MARLIN STUDIOS

TRAFFIC – Low Poly Pretextured Vehicles
created by Filmburn Studios

Readme and FAQ

GENERAL INFORMATION

TRAFFIC – Low Poly Pretextured Vehicles contains 60 photorealistic, low polygon 3D vehicle models with textures already applied. The high-resolution textures give the low poly vehicle models the look of large, conventional 3D models with polygon counts upwards to ten times the polygon count and usually costing at least ten times the price. The TRAFFIC models enable scene efficiency, faster rendering times and ease of use. The models are great for architectural visualizations, movie FX, computer games and any 3D application requiring low poly count with high detail. Because of the TRAFFIC models' hierearchical structures, they can also be animated, with wheels that turn and spin. In addition to presenting the TRAFFIC models individually, they are also presented in groups to fit various parking configurations.

The 60 TRAFFIC models are divided into four categories. The category and number included in each are:

·   6 Sedans
·  2 Suburban Utility Vehicles (SUVs)
·  1 Pickup Truck
·  1 Station Wagon

Each TRAFFIC category is presented in six body colors, differentiated by detailed, high-resolution texture maps. Each model contains between 2,000 to 2,500 polygons and can be divided into the following hierarchical levels:

·  Vehicle Body
·  Vehicle Interior
·  Individual Wheels with Tires
·  Vehicle Glass
·  Pickup Bed (Pickup only)
The TRAFFIC models are presented both individually and in groups. The individual models are presented in separate subfolders within the “3D Models” folder, according to vehicle type (Sedan, SUV, Pickup, Station Wagon). The grouped models are located in the “Parking” folder and are arranged in standard parking patterns that can be quickly used to fill parking lot areas.


FILE FORMATS AND TEXTURES

The following file formats are provided for each TRAFFIC model:

·  .MAX
·  .3DS
·  .OBJ
·  .LWO

According to our research, these model formats can be imported by 90% of today’s 3D software users. In addition to the 3D file formats provided, the texture maps for each model are located in the appropriate vehicle folder


FILE NAMING CONVENTIONS

The naming convention for files is based on the individual vehicle, its color, and specific 3D software function, somewhat like a real vehicle's VIN number. The naming is explained below.

·   The first two letters identify the individual vehicle – for example, NSBla.3ds
·   The 3rd, 4th, and 5th letters identify the vehicle’s color – for example, NSBla.3ds refers to the color black
·   Remaining letters (either B for bump map or D for texture map) indicate the function the file serves – for example, NSB.3ds refers to the vehicle’s bump map, and NSD.3ds refers to the vehicle’s texture map

In addition to the 3D files and image files there are also Readme files that correspond to each specific car type.  Each Readme contains dimensions to aid in properly scaling the vehicles in a scene.
INCLUDING THE TRAFFIC MODELS IN YOUR 3D SCENE

To add a TRAFFIC model to your 3D scene, open the 3D MODELS folder, then select the appropriate vehicle from the subfolders. Next, open that folder and select the model file format file (3DS, LWO, etc.) that works best in your 3D software. Load, merge, or import the file into your scene, then check the scale. Refer to the Readme file located in the specific vehicle folder to confirm the size. Once you are satisfied that the vehicle is properly scaled, simply move it to the desired location in your scene. You can adjust the materials and geometry and animate the vehicle according to your 3D software’s capabilities – note that the TRAFFIC models are not automated by any Marlin Studios program or process for animation. This function is dependent on the capabilities of your 3D software.


FAQ

Q. Are the vehicle models scaled properly?

A. All the TRAFFIC models are scaled to proportionate sizes so they will match in the same 3D scene. There can, however, be translation issues when importing into some 3D software programs. For example, if an imported vehicle model appears to be out of scale in your scene, please check all unit and scaling options for your 3D software. For reference, each vehicle model includes a Readme file that contains appropriate dimensions.

Q.  Can the vehicles be animated?  Can I make them move down a street?

A.  The vehicle models contain no animation settings and therefore do not “move” on their own. However, you may animate the vehicle models using the animation tools found in your 3D software. Using these tools, you can move the vehicle in any direction as part of your animation, and also make the wheels and tires spin and rotate to simulate a moving and turning vehicle. Some of these procedures are advanced animation techniques. Please check your 3D software documentation for animating multiple objects in a scene.

Q.  The TRAFFIC vehicle highlights look appropriate in some scenes, but not as appropriate in others. Why?

A.  In an effort to make the TRAFFIC vehicles photorealistic, reflection maps are included to add highlights and depth. However, the reflection maps are generic backgrounds and may not look appropriate in your particular 3D software. In such cases, you may need to create new reflection maps to contain elements based in your scene; or, you can raytrace the reflections. If you use raytracing, you can alter the shader properties, by increasing or decreasing reflection, brightness, shine, etc.

Q.  How can I speed up the rendering of the vehicle models?

A.  There are a number of ways to increase rendering speed.  Depending on how you plan to use the TRAFFIC models in a scene you can:
1.      Deactivate the bump maps in the materials.
2.      Deactivate the reflection maps
3.      Set the Opacity (transparency) so that it is completely opaque.
4.      Resize the texture maps to a smaller size.
5.      Reduce the number of lights affecting the vehicles
6.      Any combination of, or all of the above.

Q.  Do the doors, trunk and windows open?

A.  No, but you can modify the TRAFFIC models using the tools in your 3D software. Note that modified vehicle models are derivatives of the original vehicle model, and cannot be redistributed in any way (see License Agreement). Simply stated, modifying a TRAFFIC model does not make it your intellectual property.

Q.  I use 3D software with a native model file format other than the ones included in TRAFFIC. I can import the TRAFFIC model formats, but the various hierarchical parts of the models (tires, interior, etc) are not aligned or the textures don’t map correctly. Are these models still usable in my software?

Yes, the TRAFFIC models are still usable, and there is a simple workaround to resolve this issue. First, realign all the hierarchical objects of the TRAFFIC model, then save it in your native model file format. Next, reapply the textures, using your 3D software’s UV mapping tools. You can quickly realign the ten basic models, and then apply the six sets of textures to each one. This may take an hour or so, but you’ll end up with a complete library in your own software’s native model format. Once again, modifying the TRAFFIC models does not make them your intellectual property (see License Agreement).


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