Elvas Tower: creating scenery objects - Elvas Tower

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creating scenery objects Rate Topic: -----

#1 Inactive_Tranzrail709_*

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 01:27 AM

Hi All
I'm working to upgrade an existing route and I'm building some new scenery items for this route.
I'm using 3ds MAX 2010 to build the items, I've sort of hit a road block with exporting the models for use in MSTS/Open Rails.
I know in the MSTS installation folder there is the utility called "conv3ds.exe" for converting 3DS files, but I have got no clue on how to use this program. Does anybody have any suggestions on this program or any other way to export models from 3ds MAX to MSTS?
Cheers

#2 User is offline   Lutz_s 

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 02:06 AM

Hi,

there should be a file "conv3ds release notes" in the "utils" folder of your msts installation. Therein is described how to convert the files. On your CD1 of msts is a zip-file called techdocs.zip with a file called "Conversion of shapes and textures" which describes the whole procedure. If you have installed the updates for the msts-tools this file should be in the utils-folder too.
Short version to convert the file.
I would suggest you copy your 3ds-file, the conv3ds.exe and txt2uni.exe to a folder like c:\msts. Then open a commandline window and go to this folder (cd c:\msts). Then type

Quote

conv3ds.exe shape.s shape1000.3ds

shape.s is your wanted name for your object, the 1000 in the sourcename shape.3ds means that your object will have a visibility of 1000m (You have to rename your shape like this, otherwise the visiblity will be 1m, and the object will be invisible).
After the conversion you have to type txt2uni.exe shape.s, otherwise the shapefile is in the wrong format for msts, since it can only read unicode-files.

Lutz

#3 User is offline   jonas 

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 03:33 AM

Hi,

you can use Shape-Maker to manage the use of conv3ds.exe!

Shape-Maker

Best regards
Jonas

#4 Inactive_Tranzrail709_*

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 03:49 AM

Thanks for your help guys!
I'll take a look at that and see where that takes me.
Cheers!

#5 Inactive_Tranzrail709_*

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 01:13 PM

I've tried out the shape maker, But the conv3ds.exe come up with an error saying Material is not in a recognised format, yet all the textures are in ace format and all the shapes in 3ds max have been named accordingly, either using SolidNorm_1 or TransNorm_1.

#6 User is offline   Hack 

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 01:58 PM

Do what I do (or used to) - model and texture in Max, export to *.obj format, and then import to Gmax (OBJ plugin required). Unlike *.3ds format, the exported *.obj file will retain all mapping info (although you might have to re-smooth). Simply assign a new set of materials and export to an MSTS shape file. :sign_thanks:

#7 User is offline   jared2982 

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Posted 16 June 2014 - 03:31 PM

As buggy as it is the GMax exporter is about the only thing GMax has going for it over 3dsMax. It is nice having some sort of graphical interface.

#8 User is offline   JorD1 

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 11:08 AM

View PostTranzrail709, on 16 June 2014 - 01:13 PM, said:

I've tried out the shape maker, But the conv3ds.exe come up with an error saying Material is not in a recognised format, yet all the textures are in ace format and all the shapes in 3ds max have been named accordingly, either using SolidNorm_1 or TransNorm_1.

You shouldn't name the shapes like this but the material in the material editor

#9 User is offline   captain_bazza 

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Posted 18 June 2014 - 07:05 PM

In GMax your textures are either BMP or TGA format. ACE format is used by the sim, not the modeling prog. Also, try SolidNorm1, AlphNorm1, TransNorm1, etc. AlphNorm is the correct spelling, there is no second 'a' in Alph.... which is a common error that people make because they sort of do their own auto-spell check on it.




Cheers Bazza.




PS Be aware there are errors in the default MSTS docs.

#10 User is offline   Jovet 

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 05:07 PM

View Postcaptain_bazza, on 18 June 2014 - 07:05 PM, said:

In GMax your textures are either BMP or TGA format. ACE format is used by the sim, not the modeling prog.

The I've never tried a TGA file, but the Gmax "trainsim gamepack" seems to me to expect .ace files. Gmax doesn't understand what an .ace file is without the gamepack, though.

As noted above, Gmax's exporter does have some quirks to watch out for, but it's still the most robust and straight-forward platform for MSTS modeling IMO. :)
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