Hi guys, I've been busy some time now with "modding"......thats to say; see what is possible, what can I do and so on. I made some engines, some sort of mod (GP2015) and now I tried (private) some AIW changes. Everywhere on the forum, when I try to do a bit more than that, I see that programs are needed....... Those programs cost money and since its no priority, I'm not going to buy them all; I'm not a modder and seeing the costs; I never will be. For instance; I wanted to change the place of the cones on a track; I needed 3dsimed. Just for some cones to be replaced 30 GBP.......nope. 3dsmax; I've seen that come by some times on this forum. Thats a good thing, but now; what is it (car- and track wise) that I can do with it? Replace those cones, paint them, remodel them.......what? Or with cars........ideas? Could you give me some pointers please? Off for a holiday tomorrow and I take the laptop with me; I would have something to do Thanks in advance!
If you want to change existing circuits you always need of 3dsimed. You can't import directly rf2 GMT files to 3DsMAX . Need to convert to rf1 then import to 3dsMAX. So is better do all changes in 3dsimEd.
Thanks for responding Mario. I take it 3dsmax is useless on its own? Thats a shame, but it was worth a try.
Really? But you do have to have 3dsimed also, right? And by creating you mean? Placing, modeling, painting, hight, road........what does it exactly do?
Here is a morning coffee ramble about how things are. It's just an overview though. ------------------------------------------------------ Create objects/meshes. (3dsMax / Blender, etc) Create textures for the objects/meshes. (Photoshop / Gimp, etc) Arrange and export. (3dsMax / 3dSimEd) ------------------------------------------------------ Making 3d content (in many production pipelines, including for rF2) is a combo procedure with a 3D modeling program (like 3dsMax) to make the physical shape of an object, and a 2D graphics program (eg Photoshop) for the textures. Technically you can make textures in 3dsMax too (focused on procedural texture generation? I don't use max for textures), but using Photoshop gives all the external flexibility and control that it has, and is handy for making textures from photos. Then the objects need to be arranged to make the track scene (or similarly the drivable car with all it's bits put together). 3dsMax can do that as well, and so can 3dSimEd. You can think of it like a development phase to compose your track scene, or your drivable car. In 3dsMax the objects can be built in the exactly correct place in the scene, from start to finish. 3dsMax can create AND compose in the same file. 3dSimEd is more limited to being just a composition program (with only very limited creation capacity). ------------------------------------------------------ 3dsMax is the... "officially supported" 3d program for creating rF1/2 content. It's used to make and place 3D models (cars (the cars you drive, and spectator cars), roads, buildings, fences, marker cones etc) from scratch, and it exports directly into the rF2 gMotor format (.gmt files are 3d models). It's also within 3dsMax that you have ALL the objects for a track (terrain, road, buildings, everything except the drivable cars) arranged in place for the track. The Scene. The objects can be made or edited in the scene/main track file, or edited in separate files and added back into the scene. Objects can even be exported from separate scenes, but their position needs to match their intended positional coordinates in the scene. As a part of 3d modeling, you handle the mapping of a texture in a 3d program (like 3dsMax). That sets out the coordinates/wireframe of the model on a 2d image plane. The 2d wireframe image is then used as the base for the texture in a paint program like Photoshop (or other similar image processing programs) to fill in the areas of the model with colours/photos/detail. It's literally a paint between the lines situation (although for technical reasons you should also paint outside the lines ) As stated 3dsMax can't import existing rF2 .gmt mesh files directly (but it can work with rF1 for import via a script, and the results can be exported for rF2 - that's how I migrated Longford from Bob's Track Builder to 3dsMax). If making content from scratch, 3dsMax can do it all (except the photoshop stuff). But current versions of 3dsMax aren't supported by ISI (only up to 2013? edit: apparently 2008 to 2012). Hopefully ISI are either working on adding more current 3dsMax support, or it would be cool if they were making something like the Kunos/AC modding platform that can work with any 3d modeling programs, including Blender (which is free for everyone). I think that would be a good move since it could be centered around a common free file format like FBX, which pretty much any 3D modeling program can export. It would centralise dev time around the central program (which would be a "composition" program like 3dSimEd), rather than having to make plugins directly for 3dsMax/Blender etc to cover all bases. It would be logical since rF2 is based around an open concept and modding. There has been some third-party work to add rF2 functionality to Blender (a popular FREE 3D modeling program) : http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/25245-rFactor-Import-Export-Scripts-for-Blender You could use 3dSimEd it to IMPORT some cones from rF2 and then do some minor changes and set it up to EXPORT to rF2. 3dSimEd has a free trial period. You should be able to move some cones within that period (and then use the ISI MAS Utility to repack the components). But 3dSimEd isn't a proper 3d modeling program. It does have some basic functionality, but it's more of a "composition" program (i.e. import stuff, move it, make limited changes to a mesh, change textures, export). .................... The Longford pipeline is: 3dsMax modeling -> Photoshop textures -> 3dsMax export -> rF2 um, what was the question ?
