Question regarding Sketchup

M

magickmaker

New member
Before I delve into this for a few projects on my site, I've some questions:

1.) How "realistic" are the structures produced by sketchup?

2.) What is the best level of detail I can expect to achieve?

3.) If not Sketchup, do you suggest any other free modeling programs? I know Gmax is out there yet, but I'd like to see my options.

Note: I have been leery of Sketchup due to my fear it produces slightly...cartoonish type structures. This is fine for distant structures I feel, but I'm looking at needing to produce a large number of unique structures for an up close area, as well as possibly some specific track pieces.
 
magickmaker said:
Before I delve into this for a few projects on my site, I've some questions:

1.) How "realistic" are the structures produced by sketchup?

2.) What is the best level of detail I can expect to achieve?

3.) If not Sketchup, do you suggest any other free modeling programs? I know Gmax is out there yet, but I'd like to see my options.

Note: I have been leery of Sketchup due to my fear it produces slightly...cartoonish type structures. This is fine for distant structures I feel, but I'm looking at needing to produce a large number of unique structures for an up close area, as well as possibly some specific track pieces.
Click to expand...
I would look into Gmax or 3DSmax if you are a student to make the best models, however the learning curve for Gmax/3DSmax or other program is steeper
 
1. Depends on the textures used. Phototextures provide the best results in Sketchup.
2. Very low unless you want to slow down your computer with tens of thousands of polys per asset.
3. I use Blender and find it lovely.


If you have Autodesk Inventor, you can model in that, hen export the model as a .STL, import that into Blender, and texture and export it from there.

Kieran.
 
I've used Gmax in the past. I once made models for MSTS using it, so I'm rather well versed in it. All told, for this project I think I've got close to 30 unique structures (including some signs) that I need to build. As I type this, I'm actually doing a quick test of the route to see if I have the trackwork oriented properly. This will be in my donation route series, though the sequels to it will be payware.
 
magickmaker said:
I've used Gmax in the past. I once made models for MSTS using it, so I'm rather well versed in it. All told, for this project I think I've got close to 30 unique structures (including some signs) that I need to build. As I type this, I'm actually doing a quick test of the route to see if I have the trackwork oriented properly. This will be in my donation route series, though the sequels to it will be payware.
Click to expand...

I'd go with Blender, its easier than GMAX for more complex models. If two 12 poly beams cross in Blender its 24 polys, in Sketchup it becomes a center cube with four arms each of 12 polys so 60 polys not 24. Also there is an overhead per texture, 200 poly equivalents so Sketchup's tendency to use multiple textures gives you a performance hit as well.

I've yet to see anything in sketchup with lod.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Tutorial_for_Blender#Newcomers_start_here gives you the basics, there are a number of video tutorials on You Tube etc these days to simplify life. These days the texture options are wider than GMAX used to be with all sorts of odd effects, normals are often used to simulate polys etc. These are all available in Blender, in GMAX pev has built a listener which handles many of the newer features.

For scenery objects a good photograph on a box makes a useful texture. If you're building a route then don't forget the 300 poly equivalent overhead per mesh so a group of houses/buldings can help performance.

Cheerio John
 
I stick with Gmax. I do have Blender and I bought the book for it but they keep shifting versions and instructions in the book did not tally with what was hapenning on screen, so I gave up.
Either Blender or Gmax, both free, will do a good job in the end, it is just getting your head around them. As stated above the learning curve is very steep and rather a hard hill to climb in either case but once near the top of that hill it all falls into place (well nearly anyway) and life becomes a lot easier. The main operation to get right is texturing, that is a hard one, but again after a while the daylight suddenly switches on and you can do amazing things.
Photo-realistic shots are good and will enhance the model enormously, adding those little touches that cannot be found by creating your own textures, such touches as weathering, broken bricks or panes of glass, corrugated sheet that has got turned back on a corner or tiles missing, these things really do bring a model to life.
You will need Gimp of you intend to use your own photos to straighten them up and a good graphics program like Paintshop or PaintshopPro. And good old Paint comes in handy as well so don't disregard that as a tool in your armoury. Another good free utility is Irfanview.
Using a combo of Gmax and TACS (Trains Asset Creation Studio) means your models can be directly imported into Trainz which is a bonus as well. Gmax lost support in 2005 but still works fine. As new OS's come out I expect it will eventually be overtaking by technology but at least for the foreseeable future it is a going concern.

Good luck,

Angela
 
I'm working with a number of urban exploration groups in Long Island to get photos of the...woops bout let the cat out of the bag there. Let's just say "key structures" of the route I'm modeling. Hopefully, when complete, this will be the only one of its kind on the DLS.

Having said that, from the creation point of view, it looks like I'll end up just using blender. From what I've seen it works really well, and should meet my needs nicely.

And since I can't help hinting at the project, here's some factoids. Feel free to guess:

Branch in operation from late 1800's to 1980.
Unique that trains had to back down the branch about a mile (over a number of crossings) to service it.

No real grades in that mile of track,

Even passenger trains backed down the line to service a single small station.

Never electrified.
 
angelah said:
I stick with Gmax. I do have Blender and I bought the book for it but they keep shifting versions and instructions in the book did not tally with what was hapenning on screen, so I gave up.
Either Blender or Gmax, both free, will do a good job in the end, it is just getting your head around them. As stated above the learning curve is very steep and rather a hard hill to climb in either case but once near the top of that hill it all falls into place (well nearly anyway) and life becomes a lot easier. The main operation to get right is texturing, that is a hard one, but again after a while the daylight suddenly switches on and you can do amazing things.
Photo-realistic shots are good and will enhance the model enormously, adding those little touches that cannot be found by creating your own textures, such touches as weathering, broken bricks or panes of glass, corrugated sheet that has got turned back on a corner or tiles missing, these things really do bring a model to life.
You will need Gimp of you intend to use your own photos to straighten them up and a good graphics program like Paintshop or PaintshopPro. And good old Paint comes in handy as well so don't disregard that as a tool in your armoury. Another good free utility is Irfanview.
Using a combo of Gmax and TACS (Trains Asset Creation Studio) means your models can be directly imported into Trainz which is a bonus as well. Gmax lost support in 2005 but still works fine. As new OS's come out I expect it will eventually be overtaking by technology but at least for the foreseeable future it is a going concern.

Good luck,



Angela
Click to expand...

Hello Angela The basics of Blender is Ok to understand as been using it for about 10 years.

I still only know the basics but enough to make 12 mile routes in the Blender Game Engine and most types of static content which I animate using the timeline - this then makes moving solid sailing ships on preset routes for an hour or more, manoevring into berths, etc, miles of docks of liverpool c1800 and 1833, srtm2 data makes 12 miles terrain meshs using greyscale from 3DEM on 2 metre square, etc, working locks, working dock gates, tides over 6 hour tidal raise, rivers, canals, etc. All this mainly just from the basics of Blender.

I won't go into more details here as Trainz is not for me anymore and rarely post on it's forums and just keep to the Blender Game Engine Now.


Barry
 
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