faustusclemens
Member
Had to take a break from US content for the meantime, so I'm working on this beautiful machine.
NER EF1
NER EF1
GMax and 3DSMax (And any other modeling program) screenies/renders
- Thread starter Mr.Kamikaze
- Start date
slenderman8888
Active member
I've been taking a bit of a break from modelling for various reasons. But today I sat down and got the main modelling for the Class 9 done, and even did some texturing.
Just needs back and roof textures then a tad bit of modelling for the brake hoses and MU cables on the front (Will be set up to use ACS) I'm still in need of an animator to animate my bogie wheels and pantographs btw. Feel free to hit up my PMs if you're willing to do it. Hopefully shouldn't be a very tall order.
Just needs back and roof textures then a tad bit of modelling for the brake hoses and MU cables on the front (Will be set up to use ACS) I'm still in need of an animator to animate my bogie wheels and pantographs btw. Feel free to hit up my PMs if you're willing to do it. Hopefully shouldn't be a very tall order.
On a slightly tangential topic, my GMax modeling has been shunted to a side track and I need help getting it back on the mainline.
GMax was installed and happily making objects for me on an old computer that has seen better days.
I got a new computer and copied over all the trainz related files including GMax.
When I tried to start GMax, it says to enter the registration code. I have that in an email from 2005. But when I enter it, I get an error saying the code has expired.
When I went to TurboSquid now part of Shutterstock, they tell me that since Autodesk doesn't support it any more, they can't do anything either.
Anyone know where the authorization would be stored in the old computer? Registry? Appdata?
Am I doomed to finally abandon GMax after all these years of faithful service?
GMax was installed and happily making objects for me on an old computer that has seen better days.
I got a new computer and copied over all the trainz related files including GMax.
When I tried to start GMax, it says to enter the registration code. I have that in an email from 2005. But when I enter it, I get an error saying the code has expired.
When I went to TurboSquid now part of Shutterstock, they tell me that since Autodesk doesn't support it any more, they can't do anything either.
Anyone know where the authorization would be stored in the old computer? Registry? Appdata?
Am I doomed to finally abandon GMax after all these years of faithful service?
Frank_Dean
Well-known member
If you know where I can find out how to do LOD's using GMAX, please let me know. Glad you got it working again.We're back on the mainline.
Thanks for the help.
PS, be sure to pause any VPN or you can't access the site
Frank_Dean
Well-known member
I make the Lod levels manually without any method or formula.
1-If the mesh that we have made does not have more than 500 polygons we do not have to make any additional Lod.
2-If the mesh exceeds 500 polygons we will have to do some Lod. We rotate and inspect our object and eliminate the polygons that are not visible to the naked eye, such as polygons of lower and inner parts, eliminate small objects such as screws, nuts, handles, steps and all polygons that do not have a very large surface.
3-Respect the rule of the minimum reduction of 20% of polygons from one lod to the other
until the last Lod has less than 500 polygons. Example:
Lod0: 900 polygons
Lod1: Lod0 - 20%: 900-180: 720 polygons or less, for safety we leave it at 700 polygons.
Lod2: Lod1 - 20%: 700 - 20%: 560 polygons or less, for safety we leave it at 540 polygons.
Lod3 and last: Since it is the last one, it must have less than 500 polygons, but respecting the 20% lower than Lod2.
Lod3: Lod2-20%: 540 - 20%: 432 polygons or less. Remember that the last Lod will hardly be seen, it will be like a dot. So you can simplify it to a simple cube or rectangle of the size of Lod0 and the predominant color.
1-If the mesh that we have made does not have more than 500 polygons we do not have to make any additional Lod.
2-If the mesh exceeds 500 polygons we will have to do some Lod. We rotate and inspect our object and eliminate the polygons that are not visible to the naked eye, such as polygons of lower and inner parts, eliminate small objects such as screws, nuts, handles, steps and all polygons that do not have a very large surface.
3-Respect the rule of the minimum reduction of 20% of polygons from one lod to the other
until the last Lod has less than 500 polygons. Example:
Lod0: 900 polygons
Lod1: Lod0 - 20%: 900-180: 720 polygons or less, for safety we leave it at 700 polygons.
Lod2: Lod1 - 20%: 700 - 20%: 560 polygons or less, for safety we leave it at 540 polygons.
Lod3 and last: Since it is the last one, it must have less than 500 polygons, but respecting the 20% lower than Lod2.
Lod3: Lod2-20%: 540 - 20%: 432 polygons or less. Remember that the last Lod will hardly be seen, it will be like a dot. So you can simplify it to a simple cube or rectangle of the size of Lod0 and the predominant color.
Let's review the point of Level of Detail.
As the object gets further away from you in the scene, it is covered by fewer pixels on your screen. So asking your GPU to do the calculations for things that cannot be rendered is a waste of time and resources.
Enter LOD.
Like in Frank_Dean's example, Only create the polys than can actually be seen at a given distance. To give you a visual reminder, take a screen shot of the object as you move further away from it. Note what details you can actually see and what gets lost on the pixel blur. Now go into your modelling app and in copies of the high detail object, remove everything you don't see at each distance. That will be the LOD version of the object for that distance.
