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Cars for FS9...

G

Garry2008

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11
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unitedstates
Hello all:

I've been using FSDS (3.0) to create a ton of new scenery for a "retro" VA. Now it's time for vintage cars, and I've hit the big wall. According to what I'm told, it's possible to do cars in FSDS, but difficult, clumsy, and the result is usually somewhat of a compromise. Apparently GMAX is the way to go for doing cars, and I know less than nothing about GMAX.

Question-1: Izzat so...have I been told correctly?

Question-2: Assuming I have excellent textures to work from (front-back-side), would it be possible to coerce one of you GMAX sharpies into knocking out a few cars for us, that'll work in EZ-Scenery?

Thanks for any feedback,
Garry
 
Whover told you that you cannot use FSDS to create cars (or airplanes) for FS is a vile, contemptible, and otherwise pathetic slanderer, obviously envious of that which is achievable in the hands of an artiste!

(Okay, so compared to gmax, 3DSMax, etc, FSDS is somewhat limited in overall modelling functions)

Basically, the end product is more the result of the artist/modeller than of the program.


Think of a car/airplane as a more curvaceous building. A mesh is a mesh, and only you can decide whether that mesh ends up as scenery, or a driveable something
 
RE: Cars

Hey, Felix....

Listen, friend to friend, I think you should just come right out and say what's really on your mind; holding yourself back like this could cause serious emotional problems down the road. :D


Okay, kidding aside, I've heard that from several FSDS folks, one of which you'd know instantly if I were to share the name (which I ain't about to), and he should be considered a fairly reliable source. Plus, my own diddling proved what I had been told: My attempts at cars look like something straight out of Hooterville. True, it could be (and probably is) due to my severe lack of knowledge. As I said, I've created a massive amount of scenery objects now for the airline...everything under the sun...so I'm reasonably comfortable with FSDS. But in cars, I can't seem to make it happen. I can shape a tube into a basic model okay, but whether I try it in Poly or Part mode, texturing is where I run off the tracks. Take the side of a car, for example: There are numerous poly-points, and FSDS only allows you to capture 4 of them...so if there's background in the picture beyond just what you really want, guess what? To further my consternation, I looked at some of the textures that Steve Ziegler used in his car library, and sure enough...he used the standard front-back-side images, surrounded by all kinds of unwanted background. So apparently he must have used a program that allowed him to "trace" around certain parts of the texture (the side, let's say), more than just the 4 points allowed by FSDS. I'm guessing he probably used GMAX. I tried to email him and ask, but the email I have for him keeps crashing.

Should I maybe clean up the image parts individually (say, just the side) and get rid of all the background, then stick the clean part onto a black (0,0,0) background?

Anyway, that's where I am...I've got some very top-notch textures of vintage cars, and the best I can do is make junk. And I seem to have reached the limits of my abilities. Plus, I'm confused: Some say "FSDS is not for cars", some say otherwise. Some say you MUST use tubes for the models, Abacus says you should use cubes. Some say it has to be made with a single part, others say it should be 3 parts, then joined.

I'm assuming you may remember who I am by now, and that I'm referring to LewisAire VA...a retro bush airline. It's kinda hard to maintain a 1950s mentality when the cars are 1995 Honda Accord, you see?

Anyway, what do you have to say about all this?

Later,
Garry
 
RE: Cars...

Thanks, Meshman...

Nope, I wasn't aware that Lars Hoyer was the original designer...probably was in the README and I missed it. I only meant it for reference anyway, though. But whoever it was, they did an excellent job on them...just too new for our application.

As for the Instant Object Maker: One of our guys has that and tried making cars with it. According to him, they turned out "sorta" okay, but were boxy and with just flat/straight angles, no contours.

Garry
 
Garry2008 said:
As for the Instant Object Maker: One of our guys has that and tried making cars with it. According to him, they turned out "sorta" okay, but were boxy and with just flat/straight angles, no contours.

Garry
Click to expand...

One thing on modelling vehicles for scenery - how far away will the normal user be seeing them? If they're going to be seen up close regularly, then I agree, some detail modelling will be needed.

Out of curiosity, I notice you're looking for '50s vintage bush type vehicles? (I take it a Tucker Torpedo would be out of place?)
 
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