Making 3D track

[JamesLit]

Hello all.

I've frequented this forum but only now registered, glad to be here.

I'm looking to make some custom tracks for a route. I'm a perfectionist so love my high detail stuff, so I want to make them 3D, as per some favourite tracks of mine, the LNWR track by Mundo on UKTS (I'm a Brit).

I've seen some 3D track here, but the only guide I can find on the net for creating track (with the exception of the TS wiki, which isn't very helpful to be honest!) is for regular 2D track on UKTS. It also applied to 3DCrafter, which isn't massively helpful as I'm using 3DS Max. I can combine these two to make decent 2D track, I'm sure, but I presume there are things I need to do differently for 3D track? Any tips?

in advance.

[Bananarama]

Some care is required that you don't put too much detail into your model, and to also ensure you have sufficient LODs. For high detail stuff, the ballast and rail is created and exported as a loft item, whereas the ties and sleepers can be fully 3D and set as child objects for the track blueprint. RSC/Dovetail use normal maps for much of their track, but I find that it adds too much sheen, and instead I prefer TrainLighmapWithDiffuse or TrainBasicObjectDiffuse for most materials. Note that lofts (rail, ballast, etc.) require their own specific shaders.

[JamesLit]

Thanks for your help Hawk.

I decided to use a bit of my own initiative and investigate Mundo's track. The way it appears to be setup is thus...
The CrossSection is setup as the rails plus ballast.
The StartGeometry and EndGeometry are just the Bath - Templecombe buffers.
The MiddleGeometry is the 3D sleepers and chairs.

Does that sound right?

[Bananarama]

Yes, that is correct. I am, however, "Hack" and not Hawk.

[JamesLit]

Sorry about that... it's just a bit difficult referring to somebody as Hack when I have known several different people called Hawk over the years!

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

Although this is an image of 3D Canvas, the principle will be the same for all modelling programs.

The image shows the track, ballast (cap) and sleeper models all at the same time centred on the same point of origin. For 2D track you would not have the 3D sleeper model but would show the sleepers as part of the track texture. If you are using the 3D Sleeper model then the track texture will be just plain ballast as it is for the ballast (cap) model. Both versions require a separate texture for the sleepers which will always be rendered in 2D at switches.

I have used 3D sleepers in a route but the reduction in frame rates was dramatic and some serious thought needs to be spent on whether to use them or not. Improvements were evident by ensuring that the sleepers do not have a bottom face also by tweeking the LOD values so that rendering reduces rapidly at quite short distances.

I have decided not to use 3D track unless it is really is practical and have looked a little more closely at giving the impression of 3D by careful shading of the textures. It is possible to make a simple three faced upturned U shape rail look as though has a bullhead shape.

I hope this helps a little -