Creating Your Model Using TS

When creating ships for FS2 trueSpace is an obvious choice for a modelling package. Bearing in mind that most people don't have limited funds and that you need your model to be a trueSpace model with a specific hierarchy later on in the ship creation process anyway. Truespace is a reasonable modelling package although there are many better ones. It can be purchased from it's authors Caligari and many other places. Older versions of the program have also been carried on the front covers of PC magazines. These notes on trueSpace were created for version 4.2.

The trueSpace GUI was designed by a monkey on space crack. Bear this in mind and you'll live a happier life. Don't try to reason as to why it is the way it is. Merely accept it and suffer. Icons on the main toolbar are split into groups. There are two toolbars. A large one and a small one. At any one time you will only see one icon from a each group on it's toolbar. This is an on-going theme in trueSpace. Features are hidden away and very difficult to find.

As a general rule of thumb left clicking an icon activates the tool and may call up extra options. Right clicking an icon is for calling up extra options only. Holding the left or right buttons allows you to access all the other icons in it's group. Here are the icon groups as they appear left to right on the trueSpace toolbars.

Main Toolbar Icon Groups

(remember, the toolbar will only show one icon from each group)

Small Toolbar Icon Groups

(remember, the toolbar will only show one icon from each group)

When you activate a particular tool it's icon usually becomes the current icon for it's group on the toolbar. Which means the toolbar icons actually change as you use trueSpace. It can be very confusing at first until you begin to remember which icons appear in which groups. The diagrams above will help you find a particular icon if you lose it. As for what these icons do, well this isn't always obvious either. Below is a list of all the important tools in trueSpace, how to find them, and some tips on how to use them most effectively.

View (Eye) Maniuplation Tools

Appearance

Function

This is the eye move tool. It allows you to move the view using the mouse.

This is the eye rotate tool. It allows you to rotate the view using the mouse. This only works in the perspective view.

This is the eye zoom tool. It allows you to zoom the view using the mouse.

View (Eye) Maniuplation Tools
Appearance	Function
	This is the eye move tool. It allows you to move the view using the mouse.
	This is the eye rotate tool. It allows you to rotate the view using the mouse. This only works in the perspective view.
	This is the eye zoom tool. It allows you to zoom the view using the mouse.

Object Creation Tools

Appearance

Function

This is the object tool. Then activated (greyed) it allows you to select an object by pointing at it in the view and clicking.

Object Maniuplation Tools

Appearance

Function

This is the object tool. Then activated (greyed) it allows you to select an object by pointing at it in the view and clicking.

Object Info
This is the object info window. It gives information on whatever is currently selected. It works for groups, faces, edges, and even verticies. Not just objects as the name suggests. It allows you to change the location, rotation, and size values using the keyboard. Maniuplating in this way is more accurate than using the other mouse driven tools. You should be using this window a lot. For extra precision ensure to add a few trailing zeros to your numbers. Try to position something at "1" and it will not end up precisely at 1. Position it at "1.000000" and it will. Precision on this minute scale can be important, especially when using boolean tools later. Call up the object info window by right clicking the object tool ()

This is the object move tool. It allows you to move the selected group or object with the mouse. Use to move things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

This is the object rotate tool. It allows you to move the selected group or object with the mouse. Use to rotate things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

This is the object scale tool. It allows you to scale the selected group or object with the mouse. Use to scale things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

Lower Level Geometry Manipulation Tools

This is the point edit tool It doesn't do much on it's own. It puts you into a mode where you can select lower level geometry such as faces, edges, or vertices. Of course you won't know what it is you're selecting unless you right click on this icon and call up the point edit window.

This is the Point Edit window. It allows you to choose whether to select by face, edge, point, or a context (anything depending on what you're pointing at). The current mode is greyed. It also gives you a number of important tools for maniuplating geometry at a lower level. Call up the point edit window by right clicking the point edit tool ().

This is face select mode.

This is edge select mode.

This is vertex select mode.

This is context select mode (anything depending on what you're pointing at).

