Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender

Transcription

1 Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender March 27, 2017 This tutorial is based on a tutorial by Rick Hargrave s (thegrindre) published on Curtis Reid s (pencil42) website Thanks to Curtis for sorting out some errors I had when attempting to make my first traincar asset using Blender instead of 3D Canvas Pro (used by Rick Hargraves). Note: This tutorial assumes you have a basic knowledge of how to use Blender and experience in creating a Trainz Asset. I am using Blender 2.78a, QucikShadow 1.19 and Trainz 12 version Create the Mesh Create a project folder and name it Flatcar Tutorial. Open Blender. If you have the default scene coming up you will already have the cursor positioned at the center (x = 0, y = 0, z = 0) and a cube present, also positioned at the center. If not, in the 3D Editor s Object Mode clear the scene of any other objects, position the cursor at the center (SHIFT + C-KEY) and add a cube (SHIFT + A-KEY > select Mesh > select Cube). Figure 1. (477) In the Outline Viewport, select the cube object and in the Item Panel of the 3D Editor Viewport s Properties Sidebar (N-KEY if it is not already visible) rename the cube flatcar. Page 1 of 13.

2 Save the file as flatcar01.blend in the Flatcar Tutorial project folder. In the Properties Viewport s Menu Bar, select the Scene Icon (three objects: cylinder, sphere and lamp) and in the Units Panel set the units to Feet and change the units scale from to 1.0. In the Transform Pane of the 3D Editor Viewport s Properties Sidebar locate the Dimensions Box and enter x = 7 (feet), y = 20 (feet) and z = (i.e., 4 inches). In the Location Box and enter x = 0, y = 0 and z = 3.5 feet. This should give us enough room to place some bogeys under our flatcar. To fix these dimensions, select CTRL = A-KEY > select Rotation & Scale. (For this tutorial this isn t necessary but it is always a good idea when modeling.) Figure 2. (478) Note: I am using the Blender s default interface with a couple of changes to enhance visibility. In the Preferences Viewport I have increased font size from 11 (default) to 16. I have also changed the color of the selected mesh in the Outline Viewport to green and the text in the tabs of the 3D Editor s Tool shelf to white. Let s add a couple of bolsters where we are going to attach the bogeys. Switch the view to Right (NUMPAD-3-KEY) and Ortho view (NUMPAD-5- KEY). In Object Mode with the cursor still positioned at the center, x= 0, y = 0, z = 0, add a cube (SHIFT + A-KEY > select Mesh > select Cube). Set the dimensions to x = 2 feet, y = 2 feet, z = 1 foot. Set the location to x = 0, y = -7, z = feet. Page 2 of 13.

3 Add another cube and set the dimensions to x = 2 feet, y = 2 feet, z = 1 foot. Set the location to x = 0, y = 7, z = feet. Now lets combine the cubes (bolsters) and the flatcar frame into one mesh. In the Outline Viewport in this order select (hold down the SHIFT-KEY) one cube, then the other cube then the flatcar. (Selecting the flatcar last ensures that the final mesh has the flatcar name.) Now, with the mouse cursor hovering over the 3D Editor s workspace combine (join) the meshes (CTRL + J-KEY). In the Properties Viewport, select the Materials Icon (sphere) and to the existing material add the extension.m.onetex. (i.e., the complete name will then be Material.m.onetex). Figure 3. (479) That s it. We have created our flatcar. Add Attachments A bit of an explanation before we get to work. Before we export our flatcar (mesh) to Trainz we need to add four Empties (empty objects), arrange these in a very specific order, then attach them to a reference lattice. (BOTH IMPORTANT) Two of these empties are attachments points and tell Trainz where to attach the bogeys, that we will import latter as separate meshes. Page 3 of 13.

