making a bus
Intro[]
VBus keeps models in the 'MODEL' directory. Each bus is stored in a separate subdirectory that may contain a number (at least one) of folders with skins. There are a few required files in these directories:
- desc.bs1 (in a model directory) - description of a bus + its parameters (more about it)
- desc.ts1 (in a skin directory) - description of a skin + its parameters (more about it)
- wysw.bus (in a skin directory) - parameters of destination boards (more about it)
- kierownica.bmp (in a model directory) - picture for the steering wheel
- bi.bmp, wh01.bmp, wh02.bmp (in a skin directory) - images for wheels.
Optional files
- kier.wav, syg_kier.wav (in a model directory)- indicator sounds
- klakson.wav (in a model directory)- horn
- dclose.wav dopen.wav (in a model directory)- door sounds
- engine.wav (in a model directory)- engine sound
- rejp.bmp, rejt.bmp (in a skin directory)- rear and front registration plates.
The Model[]
Models are made in the .3ds format. This can be made using A3dsMax, Zmodeler and Anim8or.
There area few rules you have to obey if you want to make a model for vbus:
- 1 lenght unit in a model = 1 meter in vbus
- The origin of the 3ds model is where the 2nd axle will be placed.
green dot - origin
blue dots - axles
red lines - wheels outlines
note: 2nd axle is the rear axle for 4-wheeled buses and the middle one for 6-wheeled ones
- second segment of articulated buses has to be placed in a separate file
- the axle of second segment of articulated buses lays over the origin.
- objects names are important. the current version uses special names for doors objects.
every door element has a name that contains 6 alphanumeric charcters:
1st-lowercase 'd',
2nd-door number (1-4 or 0)
3rd-lowercase 'l' for the left half of the door or 'r' for the right one
4th-1 for the element of the door connected both to the buses body and another element, 2 for the element not connected to the body.
5th and 6th-the underscore character and the digit 1 '_1'
- the maximum number of doors in a bus = 4 + 1 (special door for driver, marked with number '0', passengers cannot use it)
- object that you dont put into a model are wheels and the steering wheel
to zmodeler users: for some strage reason vbus does not read 3ds files exported by zmodeler. you can use a small freeware tool called anim8or to convert 3ds files to be readable by vbus. all you have to do is Object->Import and then Object->Export. You can download Anim8or here.
Desc.bs1[]
desc.bs1 is a file in a model directory. lines 1-4 begin with double # character and contain description visible in bus selection screen. other lines contains paramaters of the bus. each line begins with a two letter, case sensitive tag. available tags:
- MO "filename"
name of file with bus body (1st segment for articulated buses)
- MB "filename
name of file with 2nd segment (for articulated buses only)
- TY ab
body type, where ab=DO for 4 wheeled buses, ab=TO for 6 wheeled, non-artculated buses, ab=AR for articulated
- O1 nn
nn=distance between the first and the second axle (wheelbase?)
- O2 nn
nn=distance between the rear and the second axle (6 wheeled busses only)
- KR nn
nn=distance between wheels on one axle
- KD nn
nn=wheel diameter
- DS x,y,z
drivers (internal view) position
- DK x,y,z
steerng wheel position
- S1 x,y,z
S2 x,y,z S3 x,y,z break lights
- I1 x,y,z
I2 x,y,z I3 x,y,z right indicators - left are mirrored
- PP x,y,z,w,h,a,b,c
PT x,y,z,w,h,a,b,c front and rear spot lights cast off road surface (visible in night runs) x,y,z- position; w,h-dimensions; a,b,c - angular align (a=0;b=90;c=270 for front and c=90 for rear)
- PL nn
for nn=1 bus can lower itself on stops
- VW nn
nn= vehicles weigtht (in kg)
- EP nn
nn= engine power (in hp)
- R1 x,z,y
R2 x,z,y headlights (white)
- An x,z,y
(n=1..8) orange lights, left side (for articulated buses lights A5-A8 are tied to the second segment)
- Bn x,z,y
(n=1..8) orange lights, right side (for articulated buses lights B5-B8 are tied to the second segment)
- P1 x,z,y
P2 x,z,y little white lights (usually on roofs)
- T1 x,z,y
T2 x,z,y little red lights (usually on roofs)
- Y1 x,z,y
Y2 x,z,y rear lights (red)
- DUm nn
m=number of door youre defining (0-4); doors type nn=1 for the 'standard' doors; nn=2 for pushed-out doors.
- DV nn
door speed for all doors,nn=door speed, default 35.
- DWm nn
door speed for single doors, m=door number nn=door speed, default 35.
- BH n
Controls whether the doors can be open while driving. n=0 enables this, n=1 disables. Also note:
- BHP n
Allows the use of doors while moving under a certain speed (n) in km/h.
- CZ nn
bus capacity (by default nn=30)
- L1 nn
distance between second axle to joint, see picture below(articulated buses only)
- L2 nn
distance between joint to second segment axle, see picture below(articuated buses only)
TY DO TY TO TY AR g
Desc.ts1[]
a texture/skin description file, in a skin directory. lines 1-4 begin with double # character and contain description visible in bus selection screen. other lines contains paramaters of the bus. each line begins with a two letter, case sensitive tag. available tags:
- WP x,y,z,w,h,a,b,c
the front destination board :x,y,z- position; w,h-dimensions; a,b,c-angular align (typically 90,0,0)
- WJ x,y,z,w,h,a,b,c
WD x,y,z,w,h,a,b,c side destination boards (WD is tied to second segment for articulated buses) :x,y,z- position; w,h-dimensions; a,b,c-angular align (typically 0,0,0)
- WT x,y,z,w,h,a,b,c
the front destination board :x,y,z- position; w,h-dimensions; a,b,c-angular align (typically -90,0,0)
Wysyw.bus[]
It's structure is presented below (ATT!! ALL HAVE TO BE WRITTEN IN LOWER CASE):
- 1. line - bus name
- 2. line - board make for now: "myl" - mozaic yellow or "dor" - LED orange (for plywood does not matter)
- 3. line - number of boards in bus
- 4.&5. lines and so on - dual line definition od board as :
o a) board name from folder tab\tablice (w/o ext), ex. 112x16ma (name format of board few lines lower) o b) filename for board (front: przod, side: bok, back: tyl)