MSTS to Railworks

[Dushyanth]

Dear Friends,

Is anybody tried to convert MSTS stuff(Indian Engine models) for Railworks,

If anybody got success, plz tell me how to do this.

I have tried so many time to convert the same by using the following tools

Operating System Windows XP SP3 32bit


1) Shape File Manager = to Uncompress the .s (MSTS Shape ) files.
2) ShapeConverter 1.4 = to convert the uncompressed .s file to 3dsMax format,
3) 3dsMax 2010 demo to edit and reskin the 3d models,
4) Kuju plugins for 3ds Max to export the models to Railworks format.

Hence, while Im exporting the 3ds modles to Railworks format( TGPCDX,GeoPcDx, bin) Im getting some error,

If anybody have some Idea How to solve this problem, please share with me,



Note: Please dont misuse the MSTS stuff for any commercial purpose

[OTTODAD]

MSTS shapes can not be converted easily for use in TS-2013.

You need their created by whatever graphics editor source files and convert them for use by G-Max which is being used to create TS-2013 shapes and then have the TS-2013 Blueprints Editor to create their TS-2013 GeoPcDx and TgPcDx files.

All these MSTS shapes source files are subject to the copyright of their creators and you can not use them without their written permission !

O t t o

[TheCyclopath]

Its been said many times before (needs to be stickied in order to end the discussion) that objects imported from MSTS are graphically inferior to the offerings in Railworks. They have to have at minimum details added and their shaders reworked. Trust me from experience, it's not worth the effort. Using them as a template is fine, but in the end you will find that by the time you finish upgrading the object, you've built an entirely new asset anyway.

[OTTODAD]

Its been said many times before (needs to be stickied in order to end the discussion).

Problem is that most do not read the "Stickies" !

O t t o

[Bananarama]

Problem is, is that there are too many stickies.

[dpgibbons]

I'd suggest you first test the RW export process by 1) creating a simple shape in 3DS Max and exporting to RW 2) exporting your rolling stock as a scenery item using a scenery blueprint, which will prove the model is ok.

[sniper297]

Stuck on sticky stickies

I don't think it comes up often enough to justify a sticky, it's a once in a while question that's mainly answered by looking through old railsim archives. The answer is yes it can be done, there are several examples of MSTS trainsets converted for railsim in the file library. The conversion process is difficult and complicated, and the end result is you do nearly as much work as creating from scratch to end up with a mediocre model.

[OTTODAD]

I don't think it comes up often enough to justify a sticky, it's a once in a while question that's mainly answered by looking through old railsim archives. The answer is yes it can be done, there are several examples of MSTS trainsets converted for railsim in the file library. The conversion process is difficult and complicated, and the end result is you do nearly as much work as creating from scratch to end up with a mediocre model.

Marc Nelson of 3DTrains has converted his MSTS F7 Santa Fe Warbonnet and other rolling stock for use in Railworks but he has the expertise and graphics software to do it !

O t t o

[dpgibbons]

If you have the original geometry and texture files for the MSTS model, as I'm sure Marc had, then producing an RW version is quite straightforward. If like the OP you are attempting to convert from the MSTS files then it's a bit more complicated.

[NorthernWarrior]

Plus the heady issue of copyright. The odd freeware texture or model might get a blind eye turned to it (though converting even freeware without permission is still not the right thing to do), but the reason why we haven't seen this type of tool in the public domain is that inevitably some anarchist or bootlegger will decide to have a go at converting a whole load of payware.

[dick8299]

There was a tool that converted S files into 3DS files, but it is no longer available. You can find threads referring to it over at UKTrainSim. I have used it several times to convert MSTS files for my own amusement and use (not to be published).