3D Modeling tutorial questions.

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Sun, 26. Jul 09, 09:57

You'll have to forgive me if this has been asked before. I did a few searches of the forum, and checked the "Tutorials and Resources" Thread, and didn't turn up much luck. (slap me if I've walked right past it, however.)

I'd like to make my own ships, to place in X3:TC. (When I get round to getting it.) Only thing is, my experience with 3D modeling is zero. It's something I always wanted to do, right from when I played X2 for the first time. So today I downloaded Blender and figured I'd give it a try.
Only a tad daunting.

Does anyone know of an easy-to-follow, idiot-proof tutorial, that's themed towards creating ships in X3?

Killjaeden · Post by **Killjaeden** » Sun, 26. Jul 09, 10:47

I would recommend you gmax instead of blender... found it's easier to understand. And you can use also 3dsmax tutorials for the basics because it's very similar and those are a dime a dozen

You first need to learn the basics of modeling before you can think about modeling your own ship and exporting it for X3TC.
"Extrude" and "Camfer" are important techniques if you want to create a shipmodel.
Also important: patience - it's good to try on other objects you could imagine that are easier to do, not like your ship.

There is no 'how to create ships for X3'-modeling tutorial because if you don't know the basics it's hard to explain something from scratch.

Good luck

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Sun, 26. Jul 09, 11:59

Once I had blender installed, I figured it would have been better to find a good tute then get the program its tuting me for. Just in case there wasn't a good one for Blender.

I'll check out gmax, I'll take any recommendation at this point.

Cheers for the luck, I think I may need it.

Electric-Shadow · Post by **Electric-Shadow** » Sun, 26. Jul 09, 12:35

There are a few good tutorials around but most are quite scary for beginners like you and I, not to mention I propably don't have the patience for it lol

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 10:49

Me neither, hence why it's taken this long to do this.
But I really want to learn this. Making my own stuff to add to X3 would just make my millennium.

enenra · Post by **enenra** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 11:57

In the end it's not the program that is important but whether you find a program comfortable to work with and whether you can actually produce something with it. As long as the program is able to export in a file type GMax is able to import. (Because there are only im/export tools for the X games for GMax and 3DsMax - the latter is quite expensive)

I, for example, work with SketchUp. Very simple and easy program and still capable of quite advanced modelling.

The most important thing for modelling is in my opinion: Start small and simple, then expand on it. I always start with a simple box, then progress to shaping it to a rough shape of the ship I want to do. Then I make sure the proportions are about right and start from there to carve the rough shape into a more detailed shape. In the end I add small details wherever they are needed until I reach the poly limit I wanted to archive with the model.

Killjaeden · Post by **Killjaeden** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 13:02

I always start with a simple box, then progress to shaping it to a rough shape of the ship I want to do.

Yeah and don't forget there is a Mirrortool (ok not tool but 'Modifier') that will help you to keep it symetrical

No need to do things on both sides *g*

doubleshadow · Post by **doubleshadow** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 13:32

enenra wrote:...I always start with a simple box...

I always end with a simple box...

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 13:59

enenra wrote:I, for example, work with SketchUp. Very simple and easy program and still capable of quite advanced modelling.

I'll look at this SketchUp too.
I was looking through this tute and one of the early points it rams into the reader is that gmax is a pain in the neck to learn how to use.

...

I looked at this SketchUp, and after a little while playing with it. It really doesn't seem all that difficult. Ill have a better look at it tomorrow.

Killjaeden · Post by **Killjaeden** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 18:07

one of the early points it rams into the reader is that gmax is a pain in the neck to learn how to use.

Well then it's not a good tutorial... it isn't that hard but you have to be patient. Don't know if Sketchup allows a exportfile that includes the texturesettings / UV-Map ... because if not you would have to learn modeling in Sketchup and texturing in gmax... maybe not that comfortable.

I always end with a simple box... :Thinking:

Well sometimes i do too - the LoD ^^

enenra · Post by **enenra** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 19:15

Killjaeden wrote:
I always start with a simple box, then progress to shaping it to a rough shape of the ship I want to do.
Yeah and don't forget there is a Mirrortool (ok not tool but 'Modifier') that will help you to keep it symetrical No need to do things on both sides *g*

That's true but I still mostly start with a whole ship, later cut it in two halves. It's simply better for getting the proportions right.

@Gammel

The problem with SketchUp is that the free version isn't able to export into anything useful. Whether there are already plugins to do that - no idea. I'm using the version which is able to export.

Ah, and texturing is something you can forget to do in SU. I don't even know if it supports something even vaguely resembling an UV map.

Killjaeden · Post by **Killjaeden** » Mon, 27. Jul 09, 20:09

The problem with SketchUp is that the free version isn't able to export into anything useful. Whether there are already plugins to do that - no idea. I'm using the version which is able to export. Smile

Ah, and texturing is something you can forget to do in SU. I don't even know if it supports something even vaguely resembling an UV map. Oops

you'd better start with gmax then - because it's awfull to have a model that can't be exported to something ... believe me i know what i'm talking about, because it was my first 'modelexperience' *COL* (crying out loud)

If you learned to use gmax - it's easy as others might be... And i don't know what it makes so difficult to get used to the UI (with a proper tutorial...)
You also can use 3dsmaxtutorials - it's almost the same as gmax.

Hagar · Post by **Hagar** » Tue, 28. Jul 09, 06:21

Your mission Jim, should you choose to accept it....

Just to point out that there are quite a few model ships for X3 tutorials out there.

Observe did some good tutorials, as did DeadlyDa, Apricot Slice, and others.

