[Tutorial][W.I.P] The Blender tutorial tread - Last updated 17th May

Warning - This tutorial is a WORK IN PROGRESS - parts will be missed out and parts will be added whilst I am creating this tutorial. I have school so will not be able to do it straight away!


Anyone who would like to translate this tutorial to other languages is more than welcome - Please send me a PM first though.


Update 17/5/12 - Part 2 now added

Hi all, my name is Joel. I have seen many requests on this OMSI forum for help on where to start in Blender. So, because I am cool like this (

) I will start some small, fun, quick and simple tutorials unlike all the others on the internet & the tutorials will also be based around OMSI.

The program:

So the program that we use to model for OMSI is called Blender. It is a "free open source 3D content creation suite".

You can download Blender from here - http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/

Once on the page it is common sense. Download the Windows, Linux or Mac file and run. It will then install the program for the first time.

Some tips when using Blender:

1. Blender is currently at Beta - This means that the program is not fully released yet. You should always download the latest version and report bugs to the guys at Blender by doing this -

2. Modelling requires time, patience and to learn takes some time. I suggest whilst you are modelling, you listen to some music that you like. I normally listen to Kiss 100 but you can listen to anything you like - Here's the link http://kube.kissfmuk.com/?jumpto=kiss100

Hotkeys:


Hotkeys are one of the best things to learn when using Blender. They can save you lots of time. Here are some of the keys that I use and that you should learn.

"Parts" are what I will refer to. It simply means vertices, edges and faces.

G - Grab: Allows you to move "parts"
S - Size: Allows you to size "parts"
G + X or Y or Z - Grab on the X or Y or Z axis
S + X or Y or Z - Size on the X or Y or Z axis
Tab - Allows you to switch between object and edit mode
Z - Switch between Solid or Wireframe

Part 1: Lets build a house!


OK. We are now going to create a simple house that can be used as a building for OMSI. I will take you through every step with pictures and text so that it is easy for you to create a house.

Step 1: So, you first begin Blender with the opening screen. Click anywhere to make this go away. You are now presented with a box. This is what we will be using to make a house. First press Tab. Now press A to select everything. The box should turn orange. Now press S and type "2.5" on your keyboard, then press enter. This will scale the box 2.5 times bigger than what it is at the moment. If you have been following properly you should have this:

If you do then continue, if not go back and start again. People can make mistakes and trying again helps you learn from them

. Now, lets create a roof. First click the face button (it is at the bottom of the screen, next to the word "global"). Now click the top face of the box, and press E to extrude. I suggest you type "2" for the height then press enter, but you can choose the height for the roof. Now it should look like you have a box on top of a box, like this:

Lets continue. Go back to vertices mode (where the face button was) and the top four corners of the box should be selected. If not, hold shift and right click all four of them until a orange square appears. Now press Alt + M and a message will pop up with three options. Select the option saying "at centre". You should now have a roof like this:

This is a basic house that you have just made

. Of-course its not amazing, but its a good start. And if you added some textures to it (I will show how to do this later in the tutorials), you can export to OMSI and use it. This is how big buildings are made as-well. Simply size the box in the Y axis and you get a tower.

Please be aware that if you are using a different side of the house or have modified the house from the tutorial, some measurements may not work during the tutorial. However you can still follow the steps,just use different dimensions.

Step 1: First open up where we left off. Pick a side to place the garage - For this tutorial I am using the right side of the house (look at the pictures below if you don't know what side it is in Blender). Now we are going to create loop cuts. Loop cuts add a extra edge/line to a face to help you modify a already made object. To create a loop cut, simple press Control - R. Now you will get a purple line. Move the mouse so that the purple line is vertical (top to bottom), like this:

(If you are having issues getting it vertical, put you mouse at the top edge then try Control - R). Now left click and it will become orange, and you will notice you can can slide it. For this tutorial, type in the 0.5 then press enter. You should have made a new edge. We need to make another though, but horizontally, so do the same steps but horizontally (left to right) and type -0.40. You should now get this:

Step 2: See that A on the picture above? Select face mode, then click on the face. Now we should extrude (E key) by 3.1 - now press enter. You should have this:

Looks cool hey? But lets add a bit more detail. Press "view" then left (or Control - 3). You should now get a view of the back of the house (although the view is the left side

- don't worry..). Now look at this picture below:

Step 3: Go into vertex mode (where the face mode is, but its the first option). See the line that links vertex C and A? We want to move that up so that it lines up with B. Select vertex A. Lets use a trick we used in the last tutorial - now shift - click on vertex B. Press Alt - M and merge at last. This will merge vertex A (the first we selected) with vertex B (the last). Now right click on vertex C. Press G to move it and X to move it in the X direction (vertical). Move it so that the line is straight. Like this:

Yay. You just made a garage :D. Congratulations and enjoy.

Zitat von road-hog123

Thank You Squizzal! This is just what we need for those like me, who prefer to muck around with a program to learn how to use it instead of reading the manual!! I shall continue to follow your tutorials and maybe I'll end up being able to make something BIG! (One note, in version 2.60a there are five options after [Alt]+[M], not three)

Thanks for the feedback. Regarding the Alt + M bit, I am using Blender 2.61 so it is probably different

Zitat von road-hog123

I've been mucking around using just the tools in the last one to create "Charter House" - an office block I need for a map, but I've got loads of edges I don't need...

Not exactly sure what you mean. Do you mean this? To get rid of the lines in the red box to make it look like the blue? If you want it for the whole shape, that is easy. Let me know

Zitat von random.monster1981

Thanks for the tutorial, will you be making one to teach us how to model a bus in Blender?

That's my goal ideally, I used to model in zmodeller for midtown madness 2 as that is generally easier but it has no animation functions so I would really benefit in modelling my projects in Blender but It just seems far too complicated.

perhaps you could make a tutorial of making a small minibus or something just to get us in touch with blender so we know what to do etc?

Thanks for the feedback. Its appreciated

About the bus. I have been getting alot of PM's asking if I can help people on starting a bus. I may create a new bus (will probably not be released) and film how I create it. My question is 1) would you like me to do this? 2) I won't be doing a voice-over as my mic is not that good, so do you want text on screen showing what I am pressing etc in a video format, or do you want me to add on to this topic and provide text and images. 3) What bus

New bus tutorial coming soon. Won't be straight away - I gotta take some screenshots and type it all up

.

Zitat von random.monster1981

Well

1.. YES!

2. Text on screen as well as telling the keyboard shortcuts you are using to perform certain tasks would be helpful.

3. You could make a simple minibus, Perhaps something like a Merc 709D ( plaxton beaver ) as a starting point for us to learn from + a provided paperbus template for us to save and use, Once we can make one of those for omsi using a paperbus template then I'm fairly certain that new buses will come thick and fast for omsi.

I used to model in Zmodeller for midtown madness 2 and I did some good work on that ( See images below )

Alles anzeigen

Thanks for the feedback. I had a look at the Merc 709D and like the bus, however I am going to make a bus with 2 doors (Just to not confuse people with scripts)(and to make the bus similar to the defaults). I will give all the templates, any scripts I have etc in the tutorial so don't worry.

Zitat von omsidriver(H)

Thanks, but this x converter is for Blender 2.5, but I use Blender 2.6

Should still work - If not then Google a .blend to .x converter (or blender to .x if no good results show up)