[Discussion] Sketchup, Blender, 3Dmax and other 3D programs

[Illegal_Alien]

Please keep the 3D program discussions here, including some help questions about it. Makes it a bit more cleaner. now we got 5 topic about it or something like that.

[X.G.fr0sty]

Blender tutorials

Basic Sketch-up tutorials

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Can we sticky this?

[Badger]

Can we sticky this?

Done, lets keep this as on-topic as possible.

[Plastikman]

Camera Setup in 3dsm:

Camera is looking at the world origin.
Camera is in Orthographic Projection (so, no perspective).
Camera is equidistantly positioned to the left and to the front of the origin (so, looking at the origin at 45 degrees.
Camera is raised to look down at the origin. The downward angle is 30 degrees from horizontal

Dummy (Helper) Setup in 3dsm:

Tilt dummy, at the world origin.
Rotation dummy, slightly below the tilt dummy.

The tilt dummy is attached to the rotation dummy. The vehicle to be rendered is attached to the tilt dummy, and is positioned above the origin (as if the origin is ground or rail level).

Render Sequences

This is the full render sequence of 184 sprites for an non-animated locomotive with bogie:

Sprites 0-63
Tilt is 0 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 64 frames.
These are the level sprites.

Sprites 64-67
Tilt is 6 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 4 frames.
These are the transition-to-decending sprites.

Sprites 68-71
Tilt is -6 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 4 frames.
These are the transition-to-climbing sprites.

Sprites 72-103
Tilt is 12 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 32 frames.
These are the decending slope sprites.

Sprites 104-135
Tilt is -12 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 32 frames.
These are the climbing slope sprites.

Sprites 136-151
Tilt is 0. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 16 frames.
These are the level bogie sprites.

Sprites 152-167
Tilt is 12 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 16 frames.
These are the decending slope bogie sprites.

Sprites 168-183
Tilt is -12 degrees. Rotate 360 degrees clockwise over 16 frames.
These are the climbing slope bogie sprites.

[X.G.fr0sty]

Plastikman; thanks for that.

Oh; tip; SketchUp

When importing an image to outline (When you start); just add the image, and if you know the size of any part in the model, use the "measuring tape" tool; and measure it, then once you finnish, click to log in that measure, type in the true measurement; you will then be asked if you want to change the size; click yes.

Now, the whole image will be to true life size

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if size is a problem (No pun intended Plastikman );Highlight the problem area and press the "s" key on your keyboard; your area will then have a box with 18 green boxes; just click on them, and in your measurement box, the ratio will show, and you can change it here.

That tip also works when converting sides, from a right hand drive to a left hand drive(If you drive on the wrong side of the road); just change the ratio to -1.00; or just drag the green boxes to the other side; and bingo.

[Opan]

Ok, Once I've made the model, on sketchup, how would I turn it into a dat file to put into locomotion?

[lego_trains]

there is a tutorial on the FanPage by MartinMundorf for this.

I can't find the exact link, this one is similar. It is not the full tutorial http://www.locomotion-fanpage.net/wbb/i ... eadID=4376

Personally I feel Sketchup is a primitive way to make models for Locomotion other than buildings.
It is not as easy to get good vehicle models as other 3D tools out there. Also Sketch up has NO rendering engine. So you still have to find some other way to render it. Usually though a way you could have made the model anyways.

The easiest "FREE way" to do it is to export to MSTS object, then use MSTS2Loco to import it to import it.

There are some other methods that require expensive software. If you have that software, then you do not need sketchup anyways. You can also get the GMAX msts pack for free and make a train that way.

There are some other free 3D software but I honestly do not know it.

[Illegal_Alien]

To bad that it is in german, you could try Google Translate or Babelfish for it. But i dont think that would be understandable.

[Opan]

Okay, thanks for that. I downloaded blender and am trying to understand how it works (key word try). But I was wondering. What program do you use Illegal Alien? Just curious.

[noofnoof]

I'm using, and I think he's using, Sketchup.

[X.G.fr0sty]

sketchup; and if you get sketchup pro(Cost money); you can export it to a 3ds format, for use in 3dsmax.

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(Edit dbl posting)

Shadows make a great improvement on the textures, as right now it seems like the light is directly shining on the object.
Click on
View-> toolbars -> shadows

Another bar will show up; you will notice there are two cubes, and one with an "i" next to it; click on that, and you will be given the option to select how much shade is shining.

[jazhang2]

What program do you use to build on?

[X.G.fr0sty]

for simple doings I use sketchup; then I export it to blender and do touch up's there; but as I became better with sketchup, ive started to stay with it.

Then I got 3DsMax; and used that for a little bit, but found out that sketchup pro exports to 3dsm files, and so I just use 3dsm to do some renders.

But for LoMo, use sketchup.

[Illegal_Alien]

I agree with that Working on a better rendering thing then the msts one.

[Illegal_Alien]

Can someomne help with the Sketchup -> 3ds thing,

I got a demo of the Twilight Renderer, wich renders it directly from Sketchup to a goo looking thing:

hssdiscoveryintwilighrenderer.jpg (60.64 KiB) Viewed 56228 times

And here in 3dsMax: (The Seten Logo sometimes appear and then it doesnt.)

3dsmaxrenderer.jpg (11.22 KiB) Viewed 56228 times

And it should be looking like the first one, so at least you got some nice coloring. Getting a bit annoyed after trying for 3 hours non stop. (Setting for exporting to de 3ds file)

[Opan]

With 3d max; have you payed for it? Or do you use the demo? (cause I really don't have 3k to spare )

[neob]

for simple doings I use sketchup; then I export it to blender and do touch up's there; but as I became better with sketchup, ive started to stay with it.

Then I got 3DsMax; and used that for a little bit, but found out that sketchup pro exports to 3dsm files, and so I just use 3dsm to do some renders.

But for LoMo, use sketchup.

its worked for you ok?

my few attempts to export complex objects resulted in unsatisfying results, from broken geometry and textures to total unusable bs.
what format you are using to export dea or obj ? and any other tips will be appropriated!

[neob]

(The Seten Logo sometimes appear and then it doesnt.)

in my attempts text objects almost always exported badly (although i use blender and not 3dmax)

[Illegal_Alien]

It isnt text but a texture (Or do you mean the same ? )

[neob]

i meant text (i thought your model front included text), for example i tried to import trainboy's model:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ ... 2b&ct=mdrm

and all the text drooped.