Atomic Systems

Hi

I've been amusing myself in an attempt to make a model of a diesel engine (Talyllyn No 9 "Alf") for MSTS. I've made the basic shape - as well as I could guess, not having any drawings or dimensions etc, but I'm struggling with getting the model finished and working properly.

I used Decapod's 'engineer' plugin to create the chassis+wheels, though I've edited the wheels in various ways during construction. I'm not especially happy with the paint job so far - I'm hoping to get to Tywyn to get some pictures to help with the textures needed to get it looking better and I'm iterating through Paintshop to adjust the finished colours etc.

The real problem - and I'm probably missing something very basic that I should have learned properly at the outset - is that the engine goes the wrong way no matter what I do.

I think I may have mistakenly built the thing the wrong way round in the first place - I was under the impression that 'forwards' faced the camera in the 3DC view. (?) I had tried exporting the .S file at earlier stages and the rod and wheel animation worked but 'forwards' (ie reverser on "W") was backwards in MSTS. I've tried turning the model round using the properties setting and turning the body round on the chassis and I either end up with the wheels and rods going backwards whilst the engine goes forwards, or with the rod animation completely wrong.

I'm using the trainsim export wizard for export. There's an issue with this with engines that don't have bogie wheelsets - like mine - in that it doesn't generate the .eng file correctly when you skip identifying the wheels. I have a separate eng file which appears to work and one I've been using throughout. The 'headout' view points the wrong way and the exhaust isn't where I thought I'd put the placeholder. I can probably change these in the .eng file - and I'm wondering if it's just a matter of editing this or whether I have an orientation issue with the model which I need to correct first.
(edit - yes, I have now changed the exhaust and headout positions... )

I'm now not sure how to get this lined up correctly and would appreciate any guidance. I've already told myself I should go back and look at the various tutorials ................but it was entertaining playing with the modelling tools

John

If I'm reading you correctly, you're building the model so that it faces you in the initial Perspective view. In fact it should be facing away from you when it first loads up and you'd be looking at the back.

Yes, thanks for confirming that - it will be easier next time - assuming I ever finish the model I'm on at the moment

Anyway, I'm 'back on track' - all that was needed was the 'normalise groups' plugin.

John