X-form messes everything up!

My locos I've tried to build have come to a dead end and I'll scrap them if I don't get anywhere soon!Before exporting as .s in Gmax gamepack I have to do something that involves X-form something, this moves things around. Sure I can put them back again but what makes me stumped and unwilling to continue is that when I go it to the wheels and rods not only do they turn in another direction but also changes the shape! This is highly annoying and the reason you do the X-form hthing is that it has something to do with the mesh and that you MUST do it before export, but how the hell am I supposed to be able to do it if I have to make it editable mesh again so I can reajust the shape of the wheeels and rods that gets messed up because of the blkasted X-form thing!?Excuse me if this is confusing but I'm typing in an act of rage here. /JonatanSteam rules!

Train gifs from Dans Railroad Gif RoundhouseNever trust computers. If you do, they will betray you.I'm the steam freak, ph34r me!!

My E-mail jonatan.gronoset@telia.com

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RE: X-form messes everything up!, CalebR, Jul-31-04, 04:17 PM, (1) RE: X-form messes everything up!, msavianney, Jul-31-04, 06:07 PM, (2) RE: X-form messes everything up!, CalebR, Jul-31-04, 07:07 PM, (3) RE: X-form messes everything up!, pwillard, Jul-31-04, 07:52 PM, (4) RE: X-form messes everything up!, Jonatan, Jul-31-04, 09:31 PM, (5) RE: X-form messes everything up!, ricksan, Jul-31-04, 10:03 PM, (6) RE: X-form messes everything up!, Jonatan, Jul-31-04, 10:32 PM, (7) RE: X-form messes everything up!, OkrasaGhia, Aug-01-04, 06:18 AM, (8) RE: X-form messes everything up!, Jonatan, Aug-01-04, 08:36 AM, (9) RE: X-form messes everything up!, carlosgomes, Aug-02-04, 06:16 PM, (10)

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I know how you feel I have the same trouble on Gmax. It would take a miracle to get my trains on the simulator.

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LAST EDITED ON Jul-31-04 AT 06:08 PM (EST)

Guys,A four step program to success...1) Stop moaning and fuming.
2) Ask politely for assistance.
3) CLEARLY explain the problem.
4) Keep on trying until you get it right.Every designer has had times where problems have seemed insurmountable, and following the above program is the only way to learn. If there is no clear manual to read then only by doing the 4 steps above will you get a solution. This is not an attack, but practical advice from someone who has been in your situation countless times.Cheers,
Matt Austin

-----------
Team-ALCO
-----------

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never would of thought of that...I'LL DO IT!!

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jonathan...Believe me, I know. There should NOT be a one time *only* conversion from Object Primitive to Editable mesh. I tried GMAX and this issue is the #1 reason I gave it the toss! I already have 3D CANVAS PRO, which I think is better... so in the end it didn't really matter. 3D CANVAS lets you "screw" up an object primitive to your hearts content... and you can edit the mesh at the click of a button... why would I give that up?
Pete Willard

http://www.trainsimstuff.com

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LAST EDITED ON Jul-31-04 AT 09:32 PM (EST)

Here is the problem. See what happened to the wheels?
I sure as heck would get another and easyer program but it is, as always, about the little green paper pieces called Money./JonatanSteam rules!

Train gifs from Dans Railroad Gif RoundhouseNever trust computers. If you do, they will betray you.I'm the steam freak, ph34r me!!

My E-mail jonatan.gronoset@telia.com

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This has been covered before, but it comes up often enough to make it worthwhile repeating.Unlink everything.
Select everything.
Utilities panel / ResetXForm / Reset Selected
For each object: Modify panel / right click / Collapse All
Rotate or translate objects as necessary.
Re-link everything.
Export.On your next model reset the transforms before you link.Hope this helps. BTW, your engine's looking good! Rick Grout
S. Dennis, MA

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Never linked anything./JonatanSteam rules!

Train gifs from Dans Railroad Gif RoundhouseNever trust computers. If you do, they will betray you.I'm the steam freak, ph34r me!!

My E-mail jonatan.gronoset@telia.com

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To make a working engine you will need to link wheels and rods.
You will also need to look carefully at your pivot points, locating and orientating them correctly.
XForms can screw up a model in gmax. My experience is you should only do it in point mode not to upset the overall model.


//Okrasa
Chief Engineer
okrasa @ xtracks.tk
http://www.geocities.com/okrasaghia
http://www.xtracks.tk

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That I know, I've followed Volkers tutorial but it never mentioned anything about XForm./JonatanSteam rules!

Train gifs from Dans Railroad Gif RoundhouseNever trust computers. If you do, they will betray you.I'm the steam freak, ph34r me!!

My E-mail jonatan.gronoset@telia.com

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Hi,The X-Form thingy only serves as a way to make the "bounding box" of each object in Gmax to exactly fit that object. If you delete some polys and then rotate that object, then you can use the X-Form function to adjust the object to its new "bounding box". In your case the wheels become vertical because you didn't adjust the pivot. Go to the pivot tab and choose "Affect pivot only". Then press "Center to object" and "Align to world". Before exporting select all objects except the MAIN and any other that has the pivot not centered relating to itself (like wipers, some rods, etc.) and press "Transform" and "Scale" on the Reset section under the same tab. This method has been working with me and I haven't had any problems exporting in Gmax. This program is complex, but it can do everything we want except hamburgers. If the export tool doesn't work properly it's not Gmax's fault, but from whoever made those exporting routines. Another thing: If when you close the LOD editor the program crashes, that's an early sign that something's wrong with the model. Many times it can crash and still exports, but there can be too many vertexes or polys or even too many parts in the hierarchy. I always follow this rule: Make your model by steps and export it before proceding to the next phase (i.e. build the bogies and a basic box called MAIN then build the hierarchy and export it. Then try to run the model in MSTS.) Even if the model doesn't have any texture you still can test it, it'll show all white in MSTS.Carlos

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