There are also some good tutorials for GMax as well as 3D Studio Max (Which I use). But if using 3D Studio Max it is best to have version 9 because Doublwshadow has some wonderful tools for importing .bod model files into 3D Studio Max called DBox etc.

I am not sure if these can be used in GMax. I think they can but you should check it out for yourself.

Tools:

DBox2 [url]http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=245758[/url]
X3 Modmanager [url]http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=220964[/url]
X3 Editor2 [url]http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=244283[/url]

Tutorials:

How to build a TS class ship [url]http://www.xwiki.chaos.net.nz/index.php ... class_ship
[/url]
Editing X3TC The very basics [url]http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=226434[/url]
Guide to modding 101 [url]http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=136357[/url]
Tutorials and modding main forum [url]http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=216693[/url]

Just some that I can remeber off the top of my head.

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Electric-Shadow · Post by **Electric-Shadow** » Tue, 28. Jul 09, 11:44

I love that x3 wiki one of the best resources for tutorials ive found for x3, i'm actually following that one in gmax, slowly lol. I just cant find the option for turning off axis constraints etc, the symbols are slightly different and some things aren't where they're supposed to be.

If someone could point me in the right direction of that particular setting.....pleaseeeeee COL

PS: you forgot to set the timer xD

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Tue, 28. Jul 09, 12:29

I'm looking through it right now.
SketchUp might be reasonably easy to use, but if I can't export anything there really isn't a point in really learning how to use it. Is there.

At the moment I'd like to figure out the selections. How to grab something by a particular point. Then attach it to something else at a particular place.
Maybe I should just do the tute. And maybe it'll come to me as I go.

I wish I had more time to really sit down and nut it out. But I get up at 5am, and I'm not home till nearly 5pm. And after all my home chores I end up zonking out asleep on the couch by 8:30pm. So in the end I get little time to work on this.

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Sat, 1. Aug 09, 03:28

Ive been trying to devote as much time to this as I can muster. I am crawling though both this tutorial and this tutorial.

The second tute, while intended for gmax, requires the user to have a set of plans of the plane to set as a background in gmax. I should probably find the diagrams they talk about, it might make that tutorial make a bit more sense. But learning that I can set a picture to the background, and sort of 'trace' my models, opens up a few interesting doors. Of course with the only program I have to draw diagrams up with is MSpaint, I'm sort of limited there. Anyone know of a simple AutoCAD like program that can export the diagrams into something usable. I have enough experience with AutoCAD to be able to whip up half decent diagrams with it. But I don't really want all the millions of options that come with that program, nor do I really want to pay for it.

So I gave the other tutorial a bit of a crack. It was good to get somewhere. Well, sort of somewhere. I got sort of stuck when the tutorial asked for me to create something called a chamferbox. And gmax didn't seem to have the option to do it. I guess I cant really ask that gmax will have every single option that 3DSmax has. So instead I need to make my own chamferbox. But I'm sort of stuck I'm trying to find an option to take the regular box I have, and chamfer the edges to make them all rounded. So, essentially, I get a chamferbox.

Any ideas?
Thanks, in advance.

I'm gunna go make myself a cuppa tea. [ external image ]

[edit]
Ok don't worry about the chamfer option. I found it.

bladedranger · Post by **bladedranger** » Sat, 1. Aug 09, 19:25

In case you dont know you dont have to draw diagrams/blueprints yourself you can search google for websites like http://www.the-blueprints.com/ which has loads of blueprints of people cars bikes planes boats etc

then it is just a matter of setting them up

Bladedranger

Also i did a version of the ship from the tutorial in 3ds max for fun this is what i got...its not textured

[ external image ]

BTW i didnt follow the tutorial to make it i already knew the tecniques used in the tutorial

i just looked at the pictures

either way Good Luck Gammel with all your modelling wishes

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Sun, 2. Aug 09, 06:25

True, I don't need to draw up my own blueprints to make ships. Unless I want to make them from scratch.

I don't really have any plans to port in ships that already exist. Already enough people doing that.
I did have an idea to build ships that sort of emulate the distinctive looks of hotrod cars. But that idea is still a long way off yet. Still, that link would probably help me there. Thanks.

Nice work on the ship, I envy the fact your understanding is well beyond my own.

I just need to keep at it.

I seem to be having a bit of trouble with the Boolean step of the tutorial. I have checked the step a dozen times, and I'm sure I'm doing it right. It's just the result they say should happen, isn't happening. I presume the front of the ships front is supposed to be cut away, before you cap the hole off. Only thing is, when I do the Boolean, everything is gone, bar a few vertices.
So something is not right.

bladedranger · Post by **bladedranger** » Sun, 2. Aug 09, 14:05

If your still having trouble with the boolean maybe i can make it clearer.

select the ship body(Cockpit/bridge)

go to compound objects in the create menu

click boolean

select pick operand B (but make sure that operation is set to subtract A from B)

Then click the chamferbox

Good Luck

Bladedranger

EDIT: after reading that part of the tutorial it looks like i just retyped what the tutorial says....

Gammel · Post by **Gammel** » Tue, 4. Aug 09, 04:17

Problem is, that is what I'm doing.

When I get to the last part of selecting the chamferbox, everything vanishes.

...

Ok, Its something to do with an earlier step in the tute I must be doing wrong. Something to do with a setting on either the front section or the chamferbox. Because I did a test, I started a new project. Made two spheres, overlapped them and did the Boolean step with the two of them. And it worked perfectly.
SO what have I done wrong earlier?

...

[edit]
Ok, I got it to work. I converted both the box and the front to an "editable patch" and it got them to work. Now the 'cap holes' thing isn't working.

Funny thing is, the tutorial said it might not work.
At least I learned how to do Boolean.