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Post by stan on Mar 8, 2024 8:48:20 GMT
Morning all This a request to all guests and members of our forum if anybody can make 3D models and animated models that can be used in the Rule the Rail game please consider becoming a member or if you are already a member please come forward, any offer will be considered and we will be more than happy to accept your assistance
Very Best Regards Stan (admin)
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Post by dad3353 on Mar 8, 2024 10:39:41 GMT
Good morning, Stan...
Having tried for many, many hours and weeks to get animations accepted by RTR, I have relinquished this ambition, with some regret, and now prefer to spend what little time I have left with projects on other platforms. The issue is not creating the animations, but getting RTR to recognise the result without crashing. I have had, in the past, clues and information on how to create the required files, but none has so far given a reliable outcome. Other models (wagons, rolling stock, building etc...) should not be problematic, and we know that RTR is capable of valve gear animation, as there are models that have this, but none of my efforts have achieved this same result. If new information is forthcoming I would consider it, but, for now, it's, with regret, a dead end; meanwhile, here's an animated version of the RTR BR75, with animated valve gear; I have not found a way of importing this back to RTR...
Have a splendid day...
Douglas
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Post by stan on Mar 8, 2024 13:07:09 GMT
Hi dad3353 I am convinced that someone out there must have the answer to this problem, I take it that blender animation does not work in RTR. I wonder what animation program did Brain bombers use to do the animation for there models and which programs did other modelers use to do there animated models. I am strongly believe that if other modelers can do it, we should be able to do it.
Best Regards Stan
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Post by dad3353 on Mar 8, 2024 13:14:42 GMT
... I wonder what animation program did Brain bombers use to do the animation... The only software that I'm aware of for creating RTR 'x'-files is Fragmotion (FM...). The animations can be done using only FM, but it, too, is a product of its age, and is a horror to use for this. Converting from one software to another (Blender to Milkshape to FM, for instance...) is possible, but 'clunky', but whatever the initial software used, I have only found FM to be able to create RTR files. Only for simple models, though; RTR spits out anything with any more than a spot of connecting rods. If there are other tools, I'd be glad to know of them (budget allowing, naturally...). Douglas
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Post by stan on Mar 8, 2024 15:55:29 GMT
Hi Douglas Does blender not export x files? if not, I have a x file import/export plugin you can have
Regards Stan
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Post by dad3353 on Mar 8, 2024 16:47:38 GMT
Stan...
'x' files come in all sorts of flavours; as far as I know, Blender does not have an add-on for this. There used to be one, for older versions of Blender (2.x.x..?), but even that didn't export 'x' files in the format that RTR needs. I've yet to find a coherent definition of the 'x' file version that RTR uses; it's certainly not the 'standard' Direct-x used by Microsoft. Blender is able to export in a whole range of formats, very few of which are recognised by FM or Milkshape.
Douglas
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Post by starfighter on Mar 8, 2024 19:09:14 GMT
Hi ALL,
as I mentioned in one of the previous threads, information and instructions on how to create animated models of steam locomotives as well as how to export them to RTR are given on the old LVD forum. I don't know if they are still relevant, I'm not a model maker. The problem is how to get them here - on LVD they once made the same mistake I warned about here - they canceled access to guests without registration. However, as the Administrators on LVD became inactive over time, there was no one to confirm registration for new RTR fans, without which no one can get on LVD, and LVD began to die! The only way to get the info on creating and exporting animated models from LVD here is if one of the earlier RTR fans, registered on LVD and here, would copy the info from LVD, bring it here and put it in the Tips and Tricks thread for example . However, it would have to be someone who is a modeler and knows exactly what to copy and what information is important. I am not a model maker. Therefore, it occurs to me that RTRFan, for example, who I know also has a valid account and access to LVD, could take on this task. So if he agrees...
STARFIGHTER
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Post by dad3353 on Mar 8, 2024 19:28:49 GMT
This is the only 'official' documentation that I have seen concerning a method for building for RTR using Fragmotion. It works, up to a point, beyond which the animations work in FM, but I've yet to import them successfully into RTR. Why..? That's the mystery; if I knew why they are not accepted, the issue would be resolved. If there are other documents on the subject, I would be interested to see them. Douglas Tutorial Fragmotion for animated rolling stock.pdf (321.34 KB)
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Post by rtrfan739 on Mar 9, 2024 3:49:47 GMT
Well I am still able to make models. But I don't do any animated models.
