[Andrew]

Sketchup --- Zmodeler

Introduction
Welcome to the Sketchup Building Tutorial, in this tutorial I aim to show you, the basics of Sketchup and Zmodeler. So its kinda like a two in one tutorial. I will not be showing texturing or getting it in game. Use these for texturing and getting it in game Whooman's Zmodeler UV Mapping Tutorial (Texturing) gansta killa's Custom Model Tutorial (Getting it in game) In this tutorial you will be learning... • Modeling a basic building in sketchup • Exporting to 3ds in sketchup • Reorienting faces in zmodeler • Scaling objects in zmodeler I'd say that this tutorial is slightly advanced or for the intermeadite. At certain points in the tutorial, depending on how you've modeled it in Sketchup once in Zmodeler, it will need reorinting faces.
Information About Sketchup
Sketchup isn't a free program, you can obtain a free 8 hour trail of it. Here To Obtain Trail I like Sketchup for modeling buildings, its an extremely easy program to use, just draw lines. But the after process of converting the model to the game, is quite a process. Because sketchup tends to reorint faces and doesn't use 3 sided polys. It uses 4 sided. Enough waffle on Sketchup, I'm moving on and lets start the tutorial.
Modeling In Sketchup
Lets go over the basic interface of Sketchup Down the right hand side, are all of the tools. Above is different views, and layers. I'll be providing screenshots of the tools we are using. And that white area is the area where you'll be working. Sketchup has an axis snap feature, theres 3 colors, blue, green and red. Green and red run roughly the same (I'm still not sure). Blue goes up and down.
You're going to need some practice at Sketchup if this is your first time, before we can even think about modeling a full building (exterior). First we're going to use the line tool Find that button and click on it, your cursor should change into a pencil. Draw a line along the green axis (so it turns green), after you click, the line another black line with one end attached to your cursor and one end to the end of the line you just drew. Now just draw a line along the red axis (so it turns red)
Now draw a line paralel to the first line you drew, (line should turn green again) Make sure its the same lengh, as you approach what you think is roughly the same length, Sketchup should snap the line to the correct length. and a dotted line will go from one end of the line to the end of an another line.
Draw that line, and the join the two ends up. The area inside the lines should turn purple.
You've just created your first 2D sqaure, its not much to look at, but tis will provide the base for a 3D cube that will be your practice part. Now, click with the line tool on a corner of the shape, and draw a line up, so it turns blue (along the blue axis)

This post has been edited by Gangsta Killa on Saturday, Apr 25 2009, 22:50

[Andrew]

Repeat that for each corner until you have something like this. Make sure they are the same height and remember, to use the snapping feature.
Now join each of them up, until you have something that looks like a cube. Use the rotate view, to rotate the view around the cube. When you done, you should have something like this
I'm not going to say much more, as the rest you should be able to do, and now you can model your building, just keep it simple for whilst following the tutorial. Make use and find out about the other tools Sketchup has to offer. After roughly 30 mintues of modeling with Sketchup I've come up with this.
I made use of the features of Sketchup like... • Create shapes • Push, Pull • Snapping • Arches Sketchup is full off excellent features for the complete newb at modeling to use. You've got your model, now its time to get it into zmodeler. Go to file explort and choose 3D Model, in the drop down box choose .3ds
Export that and its time for Zmodeler, so close Sketchup and fire up good ol Zmodeler. These remaining parts will be the most difficult part of the tutorial.
Its good ol Zmodeler, I'm sure you know the basics of zmodeler (location of things etc) but I'll just refresh you, down the left hand side is the objects box, at the top are all the tools, and adove the object box are all the toosl again. Start by importing the 3Ds file we made, Fiel --- Import. At first you won't be able to see it, just zoom out and it should come into view.
Zmodeler
Ok, so maybe no reorintating needed for my model.... But I'll need to show you incase you come across any that need reorintating...
I went a little bit mad with the reorinate tool, just to show you how to do it. Its best to compare the mode in zmod with the model in Sketchup, that way you'll know which faces are the wrong way around and need turning around. You're better off using user view with see through enabled.
Once you've got user view, with see through enabled, choose the reorintate tool, from the tool menu -- Modify -- reorintate.

