JD Fenech schrieb:
I've been lurking for awhile and I'm curious about a few things
pertaining to models:
1. I've heard a bit about AC3D and pretty-polly for models. Obviously
these aren't the only formats. I know FG uses plib and it probably only
supports a few models. I'm considering doing a little experimental
programming for my own benefit, and want to take a crack at (for
starting) static models and simple objects. What are some good formats
for this?
2. What are some other good libraries for using them? I'm not very good
at using other people's libraries, and I need some practice. I'm on a
Wintendo, and it's an older one at that. (Is OpenSG comparable, or are
they completely different?)
3. How does plib compare to these other libraries?
4. Could someone with some experience give me a short breakdown of the
advantages and disadvantages of the various model formats they know?
Thanks,
JD
Hi JD,
I myself started only some months ago with doing some 3D-modelling for
local objects. My skills are very limited until now but I am sure that I
will have created a lot of buildings and landmarks until the end of this
year.
Because I was very sure about this plan I decided to use Blender, an
OpenSource and therefore free 3D-graphic-modelling-program.
It was the same sort of decision which made me change from commercial
flightsims to FlightGear in August,2005: I want my work preserved for
the future, because I don't like throwing something to waste because a
company decides to change data-formats without documentation OR decides
not to go on with a next version of the program due to commercial decisions.
And because there is a community around the developers and users have to
chance to take influence on decisions and (if they are very lucky) a
personal wish will get realized, ie. a new function is implemented into
the program.
And because Blender fits very well with FlightGear (as well as AC3D)
with the *.ac format which one *should* use for FlightGear models.
The disadvantage is that Blender is very user unfriendly from the GUI,
at least for us Windows-user. AC3D is *a lot* easier to use at the
beginning, but as I discovered after working through some manuals and
tutorials, if you understand some of the principles and the philosophy
of Blender it is as easy to use for the basic functions (I only refer to
the basic functions as I am not so far with my skills and knowledge to
decide about the advanced ones).
General link:
http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Home.2.0.html
If you start with Blender, you should work through some tutorials
AT FIRST LOOK AT THESE VIDEOS (DivX),
expecially INTERFACE and 3DCONCEPT:
http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Getting_started.400.0.html
You should start with these two tutorials, at least have a look at them!!!
http://www.blender3d.org/_media/education/quickstart/Building_Castle.html
http://www.blender3d.org/_media/education/quickstart/Texturing_Castle.html
Here a hangar for X-Plane is created with Blender and textured! - all is
nearly identical for FlightGear except the export (which is very easy
with the implemented ac-export function in Blender 2.41).
A MUST for a Blender beginner!:
http://marginal.org.uk/x-planescenery/
And some more general links:
http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Help_Forums.192.0.html
http://www.blender3d.org/_media/education/quickstart/Texturing_Castle.html
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D/Noob_to_Pro
http://mediawiki.blender.org/index.php/Manual/Manual
http://www.blender3d.org/Education/index_old.php?sub=
http://jmsoler.free.fr/didacticiel/blender/tutor/eng_index.htm
http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Documentation.628.0.html
etc, etc, etc
Hope this helps a little!
Regards
Georg
BTW: Please share with us what you created, don't be shy if it is just
very simple.
I made a little EDDW/Bremen/Weser-scenery
Online:
http://home.arcor.de/vollnhals-bremen/BremenWeserScenery/HBWSHTLM/BremenWeserScenery.html
Download:
http://home.arcor.de/vollnhals-bremen/BremenWeserScenery/BremenWeserScenery.zip
http://home.arcor.de/vollnhals-bremen/BremenWeserScenery/ChangedEuropeanTextures.zip
just for purpose to demonstrate to other new users how you can have nice
visual effects with simple and partially unfinished models. Most of them
are a combination of already existing ones, some are modified, some are
from Stockill's database, some are from me.
I started modifying already existing models, this was the easiest way
for me to get familiar with Blender. But everyone has his own way to
success!
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