Irkie500

Hey Everyone! Aside from making a couple interchanges I haven't really explored the asset editor too deeply but it seems I have hit my first roadblock. If I want to make a transport hub that has bus stops, metro stations, and train stations all built in which template would I be using? I tried with an intersection template but when I placed it in the game the buildings all disappeared. I did figure out how to install mods locally so they operate inside the Asset Editor which is super helpful, although it seems some don't cooperate(Surface Painter). With that being said, should I use a transport building template and tweak the values for cost, noise, etc after all the other buildings are added in? I don't want them to be counted as props, but rather their respective class of transport building if that makes sense. If this isn't possible let me know so I can just do the road layouts and save myself some time haha. On a side note if there are any specific mods you would all recommend for asset creation inside the game please let me know, I saw a few on the workshop dedicated to the asset editor although it seemed perhaps a little outside the scope of my work. Thanks!

Curious indeed. I will take a look later today and see if my VRAM is used first before actual RAM. I don't think the game could actually store model data inside VRAM so its most likely just the textures and whatnot getting loaded in, and if your using a ton of assets I could see that being filled quickly.

Use cortana(or Start/Run) and type dxdiag, that will give you a report of your hardware specs including VRAM. Yes a SSD is extremely fast compared to a HDD.

Are you watching your VRAM usage as your loading? I have a monitor app up and the only thing that increases during loading is my actual RAM usage. The only thing I could see the game loading into VRAM ahead of time is some textures, then again with being on the loading screen the game isnt even calling those textures. Something seems off here..

My city peaked my RAM usage at 22gb, needed to upgrade to windows 10 pro since the other version only supports 16gb max. Another thing you can do is eliminate some assets, i can almost guarantee that you dont even use a quarter of what your subbed to.

I have been using sketchup hobby wise for several years now, making small 3d projects for my own enjoyment, but I recently got the urge to try and venture off and make a building or two for Cities Skylines. I do have 3ds Max via the student license and I even got a great deal on a 20 hour training course, but I felt really overwhelmed with all of the UI options I have available to me. The main reason I love sketchup is its ease of use, and fluidity when designing objects. With that being said would it be wise to really just sit down and learn 3ds Max, or is sketchup fine to use for making in game buildings? I realize there are some limitations such as UV mapping and I know the models can sometimes get a little "dirty" so to speak in terms of tris, but I would rather stick to what I know. Does anyone here use sketchup as their main tool? What types of challenges do you run into, and why do you prefer it over something like Max or Maya? Thanks!

Cheers thanks! I really think that part right there had me the most confused after watching so many videos it made no sense to me hahaha. Thank you again for clearing all that up. By repeating do you me tile-able textures? Usually on places like CG Textures you can find ones that can be tiled without noticing seams and whatnot.

Darf thank you so much man I really appreciate the write up. Im sure it will help more than just myself. It would be great to section out your post and get it added to the tutorial list since sketchup information seems to be lacking. One question: Why do people make such a stink about UV unwraps and whatnot when it seems that you just applied the diffuse map via sketchup and imported as so. Whats the point of doing UV unwraps? Is it for more complicated structures with more defined features that cant use one blanket texture so to speak? For example that building you picked i would imagine is just brick for the walls and something else for the trim so just two basic textures across the whole model? I will hopefully have a chance to dive in either tonight or tomorrow with this. I can believe how busy this weeks has been. I havent even touched my computer since last Friday.

That would be immensely helpful! I really just need a look at where to go from finished model in sketchup to the texturing part and UV's, that's seems to be the biggest disconnect in my head. I have seen people paint textures inside sketchup and import the .skp file right into Max and then I believe unwrap the UV's and do photoshop edits for the specular levels and illumination map, which honestly seems like not a bad way to do it, but what do I know right? lol.

