Creating Content

[Maddox61]

Hey all,

I am new to trainz and have a lot to learn.

1. Am I doing something wrong, or do the tutorials in http://www.worldoftrainz.com/Pages/Tutorials.htm
work with 2009 world builder?

2. If not, how can I create content for 2009 in Blender or Gmax, without using 3Ds?
I can buy my engines and stock. I only need to create buildings and such, since I am going to be creating early 1900s steam era, and there will be no need for script.

3. Also, can models created in Truespace7.6 ( that I have used for years ) be exported to Blender or Gmax and then to trainz?

Told ya I had a lot to learn.

Thanks
Merle Maddox

 

[johnwhelan]

Blender

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Tutorial_for_Blender#Newcomers_start_here

Stop doing the tutorials when you've made the first house. For the moment stick with Blender 2.49.

Cheerio John

 

[bchester]

John is right, blender is the 3d creation tool to consider! As John recommended start with blender 2.49 as it is stable. 2.5x versions have a different user interface which most users prefer over the on in 2.49 but these versions are not yet stable and while an exporter is in the process for them, they too are not yet stable.

In addition to blender (or gmax if you ultimately decide to go that route) you will also need a graphics editor such as Paint Shop Pro, Photo Shop, Gimp, Paint.net.......... The list goes on!

What I consider important in a graphics editor is:
- the program must save TGA files in an uncompressed format
- should use layers as this makes the image modification a lot easier
- can create and save an alpha channel.

Regardless of 3d application you select, follow the tutorials on Paul Hobbs site at: http://www.44090digitalmodels.co.uk/

Hope this gets you started.

Bricey

 

[Maddox61]

Blender

Hey Bricey,

OK, so if I am getting this right, I can export models from Blender to 2009 World Builder.

I already have Blender loaded, I will use it and see what happens. As for the graphics editors, I have all three, Photoshop, Paintshop Pro and Gimp.
All I need to do now is learn how to make them all work together :hehe:

I will check out the sites that you and John advised on.

I am an old HO scale buildrer, retired and have nothing but time. If all works, this shuold be lots of fun.

Thanks for your help

Maybe when I get things under control, and some knowledge under my belt,
I can return the favor.

Also if anyone else knows of any sites with tutorials, as I have been searching for days, please let me know. Or if there is just a simple way of loading content. It would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again

Merle

 

[wiggy1]

I would recommend google sketchup for creating content. Once you've learnt how to use it (only took me a couple of tutorials), it's much easier than blender, especially for making buildings. If you want to put the model into blender, just export it as a collada (dae.) file and scale it down.

 

[paulzmay]

I would recommend google sketchup for creating content. Once you've learnt how to use it (only took me a couple of tutorials), it's much easier than blender, especially for making buildings. If you want to put the model into blender, just export it as a collada (dae.) file and scale it down.

Sketchup tends to create very inefficient models that have far more polys and materials than necessary. I really wouldn't recommend it.

Paul

 

[bchester]

Sketchup tends to create very inefficient models that have far more polys and materials than necessary. I really wouldn't recommend it.

Paul

So true,

I spend almost 3 weeks fixing a model that a young creator was trying to get into trainz. He had created it in sketchup and it was a very lovely model but in game was over 1.5 million polys.

Not a good product for trainz at all.

Bricey

 

[Maddox61]

Wow,

From what I am finding in Trainz, most of the detail is dependant on textures. I noticed a quite a few models in Trainz, that appeared to have less than 100 polys.
I read some place that the poly count should be around 3,500 and max at 5,000.

I am workng with Blender now. The only problem I am having, using the tutorials on a house, after rescaling and welding vertices in the roof, the system starts crawling. I don't know if it is Blender or the exporters that I had to load for trainz. I am running Blender 2.49 but I know they have newer versions.
It also required me to load Python 2.5.2 when I know there are newer version of that as well.

Should I be using the newer versions of these programs?

 

[Maddox61]

............

 

[whitepass]

You have to use Python 2.5.2 and as for Truespace I could not find a format that would export from Truespace and import into Blender. You should find a copy of the TC CCG it's a little out of date but good to have.

I read some place that the poly count should be around 3,500 and max at 5,000.

Very old, for TS09 you can go much bigger, the sample station in TS09 is over 20,000.

 

[Maddox61]

Glad to know that.

I do like detail and to me. That is the best part of graphic modeling, finding out just how realistic you can make something look.
Especialy when you have built HO and N scale trains all your life.

This is the first I have heard about anything like this. ( train sims )
Modern technology, Boy do I feel old.

