Modeling with 3D Editor

Under Construction

This article is not finished. Help improve it by adding accurate information or correcting grammar and spelling.

This is part of the Custom Track tutorial.

Using a 3D modeling program

If you have never made a 3D model before, it is recommended to download Google Sketchup (the free

Google Sketchup

First, you will need to download Google Sketchup if you do not already have it here: Google Sketchup 8 Download You will also need this plug-in: OBJ Exporter download. Put the .rb file in the Plugins folder of GSU (found in your Program Files folder).

If you have never used Google Sketchup before, you should watch the video tutorials found here: Google Sketchup Video Tutorials

Now, it is time to create the track using the information you learned in the video tutorials. However, there are some important rules not listed in the video that you must follow for the model to be Mario Kart Wii compatible:

Make sure that the track uses the white faces for culling.

After the model is done, you still have to scale it to a new size. You have two choices:

Comparing your model to one of Nintendo's tracks (only with GSU Pro)
Comparing your model to one of BigOto2's tracks (you can use any version of GSU)

If you chose the first option (meaning you have GSU Pro), you can either extract the OBJ models from Nintendo's tracks (File-->Export, in SZS Modifier's Model Editor), or download the model of N64 Mario Raceway [1] and import into Sketchup using the built-in OBJ importer.

If you chose the second option, you can download one of BigOto2's track models in the Sketchup 3D warehouse: Fishdom Island, Lunar Speedway, Sunset Desert and Volcanic Skyway are some of then.

After having one of the models in Google Sketchup, you'll notice that the new model is huge, compared to what your current model might look like. But that's the correct size. Scale your track up until it matches the size you want it to look like ingame. After it's scaled up and in the right size, delete the imported model, move your track so that it's lowest point is just above the point where the three colored lines meet and save. Make sure the model does not go below the red and green axis, as there is an in-game fall boundary that will force you to respawn if your kart goes below that level.

Now, export the model into an OBJ file.

Another 3D Model Editor

If you made your model in a 3d model editor that isn't Google Sketchup, you have to do something more for it to work. Follow the same steps you did to make the model in Sketchup, but after you export the OBJ file, you must run it through Blender (that means importing into it and exporting after) for then to be right. In Blender's Import and Export dialogs, remember to set the "Blender Exports Objects as OBJ" to "Material Groups". That should do it.

Importing Your Model

CTools Pack

Open the CTools Pack's BRRES Editor and click File-->New. The click File-->Import-->Wavefront OBJ. Use the '...' button next to the file path to open the .obj model file.

If there is a problem with the .obj file, a message should appear explaining what is wrong. If it is to do with materials, you can disable them using the Load Materials checkbox - but you'll have to import each texture manually later on. (the texture mapping goes OK, just the actual texture goes wrong)

If everything worked, you should now have more options. If you are making a course model, be sure to check the Course Model box, and if you are making the map, check the Map Model box, otherwise, don't check either box. Normally you can leave all of the other settings alone, however they can be used to correct problems.

If your model is too big or small, use the scale feature to increase or decrease it's size. Typically Mario Kart Wii courses are about 100000 units across.

If your model appears rotated, or lying on its side, use the swap Y and Z check box to correct this problem. By convention, Mario Kart Wii uses Y for vertical, but other programs use Z.

If your model shows only the back sides, it may be because you have the cull mode incorrect. Set it to the opposite mode to the default. If it is on automatic and did not work, consider going back to your modeling program and inverting normals.

After the OBJ model is imported, save the file as/over "course_model.brres" inside the SZS.