I perhaps did not word myself that well. I think right now my best option is just going to be to play around with modeling inside sketchup and doing the texture/UV work inside 3ds Max. My main aversion to Max is that it just seems so overly complicated I just don't have the time right now to sit down and really learn the program. I am already proficient with sketchup and how it works, it would actually probably be faster for me to work through the import/export constraints as others have, rather than learn a whole new program. What I am trying to figure out is the general work process for those who do use sketchup so I can better understand it myself that's all. I have seen a few youtube videos done a variety of different ways, some more complicated than others. I just want to ensure that I wont have to go back later to fix mistakes that could have been avoided had I know about it.

Ok so after scouring the web for quite a while for tutorials and walkthroughs I arrive at one more question that I think will finally close the gap of confusion for me. In regards to UV mapping I can get a plugin that can UV map my model inside Sketchup and export the maps, as well as triangulate the model itself. Once I export the UV's what do I actually do with them, I think that's where I get lost. I know they are for texturing and telling the program where the textures are located in coordinate space, however would I be able to use the UV mapping tools to eliminate seams best as I can, and then apply my diffuse texture on my model directly in sketchup? I could then import the model to 3ds Max to create my lightmap and specular maps no? Sorry for the handholding questions here, I really really want to do this, and frankly I haven't even had a second to sit down yet and even try any of this out, so I am trying to get most of my big questions answered now before I dive in. Also a huge thank you to everyone who has shared it really has been a huge help, and I hope to show you all some of my assets in the near future!

But from the accounts of a few people mainly Darf it can be done properly and efficiently using sketchup, I just need more details on how.

Do you do any UV mapping inside sketchup at all? I know there are a few plugins that add that functionality but i wasnt sure how it would export.

Thank you for the explanation, much appreciated! For the spec map did you give your building a global setting by adjusting brightness and contrast, and then adjust the windows themselves afterwards for higher spec levels?

Out of curiosity what did you find about sketchup to be inadequate or simplistic for your needs? Anything you mention is curious to me since there are a million plugins that help to alleviate most problems. I am a little surprised that you say that actually since Sketchup for me at least is just so fast and easy to make building with, which is most of cities skylines. I can see where its limitations would slow you down on more organic shapes, but the building themselves should be pretty easy to get going.

Hey Darf, would you mind expanding on combining objects? I am familiar with Sketchup's group and component system, as well as layers. Are you saying to make the base of the building a component, the windows components, etc? In a sense all large structural components their own component? If so that's pretty standard practice in sketchup to maintain clean heiarchy within the model. Just curious as to what your process is, as I browsed a couple of your buildings from the link you posted and they look great! did you photo match those textures from google itself, or are they custom? **Also do things like walls and roofs need actual thickness or is it fine to make them as just a plane? I am so used to everything having thickness that might be a small adjustment I need to make.

Thanks for the visual aid man appreciate it! I know sketchup has tools like CleanUp that will remove excess lines, faces, and things like that, but what I don't know is how that ultimately translates afterwards. I will dig more into 3ds max I guess. My biggest thing is I have been sorely strapped for time lately with house renovation projects and the like, so sitting down for several hours days on end to learn a whole new program doesn't exactly excite me, but I suppose the light at the end of the tunnel should!

Just out of curiosity what does sketchup do to the models that makes them "dirty". I know it has to do with how sketchup treats things that are extruded or something along those lines. Can it be avoided by using groups and components, and then flatten them all together when you go to export? Basically take all your components and make them one large component?

Thanks guys! I know of several sketchup plugins that can make life a lot easier, and seeing how the program was designed mainly for architectural purposes it is hard for me to break away from it. I know max and maya are industry standard so I do want to learn them thoroughly at some point, but I may take the route here of "use as needed" until I feel more comfortable with the controls and layout. Honestly its the UV mapping that makes me the most nervous since every video I watch on it, it seems like a ton of steps to get everything proper. Not to mention the more complicated the model, the more mapping it takes. Serious props and hats off to all of you who crank out very detailed models on a regular basis.