Creating track in gmax
- Thread starter stevepie1
- Start date
This thread died, but I could also use some help with this. I would like to make a 3ft, random tie, fill track for a backwoods logging route, but I can't seem to find a tutorial on making track. I know the basics of Gmax, but not the particulars of track creating. Any help would be appreciated.
narrowgauge
92 year oldTrainz veteran
Some rough guidance.
Top of the rail must be precisely 300mm above the x-x axis in FRONT view. This is a must, it can not be changed.
In TOP view, the rail must start precisely (or slightly higher) at the x-x axis and should be drawn down towards -y.
Make your length 4 metres with 1 metre segments. Everything must be divided into the same number of segments.
Email me through the forum and I will send you something to look at.
Just noticed that you have 2009, there is 3ft gauge fill track built in that comes with Northbay County. Have you seen that route yet, a lot of useful logging stuff came withit.
Peter
Top of the rail must be precisely 300mm above the x-x axis in FRONT view. This is a must, it can not be changed.
In TOP view, the rail must start precisely (or slightly higher) at the x-x axis and should be drawn down towards -y.
Make your length 4 metres with 1 metre segments. Everything must be divided into the same number of segments.
Email me through the forum and I will send you something to look at.
Just noticed that you have 2009, there is 3ft gauge fill track built in that comes with Northbay County. Have you seen that route yet, a lot of useful logging stuff came withit.
Peter
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Do you mean 300mm ? which sounds about right for the height of a rail. 300 metres doesn't sound quite so right
narrowgauge
92 year oldTrainz veteran
Nikki
I should proof read before I post. Thanks. I started to think 0.3m and changed it mid stream
Peter
I should proof read before I post. Thanks. I started to think 0.3m and changed it mid stream
Peter
Thanks guys, This is a big help, and thank you for the kind offer Narrowgauge, but Linda sent me a sample mesh of one of her fill tracks to study. It would be nice if there was a tutorial thread where this type of info could be kept.
BTW: I do have '09, but I never even open it. I'm still a '04 fan.
BTW: I do have '09, but I never even open it. I'm still a '04 fan.
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Shortline2
Joined: 28th Oct. 2002
Hi Rick,
For me making tracks is easy as I have just three rules in my head...
Similar to what Peter said.
1. The Top vertexes of the rails shall always be at Z = 0,3 meter -> ALWAYS
2. The inside top vertex of the rails shall always be the same distance along the positive and the negative X axis as the gauge determine it to be and always at Z=0,3 meter - the rest of the rail mesh is determined by the weight of the rail according what rail I'm modeling as a 60lbs rail looks different from a 120lbs rail.
3. All models start at the Y axis = 0 and goes down into a negative Y value.
With those three rules I build any track the way I need it to be, sometimes that means part of the track might be above 0,3 meter (if I build a cut into a track for instance the rail is left at 0,3 meter but further out on the sides I put the rock part of the mesh higher...)
Or, if I model a bridge/trestle with built in barrels, the top of them would be higher then the 0,3m rule for the rail it self.
Most of the model of a track, especially a bridge, would be built downward into a negative value on the Z axis, but all that don't matter in the Trainz world as long as the rails are at the values specified above in the 3 axis making up our little 3D world...
Have fun with my mesh Rick, I can send others if you like where the ties are actually modeled into the mesh better then the one you got, where it is partly part of the texture and partly a mesh model of a tie...
Have fun all, hope I didn't over shared info and confused anybody with the above text.
The three rules is enough really - but then again, I always thing X, Y, Z when modeling - maybe that was the reason I couldn't do any "real modeling" girly style.. LOL
Linda
For me making tracks is easy as I have just three rules in my head...
Similar to what Peter said.
1. The Top vertexes of the rails shall always be at Z = 0,3 meter -> ALWAYS
2. The inside top vertex of the rails shall always be the same distance along the positive and the negative X axis as the gauge determine it to be and always at Z=0,3 meter - the rest of the rail mesh is determined by the weight of the rail according what rail I'm modeling as a 60lbs rail looks different from a 120lbs rail.
3. All models start at the Y axis = 0 and goes down into a negative Y value.
With those three rules I build any track the way I need it to be, sometimes that means part of the track might be above 0,3 meter (if I build a cut into a track for instance the rail is left at 0,3 meter but further out on the sides I put the rock part of the mesh higher...)
Or, if I model a bridge/trestle with built in barrels, the top of them would be higher then the 0,3m rule for the rail it self.
Most of the model of a track, especially a bridge, would be built downward into a negative value on the Z axis, but all that don't matter in the Trainz world as long as the rails are at the values specified above in the 3 axis making up our little 3D world...
Have fun with my mesh Rick, I can send others if you like where the ties are actually modeled into the mesh better then the one you got, where it is partly part of the texture and partly a mesh model of a tie...
Have fun all, hope I didn't over shared info and confused anybody with the above text.
The three rules is enough really - but then again, I always thing X, Y, Z when modeling - maybe that was the reason I couldn't do any "real modeling" girly style.. LOL
Linda
Shortline2
Joined: 28th Oct. 2002
Hi again,
I came to think about another thing to confuse more... LOL
Using segments one can "cheat" Trainz a little and make longer track and still bend the rail nicely on sharp curves but keep the fill part with less segments and save a few polygons.
But, the way forward is still the TS2009/2010 - stitched meshed system as that really help save polygons and computer stressing out when done properly.
Trouble is, it is hard work to make the track look good and function good without all that popping in & out.
I loved the track system when it came out, did lot of test on it, then lost my nerve to do all that and dropped away from it and today I'm nearly where Rick are, totally in loss to the new stuff...
Joking a little Rick.
The mesh I sent you is heavy in polygons, way heavy as it was meant to try to lessen the repeat pattern found when putting the same 2m on the same 2 meters on the same 2 meters & so on like the spline system actually works like.
Play with it, any segments is where it bends as long as the config say Bendy...
Linda
I came to think about another thing to confuse more... LOL
Using segments one can "cheat" Trainz a little and make longer track and still bend the rail nicely on sharp curves but keep the fill part with less segments and save a few polygons.
But, the way forward is still the TS2009/2010 - stitched meshed system as that really help save polygons and computer stressing out when done properly.
Trouble is, it is hard work to make the track look good and function good without all that popping in & out.
I loved the track system when it came out, did lot of test on it, then lost my nerve to do all that and dropped away from it and today I'm nearly where Rick are, totally in loss to the new stuff...
Joking a little Rick.
The mesh I sent you is heavy in polygons, way heavy as it was meant to try to lessen the repeat pattern found when putting the same 2m on the same 2 meters on the same 2 meters & so on like the spline system actually works like.
Play with it, any segments is where it bends as long as the config say Bendy...
Linda
tommylee3010
New member
That also helps but for me as I am trying to do End Caps for my Track, how am I suppost to do that? Like where in the X,Y,Z Valeu should they go? the main track is alright though