First models into Railworks

[cnwfan]

2013-06-08_00001.jpg

After a year long absence (due to a very demanding work/travel schedule), I've finally been able to get back to the sim. The Bandini & Eastern and Oelwein & Western routes are getting dusted off, and it is finally time to start developing the needed models for the routes.

It may not seem like much, but the above "blocks" are my first successful attempts at getting a model into the sim. PapaXpress's basic tutorial helped put the puzzle together for me, along with Jerry Conway's signal tutorials. I was struggling trying to bring in a Sketchup model into 3DC, and I finally got it to work. But the texturing was the nightmare of nightmares. So, I'm now convinced that the only affordable way (both dollars and time) of getting models into the sim is to build them up from scratch in 3DC.

Texturing is really a black art. I started with, what I thought, was a decent brick texture. However, when it was applied to the model, it became soft and lost some of its color. And trying to get the texture to scale and line up properly on the model was another time consuming ordeal. I read somewhere that you will spend just as much time texturing the model as building it. So true.

If there is one suggestion I could make for the power modelers on this site is to develop a texturing tutorial for us modeling newbies. This would include texture creation techniques and model application techniques. All the tutorials I've found on various sites show you great modeling techniques. But they all assume you have a texture built for the model. Anyways, maybe someone will take up the challenge.

Any suggestions or comments are always appreciated, whether it be on the post or through a PM. I'll post progress shots... and pleas for help... as things develop. Thanks!

Howard

[imnew]

Welcome back and congrats on that first model transfer into the sim

[PapaXpress]

I'll see what I can do for a texturing tutorial. No promises though. I still owe people a lofting tutorial which is half baked in my drafts folder.

[cnwfan]

That would be great. I know you have a lot on your "sim plate" right now. And that lofted tutorial will come in handy. Thank you!

Howard