This is the point move tool. It allows you to move selected faces, edges, or vertices using the mouse. Use to move things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

This is the point rotate tool. It allows you to rotate selected faces, edges, or vertices using the mouse. Use to rotate things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

This is the point scale tool. It allows you to scale selected faces, edges, or vertices using the mouse. Use to scale things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

This is the point weld tool. Another one of the most frequently used tools in trueSpace. Use this tool to merge selected faces, edges, or vertices into a single vertex with a position which is an average of the positions of all the vertices replaced.

This is the point delete tool. Again, a frequently used tool in trueSpace. Certainly one of the more dangerous ones. When you're first learning trueSpace it's probably worth making a backup of your model before you start playing with this tool.

This is a useful tool. It allows you to make a copy of selected faces as a new object.

Object Creation Tools
Appearance	Function
	This is the object tool. Then activated (greyed) it allows you to select an object by pointing at it in the view and clicking.

Object Maniuplation Tools
Appearance	Function
	This is the object tool. Then activated (greyed) it allows you to select an object by pointing at it in the view and clicking.
	This is the object info window. It gives information on whatever is currently selected. It works for groups, faces, edges, and even verticies. Not just objects as the name suggests. It allows you to change the location, rotation, and size values using the keyboard. Maniuplating in this way is more accurate than using the other mouse driven tools. You should be using this window a lot. For extra precision ensure to add a few trailing zeros to your numbers. Try to position something at "1" and it will not end up precisely at 1. Position it at "1.000000" and it will. Precision on this minute scale can be important, especially when using boolean tools later. Call up the object info window by right clicking the object tool ()
	This is the object move tool. It allows you to move the selected group or object with the mouse. Use to move things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.
	This is the object rotate tool. It allows you to move the selected group or object with the mouse. Use to rotate things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.
	This is the object scale tool. It allows you to scale the selected group or object with the mouse. Use to scale things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.

Lower Level Geometry Manipulation Tools
	This is the point edit tool It doesn't do much on it's own. It puts you into a mode where you can select lower level geometry such as faces, edges, or vertices. Of course you won't know what it is you're selecting unless you right click on this icon and call up the point edit window.
	This is the Point Edit window. It allows you to choose whether to select by face, edge, point, or a context (anything depending on what you're pointing at). The current mode is greyed. It also gives you a number of important tools for maniuplating geometry at a lower level. Call up the point edit window by right clicking the point edit tool ().
	This is face select mode.
	This is edge select mode.
	This is vertex select mode.
	This is context select mode (anything depending on what you're pointing at).
	This is the point move tool. It allows you to move selected faces, edges, or vertices using the mouse. Use to move things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.
	This is the point rotate tool. It allows you to rotate selected faces, edges, or vertices using the mouse. Use to rotate things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.
	This is the point scale tool. It allows you to scale selected faces, edges, or vertices using the mouse. Use to scale things quickly and innacurately but use the object info window for final adjustments.
	This is the point weld tool. Another one of the most frequently used tools in trueSpace. Use this tool to merge selected faces, edges, or vertices into a single vertex with a position which is an average of the positions of all the vertices replaced.
	This is the point delete tool. Again, a frequently used tool in trueSpace. Certainly one of the more dangerous ones. When you're first learning trueSpace it's probably worth making a backup of your model before you start playing with this tool.
	This is a useful tool. It allows you to make a copy of selected faces as a new object.

Other Lower Level Geometry Tools

This is the polygon draw tool. You can use it to create new edges on an object by connecting existing vertices or creating new vertices on the fly.

Utilities

This is the trueSpace extensions tool. Click it to call up the trueSpace Extensions window

This is the trueSpace extensions window. It has 8 slots into which you can load trueSpace extension plug-ins. In this case 2 plug-ins are loaded. The two most useful plug-ins out there. TrueView and Solidify. Clicking on a plug-ins icon runs the plug-in.

This is the decompose into object tools. It seperates parts of an object that are loosely connected. That is, treated as being part of the same object but not actually joined by any edges or geometry.

