Our ReVolt Pub

This is a track that I modeled in Blender this afternoon. It doesn't have any textures, since I really don't know how or if I can texture it properly in Blender so as to be compatible with Re-Volt. Perhaps someone who knows how to texture things properly in 3ds Max or some other program can take a look at the 3DS file and let me know if you think it will work out as a potential Re-Volt track.

Basically I need someone else to break up the track into pieces and then map the textures to them. Once that part is done, they can send it back to me and I'll reassemble all of the pieces and add the other necessary track bits so we'll end up with another POD-style track.

* Click here to see a picture of the track.
* Click here to download the 3DS file.

um... you should've added at least one 256x256 bmp file for ur track, with the texures u had in mind to add. not to worry though! i'm very creative and i'll map ur track w/ pink and purple flowers. maybe some polka dots too.

oops. i have error when opening file

I ran the 3ds file through Lithium Unwrapper, hopefully it'll work fine now, since I wasn't able to load it into Zmodeler before either, but that works fine now.

I'll provide you some example textures later if you want, but I was mostly posting this to see if it would work. All I really need for textures is some "filler" textures:

1. bottom of wall
2. Top of wall
3. bottom (road) surface
4. Ceiling
5. tunnels
6. non-track objects such as towers
7. buildings

etc... As long as the alignment of the textures is consistent (as in, a texture with a line of the bottom will always be on the bottom, not facing a bunch of random directions, and it contours with the height changes of the track), then it should be fine. I can replace them later if needed.

If I provided some textures, would you want them as individual images or crammed into multiple images like they usually come with tracks?

Killer man, how long did it take you to make that? Anyways, I can map it. Email me any textures you have in mind.

The track model only took a few hours, maybe 5-6. Its nothing too complex though, just a sample track to see if this works out right.

I haven't picked out any textures yet. What format should I have them in?

Hay
I look at your mesh.
And some parts are missing on the track floor.
Anyone with max can fix it.
Just wanted to let you know.
CU

After further examination of your mesh
I now see the polys are there but thay
are upside down.

I select the empty spot and something
was selected so I was like what the.
So I put a map on it but you cant see it.
I just went under and there was the texture.
Hope that helps ya.

Aeon
I hate to tell you.
I mapped your entire mesh with one map
just so I could see what was going on.
I then export as a ase.
Ase2prm in to a world we go.
I see your track and it fits inside the car cougar.
Its very very very small.
Like me some times.
I can size the mesh for you if you like.
Mapping is going to take some time on this.
Well we will see the maps might not be to bad.
Just wanted to help you with your project.
CU

I already did some work on the mesh, ricky. If you want, I'll finish up the mesh and send it to you for mapping.

Hay Zach
I dont know what kinda track it is to be.
The maps I do not have.
I was racing this track by my self.
It looks pretty cool.
The kid did a good job.
Cant wait to try the real deal.
Should be fun.
Whats up?
We need maps to help you.
Show me the map.
LOL

O all maps should be 256x256 bmp like re-volt uses.
OK?


OK?

I want to know if the mesh that I created will actually work as the first step for a Re-Volt track. I'm trying to recreate the style of RiffRaff's POD tracks: Newk, Planet XXI, Magnet and Pipelyne. As long as the mesh can work once textured and resized, then I can make more of them.

If you want to make up some "space filler" textures, I can fill them in with the real deal once the track is mapped. You could even borrow textures from RiffRaff's tracks if it makes it easier. If everything will work out fine with the mesh, there's no reason why I couldn't make more tracks if there's more than one person looking to map a track.

Also, it might be helpful for me to create a square that's the same width as the track segments, so you can calculate how much the track needs to be resized based on how much you need to resize the square to reach the desired width. In the end its not a big deal to resize the PRMs with rv-sizer.

If you can flip the backwards polys that would be great. Blender by default shows both sides, and doesn't tell you which side is visible. I'm not sure how to make it show only the one side. You can either flip them individually or just run rv-dblsd on the whole track to solve the problem.

But just be creative with it. I'm trying to go for a futuristic feel, but I don't have anything in mind.

tip for flipping polys in max guys:

1. if it is very simple like a square and/or it is mapped but doesnt matter if the texture flips as well (as it will be if just flipping the poly) then rotating 180° is ok.

