HI...I hope this hasn't been gone over a million times, but this is a very simple way to create tracks using 3DS Max. This can be done by someone who knows very little about Max, as long as I can explain it without messing everyone up. I have attached a zip with helpful illustrations.
First, grab a piece of track from Rad's HighwayConstructionKit folder, I use hw000075asphalt_mesh.x, and import it into Max.
- Image: import1.jpg -
Convert this to an Editable Poly, and open the Material Editor and change the color to the default Max color (50% Grey). At the same time, hit the 2-Sided box to make the object viewable from both sides.
- Image: 2sided.jpg -
Now go to the Front window and using the Line shape, create and outline of your track shape. Not the overall shape, but the shape you would see if you cut the track in half and looked at if from the end. The profile of your track maybe?
- Image: lineshape.jpg -
I use the game mesh I imported as a size reference. You can make this track profile as intricate or as basic as you want, just make sure that both the sides and the floor have some thickness to them. This helps the collision so you don't go flying through the walls or sink through the floor.
Once you have your track profile like you want it, go to the Top window in Max and plot your actual track shape using the line tool. I've found that selecting the Smooth boxes in the Line Tool 'Creation Method' rollout helped with smoothing the corners during creation. I don't know how big you can make it, but I made one that was fairly big with no problems.
- Image: mytrack.jpg -
- Image: trackline.jpg -
Once you have finished with your line version of the track, select the line and then from the Creation Menu > geometry >Loft, select loft. In the Loft Tool 'Creation Method', select 'Get Shape':
and select your track profile line thing. BLAM! you have track.
- Image: lofttrack.jpg -
Now, at this point you can do a lot of editing. By selecting your Line for the track, and using the Vertex tool, you can move the track however you want. Smoothing corners, making bridges, etc. Once you are done playing, be sure and hit the 'Optimize Shapes' in the Skin Parameters Rollout for the Loft (your track).
- Image: optimize.jpg -
This will help reduce the overall poly count. At the same time you can check the 'Banking' box in the same rollout is you prefer no banking in your track.
Easy texturing of your track -
Texturing is cake, as long as you don't wqant to get texture crazy. First, add an Edit Poly modifier, and the the Edge tool. Get close to your track, and making sure that you have Edged Faces showing, select an edge that is crossing your track, with the edge selected press 'Ring', then, while holding down control, Press the Polygon Tool. The roadway for your track should now be selected.
- Image: poly.jpg -
Now, from your Polygon Material Id Rollout, 'Set ID' to 1 and hit enter
- Image: Id1.jpg -
Deselect everything.
Next, with your Edge tool, select one of the edges on the wall. OK, with the edge selected first press "loop", the while holding down the 'Alt' key, deselect the edge that is crossing the track:
- Image: edge.jpg -
Now press the 'Ring' button, then while holding down the 'CTRL' key, select the Polygon tool. Now everthing except your track roadway should be selected.
From the Polygon: Material ID rollout, 'Set ID' = 2 and hit enter.
- Image:poly.jpg -
OK, hard part's over. Open up the Material Editor, select an unused spot, and press the Standard button, the select 'Multi/Sub-Object' from the popup window.
- Image: multi.jpg -
Hit the 'Set Number' button at the top of the Multi/Sub Object Parameters, and set the number to 2.
Now the 2 texture button in the rollout correspond to the track roadway (1) and the track walls (2).
- Image: setmulti.jpg -
from this window you can set up your track with either textures or simple colors. I'm not going to go over that because this is getting really boring, I hate typing. If you don't know how to do these things, goto the help menu in Max and select tutorials, the tuts for Max are really very good.
Rigid Body - Polygon
After you get your track all textured, import it into the Rad program as a Rigid Body - Polygon.
Hopefully I haven't confused you enough for you to toss your computer out the window, because this is all very easy, but I not always 'splain things so well
Good luck
Blak
First, grab a piece of track from Rad's HighwayConstructionKit folder, I use hw000075asphalt_mesh.x, and import it into Max.
- Image: import1.jpg -
Convert this to an Editable Poly, and open the Material Editor and change the color to the default Max color (50% Grey). At the same time, hit the 2-Sided box to make the object viewable from both sides.
- Image: 2sided.jpg -
Now go to the Front window and using the Line shape, create and outline of your track shape. Not the overall shape, but the shape you would see if you cut the track in half and looked at if from the end. The profile of your track maybe?
- Image: lineshape.jpg -
I use the game mesh I imported as a size reference. You can make this track profile as intricate or as basic as you want, just make sure that both the sides and the floor have some thickness to them. This helps the collision so you don't go flying through the walls or sink through the floor.
Once you have your track profile like you want it, go to the Top window in Max and plot your actual track shape using the line tool. I've found that selecting the Smooth boxes in the Line Tool 'Creation Method' rollout helped with smoothing the corners during creation. I don't know how big you can make it, but I made one that was fairly big with no problems.
- Image: mytrack.jpg -
- Image: trackline.jpg -
Once you have finished with your line version of the track, select the line and then from the Creation Menu > geometry >Loft, select loft. In the Loft Tool 'Creation Method', select 'Get Shape':
and select your track profile line thing. BLAM! you have track.
- Image: lofttrack.jpg -
Now, at this point you can do a lot of editing. By selecting your Line for the track, and using the Vertex tool, you can move the track however you want. Smoothing corners, making bridges, etc. Once you are done playing, be sure and hit the 'Optimize Shapes' in the Skin Parameters Rollout for the Loft (your track).
- Image: optimize.jpg -
This will help reduce the overall poly count. At the same time you can check the 'Banking' box in the same rollout is you prefer no banking in your track.
Easy texturing of your track -
Texturing is cake, as long as you don't wqant to get texture crazy. First, add an Edit Poly modifier, and the the Edge tool. Get close to your track, and making sure that you have Edged Faces showing, select an edge that is crossing your track, with the edge selected press 'Ring', then, while holding down control, Press the Polygon Tool. The roadway for your track should now be selected.
- Image: poly.jpg -
Now, from your Polygon Material Id Rollout, 'Set ID' to 1 and hit enter
- Image: Id1.jpg -
Deselect everything.
Next, with your Edge tool, select one of the edges on the wall. OK, with the edge selected first press "loop", the while holding down the 'Alt' key, deselect the edge that is crossing the track:
- Image: edge.jpg -
Now press the 'Ring' button, then while holding down the 'CTRL' key, select the Polygon tool. Now everthing except your track roadway should be selected.
From the Polygon: Material ID rollout, 'Set ID' = 2 and hit enter.
- Image:poly.jpg -
OK, hard part's over. Open up the Material Editor, select an unused spot, and press the Standard button, the select 'Multi/Sub-Object' from the popup window.
- Image: multi.jpg -
Hit the 'Set Number' button at the top of the Multi/Sub Object Parameters, and set the number to 2.
Now the 2 texture button in the rollout correspond to the track roadway (1) and the track walls (2).
- Image: setmulti.jpg -
from this window you can set up your track with either textures or simple colors. I'm not going to go over that because this is getting really boring, I hate typing. If you don't know how to do these things, goto the help menu in Max and select tutorials, the tuts for Max are really very good.
Rigid Body - Polygon
After you get your track all textured, import it into the Rad program as a Rigid Body - Polygon.
Hopefully I haven't confused you enough for you to toss your computer out the window, because this is all very easy, but I not always 'splain things so well
Good luck
Blak
Tutorial.zip
