Hi All,

3D Canvas 6.1 Beta 1 is available here: http://www.3d-canvas.com/downloads/3DCanvas61Beta1.zip

I'll be posting details of the new features a little bit later. See this thread for the features that were new in Alpha 1: http://www.amabilis.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.cgi?board=3DCanvasProGeneral;action=display;num=1066413717;start=0

Plug-ins compiled to work with the 6.1 alpha will NOT work with this version.

Again, this is 100% undocumented.

One area of concern is texturing. I am trying to make it so that when you texture an area it does NOT need re-creasing. If you find things turn dark after texturing, please let me know, and let me know how to reproduce it. Thanks.

Richard

The big change since the alpha is custom LOD support for Microsoft Train Simulator.

In the picture that follows I have three LOD models increasing in detail from left to right (you'll have to use your imagination )



The following series of pictures show the exported model from various distances in the game.



Here's how it works:

1) You create your "close view" model.

All parts MUST have unique names and the root group must be called Main (as usual)

2) You make copies of that model (likely in separate files) for each detail level and make changes to the various parts - trimming removing parts etc.

3) You copy and paste the models into one file.

4) You name the "root" group of each of the distance levels "main.nnn" where nnn is the distance in meters that this version of the model becomes visible. The highest detail model's root group is called "Main"

5) You export.

Richard

There is a new option with the Train Simulator Wizard that allows you to export non-consolidated sub-objects. This is important for those who are creating signals.

Richard

There is a new "Create Unique Names" plug-in that creates unique names for a group or hierarchy. It was mostly created for the new MSTS LOD function, but has other uses I am sure.

Richard

I've added a new feature for operation writers that allows them to specify the increment/decrement for an upclick/downclick for numeric operation parameters. It also works for "big changes" for sliders.

I've modified the Chamfer and Bend operations to use this new feature to provide more appropriate increments/decrements.

Richard

The new and improved Extrude operation has a new "Extrude Using Face Direction" check box that makes it behave like the old 6.0 version.

Richard

3D Canvas no longer creates "Optimized Distance Levels" for Train Simulator. The low-polygon modelling techniques most modellers use (deleteing non-visible faces etc), made this impractical. Instead there is now an option to produce "Consolidated Distance Levels". With some models this doesn't "optimize" a whole lot, but with others it is quite effective.

And, of course there is the new custom LOD feature which you can use and manually apply the "Reduce" operation to parts to reduce their size. That way you have maximum control. Though, there is definitely more effort involved.

Richard

There are a few fixes. Of note, windows now retain their size and Drag and Drop actually lands on the object you dropped on. When was the last time it did that? And why didn't anyone tell me it didn't?  

Richard

The MD2 export has a new option that allows you to specify that all child objects should also be exported. This is handy for jointed models that are being exported to MD2.

Richard

The Reduce operation now works on objects texture with Targa textures (and JPGs and BMPs etc.).

Richard

And, I think that is it. No other new features for 6.1. (Unless I have forgotten something)

I'm going to spend the next while fixing bugs. After that I am on to something really fun (for me) - the new renderer. That will be for version 6.2. Version 6.3 will be the implementation of new rendering tricks - hopefully shaders.

Richard

Bloody Hell !

This is just the best stuff ever. Words fail me.

Thanks a heap Richard. ;D

Plugins now recompiled for 6.1 Beta...

http://www31.brinkster.com/decapod/plugins601.htm

Like I said, "Richard provides world class support"!

I've probably been one of the loudest in requesting manual lod control, Richard's solution is stunning in its simplicity, just duplicate the model for each lod and remove what you don't want! Neat, very neat.

Richard, the results of the s file test for "non-consolidated sub-objects" should be in your mail.

Stunning, absolutely stunning. Don't know how you do it so quickly. Looking forward to trying out the manual LOD's
(Only managed to download the alpha yesterday! The boolean operations are much improved.)

Cheers
Kevin

Great work.

Just found a bug though. If you try painting an object that has smoothing set on it in the properties with the paint brush tool you get an unrecoverable error #9.

Paul,

I'm hoping this will be it. I THINK plug-ins compiled for the beta should run in the final version. Unless I missed something major.

Deanville,

LODS are pretty simple and they turned out to relatively simple to program (sub-objects weren't so easy). But as always I worry about "breaking stuff" when I add enhancements. I haven't changed the Train Sim export for ages so I really didn't want to mess with it. But I think it came through it OK.

There is one limitation of the way I made distance levels. You can't do anything that applies a "Shift" operation to an object. So for instance you can't move an object from one group to another in the LODs. It will make the LODs look wrong. You can delete points, delete objects, merge faces, paint differently etc. as much as you want, but if you Shift something it will cause funny looking LODs.

You also can replace an object with another, but if you do you have to make sure that no Shifts are applied as a result and that the object's original group is not moved. So, what you do is you move the new object to the old object's group, delete the old object, shift the new object to the right location (not moving the group!) and rename the new object to be the same as the old object.

Ken,

Yes, that was reported just before I released the beta. It was too late to fix it for the first beta. That will probably be the first thing I work on since I am really curious as to the cause. The auto-smoothing is pretty fragile since there are a LOT of performance related shortcuts in the code for auto-smoothing to ensure that nothing is recalculated unless it absolutely has to be.

Richard

I've already been replacing objects, works fine. I've been working with pre 6.1 models, cloning the entire Main heirarchy, deleting/changing what I want, and then renaming Main.x.x.x to Main..

I did note that "converting model to 6.x" message currently reads "6.0.2" though.

If Main, Main.111, and Main.222 exist, my interpretation is:
- Objects in Main will be exported in dlevel_selection (111), i.e. will be rendered at 111 meters or under
- objects in Main.111 will be exported in dlevel_selection (222)
- objects in Main.222 will be exported in dlevel_selection (2000)

Where I want the objects to not be rendered beyond a distance closer than 2000m I just edit the dlevel_selection (2000) entry to the desired cut off distance.

Good work as usual, regards,

[quote author=Amabilis Support link=board=3DCanvasProGeneral;num=1067327894;start=0#10 date=10/28/03 at 03:47:26]And, I think that is it. No other new features for 6.1. (Unless I have forgotten something)

I'm going to spend the next while fixing bugs. After that I am on to something really fun (for me) - the new renderer. That will be for version 6.2. Version 6.3 will be the implementation of new rendering tricks - hopefully shaders.

Richard[/quote]


Richard, Installed on my work computer. Log file sent to you by email.

Deanville,

Yes, that is correct. The S file has a "cutoff distance" for distance levels and 3DC has a "start distance". That means that in 3DC you can't explicitly enter an "end distance". I had a good reason for doing it that way. But I forget why  ???

Vulcan,

I didn't receive it.

Richard