This post has been edited by Gangsta Killa on Saturday, Apr 25 2009, 22:51

[Andrew]

In the userview, make sure the object is solid as well.

Now make sure you're in faces mode. Now look at the model and in userview, hover over your object where theres a face missing it should turn blue, if it does click on it and it should then turn to the color of the model. Repeat until all faces are reorintated and the model looks perfect.

Looking good now isn't it? Ok, now to scale the bugger, I'd suggest importing a car as a guide to scale it by.

Ok, so theres a big difference in size... Don't worry this is normal from Sketchup. Make sure your in object mode. Now choose the scale tool. Modify --- Scale

I'm going to show you an extremely easy way to scale, when you go to click on the object hold the control key as well, and it brings up this box. In that box enter 50, and click ok. The model should shrink to half of its size.

This post has been edited by Gangsta Killa on Saturday, Apr 25 2009, 22:53

[Andrew]

It's getting there, but its still not quite small enough, repeat what we just did.

Almost but not quite, ok its nearly there, so now lets reduce it by 25 instead.

Hey, that looks about perfect now, you won't be reducing by the values that I used, you'll have to play around with them. Remember the smaller the vaule the smaller the model gets. Well I hoped this has helped people, model buildings, your next job is texturing, I may make a follow on for texturing. From this tutorial so I'd be using the same model. But getting the mode in game follow this tutorial. gansta killa's Custom Models Tutorial Thanks for reading and happy modding.

This post has been edited by Gangsta Killa on Saturday, Apr 25 2009, 22:54

[Dup]

Awesome work. Very indepth and a good range of techniques explined. Great work. You're an asset to the modding community for sure. Nice building too.

[DexX]

I can see why you export to 3ds and to zmodeler, but are you aware of the renderware DFF filter for sketchup? there's a free one floating around somewhere, might be useful.

[Andrew]

No I wasn't aware about that ashdexx. I'll keep my eye out for that. Thanks.

[ModelingMan]

Here is the link, Renderware Plugin. The plugin is not good at all, it doesn't export a valid DFF.

Good to see another person uses Sketchup, great program, and an excellent tutorial to go with it.

Good job.

[Andrew]

Ah, that renderware dff plugin. I've tried that before and like MM said its not very good.

[mental mickey]

Hi Gansta Killa.

When you imported your model into zmodeler, did you then draw your polys into it, or should your model show up as displayed just before you covered reorienting cause mine doesn't have any of the lines on it. I'm not very familiar with zmodeler but my imported basic house shape test looks a horrible dark blue without any corner detail or shading.

Am I doing something wrong?


Mental Mickey.

[Andrew]

You'll have to post a screenshot, so I know what you're talking about. Sketchup will color things different, that yellowy color is the front, and the purple or dark blue is the back.

[ModelingMan]

I know his problem, and the solution. Mickey before you export to 3ds, click options in the export dialog:


Then match the options to these settings:


Then export it and it should work fine in Zmodeler.

[mental mickey]

Hi Again.

By the way Modelling Man, the change in exporting options worked a treat. Thank you so much for that.

Gansta Killa. I'm kinda now stuck on the reorienting part of your tutorial. I've got some screenshots to show you what I've done so far. I built a basic house shape with doorsteps using SketchUp and have a pic below in x-ray view to demonstrate what I've done so far.



By the way, Sketchup is fantastic and addictive. I'm totally hooked now. This is also the furthest I've ever gotten with modelling without pulling my hair out or thinking of jumping out the window.

Here's how my building looks in z-modeler once exported and imported:

As you will have already noticed, you can see right into the gable end and the back of the house just as if the walls weren't ever built. As a result of this, I merely thought that I had a touch of reorienting to do. However, I'm having problems with this part.

When I go into User View, I get this:


When I hover over the object, ALL polys turn blue. If I click on any of them I reckon I'm deleting or unreorienting my faces. I just can't get the type of views of my model as you seem to have had in your tutorial. I seem to do more damage than good at this stage (turning my faces white). Is there something I'm missing here? (nOOb alert).

