|
|
Learning curve
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Learning curve // Roundtable
Post by jcleland // Jan 25, 2009, 1:43pm
|
jcleland
Total Posts: 11
|
I was wondering how many people got up and running with Ts without online courses, etc. I have owned the software for years (since 6.6), but never learned how to use it. I'm sure my approach is to blame, but here's what usually happens: I have an idea, I sit down to model it and get stuck trying to join two primitives or something equally (I'm sure) trivial. I usually end up lost in the articulation and finally give up. I've worked through the packaged tutorials, but they don't seem to cover the stuff I'm intersted in doing. Much of what I read in the forums is beyond me right now. I've come across some interesting tutorials that seem about my speed, but cover stuff I'm mostly familar with. There seem to be a few tasks that I have trouble with and can't find examples of. My primary goal is to resolve spacial relationships with the software before I build something IRL. Most of what I'm interested in modeling is mechanical. As a for instance, vehicle frames of square tubing.
Can someone recommend a mechanical modelling tutorial or some instruction that might help me get off the ground?
Thanks! |
Post by nigec // Jan 25, 2009, 2:08pm
|
nigec
Total Posts: 314
|
I started with version 2 and honestly I have never read the manuals unless its something I just can't figure out on my own, I dare say TS does stuff I don't even know about but I'm well in my comfort zone to what I need to do already.
If you look in one of the forums I think Steinie has a section for useful links, if your using modelside a lot of the 6.6 tuts will migrate no problem to 7.6, if your just doing mechanical
There's a great thread about doing treads on tyres in the WIP section, I think its on the first page |
Post by jcleland // Jan 25, 2009, 2:23pm
|
jcleland
Total Posts: 11
|
Found the post, thanks for the pointer |
Post by RichLevy // Jan 25, 2009, 2:26pm
|
RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
|
If you have the time, and it sounds like you do. Post in a WIP thread a project you would be interested in, it can be anything, model a house, model a car, mailbox or whatever interests you. Try not to make it too eleborate/fancy/complicated.
From that point, post a picture of the subject.
Than ask the hard question, How do I start to creat this with TS?
Explain yourself, express your interest.
You will get many suggestions, some very good ones.
From that point on, it will be up to you, the hardest part of modeling is learning to look at something and trying to see what it looks like as pieces, and how do all of the elements fit together.
Do not try to model something complex... start easy, a glass on a table, a bowl on a table. These are interesting objects and are very good starting points. From a bowl you can learn to use the basic primitives in TS, than learn to light it, put some material on it than learn to render it. All small parts to a complex process.
And no matter, as long as you are willing to try, to take the steps needed to learn, someone here will take a few moments from the busy life to help you, that is how we learned. We all asked for help on something at one point or another...
Rich |
Post by jamesmc // Jan 25, 2009, 3:15pm
|
jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
|
I was wondering how many people got up and running with Ts without online courses, etc. I have owned the software for years (since 6.6), but never learned how to use it. I'm sure my approach is to blame, but here's what usually happens: I have an idea, I sit down to model it and get stuck trying to join two primitives or something equally (I'm sure) trivial. I usually end up lost in the articulation and finally give up. I've worked through the packaged tutorials, but they don't seem to cover the stuff I'm intersted in doing. Much of what I read in the forums is beyond me right now. I've come across some interesting tutorials that seem about my speed, but cover stuff I'm mostly familar with. There seem to be a few tasks that I have trouble with and can't find examples of. My primary goal is to resolve spacial relationships with the software before I build something IRL. Most of what I'm interested in modeling is mechanical. As a for instance, vehicle frames of square tubing.
Can someone recommend a mechanical modelling tutorial or some instruction that might help me get off the ground?
Thanks!
I was totally lost until I finally broke down and purchased some of the tS videos. That was for a long while too.