This is the triangulate tool. All worship the god of poly counts. Triangulation is the "sledgehammer to crack a nut" answer to stabilising your model geometry. A model made out of triangles is always stable. It'll launch your poly count sky high of course, but nothing comes for free. Beware though, if doesn't do a consistent job of triangulating. The direction of the triangulation may be different for two otherwise identical faces on either side of a symetrical ship.

This is the polygon reduction tool. Worth noting just to warn you to avoid it. Don't see this and expect trueSpace to do all your LODs for you. It probably works okay on high poly count models, but used on an already low poly count model it'll turn it into a picasso. Steer clear.

This is the "Try to fix bad geometry" tool. If your model is starting to act a bit wierd. Especially if you've been deleting faces or vertices. This thing may just bail you out. On the other hand it may take a perfectly good model and trash it. On yet another hand it may do absolutely nothing. As Eddie Izzard might say, this is the equivilent of the "Do or die" card in "Escape from Colditz" the board game.

Other Lower Level Geometry Tools
	This is the polygon draw tool. You can use it to create new edges on an object by connecting existing vertices or creating new vertices on the fly.

Utilities
	This is the trueSpace extensions tool. Click it to call up the trueSpace Extensions window
	This is the trueSpace extensions window. It has 8 slots into which you can load trueSpace extension plug-ins. In this case 2 plug-ins are loaded. The two most useful plug-ins out there. TrueView and Solidify. Clicking on a plug-ins icon runs the plug-in.
	This is the decompose into object tools. It seperates parts of an object that are loosely connected. That is, treated as being part of the same object but not actually joined by any edges or geometry.
	This is the triangulate tool. All worship the god of poly counts. Triangulation is the "sledgehammer to crack a nut" answer to stabilising your model geometry. A model made out of triangles is always stable. It'll launch your poly count sky high of course, but nothing comes for free. Beware though, if doesn't do a consistent job of triangulating. The direction of the triangulation may be different for two otherwise identical faces on either side of a symetrical ship.
	This is the polygon reduction tool. Worth noting just to warn you to avoid it. Don't see this and expect trueSpace to do all your LODs for you. It probably works okay on high poly count models, but used on an already low poly count model it'll turn it into a picasso. Steer clear.
	This is the "Try to fix bad geometry" tool. If your model is starting to act a bit wierd. Especially if you've been deleting faces or vertices. This thing may just bail you out. On the other hand it may take a perfectly good model and trash it. On yet another hand it may do absolutely nothing. As Eddie Izzard might say, this is the equivilent of the "Do or die" card in "Escape from Colditz" the board game.

Groups

trueSpace allows you to group objects together. Allowing you to perform operations such as move, rotate and scale on all the objects in the group as if they were one. There are times when this becomes very useful. It also allows you to create a multi level hierarchy of groups and objects. Groups even have their own axis. Grouping in native trueSpace is done using the following tools.

Grouping Tools & Their Functions

Appearance

Function

Group the selected group or object with the group or object you click on so that both groups or objects are at the same level in the hierarchy.

Group the selected group or object with the group or object you click on so that the selected group or object is lower in the hierarchy.

Move one level up the group hierarchy

Move one level down the group hierarchy

Grouping Tools & Their Functions
Appearance	Function
	Group the selected group or object with the group or object you click on so that both groups or objects are at the same level in the hierarchy.
	Group the selected group or object with the group or object you click on so that the selected group or object is lower in the hierarchy.
	Move one level up the group hierarchy
	Move one level down the group hierarchy

Grouping objects and creating hierarchies in this way is possible but can become confusing and annoying. There is another alternative.

TrueView

TrueView is an invaluable trueSpace extension (.tsx) plug-in. It comes with trueSpace 4.2 and can be download from the net. To load it, Click on the trueSpace extensions button. This will bring up the trueSpace eXtensions window. Click on one of the empty slots and a file requester will appear asking you to "open trueSpace eXtension". Look for TrueView in the tsx subdirectory of your main trueSpace directory.

TrueView allows you to manipulate the object hierarchy of the current scene in a drag and drop fashion. Drag one object onto another to glue it as sibling. This will create a group. You can then drag and drop other objects into and out of that group. The TrueView window also acts as a selector tool, enabling you to select objects or groups as you wish. You can even copy and rename objects using TrueView.