Is there a way to birl the object around in User View that I'm not aware of?

Also, since I'm posting just now I might as well ask. How do you import a car in order to rescale the model? I haven't gotten as far a that yet in order to figure it out. If someone could just let me know which directory vehicles are in, that would be fab. I think I need an IMG Tool or something for this, don't I?


Kindest regards.

Mental Mickey.

[Andrew]

Make sure your in face mode, and also before you export you can make sure all faces are that yellowly color, by rightclicking the object and choosing reorinate, then again if need be.

Edit: Hold the alt key to move the userview about.

Yup img tool for the car, the cars are found in a big ass .img file in the Vice City folder in a folder called Models the file is called gta3.img open that with img tool and search (f2) for a car eg admiral, then extract that and import to zmod.

If ya get stuck again, just holla.

emails here if you want it, forgotten_shadows@hotmail.com thats my msn as well, I'm always on msn, or most of the time anyways.

This post has been edited by gansta killa on Sunday, Aug 22 2004, 21:20

[mental mickey]

Hi Again Gansta Killa.

Thank you very much for the speedy reply.

I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong. What I seem to be getting is a model which, from what I can tell, doesn't display any of the wall which are nearest to me. However, I can see the interiors of these invisible walls if I swivel around an look at them from the opposite side.

The same applies to the roof. I can only see the inside of the slopping part of the roof if I view it from the opposite side it's on. If I view it from the side it's situated on, it doesn't appear. The only thing i can then see is the inside of the opposite slopping part of the roof. Here's a couple of shots to illustrate:





This is a poor excuse of building when compared with your example in the tutorial.

I also did the reorientate thing you suggested in SketchUp before exporting. The only command near to that in my version was Orient Faces, so i tried that but it made no difference.

what do you think I could be doing wrong to get such a crap model? Was I supposed to have built both Internal and External walls in SketchUp?

Would you prefer it if I emailed you if I have any more questions to save me from Noobing your post.


Thanks again.

Mental Mickey.

[Andrew]

Nah don't worry about n00bing the post MM. It may help others. Try the orieten faces again, and then try it again. Use the tool twice and see if that helps. If not in zmod in objects mode just use the reorintate tool on it and it should work.

[mental mickey]

Hi again Gansta Killa.

I've been having a good mess around with this now and there have been significant improvements. I'm not sure whether it's due to the Orient Faces command in SketchUp or the Object Reorientation in Z-Modeler.

I've now, at long last, managed to get a fairly sturdy and solid building. However, I am still able to see into the building from a distance (in 3d view) as though I have x-ray eyes. If I zoom in, however, this is eradicated and I'm met with a solid wall.

Do you think we've cracked it? Better not talk too soon eh? Here's my latest screenshot.



Anyway, to put a slight damper on things, I now have a problem with door steps not showing up as they should but I have a feeling that this is because thay aren't quite touching the building, thus not being completely modelled.

I'll get back to you on this if it beats me. The best thing I can do for now is really mess around with it myself and learn how to do it properly.

Thanks you very much for your help in the meantime Gansta Killa. I really appreciate it. You've got me hooked on modelling now. SketchUp totally rocks.

I may have a little skinning question for you within the next few days.


Thanks again.

Mental Mickey.

[Andrew]

Glad the tutorial could help.

For the steps, it looks to me that when you've modeled them, Sketchup has assumed that they are facing backwards, which is why they are inside out. All you need to do, is make sure your in faces mode in zmod, use the reorinate tool. If you were in object mode first, then you have to click on the object for it to go into face mode.

[grovespaz]

OMG im so glad i found this tut, but GK, it seems your photo bandwith has expired. Maybe i can host them for you, if you mail them to me?
If you would appreciate it, mail to grovespaz@grovespaz.nl

Im addicted to sketchup to...

[Andrew]

My bandwith will reset soon. I can guess the reason why it died like it did. I get 2.5gb of bandwith. I posted a couple of pics in the Digi cam topic. And must of used like 500mb a day. So I guess that caused it.

Cool, aye I'll send them via msn, theres roughly 30 od pictures. So I'd need to update the image links. Thanks.