Let there be light

Ok, so this is really a bit of a tease. I spent a few hours tonight preparing to cut out the center windows of the Tangara. It took me ages to get each of the 12 windows and panels right. I started with a line marking the first window, converted it to an editable spline, and moved the verticies around a little. Then I made the other windows in the same row, and spent ages trying to get the size of the windows (and center panels) right, and then copied them for the other three rows. In the end, its pretty close, but not perfect without accurate measurements. Visually you shouldnt notice anything too strange, and if you do, I'll keep playing with it until you dont :)

Once I had the splines in (almost) the right places I extruded them to make the large redish blocks shown above. These were then subtracted from the body to form the holes. It was about then that I noticed a few problems. Making the windows had caused a few polygons in the roof to dissapear, as verticies were created and removed around them. This is due to the roof always having been a seperate piece in the past. Now that it is attached to the body, there is a definite edge between them. You wouldnt see this in the finished model, but it means extra polygons. I need to go back and hand-optimize the roof so that both it and the body are one single piece with polygons shared between them, rather than hard edges.

Once the body and roof are a single piece, I can go back and cut the windows again - Thats the tease. Ive backed up a couple of versions and im back to the seperate roof / no windows model, but I have all of my window blocks (including a few spares) so once I have fixed the mesh, cutting the windows out will be a snap, and with the polygons all in the right places, I wont have the problems that I had earlier. While Im doing this, the skirt has the same problem, though its not affected by the windows, but I may as well optimise it too (It will have to be done eventually). Overall, this will give a smoother finish and a few less polygons. The count really shoots up with the windows cut out, and thats not including the cuts needed for the interior windows (for looking out or through the carriage). Its still managable though.

S Set Cab
I did some more work on the S Set Cab yesterday. I'll post an updated picture soon. Ive been a busy boy. I added a few more pieces, Drivers chair, Fire Extinguisher (both from the Auran samples) as well as the data logger and crew air-con controls, and a basic dashboard panel (just the panel so far). Im still waiting on my research to arrive before I can start working on the dash properly. The only other things to do really are the Guards seat and Drivers door, before I can start on the finer detail like the hand brake and light fittings (I also have to texture it of course).

Textures
After playing around with textures and methods of texturing, I can see why a lot of Trainz objects have multiple texture files and Im starting to see where its helpful. I'll modifiy the method I have been using to include that technique, for various parts I will still use one large file (Things like the Tangara body (outside) would be one larger file). Im discovering what works, and what doesnt, as I go.

Platforms
I did a bit more research on platforms, both how to make them for Trainz, and looking for diagrams and details of the real thing on the net. Im planning on making a trip to the ARHS Research Center on Saturday (a mere 10 minute walk - lucky me!) and spending some real money on whatever useful material I can find. I have a list already of everything from stations to locomotives, and catenary (I havnt forgotten). Someone recently offered me some material covering platforms / stations, but it was in a large file. Ive been thinking about how best to deal with it. If you're reading this, I'll reply shortly.

Xmas break
Alas, its that time of the year again when everything shuts down for a few weeks. (Can you tell Im not a Xmas fan?) While I know I will keep working on things almost right up until Xmas, I also know that I will be taking some time off to spend with friends and family, and will get back to all of this some time in the new year. My wife has been very understanding of the hours (more hours than usual) that I have been spending at the computer in recent weeks. She deserves a bit of dedicated time in return. Im a geek, so Im always at a computer, but as I said, lately, its been more hours than usual. Xmas, and a few weeks after that, will be payback time.

Thats enough for now.

Tangara poly count: Was around 1500 before I backed-out. That included my cutting blocks and other non-model pieces. The body alone was 611.