Why do my 3D sleeper shape become distorted?

[bfgghy]

Hi,
I made my track with 3D sleepers which specified in the Middle Geometry BPID field in the track section blueprint. When I laid a track with short length, the sleeper worked correctly (figure 1). But when I laid a long track or laid several short track connected with each other, the sleeper become distorted or someplace disappeared (figure2,3,4).
It seemed that the game engine drew the sleeper shape in wrong way. How to solve this problem? Or are there any special requirements for making shapes using 3dsMAX?

Guo Haiyang

Figure1 (Correct)
http://www.sigman.cn/img/001.jpg

Figure2 (Wrong)
http://www.sigman.cn/img/002.jpg
Figure3 (Wrong)
http://www.sigman.cn/img/003.jpg
Figure4 (Wrong)
http://www.sigman.cn/img/004.jpg

[Ryosuke]

hello,

first of all, the images do not show up, so i can't comment on what they show.
i only get an error message which i can't decipher.

but with my experience of 3d sleepers there are three issues:

1. if you attach lots of short pieces of track together, then there might be larger gaps between sleepers because if the specified middle geometries' distance is 0,6m and a piece of track is 1,0m then there will only be space for one sleeper.

2. if you place very long pieces of track then the sleepers might dissapear. solve this by splitting your long piece of track into smaller section by using the split tool.

3. on switches you will only get 2d sleepers, but you can adjust their height so that they go beneath the ground and then place 3d sleepers by hand if you wish to go that far.

[SAVV01]

Mine had this distortion over long lengths when I had used a bump map on them. Removed the bump and the problem went away.

[bfgghy]

Mine had this distortion over long lengths when I had used a bump map on them. Removed the bump and the problem went away.

Hi, SAVV01,
What's bump map and how to remove it in 3dsMAX?

Guo Haiyang

[MikeTrams]

Mine had this distortion over long lengths when I had used a bump map on them. Removed the bump and the problem went away.

Hi, SAVV01,
What's bump map and how to remove it in 3dsMAX?

Guo Haiyang

Normal/Bump mapping. Makes a texture more 3D by adding lightening and darkening to higher looking pixels on a 2D texture... http://developer.nvidia.com/object/phot ... ugins.html

My suggestion if you are working in 3ds Max is to try 'Reset X form' in the side menu under the hammer option. If the object flips inside out simply go to your modifier list and select 'Normal'; this has nothing to do with mapping.

It may work.

Take care,
Mike

[3DTrains]

I've seen this before on my own 3D sleepers, and I believe it's due to a corrupt source model. To solve the issues:

• Remove the materials from the corrupt model
• Merge the parts into a new file
• Create a few temporary cubes to act as the new parts
• Attach the merged parts to the temporary cubes (and not the other way 'round)
• Remove the temporary cube shapes
• Add materials and check naming
• Finally, re-export to your source folder

The main two items are creating an all new file in which to merge the shapes, and using temporary cubes to attach the merged parts to. Attaching corrupted parts to newly created ones usually removes problems from the original mesh, but not always. If that doesn't work, then export the shapes from the corrupt model into an *.Obj or VRML file, which should keep all mapping intact.

Anyway, this worked for me...I haven't seen any problems since.

[bfgghy]

I have tried all methods mentioned above, but none of them have effect.
Then I made a simple cube as sleeper, the result is OK. But when I made the cube more complex( e.g. set Width Segments to 5 ), the result become bad ( see figure below ).
I have no way to go on! Who can help me?

Guo Haiyang

[Ryosuke]

what kuju-material do you use?

[bfgghy]

what kuju-material do you use?

I use TexDiff shader.

[iceman2117]

Select your Mesh and flip the "Normals" and Export new.

greets ice

[pauls]

Hi,

I've not made any track in Max yet - however if I made other objects with the pivot outside of the object it can give some very strange display problems at certain angles and ranges from the object. The effects look just like your bad sleepers. If possible put the pivot in the centre of the sleeper object and try again. (Perhaps what I suggest isn't possible when building track ??)

Hierarchy > Affect Pivot Only > Center to Object

Cheers
Paul

[bfgghy]

Select your Mesh and flip the "Normals" and Export new.

greets ice

When I use Flip Normals, I can see the inner faces show and the outer faces disappear in 3dsMax. But the result in game is still same as before.

Guo Haiyang

[bfgghy]

Hi,

I've not made any track in Max yet - however if I made other objects with the pivot outside of the object it can give some very strange display problems at certain angles and ranges from the object. The effects look just like your bad sleepers. If possible put the pivot in the centre of the sleeper object and try again. (Perhaps what I suggest isn't possible when building track ??)

Hierarchy > Affect Pivot Only > Center to Object

Cheers
Paul

Hi, Paul,
The pivot must on top of the sleeper, so the sleeper can be placed under the track in game.

Guo Haiyang

[3DTrains]

It seemed that the game engine drew the sleeper shape in wrong way. How to solve this problem?

Were you ever able to solve this?

I'm now finding myself in the same place as before, and the trick I used to solve previous issues doesn't appear to work. When the sleepers are by themselves, I get the problems you describe. However, when I add-in a set of temporary tie plates, the sleepers render the entire length of long sections (500m).

FWIW, I have other track using middle geometry with multiple pieces and textures, but none exhibit any noticeable issues. Only single objects (with one or multiple LODs) have problems.

[chaddockdk]

Marc

Thanks for the mail, yes I believe we have the same or similar issue.

My link is: - http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic.php?f=234&t=93665

We have had a go at serveral bits, trying to over come the distorted problem. With mine it always seems to be the second drawn of the object and sometimes first, maybe its a program problem?

The Middle Geometry BPID bit is the link, do we need other fields filling in or something on that line within the blueprint? I'm guessing here.

I don't think its the 3d package as we all seem to be getting the same results as the "Distorted Object", I could be put right on this point though, as my knowledge is little.

thanks,

chaddockdk