Never modeled, and looking for help.

[Metrarailfan]

First off all, here's what I want to accomplish for my 1st project. I want to basically shorten the smm crossing gate, to make it a pedestrian gate, still fully functional of course. I've never made any assets or models in this game before, so what program would you suggest I use? Also, does anyone know of a good tutorial for relevant to my end goal? I've already seen the thread, "Level Crossings - Making Your Own", but I don't know how to model. Thanks in advance, I appreciate any help!

[buzz456]

Don't forget if you are going to use SMM asset you need to get permission from him.

[Metrarailfan]

Do you how I could contact him?

[BoostedFridge]

Do you how I could contact him?

PM him on here. JerryC

[PapaXpress]

I would not start with a level crossing.

Start with basic objects and get them into the game. Then move up to more complex models.

Here are a few tutorials I wrote for 3DC.
http://thegradecrossing.blogspot.com/20 ... tents.html

If you are looking to use Blender then you can follow this thread:
viewtopic.php?p=159737#p159737

[Metrarailfan]

For an absolute beginner would you recommend blender or something else?

[Metrarailfan]

PM him on here. JerryC

It says " Some users couldn’t be added as they have disabled private message receipt."
So if you're reading this Jerry, feel free to pm me I guess...

[jpetersjr]

If you can get yourself 3D Crafter I'd be happy to start showing you the basics of 3d development.

[hminky]

Found that learning from videos impossible as you miss things. There is no way to easily go back and find what was wrong.

I learned from this, it is for Trainz but the modeling is the same:

http://doug56.net/02BlenderForTrainz/page107.html

Print out the PDF's and mark off what you are doing.

Here is the most basic:

http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/learning/tutorials/item/211-blender_simple_box

The exporter is available here:

http://www.railworks.com.hr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=447

These are in Trainz but even I can build in Blender, the hotel is from the tutorial:



Same models in Railworks:



If I can model from those tutorials anyone can.

Harold

[PapaXpress]

For an absolute beginner would you recommend blender or something else?

From using both 3DC and Bender I would recommend using bender and forget 3DC. I know that means that half the content I wrote in those tutorials just about useless, but you can still extract knowledge about shaders and how to use the blueprint editor.

My reasoning is this. Crafter will not readily produce texture baking, will not export to TSW easily, and there are thousands of tutorials and several communities out there for Blender while Crafter has far less.

[Metrarailfan]

While that's good because I started using blender today
Thanks for everyone's suggestions though!

[PapaXpress]

Start slow!

Get basic objects in the game. Follow my tutorials in spirit since you can't verbatim with Blender.

[Metrarailfan]

I started watching the video tutorials today, and am slowly getting the hang of it.

[RailWanderer]

Although I think maybe you are better served by the free programs, I would recommend 3Ds Max as it is what was originally used with Railworks. And, as not many may know, Autodesk offers a student license version of Max that is at no cost, which is what I am using. I find it more intuitive than the other two mentioned here, but then I had used Gmax in the early days of MSFS.

[hminky]

Although I think maybe you are better served by the free programs, I would recommend 3Ds Max as it is what was originally used with Railworks. And, as not many may know, Autodesk offers a student license version of Max that is at no cost, which is what I am using. I find it more intuitive than the other two mentioned here, but then I had used Gmax in the early days of MSFS.

Unless you are rich you will be learning something else in three years when your student license expires.

Harold