2. if it is a complicated shape (polys can have many corners, not just four) or if it is mapped and the modifier has been collapsed or if it is more than one (in one word if the thing is gonna be complicated) then apply the modifier called "normal". that will flip the vertex normals to the opposite side, since that are the normals that define which side is solid/rendered and which is nocoll/not rendered. you can find it in the modifiers drop down list. (if not, customize it so you can see) you can select as many as you want and apply the modi for all in one time. handy.

I checked to find out the size of the track compared to what it SHOULD be, and the actual track should have its size multiplied by ~60. That would make it about the equivalent widthwise at its widest point to a 2x lego track.

Ok, my work on the track is nearly complete. The track will work for sure, I just had to make some slight modifications. You want the widest point about the width of a double-size lego piece? I had the normal/starting area about the width of a normal lego piece. Anyways, I'll send it to Rick tonight and I guess we can start playing with texture ideas.

Sounds good. I'll see if I can whip up another track when I have some free time. Then if you get tired of working on one, you can work on the other. Or someone else can work on the other one. Modeling tracks from scratch is much more fun than trying to mess with lego pieces.

As for the width of the track, the tracks like Plant XXI and Newk are about 1.5x to 2x lego width. Anywhere in between there should be fine. That means resizing the track model anywhere from 45x to 60x its original size. However, if you take care of fixing the model and mapping the textures, I can take care of sizing the track properly. Unless you're looking to assemble the track in MAKEITGOOD when you're done.

Ok, some tips for you Aeon.

On bridges, create outside walls, inside walls, track surface, and underside.

And try to cut down on some polygons. They weren't excessive, but could be lowered.

That's it. Great track!

zagames @ Feb 2 2009, 05:03 PM wrote: And try to cut down on some polygons.  They weren't excessive, but could be lowered.

Which ones are you talking about? Give me some examples.

Aeon, what program do you use to create textures?

Zach the track still has holes in it.
I try to use the normal modifier like Human says
but it don't seem to work.

Maybe cut the polys out that are up side down
and make some prms to fit in there place.
I don't know?
Talk 2 you.

Aeon, what program do you use to create textures?

If I have to create textures I use Paint Shop Pro 7, but I prefer just downloading them off the net if I can.

Oh, lol. Ok. I thought you did your textures yourself

I guess alot of people is too lazy to too xP

I can make textures if I have to, but why bother if I don't have to? Its actually easiest to take some textures off the net and modify them a bit or chop them up and merge them together to create new, unrecognizable textures.

Sometimes the only way to actually get stuff done is to take the easy way out.

Okay, I figured out an easier way to keep track of backwards normals in Blender, so I'll try to make sure everything is facing the right way when I make the next track.

Alright. The mesh WAS completely fixed, just a little mix up. Anyways, I better get back to my homework...

Ok the prm is almost mapped.
Zach did a great job on the flipping of
polys. I guess.
I have to say why so meny faces on these
polys?
I make my tracks with polygons each poly
is one face when your polys have 4 or 8
faces you got a mess here for mapping.
This is what we have here.

I have mapped this track or prm.
It has taken more then 8 hours.

The out come of this track is up to U.
The mapping is pore at best.
This track should be more then 1000 m.
when completied and I say you are a
rocket with this program.
I D.L. this program and max is easy compar.

I need a place to send the file.
What is your e-male?
If you want it I dont know if you will use the file\
so I dident do to much just like 8 houres on this.

You did a great job on this I would like to see more.
This track can be raced to ways.
A very nice track just to menny faces.
Next time less faces.
OK?

Ok the prm is almost mapped.
Zach did a great job on the flipping of
polys. I guess.
I have to say why so meny faces on these
polys?
I make my tracks with polygons each poly
is one face when your polys have 4 or 8
faces you got a mess here for mapping.
This is what we have here.

I have mapped this track or prm.
It has taken more then 8 hours.

The out come of this track is up to U.
The mapping is pore at best.
This track should be more then 1000 m.
when completied and I say you are a
rocket with this program.
I D.L. this program and max is easy compar.

I need a place to send the file.
What is your e-male?
If you want it I dont know if you will use the file\
so I dident do to much on this.

You did a great job on this I would like to see more.
This track can be raced to ways.
A very nice track just to menny faces.
Next time less faces.
OK?

To meny beers.

You can e-mail it to archakelon/gmail.com (where / = @).

