Modeling Class - Day 1 Introduction

[rgarber]

Day 1 - Introducting The Class

Welcome to Day 1 of RWA’s Modeling Class for 3D Canvas. My approach to this class will be different than most tutorial approaches to teaching you how to do something. Most give you a written step by step process. That’s fine. But I want to encourage participation here. But not only participation but to also to encourage you explore features on your own and to share how you did it. We will start from the very beginning. And I mean, the very beginning.

What is the beginning you ask? First, you need to acquire 3D Canvas and then install it. Then you’ll need to understand it’s interface. Then you will need to understand the concept of building. After all that, we’ll actually model.

My methods are my methods. If I were to characterize my methods I would consider them “controlled chaos.” This works for me because I’m always under a deadline. You, on the other hand, maybe doing this for leisure. Get as organized as you feel the need and I would encourage it. Just know there are many ways to reach the same goal. There is no one right way to do everything. So be prepared to accept your methods are different than mine, even better.

If you’ve never modeled before, you will like it. Modeling gives a freedom for the hobbyist to express a creativity you can’t strictly as a user. And you find that most things in modeling are pretty easy.

Now you may be wondering about the texturing part of modeling. We’re not covering that in this class. When you build a model texturing is absolutely necessary, but my goal here is to get you started and one step at a time. So be patient.

So how is this class thing going to work? I will show a picture of what I want you to do. I am not going to explain to you how to do it though I am thinking some suggested outline will be necessary. In any event, you get to the goal and then you tell me how you got there. And I will also explain how I reached the goal as well. The goals will be fairly simple.

Why this approach? Because the biggest hurdle I see most people having is they want someone to “teach” them. And that's fine but you can and you will teach yourself and become the teachers of others at the same time. Once you are convinced that you have the aptitude to do this stuff, you’ll break out of the user box very quickly and put out some really nice work.

Your goal for today is to acquire 3D Canvas. Use your search engine and look for Amabilis. In a short time I will post some instructions on the plugins you will need. I am presently using 3D Canvas 7 which you will need. The current version is 8 but let's stick with 7 in the meantime as they are still fleshing out the bugs with 8. But, if 8 is all you can get, then use it. It's pretty close to 7.2. Once installed, post a picture of it installed on your computer. Keep your picture size to 700 pixels wide. I want to see at least five people with 3D Canvas installed on their computer and we'll get going. Got questions? Ask them. Got an opinion, express it - but play by the forum rules. I want to see five pics besides mine. Oh, first names only. I want to teach people, not handles.

Here's mine:

3dC installed.jpg

Rich

[sleepyto]

Hi Rich:

Looking forward to this class.

3D Canvas.jpg

John

[SMMDigital]

I'm a little more than a beginner, but there is always something to be learned by listening to others!

Installed:



BTW, what are the bugs with 3DC-8? I've been using it since the beginning, and the only thing that i've found that is a real problem is that the ALTERNATIVE IGS EXPORTER doesn't work.

Cheers,

Jerry

[rgarber]

Welcome aboard guys, thanks for joining. As for 3DC 8 I had texturing issues which was doing some pretty strange things. But that's the version previous to 8.2. What happened to me was I would texture one side of a primitive and the other side which was already textured - would disappear. I like v8 and if it's solid now I'll use it too but I do need that exporting feature to work right if it isn't. I wasn't aware of that. If you say it's good, I'll give it a try again. Thanks for the info. - Rich

[artimrj]

I am definitely a newbie to 3D Canvas. I did make a few scenery items in FSDS, but they were just a few signs and some pylons for racing. I have 8.1.7 installed as that is what I bought a month ago. I just downloaded 8.2 an will be doing the reinstall. Instructions to uninstall old version first. SO thats what I will be doing.

[rgarber]

Welcome aboard Bob, nice to see you here. Yeah, you got to install the old version of 8 before installing 8.2 or you get an error. You guys wth 8, let me know if you spot any texturing anomalies, I'd rather be working with 8 too.

Rich

[styckx]

I'm in on this. I have 8 Pro installed at home. Ill update to 8.2 and edit this post w/ the screenshot to complete this first step when I get home from work tonight.

edit. All upgraded and done.

[rgarber]

Sounds good Bill, glad to have ya. Might have to give you guys your own class designator like Class of 01 (read aught one). Could be your looking at the new breed of Railworks developers folks. - Rich

[styckx]

Setting my goals low. I just want to know enough to pump out scenery objects (clutter etc) and buildings at a decent clip. I was curious how you were going to present this and by the looks of it, its EXACTLY how I want to be taught. Gotta learn what your abc's are first before you can learn to spell.

