Hi all

New 3D modeller here:

I read on the TSM website that you could you scanned in images of plans into TSM to work with. I am having a go at the DL class loco with some plans thanks to pedrochom. I've placed them into TSM except I don't kow what to do next. A screenshot is attached:

If anyone could assist me it would be appreciated

Gidday flyingoreo,
Good on you for having a go!
In TSM, View/Backdrop gives you a number of selections.
Nudge left, Nudge right etc are self explanatory.
View/Backdrop/Scale will produce the Backdrop Scale dialogue box.
Select two positions which are on a horizontal line on your backdrop where the distance between them is known. Left click on the left one (the dialogue box Click 1: will record the position), click on the second place (the dialogue box will now record that position in the Click 2: box). Now enter the distance between these points into the "Distance" box, and click OK.
Your background will now scale to the correct figures. However, take a few measurements to ensure that the measurement used on the backdrop was correct. Plans have a nasty habit of not being to scale, out of scale or just plain inaccurate.
Cheers
Sarfan39

Thanks Sarfan.

I'm trying to create the main shape. Is it wise to use the template mode to define the shape or am I best off creating a box and trimming it off as appropriate?

Cheers

Aaron

Hi Aaron,
Since steam locos are "my thing", and never having built a body shell diesel, I'd best leave that to the diesel builders. I assume that the main shape will be a box with sufficient sections to allow you to manipulate points to create the shape of the main body, or part there-of, perhaps in two sections - the nose area and the main body.
Cheers
Allan

Aaron,

If you haven’t already, download the ‘mytut.zip’ from the www.trainsim.com download library.

There are 145 illustrated pages that take you through building a GP38 using TSM. It uses the box building technique.

Cheers,

Marek.

Try not to use the template feature as it doesnt always turn out as expected.
Use a box divided into many sections and manipulate the points in point mode. Much easier!

Don't trust the template feature.

It can distort. A perfect square will soon not be after resizing and moving.
I use it for roof profiles and little else.

A tip is to make the image negative. Makes it easier to see the TSM blue lines.
Delete it after you have the shape. TSM has a habit of losing it.

I’m not sure if this will work in TSM but I use the following tech technique in gmax.

I create a separate texture called template that has the plans I am using applied to it.

Then I create a box called template with the same overall dimensions of the object I am modelling. I then apply the template texture to the template box and unwrap the texture with the respective views on the respective sides of the box.

I can now use this ‘template’ box in the background for the different projections.

This way I can quickly flesh out a model primitive to the correct proportions and fine-tune the model by using any other references.

Cheers,

Marek.