Tutorial - Objects for BTB with Sketchup

[Biggles1212]

Hi I've completed a full tutorial that should be comprehensive enough for just about anyone to make objects in Sketchup and use them in BTB for their favorite sim.

I'd appreciate any good suggestions.

It took me a few hours to work all the snags out and there was a lot of great information already here at Race Department.

I've uploaded the tutorial here.

http://forum.racedepartment.com/downloads/btb-library/38/full-objects-sketchup-btb-1805/

If you have any questions post them here or PM me. I'll do my best but I'm no guru at this.

Do enjoy. Thanks

 

[Lee Knight]

If you just wanted the axis of that model as it was shifted to the center of the object then Ive done it for you...
It had been a while since I was last in SketchUp so I had remembered the process wrongly when I advised you earlier...
What I did was highlight everything by dragging a square around it & then used the 4way arrow (the symbol under 'Plug Ins' to drag the whole lot into place & located it by eye...
Not the most precise way but the only way I knew...

Now, I can no longer use Mediafire for some odd reason so Ive uploaded it here for you; http://filecloud.io/2x3d15tj
Make sure you scroll down & use the fine blue writing link to download & don't click any other buttons otherwise it will try to tell you to sign up... ;-)
Hope this has fixed things, let me know if it's all good or not...
Best of luck,
BLeeK

 

[sti228]

Barbje_Keller

I think, you need find and watch or read some Sketchup tutorial, how work with... There is BTB formu.

I don't know what you are think, but this is name of this topic "Tutorial - Objects for BTB with Sketchup" and i don't think that it's the wrong place to ask questions about google sketchup. I know what is the point of this forum, for these reason i ask my questions here.

Lee Knight
Thank you for help.

 

[Lee Knight]

Uh-oh....
I better check that again, If the model was on the wrong axis then I forgot to rotate it the correct way up...
I'll check it again now while I think of it, sorry brain is rather slow & tired right now...

[edit] Nope, all good. Please disregard this post, like I said....very tired lol

 

[Mangoletsi]

sti228

You dont centre objects for BTB, because the axis point on the model is the control point for the move, rotate and scale tools in BTB. You wont be able to see the tools inside the middle of the building in BTB.

To change the angle of the building in sketchup, there is a rotate tool in red arrows along the top. You just click on the bottom corner and a protractor will apear, now you can turn the building to the angle you want. (hint, the blue axis line points to the sky).

 

[sti228]

Hi. I want to import tires in game, but problem is textures of google sketchup models. Dimension of texture is wrong. I try to solve this problem and make new textures for it, but everything ****ed up. Same problem i have when i try to import 3d model of car (from Sketchup) in BTB. Textures don't show for one side of car.

 

[GTAce]

Are your textures .dds and power of two (512x512, 1024x1024 etc.)?

 

[sti228]

GTAce

Some of them are 1024x512, 512x256, 512x512 but not dds. It's BMP format.

 

[GTAce]

That's your problem most likely. They need to be .dds and power of two.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Let's call a compromise and make them PNG Actually that's true, when using Sketchup, PNG format rules. But that bein said, BMP should work anywhere: like PNG it's uncompressed. Using PNG in SU and then changing it to DDS in XPacker gives the most constant results.

Is that sratchbuild or have you copied it from 3D warehouse? If it's latter, then you most likely need to edit it heavily, that includes re-texturing and optimizing; trackside eqipment rarely need to be hi-poly objects, the less complex shape, the better. Warehouse models work best as a reference of the basic shape, i've used them a lot but i have taken only dimensions from them. I've managed to import some cars but in order for them to work properly, they need to be almost completely redone.

 

[Barbje_Keller]

I think, best way is (for beginners) make easy model in Sketchup - export as collada, import it in Blender (it's free program) and make texturing on it. And as result you have easy way (and many ways) of texture mapping. And what is important (especial for RBR), at center in main texture sheet (I don,t know how better explain it)...

 

[sti228]

GTAce
Kennett Ylitalo
Barbje_Keller

Forget to tell thank you for your help people (my bad). Everything looks great in game, but fps droop to much. I search and find that one texture size is 2048x2048 and i think it is main problem. Later i will reduce his size 128x128 or 512x512. Thank you again for help me

Respect

 

[GTAce]

The tires look pretty good, would be cool if you could make an Xpack and share it.

 

[Barbje_Keller]

Seems some tyres models have to big detailing, you every time, mus to try, find commpromis between good view and simplify modelling. Darkest tyres looks have to much angles (and polys too), left tyres (in last picture) to less. Seems you have 8 corners in circle, lets try with 12 and it's will better... As result you will have better game performance...

 

[sti228]

Barbje_Keller

Seems some tyres models have to big detailing, you every time, mus to try, find commpromis between good view and simplify modelling. Darkest tyres looks have to much angles (and polys too), left tyres (in last picture) to less. Seems you have 8 corners in circle, lets try with 12 and it's will better... As result you will have better game performance...

It's to hard to make good looking object with better game performance. fps drop in 1 when i hit object. I will work on it soon again.

 

[GTAce]

Is there a tutorial somewhere which explains how to create trees or grass with transperancy?
I just can't get it to work right. Used software: SketchUp 8, Photoshop CS2 with .dds plugin and 3DSimED v3.

 

[sti228]

GTAce

I know this one. Maybe it help you a little.

 

[GTAce]

Thanks! I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

[sti228]

Hello. Finally i find normal tire for rFactor. I also make my one tire in sketchup but don't know how to texturing it. Someone can help ?

I must assign in model this 2 textures. Have no idea how to texturing it, because of texture size. If i change dimensions of texture 512x512 the first one looks very bad.

I think i can make it, find lesson about this. Finally i understand how to make my textures My first try.

 

[R Soul]

It looks good but it's way to detailed for a tyre wall. People will be driving past them at high speed so high detail will not be noticed.

The high detail is the reason for the FPS problem when you collide with it. It gives the game so many calculations to do. In XPacker, go to the object's properties and select Use Collision Column. It's really meant for trees but it might work with your tyres.

I haven't tried that myself though. For my track, tyre walls were immobile (which I think is the norm) and I used an invisible wall as the collision model.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Yup, you need these to be as simple as possible, you can let them be a little blocky.. You need to really take time to optimized these, you'll be having ten thousand copies of it in the track, so that 400+ polycount per object goes to millions really fast. My tirewalls have around ~20 triangles each.. That means only 6 sides, it's far from being round but with some clever normal control and baked textures, you can do wonders.. Basically my favorite part of modelling, trying to figure out ways to decrease polycount.

http://www.ericchadwick.com/examples/provost/byf1.html
This is really good read, even if the technical side is a bit complex, the basic concept is really easy to learn and applies to all games. Close: detailed, far away: simple. Use your most detailed objects in features like bridges, pits and anything that has to be close to camera. Use really simple objects elsewhere.