Blender, SketchUp and 3DsimEd... total of 50 bucks? you'll be able to do anything you need to. Like whoochoo said. blender plugin and then 3Dsimed connects to sketchup.
If spending 30 GBP is holding you back, then you really don't have enough passion for even beginning you modding adventure - sorry to say.
It's a very nice morning ramble from woochoo... A few things I might add or subtract. 1. Max 2012 32 bit is the latest version for rFactor Support. rFactor has to pay to have the plugins licensed... They don't see much cause in investing more into for newer versions when the return is not too big for them. That being said... You can use any version of 3D max past 2012, such as 2016 and then revert back to the older version for your finalizing of gmts. 2. You can get 3D Studio Max with a Student License. for free. You cannot use it for commercial work though... Autodesk will hang you up by your toenails. http://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/3ds-max Though I would not suggest 3DMax for a beginner.. it has a very steep learning curve. 3. As woochoo said... Blender is free, open source and growing by the day... Traveller has made an impressive import/export tool for it that I used today. It will encompass everything you need to escape Max entirely. 4. 3DSimEd is pretty cheap, it's not a true modeler. Although, it is a true Model Pirate's dream. It can import/export models from many racing sims. but I think Traveller's Blender Plugin will replace it and as was said earlier, 5. SketchUp http://www.sketchup.com/ is a free and powerful but easy to use software... especially for the beginner. 3DSimEd imports/exports directly with it and it has thousands of plugins that customize it to a user's needs. Hit me up and I'll show you a community that will help you with any question you have about modeling in it. View attachment 17482 6. SketchUp will also be better for making tracks as it was bought and built for extracting topographical data from Google Earth. Let's say you're interested in the race track, Raceway Park Road Course @ Indy. You open SketchUp. Hit the "add Location" button and type Raceway Park Road Course @ Indy into the space and hit enter. View attachment 17483 SketchUp will find the track in Google Earth and import its texture and its topographical info, land height, right into SketchUp. it will be close over a 10' area. not exact, but more than enough to start working with. Plus you'll get up to date sat data. View attachment 17471 Then you can start tracing the track and grounds for your new build... As I said there are tons of tools for making things like roads and curbs and buildings, even picture mapping to put real photos on buildings and such. 7. Now, woochoo was talking about Photoshop, an expensive program that is only really needed for making finished paints on textures. It's what you would use to paint your car skin that someone else made.I would not suggest making your maps and material layers from it. You just won't do a good enough job compared to programs. If you can't afford it, I would use or suggest something like Gimp http://www.gimp.org/. It does just about anything PS does and it's free and OS. 8. If you choose to make any models besides flat, squares and such, you'll need to UVW Unwrap your model. That's where you basically unfold your model into a flat surface to paint on with Gimp or PS. You can do this with any of the programs here, but if you make cars or organic shapes Sketchup will not suffice. You'll want to do it in Blender or Max... Or some of the free programs that are offered all over the web. Like Road Kill http://www.pullin-shapes.co.uk/page8.htm or UVMapper http://www.uvmapper.com/ They are more simple and straight forward that either Max or Blender. There are some programs that cost money that will do a better job. 9. After you get your maps done on all your gmt's you'll need to create those texture maps to provide good materials showing reflections, surface characteristics, and shading... There are a few great programs that can do this. One being Awesome Bump http://www.blendernation.com/2015/03/04/awesomebump-open-source-texture-map-generator/. View attachment 17472 10. Then you'll be able to put all these things together and start making your physics... Which is a whole other story... But you can do all this for free... Well, except you'll need to pay for rFactor 2 of course.
