QUESTION Best method for creating a track in max?

[LockeNessMotorsports]

Hey, I've done half of my track pats acres about 6 times now I'm just not happy with it and when I come to join the slipways etc to the track I keep running into problem after problem and end up re doing it.

However I've learnt allot along the way so that's good and I like learning, methods I've tried.

Lofting: hated it.

Path deform and planes attached together to fill track:

Personally felt there wasn't allot of control on this and I had to edit each vert to get height information and cambers right. The mesh also got very messy after a while.

Sweep: probably my favourite and I'll probably do it this way I did the whole track though and I think I went high poly instantly and it caused issues. Maybe I should model in sections along the spline?

And finally making two splines in each side of the track using bezier to get it alligned properly then using a surface modifier and edit poly.

You can edit the height etc easily using this method but I think you lose control due to so many polys, also when I tried to join a slipway it was nyan impossible and made a mess.

Any other suggestions as I said I may pick sweep.

Cheers, jack

 

[Pixelchaser]

So many ways !. lofting a shape along a spine is I think the easiest.

 

[LilSKi]

Not sure about max but in blender building off a spline is my drug of choice. Even when using LiDAR data I still built it from a spline and simply matched to data by hand. It can take some time to get down how all the handles work but once you get it I feel it is the best way with the most control.

 

[Pixelchaser]

also its the original method of creation for racing games. there are some nice max scripts which are very easy to use and install. Especially some kml plugins which allows data plotted from google earth like a height path or a gps point route to be used to create the height spots and Bezier curve handles approximated already.. worth googling etc. Mario Morais does some good ones tailored for track making. and the west bro`s moved out of race sim dev to unity and max plugins too. but there are free ones that can do basic routines.

 

[LockeNessMotorsports]

Yeah I use rtb for height etc and model off the google earth image, I just wanted to do it in max as I just can't get on with rtb.

Would you model it in sections then or do the whole thing in one and edit it ?

 

[LilSKi]

Whole thing on one spline.

One thing I see many people do is they are very concerned about the surrounding land before they even finish the road. I find it is best to concentrate on only the road with simple sides to sort out the layout. Then once you are happy with the road go ahead and build your land off that.

Here is an example of my first build of NJMP

And this is a more recent build but still a few weeks old

 

[Pixelchaser]

rtb uses same method as max to create roads, its the spline and cross section same as spline and shape terminology . the benefit of rtb being that it matches the vertices points to the scenery edges etc.

the benefit of max is once you made that basic road shape you can then goto poly mode, select the whole edge (poly function only) and then create spline from that edge and make even more sections. rtb cross sections can do this but in max it is a lot more flexible once you learn it.

 

[LockeNessMotorsports]

Not sure about max but in blender building off a spline is my drug of choice. Even when using LiDAR data I still built it from a spline and simply matched to data by hand. It can take some time to get down how all the handles work but once you get it I feel it is the best way with the most control.

Shall i just start low poly first then build it up?

 

[luchian]

[..]Here is an example of my first build of NJMP[..]

Damn, your tracks always look so nice !
And you work incredibly fast ! What's your secret/workflow ?
Do you use plugins of some sort ? or other tools ?
Or you do this all day long ?
Or you're just that good ?

 

[LockeNessMotorsports]

SO here is what I have so far, i think I'm going to go low poly first, this is using the sweep modifier.


http://imgur.com/a/ps2LF

 

[LilSKi]

Shall i just start low poly first then build it up?

When you build on a spline you can do whatever you want. The spline is the key. You can easily swap out low or high poly objects at any point. I believe you are making a very big mistake not learning the spline method. Even using RTB is better than doing it manually and I hate RTB.

Damn, your tracks always look so nice !
And you work incredibly fast ! What's your secret/workflow ?
Do you use plugins of some sort ? or other tools ?
Or you do this all day long ?
Or you're just that good ?

Having LiDAR data makes life extremely easy. I had the road layout built in literally a few hours with only very minor tweaks after that first build.

I use a few plugins but nothing too fancy. Asset Sketcher is pretty handy and the Blend4web pack is great for normal editing and also mira tools is great for edge editing. I also live and die by the spline. All my fences, tires, add banners, etc. are all on a spline.

I try to spend a few hours on it a night.

 

[LockeNessMotorsports]

I am using the spline it's underneath i hid it I'm going along with it with the sweep modifier

 

[ArthB]

Having LiDAR data makes life extremely easy. I had the road layout built in literally a few hours with only very minor tweaks after that first build.
I try to spend a few hours on it a night.

I'm curious as to how you actually use LiDAR data? I'm finding very little info on how I could port them to maya.

 

[LilSKi]

I'm curious as to how you actually use LiDAR data? I'm finding very little info on how I could port them to maya.

You use a program like cloud compare to make a mesh from the data that you import into your 3D app.

Then it looks something like this
http://assettocorsamods.net/threads/nisseringen-denmark-lidar-landscape.420/page-3#post-3888

 

[Pixelchaser]

Lilski may I ask how you are rendering your alpha channels from speedtree(7cinema) tree`s ? I'm not finding info on this via speedtree tutorials or sources. so I presume a render is used for Y shaped and tree walls. so i wonder is that your workflow ?

oops posted in wrong place. and since ive worked out the workflow. pls delete. sorry to interfere here.

 

[LilSKi]

Lilski may I ask how you are rendering your alpha channels from speedtree(7cinema) tree`s ? I'm not finding info on this via speedtree tutorials or sources. so I presume a render is used for Y shaped and tree walls. so i wonder is that your workflow ?

oops posted in wrong place. and since ive worked out the workflow. pls delete. sorry to interfere here.

Set the viewport on either XZ or YZ and set the lighting how you want it. Then go to file and export tree image or just press F10. Set the resolution and check include alpha. I usually leave antialiasing on as well. Background color seems to have no bearing at all when using alpha. Save as PNG and done. I usually do 1024 trees and put 4 at a time in a 2048 texture. You then have to tweak the colors, saturation, and contrast in your graphics software.

You also have to set the background color to match the tree so you don't get black or white edges on the alpha. I usually just duplicate the tree and smudge it outward as the background color.

 

[Pixelchaser]

nice, I got it down. cant wait to implement this content I only seem to achieve alpha export with TGA though.

 

[Mr Whippy]

Does anyone use dds and manual/specifically made alpha mips?
Alpha map mips makes a big difference to the outlining issues and 'clarity' of trees in the distance ime.

 

[Mr Whippy]

Uhhh, I've started about 6 replies here each time explaining good workflows for making a track in Max, they're all valid but also all flawed depending on need.

I just say learn the pros and cons of each, which it sounds like you're doing LochNess!

But there is no doubt at some point you're gonna have to call a certain point 'done' and move on, knowing to go back will undo all the work after that point.

That's why working off lidar is so nice, this initial task is turned from one you want to work with non linearly, which is hard, into a trivial outline and conform task.


I still struggle with it despite doing many pro and hobby tracks.

In the end you've just gotta be tough with yourself and make that choice when you call step 1 'done' and start cutting it up more!

Dave

 

[r@m]

Having tried all the methods in Max like you, I found the best plugin for tracks is by Mario Morais:

The only issue I have with this is when aligning the XYZ sides of the track to the left and right guide splines the accuracy isn't perfect, it's very close but you have to adjust manually for 100% precision.

For whatever reason Mario decided to go for a fast averaging of positioning, I personally would prefer to wait for a more accurate result with longer processing time, an option to do so would be more preferable.