IIRC, in GMax that is pretty much a manual thing to do. If you reuse the same texture files, you will avoid extra draw calls and thus lower the overhead for your GPU.
As the object gets further away from you in the scene, it is covered by fewer pixels on your screen. So asking your GPU to do the calculations for things that cannot be rendered is a waste of time and resources.
Enter LOD.
Like in Frank_Dean's example, Only create the polys than can actually be seen at a given distance. To give you a visual reminder, take a screen shot of the object as you move further away from it. Note what details you can actually see and what gets lost on the pixel blur. Now go into your modelling app and in copies of the high detail object, remove everything you don't see at each distance. That will be the LOD version of the object for that distance.
IIRC, in GMax that is pretty much a manual thing to do. If you reuse the same texture files, you will avoid extra draw calls and thus lower the overhead for your GPU.
Don't know if you know this, and I don't know if there's a way in Sketchup, but you can delete those splaying out lines, like those above the headlights, and save some polys.Idk why the last pic got deleted but another progress update. Modelled an air hose and remodelled the nose because I realised the front actually is curved. It's a pain to model the transition from curved front to flat upwards slope towards the windscreen.
Perfect example of what distant LOD objects don't need. All those subtle curves will be lost among the few pixels that will cover the nose and roof over the cab. Plus the handles, railings and even the buffers, air hoses and any other small details like the pantograph parts on the roof.
Thank you ! What's the process of saving the modified meshes ?
Frank_Dean
Well-known member
Sorry, I don't quite understand your question, as English isn't my language.
I use Google Translate.
Using Gmax isn't easy; sometimes it's a matter of trial and error.
My understanding is that you have to make three separate GMAX objects, the original one and at least two more with fewer and fewer polygons. How are these objects saved in the folder.....such as what name would you apply to them ?
Thanks
Frank_Dean
Well-known member
I don't know how others do it. Once I have an object ready without reducing the polygons, I create a group and call it HouseLod0 and note down how many polygons it has.
From that group, whether or not you can ungroup it, I make a clone and call it HouseLod1 and start reducing polygons until I get a 20% reduction. When it's ready, I make another clone and call it HouseLod2, and so on.
When I have four objects, I join the original and export the other three cloned objects. I get four IM meshes and name them from HouseLod0 to HouseLod4. I check the IM meshes with Trainz Mesh Viewer to see if they have any errors.
If you don't understand what I'm saying, I'm sorry, I can't explain step by step how to do it; it's a matter of trial and error. You can't learn it in hours, what it took me many years with trial and error.
To export from Gmax in IM format you need Trainz_Asset_Creation_Studio (Trainz Content Creation Pack) which is here:
https://www.auran.com/trainz/contentcreation.htm
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There is nothing special about the LOD meshes except that they have progressively fewer polys, they are just ordinary IM files. It's in the config file of the object that they are referenced and called to appear at various distances. Their names are not really important as long as they are correctly referenced. To make it easier to remember, add the LOD level they are supposed to appear at to the IM file name. Ex:
top level: object_name_LOD0
next level: object_name_LOD1
next level: object_name_LOD2
etc
top level: object_name_LOD0
next level: object_name_LOD1
next level: object_name_LOD2
etc
Thank you ! That does make sense and very helpful. I've got a lot of work to do.
Thank you, that's the other piece I've been missing , was how to put them into the Config file so that they line up with the IM files for proper reference.
Okay so here's some projects I've had ongoing for a while that I might be going overkill with - but enjoying myself in the process.... First up the common 40ft container... Ive seen plenty of these throughout Trainz, as im sure you have too... How many have you seen with flat fronts..? No door handles? No locking bolt..? Maybe I'm missing something here, but I cant seem to find a 40ft container load that has decent detail up close...? Anyway I decided to have a play and that's where I'm at so far. (Ive used very basic geometry for the door parts, and definitely overkill on the Corners, but im keen to see how it loads at some point! LOD is there for a reason!)
Second one, which was the project I started first actually - DB Sgmmnss 40. I chose this as I am attempting to build (And mostly play on) a DEM route from Frankfurt to Mannheim... There's lots of container yards along the way! Lots of wagon manufactures put their blueprints and dimensions on their websites - and this one seems to have no counterpart on the DLS(Or on Trainz.DE) Obviously gone OTT on the container pins (Which I've also seen modelled FLAT or Cubes) which should sit prefect within my containers, I think that's a very easy LOD to do away with straight away but enjoy up close.
Second one, which was the project I started first actually - DB Sgmmnss 40. I chose this as I am attempting to build (And mostly play on) a DEM route from Frankfurt to Mannheim... There's lots of container yards along the way! Lots of wagon manufactures put their blueprints and dimensions on their websites - and this one seems to have no counterpart on the DLS(Or on Trainz.DE) Obviously gone OTT on the container pins (Which I've also seen modelled FLAT or Cubes) which should sit prefect within my containers, I think that's a very easy LOD to do away with straight away but enjoy up close.