3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details

Howdy!
I have a few questions regarding how the custom levels of detail works in 3-D Canvas.1) First; when naming the model for a particular level, you only need to name the Main folder with the level extension? ie.... Main.200 (for LOD up to 200m). I am wanting to make sure you do not have to apply the "200", to all sub-folders. (a little confused with this and having unique names part.) And each following LOD model will end with further distance level (Main.700)2) When it refers to keeping each grouping the same, does this mean you have to keep the number of objects in each group the same? or can you delete objects as long as the group remains? My thinking is that "group" refers only to the folder, not the number of objects within the folder or any sub-folders, but I could be wrong.3) As for unique names, does this mean each object has to have a unique name, or only the folders/groups?I think that covers my questions for now. Trying to finish up some models and need to work on the LOD's.
Thanks for any assistance and enjoy the day!Mykel

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RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, Vulcan Foundry, Feb-12-04, 04:35 AM, (1) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, decapod, Feb-12-04, 07:16 AM, (2) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, pwillard, Feb-12-04, 08:07 AM, (3) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, mjs2101, Feb-12-04, 12:23 PM, (6) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, philmoberg, Feb-14-04, 07:03 PM, (11) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, buzzbenz, Feb-12-04, 11:23 AM, (4) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, decapod, Feb-12-04, 12:21 PM, (5) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, buzzbenz, Feb-12-04, 12:35 PM, (7) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, TVRRMAN, Feb-12-04, 05:54 PM, (8) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, Vulcan Foundry, Feb-12-04, 09:36 PM, (9) RE: 3D-Canvas and Custom Levels of Details, pwillard, Feb-12-04, 11:08 PM, (10)

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>Howdy!
>I have a few questions regarding how the custom levels of
>detail works in 3-D Canvas.
>
>1) First; when naming the model for a particular level, you
>only need to name the Main folder with the level extension?
>ie.... Main.200 (for LOD up to 200m). I am wanting to make
>sure you do not have to apply the "200", to all sub-folders.
>(a little confused with this and having unique names part.)
>And each following LOD model will end with further distance
>level (Main.700) After you run the 'create unique names' plug-in all you need to do is rename your Main group to Main.200 or Main.whatever LOD distance you want.>2) When it refers to keeping each grouping the same, does
>this mean you have to keep the number of objects in each
>group the same? or can you delete objects as long as the
>group remains? My thinking is that "group" refers only to
>the folder, not the number of objects within the folder or
>any sub-folders, but I could be wrong. You must keep the number of groups the same and the number of objects contained within each group the same as well otherwise you will have export problems. If you must alter your hierarchy do so before creating your customised LOD's>3) As for unique names, does this mean each object has to
>have a unique name, or only the folders/groups?
The 'create unique names' plug-in will automatically do this for you. You need only to rename your Main group to your customised LOD level.>I think that covers my questions for now. Trying to finish
>up some models and need to work on the LOD's.
>Thanks for any assistance and enjoy the day!
>
>Mykel

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-04 AT 07:19 AM (EST)

Simple guide.......1) Get the model working correctly first with no LODs.2) Select the Main Hierarchy and run the create unique names plugin. (before creating the LOD models)3) Select the Main Hierarchy again, copy and paste the whole model back into the scene4) Move the copy so it no longer overlaps the original and rename just the top Main group to Main.2005) Delete faces and _objects_ at will - but don't delete all objects from a group, leave at least one. Alternatively replace an object with another with the same name. i.e. the Hierarchy must remain intact6) Select Main.200 Hierarchy, copy and paste back, move, rename to Main.500 and continue....I have used this successfully for many models now, it is simple and quick. It also encourages fewer groups, which makes more efficient models.So your questions are 1) Yes, 2) just so the group remains, 3) unique object names, but if an object exists in an LOD, it must have the same name as before.

Paul
UK GWR Highworth Branch
http://www.highworth.freeuk.com

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Richard at Amabilis has also provided an LOD PRIMER tutorial (found at the Amabilis web site) that outlines many of the steps Paul mentioned. It includes some pictures for those with less abstract thinking... <wink>Actually, I just wanted to make sure people knew it was available.Pete Willard


http://www.trainsimstuff.com

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Thanks for the replies! Mainly I was confused with the unique naming and naming of the main group. Not sure why I was thinking the LOD level had to be applied to all groups and objects for that particular LOD, guess that is what I get for thinking.
Hopefully now I can finally finish up some of these models.
Thanks again and have a good day!Mykel

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I didn't know about this. Thanks for the heads-up, Pete. -Phil

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Since the big-time 3DC experts are here answering questions, i guess it's time i ask one too Though i have been using 3D Canvas since it first got the ability to export to MSTS, i only VERY recently upgraded to v6.5. (BTW Paul - i don't know how i survived before Pipe Builder - Thank You!!! ) I know in past versions that having multiple textures mapped to a single object could cause automatic LOD generation to fail (ie result in the model crashing upon loading in MSTS). My question: now that v6.5 supports custom LOD creation (something i plan to make use of BIG TIME), does having multiple textures mapped to a single object still cause problems? Or is this now something that you can do without "fear of failure" (so long as all the groups remain) if you do the custom LODs?------ BUZZ

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I think you can now live without fear I'm pretty sure it is a lot more flexible now.The problem last time was the fact that the "reduce points" operation was being used to generate the LOD's and when it removes a point that was shared by two textures it had a problem. Now you have control over what you remove.

Paul
UK GWR Highworth Branch
http://www.highworth.freeuk.com

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Ahhhh! Suddenly everything becomes clear! Thanks Paul!------ BUZZ

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-12-04 AT 05:59 PM (EST)

Can I also chime in with a qustion?On the last drwaing I opened with 3D Canvas, I aacidentally reset it for two different viewports There is an upper and lower half of the 3D Canvas Window. Is there any way to reset this back to a single window? For anyone that imports from AutoCAD into 3D Canvas via 3DS Out: What do you set your rescaling size in AutoCAD before you do a 3DS-out command? Thanks in advance....

Thomas Pearce,

Freight Car Builder, Broadway Limited Locomotive Works

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>Can I also chime in with a qustion?
>
>On the last drwaing I opened with 3D Canvas, I aacidentally
>reset it for two different viewports There is an upper and
>lower half of the 3D Canvas Window. Is there any way to
>reset this back to a single window? For anyone that imports
>from AutoCAD into 3D Canvas via 3DS Out: What do you set
>your rescaling size in AutoCAD before you do a 3DS-out
>command? Thanks in advance.... Go to your main toolbar and click on view in the upper left hand side. Then click on view selection. This will then present you with a selection of many different window shapes and sizes. Select the one you want and away you go. You can also resize any of your viewing windows by simply clicking and dragging on each window edge. 3D Canvas will remember your last selection when you re-open your work area again.I can't answer your second question as I do not use AutoCAD, Sorry

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There is a way to whack the bad screen settings out by messing with your registry... It's simple but I won't explain it in extreme detail since I don't want to get flamed if you mess up...It's in the "VB and VBA program settings" section under..."3dcanvas->Application"You can safely whack all the stuff that *starts* with "XFVIEW" and it will force you back to viewport defaults...Pete Willard


http://www.trainsimstuff.com

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