As far as creating ships for FS2 goes, TrueView should satisfy all your grouping and object selection needs. Don't leave home without it.

eg: Example of TrueView showing a FS2 model hierarchy

Booleans

The boolean tools allow you to do clever things with the geometry of two different objects. Bear in mind you're doing things here that effect the geometries of one or both objects. This is different to just grouping two objects together. Also bear in mind that the boolean operations are accurate to minute details. Look out for them creating really tiny polygons where you least expect them.

Grouping Tools & Their Functions

Appearance

Function

This is the boolean uion tool. You can use it to join two objects and their geometries together. The two geometries should really overlap. You can sometimes get this to work by aligning two geometries next to one another but it can cause problems.

This is the boolean intersect tool. You can use it to create a new object based on the intersecting geometries of two objects.

This is the boolean subtract tool. You can use it to subtract the geometry of one object from another.

This is the booleans window. This can be used to change the precision of boolean operations.

The greater the "identity" number the more likely it is to weld vertices together that are near to one another when doing the boolean operation. The default value of 50 is a fair one. The more you raise it the more likely it is to weld vertices and perhaps create non-flat faces. The lower you set it the more likely it is to create those tiny little polygons we were talking about earlier.

Keep drill means keep the object you subtract when performing a subtract operation.

Delete edges is evil. It deletes every edge in your model it deems unnecessary. That means all the extra edges you added to stabilise your geometry in FS2. It also turns itself back on every time you load TS. So unless you need it turned on, you should make sure it's turned off every time you load TS.

Grouping Tools & Their Functions
Appearance	Function
	This is the boolean uion tool. You can use it to join two objects and their geometries together. The two geometries should really overlap. You can sometimes get this to work by aligning two geometries next to one another but it can cause problems.
	This is the boolean intersect tool. You can use it to create a new object based on the intersecting geometries of two objects.
	This is the boolean subtract tool. You can use it to subtract the geometry of one object from another.
	This is the booleans window. This can be used to change the precision of boolean operations. The greater the "identity" number the more likely it is to weld vertices together that are near to one another when doing the boolean operation. The default value of 50 is a fair one. The more you raise it the more likely it is to weld vertices and perhaps create non-flat faces. The lower you set it the more likely it is to create those tiny little polygons we were talking about earlier. Keep drill means keep the object you subtract when performing a subtract operation. Delete edges is evil. It deletes every edge in your model it deems unnecessary. That means all the extra edges you added to stabilise your geometry in FS2. It also turns itself back on every time you load TS. So unless you need it turned on, you should make sure it's turned off every time you load TS.

Orientation

Orient your ship so that it is pointing towards the bottom left hand corner of the screen after using a File -> Scene -> New to reset the camera position and viewing angle.

eg: Ship orientation example

Modelling Strategies

I have found the best approach to modelling in trueSpace to be to break down large models into small component parts which will be easier to model. The idea is to tackle these smaller models individually before combining the results to produce a finished product. Classic divide and conquer.

Modelling anything in trueSpace is a case of starting with something simple and modifying it to make it look like what you have in mind. This means starting with one of the pre-defined primitives (planes, cubes, cones, cylinders) or making your own flat polygon (using the polygon creation tool) as a base . Then it's a case of using the low level geometry tools to modify what you have. Sometimes building on what you have using add point, polygon draw, and sweep. Sometimes it simplifying what you have using delete edge, weld, and occasionally delete face. It helps if you have a strategy in mind before you start. After a while using trueSpace this will become second nature. Don't let that fool you into thinking trueSpace is a good modelling program. It isn't.

Tips

Create a vaguely explosion shaped object and intersect it with a textured model. You'll end up with textured debris.
Create a massive box around your model. Intersect your model with the box to create a new version of your model with no unnecessary edges. This optimises your model, but does remove any edges you've added for FS2 stabilisation purposes only.
If you have two objects aligned next to one another and you want to join their geometries but it is not working, select a face of one of the ones and sweep it so it overlaps the other object. Now try and make the join.

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