Aeon @ Feb 6 2009, 03:24 AM wrote: You can e-mail it to archakelon/gmail.com (where / = @).

um why do ppl type there emails like that. some um symbol key not same on all keyboard. this is a lot of work for lazy ppl that like to copy and paste things lol.

Because there are spam-bots that prowl the web and like to pick up stray e-mail addresses and send them spam. Easily avoided by changing the format of the address slightly.

Ricky, when the walls are done with two rows, that's because its intended for one texture on the bottom and one texture at the top, like this:



If there's another way you'd rather have this formatted, then let me know.

Also, can you give me some examples of how you'd prefer to see things modeled to make them ideal for texturing? Do you have some models you can send me?

Okay, well for some reason the track that I put together for this is screwed up and won't let me race on it properly, or in practice. However, I can still use Time Trial mode to test drive it without the car repositioning problem.

The track is 1028 meters long, and takes about 55 seconds to run with my POD-style cars. Its actually pretty fun to drive in some places, although the height chances are considerably more drastic than I was expecting them to be. Still, there are some spots on the track that are pretty exciting and challenging to drive. Gives me an idea of what to put in future tracks.

If anyone else working on this map or is everyone done with it? I probably won't turn it into a real track since it was my first model, and as ricky said, the mapping is "poor at best". I'd rather have some nicely modeled, nicely mapped tracks to work on, but if this one is done with I'll get to work modeling a new one. It looks like Iron Bob is doing a swell job with Canyon Run already.

Its nice to at least have a mapped version of this track available so I can see what its like to actually drive one of these tracks. Things present themselves much differently while driving through the track than in a 3D modeler.

I think it would be nice for you to release it. That way, people in the future can look back and see how you progressed as a track designer. And it'd give us something new to play with for a while...

Ricky, could you send me a model that's setup the way you'd like it to be?

Aeon
If your not going to bend the polygon.
It should have 1 face.
Not 4 or 8 like in your picture above.
This makes selecting and mapping the polys.
Go much faster and easier.
If you can just make one face for each poly
unless you need to bend it.
I dont know how your program works with
stuff like that.
Keep up the good work!

What if you want to use multiple textures on the same face? Like having metal borders along the bottom of the cliff on Canyon Run, or like the picture that I posted above? Can you have two textures if only one poly is used?

Also, when Blender exports to 3DS format it triangulates everything automatically. I don't think there's anything I can do to avoid that.

aeon,

for reducing triangle number in blender try the ALT+J shortcut in edit mode with the polys selected that are to detriangulate before exporting your .3ds file.

Well, you have to combine the textures but it works the same way

human:
I don't triangulate the models in Blender, Blender triangulates them for me when I export to 3DS format. There's no need to remove triangles until after the model is exported. And besides, ALT+J does a really ugly job of removing them and messes up the model.

zagames:
Combining the textures for a multi-texture part of the track will assume that the section being textured remains consistently proportioned, wouldn't it? That would restrict what you can do with the model considerably. If you've got a lower wall and and upper wall, you wouldn't be able to raise the height of the upper wall without distorting the lower wall.

ok aeon,

i dont know anything about blender, all i know is that its more complicated than max , it seemed to me like an off standard prog when i was trying it, if you know what i mean, unusual interface, and so on. obviously its only the question of how much you practice it.
i have just read a forum comment about that shortcut. well if that simplifies the model in an ugly way than obviously its useless. i thought there are extra triangles that produce extra polygons that are not needed. theres a similar command in max that works the same way.

i dont completely understand what are you guys talking about the textures, but its a fact that you can use only one texture for one poly, unless you can contact darksabre and he explains how to multitexture.

Aeon, with a little practice, you can make it work perfect.

human @ Feb 8 2009, 04:57 AM wrote: i dont know anything about blender, all i know is that its more complicated than max , it seemed to me like an off standard prog when i was trying it, if you know what i mean, unusual interface, and so on. obviously its only the question of how much you practice it.

Blender has about the most unintuitive interface imaginable. Plus most of the tutorials are gawdawful medleys of buttons clicks, right-mouse menus, shortcut keys and esoteric references that newbies (and usually me) can't understand. They whine that if you don't understand it, you should go read the "manual", but jeez, I only need to use 3% of what the program is capable of, and I sure don't want to read through the whole "manual" to find the parts I'm looking for. And when I say "manual", I mean the website which is littered with a bunch of tutorials. (And so the vicious cycle continues...)

I only use it because its handy and I already learned a few things. Plus its free and its better than Zmod.