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Home > Tutorials > 3d Studio Max Locomotive Tutorial > Chapter 11
3D Studio Max Locomotive TutorialChapter 11 Exporting the Mesh
In this tutorial you will learn how to export the locomotive and the directory structure for the locomotive. 3DStudio Max will be referred to as 3ds.
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To complete these tutorials with the dimensions listed herein you will
need the following setup |
| 1. Where to export. Before we export we need to create a new asset with CMP which is done by clicking on the "New" button or by selecting "File" "New" from the main menu. Once you have the "New Asset" window open scroll down to the "TrainCar" entry select it and then click on the "New" button. You will then be presented with the Content Creator Plus program with a TrainCar asset and the default config entries. The first thing we need to do is to add a mesh-table container to the directory. To do this right click in the "Tree View" area and select "mesh-table" from the available containers at the top of the list.In the "Enter Name" window type in "default" and click OK. You should now be able to see the mesh-table entry in the tree view area. Now that we have an asset partially created in CCP and the config started we need to switch back to CMP and select the asset and then from the right context menu select "Edit" and then "Edit in Explorer" This will open a windows explorer window at the new assets path. Once the explorer window is open create a new folder called "Tutorial_body". This will be the location for the main mesh. Once you have created the folder then switch back to 3ds and make sure you have nothing selected and from the "File" menu select "Export". Navigate to the Tutorial_body folder you just created and type in the filename Tutorial_body.im. Before you hit the "Save" button change the file type in the drop down window to "Trainz Format(*im, *kin, *pm). Once you have this selected click on the "Save" button. 3ds will begin to convert and export the mesh into the Trainz .im format.
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Figure 1 New toolbar button
Figure 2 Creating a new TrainCar asset
Figure 3 Default entries for a TrainCar asset (NOTE: Default installs of TRS2006 will have far more eras and regions.)
Figure 4 Adding a Mesh Table
Figure 5 Naming the mesh-table's first container
Figure 6 Default entry added
Figure 7 Export
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2. Shadows. Now that you have exported the main mesh into it's Tutorial_body folder we need to open the shadow file and export it in to a new folder called the Tutorial_shadow folder. Name the file Tutorial_shadow.im. NOTE If you fail to add the shadow mesh, TRS2006 will report this in the error log. I strongly urge you to include a shadow mesh with your locomotive. 3. Resource collector. Now that you have the meshes exported you will notice that there are no textures included in the folder, just the main mesh and a few text files. The text files are what Trainz uses to find the textures. If you rename a texture.txt file, Trainz will be unable to find the mesh and your object will show up white. To export the textures go to the "Utilities" tab and select the "More" button. In the window that appears select the "Resource Collector" it should automatically appear in one of the slots in the "Utilities" menu. Close the more "Utilities" window and in the "Output Path" navigate to the folder where you exported the mesh to. Once you have the path entered make sure the "Collect Bitmaps/Photometric Files" checkbox is selected and click on the "Begin" button. Repeat the procedure for the shadow file.
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Figure 8 Resource Collector on the utilities menu
Figure 9 Resource collector settings |
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Trainz and Trainz Railroad Simulator are trademarks of AuranBest viewed at 1024 x 768 or higher Pages best viewed with Cooper and Cooper Black font installed. Copyright © 2007
P. Campbell. All rights reserved. Revised:
June 13, 2007
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