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Question? Does the Parameters file need an Alpha channel, if so why, as I see some with and some without the Alpha channel. And does the file size, as in pixels, of the Parameters, matter and does the DPI of any of the textures matter.
John
To be serious , if there was a way to batch produce textures and save a lot of time I'd be more keen to take up the challenge .
You only need that shader node model when you are ready to export the FBX files for Trainz. i.e. you can use other node setups to achieve the effects you want, bake the textures, and then swap to the export model and link the textures as you described.
BTW, you can save that Trainz node setup using the Material Library VX tool located in the material section. I saved mine as a "rename-me.m.pbrmetal". You can do something similar with the other PBR material types.
There is it is called substance painter LOL I import the mesh and texture it using layers and then when I export it makes the 3 files (albedo, perimeter, and normal) lickety split and I do not have to do anything but set the res and hit a button
There is it is called substance painter LOL I import the mesh and texture it using layers and then when I export it makes the 3 files (albedo, perimeter, and normal) lickety split and I do not have to do anything but set the res and hit a button
But what you haven't really explained is do you create the texture files in the conventional way, UV map in Blender or do I get the impression that Blender uses them directly. How do you make changes to the texture file for things such as reskinning?
Cheerio John
I think the point is that it's not free and as Adobe have taken over and if it survives in the same form, will probably get a price hike.
The Perpetual License version has a lot of bad reviews on Steam re frequent crashes, possibly not the same version as the rental one? Or just the can't use it properly club? Probably requires a Steam account which is something I will never use.
Has anyone looked at 3d coat?
But what you haven't really explained is do you create the texture files in the conventional way, UV map in Blender or do I get the impression that Blender uses them directly. How do you make changes to the texture file for things such as reskinning?
Cheerio John
My 3ds Max FBX exporter is incompatible with TANE / TRS19, I have Max10, needs a minimum of 2013 I think . There is a convoluted method of using Autodesk's FBX converter which will convert the old FBX to a newer version or convert 3ds to FBX as well, not entirely successful though and you loose the animation. Also got Softimage, same problem with the FBX exporter.
Meanwhile I'm trying to get my head around Blender which compared to Max is not an easy to learn program, especially when they keep changing it.
I can get 3ds into Blender which is a help.
Afraid Autodesk is not getting any more custom from me since going all subscription, which really is way too expensive for a hobby.
According to the spec ( http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/M.pbrmetal) you are supposed to provide one. But it wouldn't surprise me if Trainz defaulted to some value. If it were all white then the material should be very metallic and probably shiny. If black then it would be dull (dirlectric).
Size is not a good measure since many creators are switching to PNG format which is invariably smaller than TGA. Once committed it will be Trainz texture format anyway. By DPI I assume you mean number of pixels per inch (PPI) rather than a TV/monitor resolution. Generally the more pixels per inch then better the quality. It's up to the creator to choose - at least within the range allowed to us.
John:
Re-skinning should not be all that hard, although it will take some more effort on your part as you are dealing with three textures and not one or two. You would use a combination of Materialize and GIMP, both of which are free to do that, or their commercial equivalents for those who want to pay. Basically it would work like this:
1. Use GIMP to determine the size of the existing textures (albedo, normal and parameters) you would need to replace and the file format (ie; tga or png).
2. Create an albedo file (AKA Diffuse texture) to be the same size and file format. I often use .jpg texture files I have found and with GIMP converted them to the size and file format I need.
3. Use the Materialize program to create the normal, height map, AO and other textures maps you will need from the albedo file you created and save them. See my Materialize tutorial at for more details about this process:
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/sho...BR-ground-textures-using-Materialize-and-GIMP
4. Now edit them in GIMP per the instructions in my Materialize tutorial.
5. You have now generated the new skins.
This sounds hard but really isn't once you get used to it.
Bob
And with a PBR asset it's exactly the same. Clone, open the albedo (diffuse) texture file, add a logo, save, change the config file as required. You don't need to edit the parameter file if don't need to change the roughness of the material or to add bare metal areas.The difficulty is getting new people started in content creation. Currently reskinning is about the easiest way to create a reskin. Clone, open up the .bmp texture file in paint.net add a logo save and after you've added your name in the config.txt file and changed the name its done.
It doesn't have to be GIMP, but it's really not that hard. If you need to learn something new then just start using it. If you put off starting you'll never achieve anything. I switched over to Blender 2.81 in two days over Christmas by just playing with it for a few hours - admittedly I may to able to do this a lot more easily than a lot of people but if I hadn't tried I still be using 2.79b.GIMP is not the most friendly interface for a beginner never mind working out which file to change etc. It creates a barrier to entry.
OK people KEEP making excuses that it is "too expensive for a hobby" well I know here in Yuma registering with the community college here was 30 bux. That gets me a student ID. I can get a student version of 3ds from 2015-2020 I believe for free. Now I have a license as part of a business years ago but I have sent many people wanting to learn 3ds the student way. Same for Substance they also have a free student license.
Now some will whine about the DLC and how all assets have to be payware etc. LOOK if YOU are doing it as a hobby and NOT charging for the work WHILE you are learning you will never run afoul of a student license. But people are gonna whine about it and argue it anyway.
I know payware authors using student versions and no I am not gonna out them LOL but if you are gonna pick gnat crap out of pepper to have an EXCUSE NOT to do it, then you just aint gonna do it LOL
Just watched a video and it is about the same price as substance but material wise does not seem to have as much.Has anyone looked at 3d coat?
You can't go to a Community college in the UK they do not exist as such and there is nothing at all around here unless you want to learn about gardening or basket weaving or are an unemployed youngster, don't think I'd qualify at 67!
Autodesk now requires a copy of your Student Registration, and proof of the course and it only lasts for three years after which you pay full price or it expires, as of January 2019 they are clamping down on people using student licenses indefinitely which used to be possible. I got my first version, Max3 that way and they never checked properly if I was in Education, I was actually working at a Government Training Centre at the time.
Even professional and Indie users of Autodesk Products are complaining about the cost of the subscriptions. I can afford the subscriptions by the way but prefer to actually have permanent versions of software not ones that might suddenly expire. However on a positive note ;o) , picked this up from the Autodesk Forums apparently this is Autodesk taking note of the too expensive criticism! https://area.autodesk.com/3ds-max-indie/ for 12 months it is £275.86, may be plus VAT that's not terribly clear compared to £1782 inc VAT, that is a bit more reasonable. That link isn't on the main Autodesk site, so looks like they are keeping it low key!
Substance Perpetual license is reasonable as long as Adobe continue to make it available without ramping up the cost so anyone contemplating it, I wouldn't hang about too long.
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Based on my own experience:
1. The albedo file does not normally have a alpha channel. The exception would be for glass where transparency is needed. For more on this see my PBR night mode tutorial at:
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2. Alphas for the normal file are going to be necessary if you intend to use a height map (it's placed into the Alpha channel). If a height map is not used then the alpha channel can be all white. Either way you seem to need an alpha channel here.
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3. Alphas for the parameters file is going to be necessary if you intend to use a metallic map (it's placed into the Alpha channel). If a metallic height map is not used then the alpha channel can be all white. Either way you seem to need an alpha channel here.
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I am no expert by any means on this so please feel free to correct me, where needed.
Bob