3DC rolling stock in 3' NG

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:31 am

OK, Norm, I'll try that, too.

Ya, truss rods, queen posts, a roof walk, and probably side beams. The thing is coming in at over 2,500 polys, now. I gotta stop detailing it.
Elvanor's link and pin for now but I like the old logging type better.

I think I'll make a set similar to the Dunkirk's.

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Tue May 06, 2008 7:45 am

Oh boy! I'm gettin' real close, fellas;

First time I've ever had TWO trucks under it. LOL And, it shows up in the game, too.
Although, I think they're upside down, too deep into the tracks and, I can't seem to get the couplers to attach...

How about a little more advice, guys.
What is a.limback and a.limfront and why did Norm say, a.couplerA and a. couplerB???

Does a.bog0 and a.bog1 need to be facing in opposite directions???
Although I have both trucks under it, I'm still derailed.

Post by **Pencil** » Tue May 06, 2008 8:31 am

Looking good!

a.bog0 and a.bog1 generally face the same direction.

a.limfront and a.limback are the points the game uses as the boundery of the car - that's where it will couple to. Those are required points.

a.couplerA & B are the attachment points we use to attach the couplers (since they are seperate meshes). You can call those points anything you want; they just need to match what you use in the config file. And, they are optional - you don't need them for the car to function, or if you build the couplers into the car model itself.

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Tue May 06, 2008 9:05 am

Ooook, I think I understand.

I'm writin' a tutorial if I ever get this thing figured out, that's for sure!!!

Thanks,

nwhitney · Post by **nwhitney** » Tue May 06, 2008 12:41 pm

That tutorial would be a great idea, I hope you're writing this down as you go. But it'll probably be for that goofy program 3DC

I haven't figured out yet how to see which direction those attachment points are facing. You have a.bog0 and a.bog1 at 0 elevation? Most people and documentation says put a.limfront and a.limback at the coupler elevation, but I haven't seen any difference when I leave them at 0. Sure looks better than the one I sent you.

Norm

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Wed May 07, 2008 6:44 am

He he, she's on the tracks!

I have no clue how I did it. Trial and error so I can't write a tut if I don't understand it. LOL

Post by **Pencil** » Wed May 07, 2008 8:23 am

Nice job, Rick!!

Curtis

nwhitney · Post by **nwhitney** » Wed May 07, 2008 6:24 pm

I was going to suggest checking the orientation of a.limfront and a.limback, as you thought your bogeys were upside down. In gmax we create them in the top view to make sure the x,y, and z axes are correct. Good to see it. I like that jib crane. Can you make that as a separate scenery item?
Norm

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Wed May 07, 2008 10:18 pm

Well, thanks, guys.

Ya, I can isolate the crane and make it a separate asset.

I think I learned something. I just tried to add Norm's smoke to the stack and lost all other attachments points. No trucks, no limfront/back, nothing. Lost it all.
It appears that there is a precise order when placing attachments points otherwise you'll loose everything.

Gonna have to play with that theory a bit more, I guess...

Attachments points in 3DC are placed on an object, which happens to be perfectly centered but, your choices are onto one of its six sides. (Top, bottom, front, rear, L. side, or R. side.)
Placing the attachment point for the trucks has to be done on the top of an object then zeroed on the Y axis. (The Y axis in 3DC is up and down, top to bottom, btw) Because they come in upside down.
(Very strange)

Post by **Pencil** » Wed May 07, 2008 10:26 pm

Ouch! It's fun learning a new tool's quirks.....

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:26 pm

Well, folks, believe it or not, I'm almost finished with it. Just a few minor touch ups and I think it's a go.
I want to touch up the couplers and add a link and pin there because I can't seem to get Elvenor's link and pin to attach.
Smoke also seems to be a problem at the present time.

Comes in at just under 3,000 polys, less the trucks.

I'm not really sure just how much fun all this really was... LOL

Thought I might put it up for beta testing if anybody wants to give it a spin. Seems to run alright at my end.

Comments, suggestions, and criticisms are always welcomed.

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Fri May 09, 2008 2:04 am

My roof walk looks a little bulky. Has anyone got board and support dimensions for these things? I'm using 4"x4" supports and a 2"x6" for the board walk.

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:54 pm

Well, got to re-skinnin' for the fun of it and came up with this version.

Wadda ya think?

Trainzsam · Post by **Trainzsam** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:13 pm

I like the green version, looks real nice Rick! Wish I could make something that looks that nice.... You look like you have been building cars for years! So when are you going to try a locomotive? LOL, just kidding.

Sam

thegrindre · Post by **thegrindre** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:05 pm

Thanks, Sam. I like it best, too. I think I'll go with this version.

You guys wanted detail, poly count is over 3600...