4 Two more attachments points define the overall dimensions of the traincar, that is, where the front starts and where the back ends. They need to be at the farthest extremities. For example, if you were to attach couplers they would need to be adjusted outwards to take into account the length of the coupler overhang. Defining the overall length allows the traincar to perform as it should in Trainz, for example, couple properly. The lattice is a reference point to which the four other empties (attachment points) are parented (linked). Attachments follow the Trainz a.name naming convention so the two empties that are at locations for adding bogeys are named a.bog0, a.bog1 and the two empties that define the overall length of the traincar are named a.limfront and a.limback. (ONLY THESE NAMES ARE ACCEPTABLE) The main or base reference lattice it is names b.r.main uses the trainz b.r naming convention for lattices. Switch to Top view (NUMPAD-7-KEY). Notice that we have placed our traincar at the center of the x and y axis (x = 0 and y = 0 and oriented the traincar the along the y-axis. (THIS ORIENTATION IS IMPORTANT) The location and order of the four empties is also IMPORTANT. By convention, the back of the traincar faces in the positive y-direction (up) and the front of the traincar faces in the negative y-direction (down). The a.bog0 identifies the front bogey and a.limfront the dimensional limit of the front of the traincar. The a.bog1 identifies the rear bogey and a.limback the dimensional limit of the back of the traincar. All the attachments are connected (parented) to the reference lattice (b.r.main). (THE PAIRING AND ORIENTATION IS IMPORTANT) We ll place the reference empty for the bogeys first, and then add those defining the size of the traincar, and finally the reference lattice. To place the attachment point for the front bogey, place the cursor at the center of the scene, x= 0, y = 0, z = 0 (SHIFT + S-KEY > select Cursor to Center). In Object Mode add an Empty Object (SHIFT + A-KEY > select Empty > select Plain Axes). In the Location Box of the 3D Editor Viewport Properties Sidebar s Transform Pane enter x = 0 (feet), y = -7 (feet) and z = 0. Name the empty a.bog0. To place the attachment point for the back bogey, add another Empty Object at the center. Move it to x = 0 (feet), y = 7 (feet) and z = 0. Name the empty a.bog1. To place the attachment point to define the front of the traincar switch to Edit Mode and Vertex Selection Mode. Page 4 of 13.

5 Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender Select the right and left vertices on the lower edge of the front end of the traincar (negative y- axis end). Place the cursor at the mid-point between these vertices (SHIFFT + S-KEY > select Cursor to Selected). Figure 4. (480) Switch back to Object mode, add an Empty Object (SHIFT + A-KEY > select Empty > select Plain Axes), and name it a.limfront. Figure 5. (481) Page 5 of 13.

6 To place the attachment point to define the back of the traincar switch to Edit Mode and Vertex Selection Mode. Select the right and left vertices on the lower edge of the back end of the traincar (positive y- axis end). Place the cursor at the mid-point between these vertices (SHIFFT + S-KEY > select Cursor to Selected). Switch back to Object Mode, add an Empty Object (SHIFT + A-KEY > select Empty > select Plain Axes), and name it a.limback. To place the reference lattice, place the cursor at the center of the scene, x= 0, y = 0, z = 0 (SHIFT + S-KEY > select Cursor to Center). In Object Mode add an Lattice Object (SHIFT + A-KEY > select Lattice). In the Outline Viewport, select the lattice and in the Item Panel of the 3D Editor Viewport s Properties Sidebar rename the lattice to b.r.main. Parent Empties and Meshes to Lattices Finally, we need to parent (link) the empties defining the bogey attachment points and the empties defining the overall length of the traincar to the b.r.main reference lattice. Select each attachment point (LMB) in turn followed by the b.r.main reference lattice (SHIFT-KEY + LMB) and with the mouse cursor hovered over the 3D Editor s workspace parent the two (CTRL + P-KEY > select Object ). Pairings: Parent a.bog0 to b.r.main. Parent a.bog1 to b.r.main. Parent a.limfront to b.r.main. Parent a.limback to b.r.main. Parent flatcar to b.r.main. Page 6 of 13.

