O.K. shortcut for those wanting to make a simple track for race games in Sketchup. Free version with no plugins needed. Can not get any simpler than this folks. Texturing afterwards if you need detail requires an outside application, I am just helping you make a simple track. ANYONE can do this.
First you open Sketchup and select front view. Make a basic rectangle roughly 1.5 meters high and as wide as you want the track section to be. (for two or more cars to pass side by side like at Daytona and such, not the entire track just the roadway and crash wall part.)
Next you draw lines on the rectangle representing the walls and road surface. When your profile part is ready delete the excess lines and faces so only that part remains. Now on the road surface section find the Midpoint between both wall pieces and draw a line down it. Then you find the center of that line and draw on the green axis about 1 meter in each direction from the template.
Now you make a large rectangle (around400 or 500 meters) and draw your track center line the way you want it to look. (Flat non crossing track for this tutorial please as it makes it much simpler to do to start out.) Once you are satisfied delete the surfaces leaving only the line you drew behind.
Now on a straight section of track you need to move your template to intersect the centerpoint lines you added to it. Now choose the Follow Me tool and drag the track to make the complete circle or whatever you made that does not cross unless you made raised arches already. Once done you have a simple flat track and can simple texture it to use right away.
Another simple trick is to import a car model you use to compare the track with it to see if it is exactly what you need.
And that is how anyone with Sketchup can make a simple trak to try out!
Here are a few screenshots to help... (if more pics and help is needed just ask and ill update)
First you open Sketchup and select front view. Make a basic rectangle roughly 1.5 meters high and as wide as you want the track section to be. (for two or more cars to pass side by side like at Daytona and such, not the entire track just the roadway and crash wall part.)
Next you draw lines on the rectangle representing the walls and road surface. When your profile part is ready delete the excess lines and faces so only that part remains. Now on the road surface section find the Midpoint between both wall pieces and draw a line down it. Then you find the center of that line and draw on the green axis about 1 meter in each direction from the template.
Now you make a large rectangle (around400 or 500 meters) and draw your track center line the way you want it to look. (Flat non crossing track for this tutorial please as it makes it much simpler to do to start out.) Once you are satisfied delete the surfaces leaving only the line you drew behind.
Now on a straight section of track you need to move your template to intersect the centerpoint lines you added to it. Now choose the Follow Me tool and drag the track to make the complete circle or whatever you made that does not cross unless you made raised arches already. Once done you have a simple flat track and can simple texture it to use right away.
Another simple trick is to import a car model you use to compare the track with it to see if it is exactly what you need.
And that is how anyone with Sketchup can make a simple trak to try out!
Here are a few screenshots to help... (if more pics and help is needed just ask and ill update)
Fourth.jpg