[qrfan3]

Hiya Rich
Been looking forward to your Classes. Played with TSM and built a few things but nothing real smart. May take a while for this new stuff to sink in a bit but I am sure you will make it easy enough, I'm hoping....
I have 8.2 Pro installed now and ready to learn heaps.

Cheers,
Gordon.

[Toldrabald]

Heya, now this sounds like a good idea. I surely don't want to build whole locos or such immense structures as you do Rich, but some little things to give my route a little more realistic details. I'm also thinking of some clutter or platform assets like lamps and shelters. Will the freeware version do the magic in the beginning? As I see from the features list it's missing a lot (and mostly export features), but I don't have any money to spend right now on something like this...
And don't ask me why, but version 8 is just not running on my pc. Still figuring out what might be the problem, going through their forums didn't help me at all. So for the moment I have 7.1.1.2.
Regards, Matze

[Trainguy76]

Hi Rich,

I'm a bit more experienced in 3dCanvas, at the moment all I think I need to learn is texturing and mapping, but I'm open to learn how to improve.

7.1.2.0

Will the freeware version do the magic in the beginning? As I see from the features list it's missing a lot (and mostly export features), but I don't have any money to spend right now on something like this...

The freeware version won't export to RailWorks, and if your really pressed for cash, then Blender will work for you (if you download it's exporter), perhaps learning 3DCanvas first will help you learn good techniques if you feel you want to try Blender.

[rgarber]

Great to have all you guys on board with this class idea. Even better that some of you already have experience with modeling. I'm expecting to pick up many pointers through this as well. 3D Canvas and me, we're kinda like oil and vinegar at times. Ask Ed, I'm forever fussing about the program. People complain about Railworks, I'd like to introduce every one of them to 3D Canvas. But, it does a lot of great things that for a program this inexpensive, I think it's great. Alex brought up Blender and one of these days Alex, you're doing a class on Blender and I promise you if I don't have Studio Max, I'm your first pupil. Okay, enough of my complaining.

What's next?

Day 2 is going to cover the interface. You guys with 8, convince us why 8 is the better interface, okay? Meanwhile I want that we cover what some of the best ways to navigate around in 3DC is. How do you guys setup your views? Our approach to this has to include the new guys who've never seen 3DC before. We want them to feel comfortable opening up 3DC and not being intimidated. But this happens in the Day thread, don't do this here in this thread. I'll initiate the thread and you guys jump in. Okay? Wait for it.

In the meantime, for Day 1 stuff, the introduction and installation, don't hesitate to share what you know.

Here's a cheat sheet I created for myself when installing 3D Canvas 7.2

1) Install 3d C 7.1.2.0
2) Install 3DC extras
3) Install 3DC Help
4) Install RSIGS2 exporting tools for 3dC to Railworks written by Paul Gausden

Note for Win7: With RSIGS2 you will need to register the RSIGS2.dll using the following prompt, here's how:

Open an elevated Command Prompt by clicking the Start button, then click All Programs, then click Accessories, and then right-click Command Prompt, and then finally click Run As Administrator. A DOS window opens, then type in the following at the C:\

regsvr32 "c:\program files (x86)\3D canvas 7\pluginsimportexport\rsigs2.dll"

Press ENTER

ONCE 3D Canvas is installed you want to do a few things.

1) Go to the menu bar and click on Tools and then Options. Go to the last tab and check Enable Train functions. Close 3D Canvas and reopen.

enable trainworks feature.jpg

2) Go back to Options, first tab and change meters to feet.

feet.jpg

3) And at the same tab, change size of grid and interval (see above pic).

4) Finally, verify you have the RSIGS2.dll in place (if you have the pro level of 3d Canvas installed) by going to File, Export and note the pic below:

check exporting.jpg

You should be ready for Day 2 which is coming shortly.

Rich

[Trainguy76]

Psst, Rich, Blender could be considered better is better than 3dsMax.

(See, I covered my bases. )

Also, "Decapod" (Username on UKTrainSim) I think has some operations that you can download and install, and it comes with that "updated" exporter.

[qrfan3]

My export IGS appears to be different...is there a particular download for " RSIGS2 exporting tools for 3dC to Railworks written by Paul Gausden"
One query also...why is feet used as units instead of meters?

Gordon.

igs_diff.jpg