any easy way to import 3D building models from "Google 3D Warehouse"??

ed_jza80 · Dec 31, 2009

i did a search and could find an answer to anything like this... plus im a bit of a hack at BTB, but getting better, so bear with me!

anyway, im interested in using this building as a model on my track:

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=8992b1353be3bbc895b06ee2e25a00d2

plus im sure theres more i could use hiding in that catalogue.

thing is, whats the best/easiest way of import this kind of model into BTB, if at all?

cheers
ed

XXR_RICHARD · Dec 31, 2009

cut out landscap out off the building export it too 3ds then inport too btb you be fine bro

ed_jza80 · Dec 31, 2009

sorry, im not sure what you mean?

i can download various different formats of the 3d model (.skp/.kmz etc)... can i use that prebuilt model 'as is' in some way.

and sorry as im sure this is a dumbass question, but what is 3ds? and where can i go/look/read to get an introduction if thats the only way to do this?

cheers
ed

iloveusernames · Dec 31, 2009

3ds is one of many file formats 3D models are saved in. It is only the mesh...no textures included.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.3ds

If you're using the free version of Sketchup you won’t be able to export to the 3ds file format. You can unzip the KMZ and extract the dae 3d model and textures. The *.dae file does not seem to import to Xpacker.

There really isnt an "easy way" unless you have the pro version of Sketchup, or something equivalent. I tried the Autodesk FBX converter and it's a bit of doing to get everything right. You can try it though http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=12
The FXB Converter is near the bottom of the page. I was left with a model sitting on the Z axis without textures...

mianiak · Dec 31, 2009

I think this might help you
http://forum.racedepartment.com/bobs-track-builder/24910-full-tutorial-objects-for-btb-sketchup.html

ps, it would be great to have a tutorial's sub forum, It would save searching for hours

Emery · Dec 31, 2009

If you don't want to go the SketchUp v6 or SketchUp Pro routes, you can also get 3DSimEd and it'll import SketchUp 7 files. Then you export them as .3DS (or at least that's what I do) and use the XPacker utility to get them into BTB. 3DSimEd is a nice complement to BTB, particularly if you want to explore how other people achieved their results.

ed_jza80 · Jan 1, 2010

thanks for the tips guys. im entirely new to this kind of stuff, so its a whole new bunch of software and file formats im not familiar with. i appreciate the help!

ill have a play with whatever software i can find and download to get a feel for things.

ed_jza80 · Jan 8, 2010

ok, i tried 3dsimed and it opens the sketchup files i downloaded from google just fine, but the 3ds output file is 1kb in size (tired it a few times) and XPacker just looks at it and says theres no model?

by any chance could some skilled and caring person have a look at the file and see if they can get it through x-packer?

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=8992b1353be3bbc895b06ee2e25a00d2

cheers
ed

gs83 · Jan 8, 2010

ed_jza80 said:
ok, i tried 3dsimed and it opens the sketchup files i downloaded from google just fine, but the 3ds output file is 1kb in size (tired it a few times) and XPacker just looks at it and says theres no model?

by any chance could some skilled and caring person have a look at the file and see if they can get it through x-packer?

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=8992b1353be3bbc895b06ee2e25a00d2

cheers
ed

It worked for me. Here's what i did:

-Download Sketchup 6 version
-Open in sketchup first and export to KMZ google earth 4

Then the usual rename .zip, etc. I tested in a track in BTB and it went in no problem for me

ed_jza80 · Jan 9, 2010

ok, it works

well, kind of! after much messing around, realising that i had to convert all the texture files to 128/256/512 etc ratios for rFactor to accept the object, i got the object into BTB, and exported to rFactor.

problem: several of the walls become invisible when the model is displayed in rFactor?

I assume this is because the model was incorrectly assembled by the original author? ie with the wrong face/wrong side of the poly facing out? how can i ammend this in the original model? or just easier to start from scratch?

ed_jza80 · Jan 9, 2010

well, never mind! i found that check box in x-packer that allows you to nominate the polys to be double sided. i assume this comes at *some* perfomance loss, but as this model has limited polys, and my track doesnt have many buildings anyway, im not sweating it

that said, is there a more graceful way i couldve done it?

cheers
ed

(learning curves suck btw)

mianiak · Jan 10, 2010

Its not the right way to do it. A poly only has one visible side, when made 2 sided it then becomes 2 polys and is wasting resources. There is no point taking short cuts when it is very easily fixed, plus taking short cuts will not win you any points. If you want people to use and like your track, the easiest way to achieve that is to do it right

You need to flip the normals on that poly that is invisible. I think the easiest way to do it is open the file up in bender, highlight the poly in question, select 'flip normals' and re export as 3ds, then xpacker -> btb etc.

ed_jza80 · Jan 10, 2010

haha! easy if you have a clue what youre doing!

i dont usually play with kind of stuff, and im getting too old to learn new tricks! lol, well, not that old, but slowly getting there! all this software and these file types are being learnt on the run!

i made my first cube in sketchup last night

so, blender eh? ill go suss it out. this track better be worth it!

ps - in terms of optimising polys then, wouldnt it be worthwhile to then run around the whole terrain and merge/reduce the terrain? i mean along the whole side of the track it theres massive number of polys, but manually reducing that number is an epic task?

cheers
ed

mianiak · Jan 10, 2010

I wouldn't bother doing that to the terrain, unless it is extreme.

Yeah Blender is the go, I see all the steps needed to use sketchup and no offence to the people who swear by it, but in all honesty, Blender is a lot simpler. It's just 3 main steps and no other software. 1, make model. 2, UV texturemap model. 3, Export as 3ds. Then it's just a matter of putting it in XPacker. Plus with Blender you can use smoothing. It just takes a little bit of reading and research to understand how it works. The first thing I did with Blender was a tutorial called 'blender car' found on youtube. From that tutorial, it taught me enough things i needed to know to use blender (although its not the correct way to make a car, it still gives you a good guide how to use Blender). The only other thing is UV mapping, which can be a bit difficult to learn, but one again, its simple and fast. In one week of fiddling with Blender, you will be able to use it to put models into your tracks. I will make a tutorial one day if I ever get the chance, but atm its summer here and in the high to mid 30's every day, it's hard to get motivated haha.