New to modeling, any tips?

[blackice111288]

hey, yall. i want to start making completely new cars for NFS:PU (yes i still play that game:D ), and id like to know whats the best program to use. i tried zmodeler like 2 years back, but i didnt know to do anything so i quit. i knew this kid that would ask me to get front, left side, right side, rear, (top and bottom if possible) and used zmodeler to make cars for Midtown Madness 2(i used to play that game all the time, had like 100+ extra cars and 10 add on cities). i never understood zmod, but i would like to. i want to make customized versions of porsches, with bodykits and stuff. do i have to find the blueprints for the cars, and then do add ons by hand? wait, i dont even know how to do that! can someone give me any basic starting points, tips, suggestions, ect.? im starting from scratch, grade A begginer:D &( :help:

[VQ]

have a look at the zmodeler help sticky and also download that tutorial!!! it explains a lot and will help.

But sadly, we can't add new cars to NFS PU and can only slightly modifiy them. Itz NFS 4 and 6 that u can adddecent cars too and I'd love to do it for Mercedes Benz world racing.

[blackice111288]

oh, so u have to download the .fsh file editor? or will zmodeler open those files up with the right plugins?

ok, so you load the car car, then you just alter the body, using splines and whatever?

[chris]

VQ: For World Racing editing, you'll need 3D Studio Max 4.x. (ie, 4, 4.2, or 4.25).

They used some special plugins for 3dsmax, I'm sure. You'd have to ask Tom from TDK about those I think, or someone from Synetic.

For starting on Z-Modeller, try the official Z-Modeler site. It should have a tutorial explaining how to build a car.

[blackice111288]

is zmodeler beter than carcad? which is easier to use, but allows for more customization?

[VQ]

Chriis: I'm aware of that, but I will make my cars still in Zmodeler and import into 3ds but 3.1 should still do it right?

Blackice: I recommend to use Zmodeler as I tryed Carcad and I couldn't work it cos of a lack or tutorials for it etc and Zmodeler can make anything, not just cars.

[bogs]

I dont know that you could say one is better than the other , so much as they are very different from each other . Carcad has a number of features not included in Zmodeller , and vice versa .
For sheer number of features , I'd probably give the nod to Zmodeller , however most people learn to use one or two ways of modelling and then use those exclusively , so having many features may or may not be helpful .
For someone just starting out , I would guess Zmodeller would be easier to learn to use ( since , as Vq points out , there are far more tutorials available for it ) , but I wouldn't pass up checking out both of them side by side .

Vq , Carcad can also be used to make anything , not just cars . ;)

[chris]

Vqcapricedude: Probably not, since whatever Synetic are using may be written specifically for 3dsmax 4.x, and not R3.

I remember seeing a screenshot of the CLK-GTR under construction, and it was shown in 3dsmax 4.

But regardless, ask them.

Z-modeller isn't a bad program. It can crash a bit sometimes, so make plenty of backup copies of your work.

[VQ]

Well I dunno about ne one else but Zmdoeler never crashes for mebut I save my work undder a different filename every hour ne way.

[bogs]

I also don't have any problems with Zmod crashing excessively , but Chris offers advice I would suggest you follow no matter which modelling program you use , and that is to save frequently . Of course , I usually suggest that with other programs , like word processors , paint programs , developement languages , etc etc etc . In other words , any program where you are creating something , I would suggest you back up so that your never a few steps from your last backup .
There are things that you can do in Zmod that will cause it to crash more frequently , such as using splines . If you create a part , say a door , with splines / tabulated surface , make sure you delete the splines when the part is done .
Sometimes I've noticed that trying to import a certain NFS 4 car will also crash it , whether or not you import the damaged parts.
I've also noticed that even if I've modelled something in Zmod , then used another program to adjust it , it can't be re-imported into Zmod again without Zmod going down ( usually to a very long error reporting process ) .
Generally speaking , though , I haven't had it crash using flat surfaces or faces , or from using any of the primitives , or really from any of the less esoteric means of making or mapping panels .

