Besides the two files that go into Blenders scripts folder, is there anything else that I will need?

I can remember the last time I installed Blender, it called for a few other programs that was needed to be installed for Blender to work.

 

[MrScott2006]

Well it's all set up and working...I guess I have all I need. Now it's time to go to work!

 

[MrScott2006]

Chapter 8 - Modeling Guides

Bob

I looked over this chapter. Its focused on Gmax and Gmax functions...I don't think that's going to help a whole lot with Blender.
I seem to remember that there was a tutorial for making a simple house in Gmax. Is there anything like that for Blender? The small locomotive tutorial is neat but it's a little overkill for what I'm looking to learn how to do.

 

[johnwhelan]

I looked over this chapter. Its focused on Gmax and Gmax functions...I don't think that's going to help a whole lot with Blender.
I seem to remember that there was a tutorial for making a simple house in Gmax. Is there anything like that for Blender? The small locomotive tutorial is neat but it's a little overkill for what I'm looking to learn how to do.

wikibook Trainz has the basic uvmapping bit. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Tutorial_for_Blender other than that I found the Blender org video tutorials useful.

Cheerio John

 

[paulhobbs]

I can remember the last time I installed Blender, it called for a few other programs that was needed to be installed for Blender to work.

Blender will complain that it can't find a Python installation (Python is needed by some scripts that you can get for Blender), but you don't need this to use the supplied scripts.

I seem to remember that there was a tutorial for making a simple house in Gmax. Is there anything like that for Blender? The small locomotive tutorial is neat but it's a little overkill for what I'm looking to learn how to do.

There's bound to be somewhere. You'll need most of the loco tutorial to make a house anyway though.

Paul

 

[MrScott2006]

There's bound to be somewhere. You'll need most of the loco tutorial to make a house anyway though.Paul

I've download the 3 tutorials from the site you gave me in the earlier post. After looking over them a little bit closer, I see there is some good information I will need.

 

[MrScott2006]

http://iamaracademy.com/subpages/bModelingVid.html

I found this site today. It has plenty of video Blender tutorials for the beginner on up. The link is to the level 1 tutorials. There are three levels.
Check it out.