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Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:16 pm
by pjt1974
Could someone tell me, can you convert MSTS models to Railworks? if so how?
My apologies if this is on a thread already and if that is the case, please link me as I've poured through this forum all afternoon trying to find the answer.
The reason being is I've been offered models used for the MSTS Isle of Man route to use on my RW Isle of Man route and it would seem like an opportunity missed if I did atleast try to convert them over.
Also, is there a way to convert Engines and Rolling stock from MTST to RW?

many thanks
Phil

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:25 pm
by g0fthick
You can't have looked too far as we get one of these topics popping up almost daily.

There's no simple way of transferring from one to another. They're totally different games, and handle everything differently. In order to convert them you'll need the original source files, the most important being the geometry files as these aren't distributed, unlike textures.

If you have these then you'll have to look into how the Blueprint editor works to place them in game. There's a fair bit of information on this process on the Railworks Wiki.

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:19 pm
by pjt1974
Comments like 'you couldn't have looked far' are not appreciated thanks. 3 - 4 hours have been spent today looking through RW and RS threads try to find what I'm looking for, posting this was my last resort.

Moving on, I'll take a gander over to Railworkswiki just now, I'd almost forgotten it was there due to most things being explained on here

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:55 pm
by g0fthick
pjt1974 wrote:Comments like 'you couldn't have looked far' are not appreciated thanks. 3 - 4 hours have been spent today looking through RW and RS threads try to find what I'm looking for, posting this was my last resort.
I didn't mean it to come across as rude, but the question comes up so often that it only takes going back a page to find one.
pjt1974 wrote:Moving on, I'll take a gander over to Railworkswiki just now, I'd almost forgotten it was there due to most things being explained on here
There are also a number of gems on the Art of Railworks blog.

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:55 pm
by g0fthick
pjt1974 wrote:Comments like 'you couldn't have looked far' are not appreciated thanks. 3 - 4 hours have been spent today looking through RW and RS threads try to find what I'm looking for, posting this was my last resort.
I didn't mean it to come across as rude, but the question comes up so often that it only takes going back a page to find one.
pjt1974 wrote:Moving on, I'll take a gander over to Railworkswiki just now, I'd almost forgotten it was there due to most things being explained on here
There are also a number of gems on the Art of Railworks blog.

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:19 pm
by pjt1974
Not a problem, my length of thread was getting short trying to find an answer. Couldn't see the wood because the trees were in the way so to speak.
From what I've seen it's not imposible to convert,just takes alot of messing around to do

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:26 pm
by Trainguy76
If the person was offering you the source files, what you would need to do is import them into a 3D editing program, and you might need to re apply textures, then export into .IGS.

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:46 pm
by rwaceyw
Just for reference - the source files are on offer, and they're in Train Sim Modeller .dst format if that helps :)

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 6:36 pm
by pjt1974
After a look around on other forum's I've found it is possible to convert .dst Train Sim Modeller files into a RW compatible format using 3D Canvas Pro.
The only version of 3d Canvas I've got is a freeware version as I couldn't stretch my dole money quite far enough to pay for the pro version although if work turns up my wages may stretch that far.
I think I'll put converting anything from MTST to RW on hold until I can afford to buy in the right programs for the job.

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:02 pm
by Trainguy76
rwaceyw wrote:Just for reference - the source files are on offer, and they're in Train Sim Modeller .dst format if that helps :)
Can they be exported to a format that Blender can import?

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 4:11 am
by transadelaide
On the difficulty searching for threads front, it would help with this kind of thing if people gave their threads more descriptive titles instead of the "look at this" or "am I the only one" nonsense.

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:23 pm
by pjt1974
Trainguy76 wrote:
rwaceyw wrote:Just for reference - the source files are on offer, and they're in Train Sim Modeller .dst format if that helps :)
Can they be exported to a format that Blender can import?

Again I apologise for my ignorance on this, You chaps obviously know what you're talking about but to a complete novice like me it may aswell be in Gaelic. Absolutely no disrespect intended, I've got great respect for those of you who know how to do this sort of thing.

:)
Phil

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:42 pm
by rwaceyw
Trainguy76 wrote:
rwaceyw wrote:Just for reference - the source files are on offer, and they're in Train Sim Modeller .dst format if that helps :)
Can they be exported to a format that Blender can import?
I've no idea, to put it bluntly!

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:51 pm
by karma99
Easiest question is, can you list all of the export formats available for the models you've been offered.

Then it's pretty straight foward to see if Blender can import any of them - I can tell you immediately that .dst is a no go, but something like .obj .raw might work

Re: Converting Models

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 3:34 pm
by johny