[blackice111288]

Originally posted by Vqcapricedude
But sadly, we can't add new cars to NFS PU and can only slightly modifiy them. Itz NFS 4 and 6 that u can adddecent cars too and I'd love to do it for Mercedes Benz world racing.


i've seen add on cars for porsche unleashed. so what did they do?

http://www.nfsunlimited.net/index.php?go=nfspucarsmain

http://www.nfscars.net/brands.php?game=nfs5&brand_id=90

http://www.nfscars.net/car.php?ID=3118
whats up with that?

[bogs]

If your asking about this car , for instance :

Car: Dodge Viper GTS Coupe
http://www.nfsunlimited.net/files/nfspu/cars/dodgevipergtscoupe.jpg
Type: NFSPU Car
Author: Fabian Schneider
All cars by this author

Date added: 2002-09-16 08:02:22

# of downloads: 1977

Current Rating: 7.27
Number of votes: 11
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description:
This car is based on the 996 Turbo and has new viper like textures: modified lights, air ducts... It also has modified performances with a top speed of 320km/h.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Then its easy to see that what was done was a slight modification to the texture map ( the pictures that provide the paint job or skin ) , and that nothing at all was done to the model of the car itself .
Modifying a texture map is going to make the model look like a Porsche with Dodge Viper headlights , air ducts , etc . , however it is completely unlike modelling a [ insert brand here ] and your resulting product will look nothing at all like a [ insert brand here ] .

On the other hand , Addict as I mentioned in another thread , is the only person I know of that actually DID perform a change to the cars model , as shown here in a picture from his site :
http://addictarts.nfscheats.com/nfs5/cars/BigLONGNOSE.jpg
http://addictarts.nfscheats.com/

In the picture , you can clearly see the nose is longer and comes to a point symmetrically balanced , and , as I said earlier , he didn't use a program to do this but instead modified the cars file directly ( don't ask how , I don't remember the details ).

If you have PU installed , download any of these 'add on ' cars and take a look at it . Then compare that to say , one of Chris's cars for NFS 4 , or Aussie Muscle Kev's cars , or any other makers cars for NFS 3, 4, or 6.
Big big difference , what was done on those other sites is easily accomplished with a paint program , and what is done in the other games in the series takes a lot more time and talent .

Hope that helps clear it up for ya :)

[blackice111288]

oh cool, so i can just draw a body style and then just apply it to the cars' skin? i'll need a .fsh editor right? i think i get it

another queston- i wanted to make cars for GTA3 also. i noticed that zmodeler 1.06 sys it has the plugin for making cars for GTA3. does 1.07 have it also? it doesnt say. is there any major difference in the two? im sure 1.07 has some more feature, but should i just get 1.06 because i know that it has the GTA3 file?

[bogs]

Originally posted by blackice111288
oh cool, so i can just draw a body style and then just apply it to the cars' skin? i'll need a .fsh editor right? i think i get it
..........

You can do that ( again , visit Addicts site , you'll find the tools there ) but I really doubt its going to look like you would hope it would . Keep in mind that you will have to put elements in the exact same places , i.e. headlights you want to use will have to be put exactly where the headlights ea's skin uses are .

As far as Zmodeler versions go , 1.07 has all the items in previous versions , as far as I can tell .

[blackice111288]

ok, i wanna make sure if im right before i go and get all this stuff- all i need is a .fsh editor and a good art program?

[blackice111288]

what can i use to edit the performance? does Zmodeler do that?

are there any handling files to alter performance or programs to mess edit handling files(if there are any) like in GTA3?

what are the handling files named as?

sorry for all the dumb questions:)

[blackice111288]

oh, nevermind. i've found a site that answered all my questions. thanx for the help! yall cleared alot up for me so now as soon as i get all the programs, i'll be on my way to making some BAD porsches! just wait, i'll show yall some concepts when i think em up.




http://erix.nfsunlimited.net/main.html

[Radical-Al]

fear my chaparral 2J, I haven't done any work on it in 2 days http://www.nfscars.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=220578#220578

[chris]

Nice work, great car.

Can I suggest next the Brabham BT46/B as the next car if you want to model it?

It'd go well with the Chapparal. 2 fan cars, 1 banned, another pulled out of racing after one hugely successful race.

[Radical-Al]

I am thinking about doing the 1968 McLaren M8A, since I have a 1:18 scale diecast, and on the box it has all 4 views, like a blue print...and is roughly (except for the back end) the same shape as the chaparral (i've seen in real life) I dunno when I will finish this car, being it is my first