7 Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender Figure 6. (482) Notice that the bogey attachment points (a.bog0 and a.bog1) are shown as parented to the reference lattice (b.r.main) by barely visible green dotted lines and the car limiting attachments points are shown as parented to the reference point (b.r.main) by barely visible black dotted lines. Save your Blender File as Flatcar02.blend. Export your Blender file to Trainz (Preference Viewport > select Export > select Trainz mesh and animation). If all is well this will create a file called flatcar.im that we need to import into a Trainz traincar asset. Create a Trainz Traincar Asset To create our Trainz asset we will need two additional files, one is a 240 x 180 pixel thumbnail (e.g., thumbnail.jpg) and the other is a shadow.im file. The thumbnail file is a picture of the asset used if you upload the file to N3V s Download Station (DLS). You can t really create a picture until you have made the asset so I usually temporarily substitute a generic 240 x 180 pixel.jpg file I have premade named thumbnail.jpg, which is just a black rectangle with the word Thumbnail in red on it. Once I have finished the asset (textured, etc.) I replace the generic.jpg with one of the finished asset. The second file we need is a shadow file named shadow.im. The easiest way to make this file is to use PEV s QuickShadow program that can be downloaded Shane Turner s website. Page 7 of 13.

8 Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender Install and open the program then select (open) and open your flatcar02.im file. Figure 7. (483) With Simple Shadow selected from the Action List (upper right), select Make Shadow. A file named shadow.im will appear in the folder where your flatcar02.im file resides. Page 8 of 13.

9 Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender Figure 8. (484) Open up Trainz Content Manager and create a new asset. From the list of Assets Kinds, select traincar. Name the asset Flatcar Tutorial, save and close. (For now, ignore engine specs.) Open the New Asset in Explorer (RMB > Explorer). To the folder containing the config.txt file copy and paste (don t drag) the flatcar02.im, shadow.im and thumbnail.jpg files. Open the config.txt file. It should look like this: kuid username trainz-build category-class kind engine enginespec mass <your kuid number> "Flatcar Tutorial" 3.4 "AA" "traincar" 0 <NULL> mesh-table default mesh Page 9 of 13.

10 thumbnails 0 image width 0 height 0 bogeys 0 reversed 0 bogey <NULL> 1 reversed 0 bogey <NULL> There are a few things we need to fill in and a few things we need to add, shown in red below. They are: enginespec mesh name auto-create shadow thumbnail (A default wagon asset available from the DLS.) (Reference to the flatcar.im file we created.) (The auto-create line is need so that the mesh will be visible). (Reference to the shadow.im mesh file that we created.) (Reference to the temporary thumbnail.jpg file we created.) bogeys 0 (The bogey that will be attached at a.bog0 and a.bog1. 1 I ve added a pencil42 asset available from the DLS. However, this can be any bogey asset of your choice.) Page 10 of 13.

11 kuid < your kuid number > username "Flatcar Tutorial" trainz-build 3.4 category-class "AA" kind "traincar" engine 0 enginespec <kuid:-1: > mass mesh-table default mesh "flatcar02.im" auto-create 1 shadow mesh "shadow.im" thumbnails 0 image "thumbnail.jpg" width 240 height 180 bogeys 0 reversed 0 bogey <kuid2:124060:50028:1> 1 reversed 0 Page 11 of 13.

12 Building a Basic Trainz Traincar Asset in Blender bogey <kuid2:124060:50028:1> Save your changes and commit the asset. Open Trainz Surveyor and place your flatcar on a track. If all went well that s it. Figure 9. (485) It s a good idea to also save your route and open a session to check that the car is visible and not derailed. The car will not be visible if you did not build your car at the x = 0 and y = 0 center and along the y-axis with the front of the car facing the negative y-axis direction. The traincar will show as derailed (big X above it) if you did not pair and place the attachments correctly (a.bog0 with a.limfront and a.bog1 with a.limback). Related Information on the Traincar Asset KIND TrainzBaseSpec KIND traincar Trainz/Kinds/kind traincar Page 12 of 13.

13 CCG/Kind: Traincar CCG/Example: TrainCar (Passenger Car) r) Cayden Page 13 of 13.