This is some proper information and a very good read guys, thanks for that. I am going to study this as I have very limited internet here. I report back online later; I'm bound to have some questions Thanks again!
Have to reply to this first...... This is not fair; spend over a year on my gp2015 mod....... Didn't ask for money as some do; just out of passion (!!) Can you look into my wallet? Are you in the exact situation I am in? Then you have the right to say things like that. Its lame statements from people who dont know the whole picture (like this) that made me cancel the gp2015 mod. Thanks for your "support".
Ohh I know about the costs of modding, both the time and needed investments alright - spend two years learning, traveling, surveying, developing and buying software to make Denmarks most famed racetrack for Race'07 back in 2007, won an award for it (two actually) and donations couldn't even cover the costs of a single tool.
I respect the fact you are winning prices; you must be good at it. What I don't like is the fact you connect passion for modding to being able to spend money on it. Thats what I meant with "can you look into my wallet?"
That's true, but as with everything it's a matter of priorities, if you are a full time teacher I asumed that 30 GBP wouldn't burst your budget but that you were unwilling to pay the costs - 3dsimed is by no means a modeling tool, but it is very helpful for getting an insight to how other content is build, to pick up tips and tricks and play around with stuff prior to diving in head on. Sorry if I offended you.
I get your drift, I would assume the same. But thats why I said the thing about looking in my wallet; (without my fault) I had some serious misfortune. I do have a wife and young kids to support and so; as much as I would love to buy it, it doesnt suit the financial picture right now. Its getting better now, but still have to be carefull. Thanks for the explanation.
Pretty much you can do a whole track and export from scratch with 3dsmax.. Export and load it directly into devmod. You can build a simple oval track, add the Xsectors, texture it (making sure to use the correct material naming convention)and export using the Tools supplied. Put it a copy of the sample Joesville folder.. (edit the text files to point to your track name).. and off you go. (There is a little more to it, editing the text files), but not much really.
Absolutely, but for editing (MODifying) existing tracks you need something like 3dsimed - which was mentioned in the OP as an example - best of luck with both modding and future economy, Navigator
and just for kicks, you could: import an rF2 track (or object) with 3dSimEd, export to rF1 gmt format, import into 3dsMax (2008-2011*) with the rF1 import script, and setup the rF2 materials and export from 3dsMax (2008-2012) into rF2. slight variation on the above pipeline: import an rF2 track (or object) with 3dSimEd, export to FBX or whatever generic formats 3dSimEd supports, import into 3dsMax (any version), and setup the rF2 materials and export from 3dsMax (2008-2012) into rF2. Not sure if the Blender rF2 tools would work the same way as 3dsMax (2008-2012) in those two instances, but it might be worth looking into. These workflows would be overkill for just moving a few cones, but it introduces the full editing power of 3dsMax/Blender/other 3D programs into the workflow for situations that might require them. *i think rF1 (yes, rFactor 1) 3dsMax plugins went up to 2010, though those might work with 2011 too?...
In my opinion 3dSimEd is worth every cent. Even if you are a 3dsmax only modder it gives you a different perspective (especially for material setup) and a better understanding what's going on. If you are not in a rush it's maybe worth to wait until ISI releases the new material editor (currently in early beta testing). http://wiki.rfactor.net/index.php?title=GJED
