Questionaire!

Here is a few questions that I need answered!

1) What is a good 3Ds program?
2) What is the "tunnel test"?
3) What is the "e-stop test"?
4) Is there any other test I should know about?
5) How do you create a custom enviroment?
6) How do you create a custom cartexture? (Freeze's didn't work![:(])

Please answer them...and please send the answers to me by PM. Thank you! (I hope this is the right forum...[B)])

I will PM this to you ... but here are the answers as well in case others might benefit from them:

1) What is a good 3Ds program? Too many to name, just search Google for NL 3Ds and you will find a bunch. Pick one that is easy for you to use ... but before doing that, read this whole thing and pay attention to #5.

2) What is the "tunnel test"? Tunnel test means in the SIM you fly around (hit the "e" key) and watch your trains at slow speeds (plus or minus buttons) to be sure they are not too "close" to trees, opposing tracks, etc. that might cause someone to lose a limb or even a head. You also are checking for odd supports that might cause a derailment, making sure trees are not sticking through tunnels, etc.

Added (thanks Brtn): For a quick way to check this, select all pieces of the track and activate the tunnel option ... then fly around in the SIM and look for supports and stuff sticking through the tunnel. This means that they could hurt your riders and need to be moved.

3) What is the "e-stop test"? If you have an MCBR (Mid Course Brake Run) you should stop your train on it while in the SIM (hit F12). When you release it (F12 again), your train should not only roll off the brakes, but make it back to the station. When doing this for a woodie, there should be NO kicker wheels on the MCBR. Woodies do not use them, so gravity must be enough to get your train all the way back. (Just remember to angle your brake sections downward and this should take care of it.) If using steel, you can use transport wheels/LIMs, but not using them is much better and shows your design flare. But again, the train MUST make it all the way back to final brake run.

4) Is there any other test I should know about? Common sense here ... make sure you are not running into anything like supports, that there are no red or yellow (sustained) G problems (watch the stat bar at the top). Also, check for pumping and car pinching, etc.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Basically, think about how a coaster acts in real life, and then watch in the SIM for these types of problems and fix them. Trains do not collide or kill riders in real life .... etc.

5) How do you create a custom enviroment? Most graphic programs can do this, but I would recommend concentrating on track work first. A decent track should take you about 50 hours at a min, and any less really says there will be problems, IMO.

6) How do you create a custom cartexture? (Freeze's didn't work!) See #5 ... create a good track first and worry about the other stuff later.

1) What is a good 3Ds program?
5) How do you create a custom enviroment?
6) How do you create a custom cartexture? (Freeze's didn't work![:(])

For free programs, you can use object creator's eval version and anim8tor.

anim8tor is currently working great for me, except for something misisng that's essential for my next project. (It's being able to use the .png format and .png's with alpha channels, with real transluscency-with gradients and stuff. What I mean is the type of alpha you see on a light's corona texture.)

[Dirk_Ermen]

Originally posted by omg sars

Here is a few questions that I need answered!

1) What is a good 3Ds program?
2) What is the "tunnel test"?
3) What is the "e-stop test"?
4) Is there any other test I should know about?
5) How do you create a custom enviroment?
6) How do you create a custom cartexture? (Freeze's didn't work![:(])

Please answer them...and please send the answers to me by PM. Thank you! (I hope this is the right forum...[B)])

1: There are many different programs, anim8or, object creator, etc...
2: a tunnel test is a test where you place a tunnel over every segment, (there are some tool that do it in one click) And if you see coming supports, theming, etc. Through the tunnel you can say that you can reach that object/support while riding so it's dangerous and test failed.
3: E-stop test is a test where you press the e-stop on different places, if a train will stall or collide with eachother then the test is failed. IF trains will move again on brakes or make no collisions after the test, then the test is approved.
4: I'm not sure if there are other tests. But you can say there is a g-test. If the g-'s comes out of realistic limits you can say the g-'s are too high. If you want a realistic g-force scale, get it here:
http://d1jlserver.dnsalias.net/CCDev2/p ... fm?fid=516
If it comes with that g-scale in red, people die, If it stay's in green, then people will survive the track. And in the yellow part people can get a black-out, but won't die.
5: As first you need a program that can create an enviroment. There are some programs around that can create a realistic 'skybox'. if you import those 'skybox' images in that program. it will create an enviroment.
6: Cartexture can now in some different format, i thought JPG and TGA. I'm not sure what you meant with freeze's. a cartexture can't move. To create a cartexture you need proto editing software. Create an image and save it in ur cartexture folder. Then in the nolimits editor you can add it to the car.

Good luck and i hope i've helped you....