Well, I'm going to try and locate the TC CCG you mentioned.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[johnwhelan]

Wow,

From what I am finding in Trainz, most of the detail is dependant on textures. I noticed a quite a few models in Trainz, that appeared to have less than 100 polys.
I read some place that the poly count should be around 3,500 and max at 5,000.

I am workng with Blender now. The only problem I am having, using the tutorials on a house, after rescaling and welding vertices in the roof, the system starts crawling. I don't know if it is Blender or the exporters that I had to load for trainz. I am running Blender 2.49 but I know they have newer versions.
It also required me to load Python 2.5.2 when I know there are newer version of that as well.

Should I be using the newer versions of these programs?

Trainz renders in real time so the fewer the polys the better. There is an overhead of roughly 300 poly equivalents per mesh and 200 per texture file.

Using TS2010 it dumps much of the work down to the gpu so poly counts aren't quite so important. Generally speaking use textures rather than polys, normal mapping works well when appropriate.

Have a look at KUID2: 184151:94004:1 Vinnybarb has some other examples floating round showing this technique.

Cheerio John

 

[Maddox61]

I would have a look at that kuid But for some reason "?" I can't get logged into the site.

I can't even get into my Content Manager.

It keeps telling me that my user name is not valid, and to retry.

This is not a good sign. If I can't access the content manager or the download station, how can I create models, when I do learn the process.

I hope I haven't wasted my time and money!!

However, I do appreciate everyones help. If not for this forum, there would be no Auran.

 

[Retro00064]

I would have a look at that kuid But for some reason "?" I can't get logged into the site.

I can't even get into my Content Manager.

It keeps telling me that my user name is not valid, and to retry.

This is not a good sign. If I can't access the content manager or the download station, how can I create models, when I do learn the process.

I hope I haven't wasted my time and money!!

However, I do appreciate everyones help. If not for this forum, there would be no Auran.

It appears that the servers are down right now. See the following link to a thread just down the list from this thread: http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=72758.

Trainz is a complex software, and can have a learning curve for newcomers who have to learn how to deal with its quirks, but if your are patient and persist through the learning curve, you will likely find that it is well worth the effort of learning how to work it.

Regards.

 

[paulzmay]

You have to use Python 2.5.2 and as for Truespace I could not find a format that would export from Truespace and import into Blender. You should find a copy of the TC CCG it's a little out of date but good to have.


Very old, for TS09 you can go much bigger, the sample station in TS09 is over 20,000.

A building with 20000 polys should really use LOD for distant views. I tend to use it if the detail mesh is much over 1000 polys.

Paul

 

[bchester]

From what I am finding in Trainz, most of the detail is dependant on textures. I noticed a quite a few models in Trainz, that appeared to have less than 100 polys.

To me textures truely are the most important aspect of creating "realistic" models. I have a series of box cars the look absolutely incredible but only consist of 16 polys yet are using normal maps in 2010. Admittedly, if you get really close you can tell they are low poly but the use of a photo with normal map makes a huge difference.

I have a bunch of steamers that only have 8000 or fewer polys and look amazing at a reasonable viewing distance. I judge this distance as if I was back on my HO and N scale layouts of years gone!

Bricey

 

[Maddox61]

Reading through this CCG and it has explained a lot about creating assets and uploading to trainz.

Can I create and load models directly to my system, or must everything go through the upload station??

I do intend on sharing my creations. However, I would like to get used to creating models for trains prior to allowing others to download something I created that may cause problems for them due to my lack of knowledge and experience.

If it hurts me or my sytem, oh well, that's all a part of learning.

 

[Retro00064]

It is not a requirement or automatic process (as far as I know) that your asset be uploaded to the Download Station. In fact, there are plenty of users who put their stuff on third-party websites instead.

Regards.

 

[Maddox61]

Thanks,

That's good to know. Now all I need to do is find out how it's done
Like I said, I just finished reading the entire 451 page CCG (took 2 days) lol.
And I still don't know how to get my assets in there.:hehe: .....those bad little assets!
Oh well, I taught myself HTML, CSS, XML Javascript etc. I will learn this if it kills me, and it just might do that :'(

Hell, it's fun and we know it. And If it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be worth learning anyway. Right... Right

 

[Mick_Berg]

John is right, blender is the 3d creation tool to consider! As John recommended start with blender 2.49 as it is stable. 2.5x versions have a different user interface which most users prefer over the on in 2.49 but these versions are not yet stable and while an exporter is in the process for them, they too are not yet stable.........
Bricey

Blender 2.57 is claimed to be stable. And the exporter seems to work OK.
I'm just pointing this out because the 2.5x interface is sooooooo much nicer.
Mick Berg.