Advice for a content creation newbie

[Giac425]

Hi,
So I've been thinking about getting into content creation for a while, I mainly want to focus on some of the rolling stock that are currently missing from the British Trainz database. I just wanted to ask a few questions, apologies if these are stupid questions or they have already been asked before in a previous thread.
I've installed gmax on my PC, but I wanted to check before starting that it's the most user friendly software or whether I'd be better off using blender?
Is it better to create assets using images or diagrams, or both?
Would I be better off starting with something easier like a spline or building before attempting to create a train?
Depending on which is better, could anyone point me in the direction of some easy to use tutorials for blender/gmax?
Anything else I ought to know before getting started?

Cheers!

[klambert]

Hi,
So I've been thinking about getting into content creation for a while, I mainly want to focus on some of the rolling stock that are currently missing from the British Trainz database. I just wanted to ask a few questions, apologies if these are stupid questions or they have already been asked before in a previous thread.
I've installed gmax on my PC, but I wanted to check before starting that it's the most user friendly software or whether I'd be better off using blender?
Is it better to create assets using images or diagrams, or both?
Would I be better off starting with something easier like a spline or building before attempting to create a train?
Depending on which is better, could anyone point me in the direction of some easy to use tutorials for blender/gmax?
Anything else I ought to know before getting started?

Cheers!

Hi there,

I'd suggest learning Blender, Gmax is massively outdated. Have a look at 44090 digital models tutorials: http://www.44090digitalmodels.co.uk/tut ... nder1.html
In fact if you can find a way I'd recommend learning 3DS max as that seems to be industry standard. Although it is expensive, unless you're a student, then it's free.

I know many people don't recommend creating a train early on, I'd suggest for your first model create a building, however don't be afraid of creating trains at a reasonably early stage if that's what will motivate you to carry on learning 3D modelling. In fact I think my Class 465 was the 3rd model I'd made that wasn't a reskin. However it does show and this is on my list for updating.

I can't recommend any other trainz specific tutorials as I learnt with the Trainz Objectz and World of Trainz Tutorials, both sites sadly defunct, but there's plenty of general tutorials on Blender on YouTube and on the Blender site: https://www.blender.org/support/tutorials/ also Lynda.com if you have access is a great resource. Once you've figured out the basics, I'd suggest checking out the steps on how to import into trainz on the trainz wiki: http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/inde ... _using_FBX. Also any content creation questions, it's always worth popping on this or the main trainz forum.

Finally, please, please, don't use sketchup, the models are very high poly even for low detail models. and we have a glut of them on trainz, which are really hit and miss with the quality. I think the program is a bit of a dead end as well. You want to learn 3D modelling in a program that's industry standard, as it could open a lot of doors career wise and unless you're going to become an architect Sketchup certainly isn't worth bothering with.

[Giac425]

Thanks Klambert, I'll look into Blender in that case, unfortunately I graduated last summer so I'd have to pay the full price for 3ds max. Perhaps when I'm a little better off! Thanks for the links too, perhaps the tutorials you mentioned might be accessible via the wayback machine? Or is it something you had to be a member and/or pay for?

Thanks for the warning about sketchup too, I have heard nightmare stories about it. I did think that it would be a good starting point for me to try importing some sketchup models into gmax from the 3d warehouse, so I can get some practice with creating interiors, animating doors and doing scripting etc but I'm guessing there are easier and/or better ways to do this.

[PeruvianLlama]

Yes yes I would agree completly with Klambert's comments about sketchup. Having done a few things in Blender myself, I would say that, though it takes a bit of effort to get the nack of it, the end results, and the fact that you aren't doing it "by half", so to speak, make it worth the time to learn Blender.