3ds Max Track importer plugin

Hey everyone,

I created this little plugin for 3ds Max that lets you import spline data from No Limits 2 and create your own custom track profile. It can be used to create custom track looks or to create a clearance envelope for your tracks. I added a couple of predefined track styles but you can create your own if you want.

What can it do?

• Import detailed model from your track
• Add mapping coordinates for striped rails etc.
• Add your own track style

Currently not supported:

• Tracks with diagonal crossties

I also currently haven't included any clearance envelopes but they can be created using the small instruction included in the readme.

Included tracks:

• B&M:
  

  

  
  
• B&M Invert:
  

  

  
  
• Arrow Style Corkscrew:
  

  

  
  
• Intamin Mega Coaster:
  

  

  
  
• Morgan Classic:
  

  

  
  
• Morgan Steel Dragon:
  

  

  
  
• Premier:
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  
• RMC Raptor Track:
  

  

  
  
• S&S:
  

  

  
  
• TOGO:
  

  

  
  
• TOGO Ultra Twister:
  

  

  
  
• Vekoma MK1101:
  

  

  
  
• Vekoma MK1101 Invert:
  

  

update log:

1.1:

- added connector ties
- added the ability to connect the start and end of the track
- fixed the scaling issue caused by different world units in 3ds Max

1.2:
- fixed importing crash with very small numbers
- combined the 2 versions of the script into one that works regardless of unit setup

1.3:
- added connectors between ties
- added 5 more track styles including Intamin Mega Coaster, Premier plate and beam style, RMC Raptor and S&S track

You can download the plugin here:

Download 3ds Max Track Importer 1.3

older versions:

Download 3ds Max Track Importer 1.2

Please make sure you download the right version, it depends on whether you use dots or commas as decimal seperators.

Download 3ds Max Track Importer 1.1
(dots as decimal seperators)

Download 3ds Max Track Importer 1.1
(commas as decimal seperators)

Download 3ds Max Track Importer


Tutorials:






Please let me know what you think of it. Any suggestions, track files etc are welcome to make this plugin even better.


Old post:

Hey,

Is there anyone here who uses 3ds Max to create their models?

I'm creating a script that reads the spline data that you can export from No Limits 2 into 3ds max and it creates a track model out of it. You can use it to create new track profiles for your coasters. Here are a few examples:

Vekoma MK1101 track:

Togo Track (Coaster by Cool5):

Ultra Twister:

I'm still working out how to get texture mapping to follow the track but what do you guys think?

I really like it! Can you do Meisho and Ikeda Works style too?

[mkingy]

That's actually pretty fantastic - can you alter it to basically create a clearance tunnel based on the NoLimits clearance object?

mkingy wrote:

That's actually pretty fantastic - can you alter it to basically create a clearance tunnel based on the NoLimits clearance object?

Jup that's possible. You can use any cross section you want.

@Cool5, I'll be focussing on getting the script done but you can see to include those styles in the final version.

That track Ultra Twister look very familiar to the track mod (same name) that I have right now for Ultimate Ride Disney Coaster. I think someday, I might have use NoLimits just for Spline creation, and use Maya to create UR-style realistic rides. I'm sure there needs to be a plugin of some sort just so that I don't have to use NoLimits for that.

Oh, and texture mapping, I believe if they are NURBS, you might be able to extract out the NURBS track piece, and extrude a little, and map the texture to those part. Convert to polygon to enable vertex painting.

I finished the plugin, see the first post for more details!

I cannot open the plugin file. It is a download manager. Can you possibly do scenic railway roller coaster track?

alright, I changed the download link.

Do you need the 3ds max program to use the plugin?

Yes, you do

Can you add this track style? It is from Meisho.

I have the nl2sco file but it looks like this. It is exported as a dae, straight from the 3ds max program. What did I do wrong?

How do I made the togo track smaller in 3ds max? I want to make it the same size at the track on my big apple togo coaster.

There are instructions how to create new track styles in the included readme. Since you just want to rescale one of the existing track, instead of creating a new one, you can just modify the existing file.

How do i do that? And also why is this happening?

It is happening at the green cone initial roll node.

That's basic 3d modeling in 3ds Max which I won't explain here. Open the existing Togo track file and play around with it. As for the gap, that's where the first and final generated section of track meet. You'll have to close the gap manually if you want to get rid of it.

I have absolutely no experience or modeling experience in 3ds max. You can PM me about the Togo track scaling.

Hey guys, I updated my script to version 1.1. These are the changes:

- fixed the world unit bug some people were experiencing.
- added the ability to close the track for a continuous circuit.
- I added the ability to add cross ties as shown in this example:

the download link can be found in the first post.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Can you make this really bizarre coaster track style?

https://rcdb.com/4492.htm#p=0

that actually looks really similar to the ultra twister track already included. I won't be able to create something soon but you could easily modify the ultra twister track by moving the rails to the top and bottom. Then export your track again but without banking and use a track style with just rails it to create the ring supports.

I will wait until you can make the track style. I can easily add in the catwalks with the default arrow catwalks.

I really want to try this but it looks too complicated. Is it hard to do? I need some more convincing.

I made a little tutorial, hopefully this will clarify some things:

Since it is so easy to make a circle, can you use 3ds max to make a Ferris wheel to be scripted later on?

cool5 wrote:

Since it is so easy to make a circle, can you use 3ds max to make a Ferris wheel to be scripted later on?

yeah you can!

To all: if you have been getting jagged track out of this tool you can now download a version that should fix this problem. Head over to the first post and download the "dots as decimal seperators" version.