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Post by starfighter on Mar 9, 2024 8:21:41 GMT
Well I am still able to make models. But I don't do any animated models. If you read my comment posted above, in this case it's about someone who has a valid LVD account, knows how to build models, and understands the technical details of this activity, log into LVD, search it there (Tips and Tricks thread is best ), copied instructions on how to create models including animations and how to export to RTR left there by former Admins and old members of the RTR community (including the BB team) and pasted those instructions into some thread here on RTR Central. I don't know if these instructions are still relevant, but they might help... No one can force you, the decision to undertake the task is yours…
STARFIGHTER
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train
Conductor
Posts: 114
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Post by train on Apr 20, 2024 19:48:00 GMT
Stan... 'x' files come in all sorts of flavours; as far as I know, Blender does not have an add-on for this. There used to be one, for older versions of Blender (2.x.x..?), but even that didn't export 'x' files in the format that RTR needs. I've yet to find a coherent definition of the 'x' file version that RTR uses; it's certainly not the 'standard' Direct-x used by Microsoft. Blender is able to export in a whole range of formats, very few of which are recognised by FM or Milkshape. Douglas There are multiple X exporting addons for blender, the main issue would be finding one that generates valid data for RTR, if any exists. What could be done is trying to compare the formatting differences between a .x file generated with Blender and a .x file generated by FragMotion, given that .x files are stored as plain text data, and then try to build an add-on for Blender that is capable of replicating the same type of formatting FM .x files use, something that sounds easy in theory but would be quite challenging in practice.
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Post by starfighter on Apr 21, 2024 8:28:01 GMT
Hi Train, welcome back! It's a pity that the RTR decompile was not successfully completed, hopefully someone will be able to do it in the future... Regarding the creation of animated 3d models, I can't directly help, I'm not a model maker and I don't understand this work. It's nice that you and others are trying to solve the mystery of exporting an .x file of animated models to RTR, but it may take a long time. As I mentioned in previous comments, information about this problem that might help is stored on the LVD server in the Tips and Tricks, Tutorials, etc. threads. This information was left there by the last LVD Admin nicknamed Capt P Kelly and other members of the BB team. You, Dad3353 and the other new members of the RTR community do not have access to LVD for the above reasons, so the only option is to contact someone who has access there to find, copy and paste this information to RTR Central. However, since this is professional information, it should also be someone who is a modeler and understands this information. It could be RTRFan739 or Orlando. It is necessary to properly negotiate with them to find some free time, log on to LVD, search it there, copy the information found and paste it here. Hope this information helps... Otherwise the discussion here is just a waste of time... STARFIGHTER
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train
Conductor
Posts: 114
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Post by train on Apr 21, 2024 18:57:48 GMT
Hi Train, welcome back! It's a pity that the RTR decompile was not successfully completed, hopefully someone will be able to do it in the future... Regarding the creation of animated 3d models, I can't directly help, I'm not a model maker and I don't understand this work. It's nice that you and others are trying to solve the mystery of exporting an .x file of animated models to RTR, but it may take a long time. As I mentioned in previous comments, information about this problem that might help is stored on the LVD server in the Tips and Tricks, Tutorials, etc. threads. This information was left there by the last LVD Admin nicknamed Capt P Kelly and other members of the BB team. You, Dad3353 and the other new members of the RTR community do not have access to LVD for the above reasons, so the only option is to contact someone who has access there to find, copy and paste this information to RTR Central. However, since this is professional information, it should also be someone who is a modeler and understands this information. It could be RTRFan739 or Orlando. It is necessary to properly negotiate with them to find some free time, log on to LVD, search it there, copy the information found and paste it here. Hope this information helps... Otherwise the discussion here is just a waste of time... STARFIGHTER Do we know how many people out there would be able to log in into LVD?
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Post by starfighter on Apr 22, 2024 6:40:32 GMT
Hi Train,
I don't understand the question. Which people out there? Of the active members of the RTR Central community, about 5 or 6 people I know of have access to LVD, of which 2 (RTRFan739, Orlando) or 3 are model makers...
STARFIGHTER
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train
Conductor
Posts: 114
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Post by train on Apr 22, 2024 11:13:35 GMT
Hi Train, I don't understand the question. Which people out there? Of the active members of the RTR Central community, about 5 or 6 people I know of have access to LVD, of which 2 (RTRFan739, Orlando) or 3 are model makers... STARFIGHTER Nice, thanks. Can you send me a list privately so I could try getting in contact?
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