| | Home :: Model Builder FAQ
|
| Model Builder FAQ | The following are some Frequently Asked Questions and their answers.
You have a lot of programs, which program(s) do I need to buy to make buildings?
Model Builder is the only program you need to buy to create buildings.
Which buildings are included in Model Builder?
The buildings you see in our Gallery were all designed and built by our customers, or by us. You really have thousands of possible buildings that you can make using the 500+ images included with this software. To get started, you can use the 6 included building plans or try starting with the buildings suggested in the Project idea booklet.
How does the Scale work?
When you start Model Builder, you select a scale. Standard Scales include Z, N, HO, S, O, OO, G, 1:32 1:72 and 28mm. We even have some 1:285 micro-armor fans.
Custom ratios are also possible.
"My model rail gauge is the UK 'N' gauge. I'm understand that ours is a little different, a few mil larger/smaller, from the US 'N' gauge. Will this mean the Model Builder 'N' gauge buildings especially the door heights) are wrong for our UK 'N' figures?"
A great feature of Model Builder is that you can choose a custom ratio for your model structures. So instead of using the standard 1:160 you can input the exact number ratio, either in mm or as a ratio. And get building!
Also, if you have designed a building in one scale and want to share it with someone who models another scale, you can just open Model Builder in your chosen scale, then open the file made in a different scale. Model Builder will prompt "this file was made in another scale, do you wish to continue" choose "yes" and the building will open in the new scale.
How does the Model Builder program work?
See our video!!
Next you select a material such as brick, siding, or wood and paint it across the design screen. Use the Scale Feet Ruler to determine the building size in your scale.
Select windows and doors, which will default to the correct size for your scale. Resize windows and doors as desired, then move them into place using our group duplicate, group align, group distribute and group send to back or front. Add some foundation material and some trim from their palettes. Choose some cornice, trim, "junk" or utilities to add to your building. When you are finished, save the file and print your design.
What operating Systems?
Model Builder runs on Windows ME, 2000, XP, XP-Pro, and Vista. Min 512MB memory and min 250MB hard disc space. If you are running Vista, you will need more memory.
Sorry Mac users, we do not have a mac version available. It is not that we do not like MACs, we just do not have a Mac programmer on staff. If you know a Mac programmer, let us know. With the new Mac capabilities, you can run Model Builder in Windows Emulator mode, we have customers report to us that they are using Model Builder this way..
Do I need a special printer or paper?
We have a $70 Epson Stylus R260 Photo Printer (Epson has recently replaced the R260 with the R280) that works very well for us. Epson now has a line of Claria Inks for the R260/280 that is fade resistant for 99 years. We also like the HP models. Any decent color inkjet printer will work fine. We recommend Matte Photo Paper that you can buy at your Office Store, for best image results with these high quality images.
How many images are in the Model Builder program?
Model Builder has over 500 images.
Material Catagories inlcude: Siding, Industrial Siding, Metal, Rusty Metal, Wood, Bricks, Block/Stone, Shingles in Asphalt, Wood and Stone, Cement/Stucco.
Materials can be "painted" while staying in the chosen scale, cropped, or stretched.
Object Catagories include: Windows: Factory, Residential, Miscellaneous, Arched
Doors: Residential, Factory, Wood, Arched, Garage. Also Shutters.
Objects can be stretched bigger or smaller, many of them can also be seamlessly tiled onscreen.
Other Catagories include: Material Trim, Lattice/Grills, Boundary Walls, Storfront, Horizontal Trim, Vertical Trim, Utilities, Water Tower, Building Plans, Trees, Junk, Cornices, Building Extras, and Stairs.
I plan to make a..... 4 story apartment building/1955 service station/roundhouse/railway depot/building backdrop/grain elevator/...?
Check our Model Builder Gallery to see what types of things Modelers like you have made so far with the Model Builder program. There are a huge number of possibilities of what you can build, and with the image import features, there are even more possibilities.
How many Building Plans are there in Model Builder?
Model Builder has 6 building plans that can be used in any chosen scale. There is a trackside shed, service station, railway station, grain shed, 1/2 quonset service garage and an alley garage. You can also import building plans in .wmf format if you have them.
You do not need a building plan to start building with Model Builder, just use the Scale Ruler and start building!
How do I get started with Model Builder?
Besides a user's manual, Model Builder comes with a Project Idea booklet. The booklet shows how we make a simple quonset hut, two different industrial buildings, a building backdrop, and a service station. There is also chipboard building tutorial on the Model Builder CD. View the tutorial Building a Chipboard Building here.
Are there Reviews/Customer Comments?
See the most recent magazine review from O scale Trains. Also check out the O Gauge Forum to see what users are saying about the software.
|
|
