Notice to all visitors and members of the Train-Sim.Com message forums: If you plan on using a signature banner in your posts, we would like to remind you that there is a maximum size for banners. That maximum is 450 pixels wide by 120 pixels high, and not to exceed 25k. Your compliance is appreciated. FORUM RULES Problems? There are two common reasons for problems with logging in and posting messages. The first is that you are running a firewall that prevents your messages from being sent to the server. The other is that you have cookies disabled; the DCForum software requires cookies to work properly.
I just received TSM(Train Sim Modeler) so I could start making my own equipment, especially Amtrak. Since I have never done any 3D'n before, I thought TSM might be a good program to start with. I'll have to admit it is not as easy as I thought it would be, but I seem to be getting the hang of it. I'm working on Superliners now but they are a long way off from completion. For me, the texturing seems to be the trickiest part of it all. I was wondering how passenger car interiors are made. I want to know how to make the inside textures for a passenger car. How are the windows done so it appears that the car has an interior? Does the model have to have an interior in order to see into the car? I might be confusing some of you, I'm not talking about interior views (Camera 5), but simply like the existing Superliners and other passenger cars that have seating behind the windows. How is this done? Do I have to make a hollow box or something or is there an easier way?
The trick is alpha channels, Build the model with a outside and inside and then you use alpha chans to make what appears to be windows, I'm not really an authority on the subject but I know a little bit, I'm glad someone decided to make new superliners!
Be aware that TSM is pretty limited, especially when it comes to transparencies. You will not be able to see through the train windows to the objects on the other side (eg: trees).See if you can get the free version of Gmax
Thanks for the heads up. I remember reading something like this in TSM's help file. Maybe I'll give Gmax a try. Question for anyone, How many polys should I keep my Superliner to. It's easy to load it up with polys only to have it not work. What is about the average for a big passenger car? It will clearly be in a consist with many others so will large poly amounts per car effect performance, I'm sure it will
swchief,If you're having any problems with TSM you'll find Gmax impenetrable!TSM does have limitations with transparencies - though they are only really noticeable in certain views, trouble is they're like an itch.My advise, as usual, is to find every tutorial you can find & read them thoroughly. There's one about transparencies - it's been on this forum.Interiors - look on the reference files on the CD, there's a .doc file. Find the texture files in the samples subdirectory & see what's involved. There was a thread recently on uktrainsim which was useful; I think there's some gen on a German site.My method with interiors is to copy the exterior, slightly scale it & flip the polygons, then modify the texture files so that the windows are already in the right positions. I normally use alphanorm+ for the exterior views, alphanorm- for the interior. Find a model which you like & look at the files using 'tgatools'; you can also tell a lot about the model construction from texture files!Look at the sample models that are with TSM, there are some on the Abacus site & some models on this site include .dst files.As for polygon count - keep them to the minimum & make every poly count - hidden faces & anything which can't be seen should be omitted. The latest coaches I uploaded were 1,300 ( 2,400 triangles ), these were quite well detailed coaches with interiors, an American coach shouldn't be more than 40 - 50% more.Most of all experiment & enjoy building.regards Richard Osborne
Pete Willard