Some courses that my mind click into gear were (all free now)
"Intro to Product Illustration" by David Froude
http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSpace/ts5/Courses/IntroProductIllustration.asp?Cate=Training&Subcate=Fundamental
"3D for Illustrators by Marcel Barthel"
http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSpace/ts5/Courses/New3Dillustrators.asp?Cate=Training&Subcate=Fundamental
Polygonal by Jeff Parish
http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSpace/ts5/Courses/NewPolygon.asp?Cate=Training&Subcate=Fundamental
Texturing University by Nobert Esser
http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSpace/ts5/Courses/newTextureCreation.asp?Cate=Training&SubCate=Master
Architecture by Phil Emery
http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSpace/ts5/Courses/NewArchitecture.asp?Cate=Training&SubCate=Older
There are also some very good courses here on the forum. |
Post by frootee // Jan 25, 2009, 3:27pm
|
frootee
Total Posts: 2667
|
Hi iceman. Welcome to the forums!
A great way to learn is to ask questions here on the forums. :) |
Post by jamesmc // Jan 25, 2009, 4:12pm
|
jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
|
Most of what I'm interested in modeling is mechanical. As a for instance, vehicle frames of square tubing.
Can someone recommend a mechanical modelling tutorial or some instruction that might help me get off the ground?
Thanks!
I re-read what you have written and was wondering if there is something specifically you wanted to start out with.
There are many gifted modelers here and they can give some clues on how to start. Perhaps even start a tutorial Q & A topic for you.
Motorcycles, Cars, Mechanical construction (air conditioners, appliances), house construction
Name something specific you always wanted to construct, but wasn't sure how to get started.
Someone should come along with some helpful suggestions and perhaps even a full blow tutorial. |
Post by Breech Block // Jan 25, 2009, 5:12pm
|
Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
|
I was wondering how many people got up and running with Ts without online courses, etc.
TBH, I have never really looked at the manual or watched any of the video courses. If I have an hour spare time to muck about on my computer I'd rather play about with tS than read about it or watch it. That said, I would probably be a far better modeller/artist if i did read/watch the material.
There are plenty of good tips and suggestions here already. The only thing I would add is to try entering the SMC - I started about six months back and that is when it all really started to make sense to me.
HTH |
Post by kena // Jan 25, 2009, 6:53pm
|
kena
Total Posts: 2321
|
What got me off the ground was to just follow through on Chapter 1. It contains a basic how-to on the program... Only when I got started did I start with the tutorials. |
Post by JimB // Jan 25, 2009, 10:30pm
|
JimB
Total Posts: 341
|
Most of what I'm interested in modeling is mechanical
If you are interested in mechanical modeling then you need to know how to prepare drawings ,yours or third party for image planes this is crucial unless you're doodling of course.I have posted a couple of projects for modeling vehicles against image planes is this the type of thing you are looking for?
Truck project
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=7407
VWBeetle project
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=7420
Supposedly there has been millions of downloads of TS7 therefore there must be a lot of people lurking around the forums hoping that someone will ask the questions about the things they are having trouble with dont wait sign up to the forums and get the help you need. :) |
Post by jcleland // Jan 26, 2009, 5:07am
|
jcleland
Total Posts: 11
|
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice guys. I will attempt to get something together for display purposes to illustrate what I'm trying to accomplish.
What brought me back around this time was a bicycle frame, a tadpole trike I'm building. I will be using 1.25" square tubing, mainly. I actually remodeled this and took a screenshot (below) to illustrate what I'm working towards. The main frame boom has a 25 degree bend (weld) that provides caster to the front wheels, the arms for the front wheels are joined at 15 degrees for steering centerpoint. The cylinder is a head tube. This is only half the frame, I planned on adding a loop to the boom, deleting half of it and using mirror modeler as the whole thing is symmetrical.
Anyway, I'm familiar with basics like snap, sizing, object vs. world coordinates, etc.
Should I take this to another forum at this point?
http://www.jamescleland.com/images/hosted/truespace/working.png |
Post by JimB // Jan 26, 2009, 5:27am
|
JimB
Total Posts: 341
|
Ah one of these? http://images.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&q=tadpole+tricycle&start=21&sa=N&ndsp=21
Should I take this to another forum at this point?
You could post in the wip forum as Rich suggested. |
|
