Buses Optare Solo 8.8m (M880) [Slimline] (1 Viewer)

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Now I know what you guys are going to think when I say I have started this in Google Sketchup, but I personally think it is a good program for starter projects such as this. I plan to release this to the community once it is good enough.


FAQ’s:

Q: What Variant are you releasing?
A:
For now, the M880, I will be starting a M850 soon!

Q: What length(s) are you releasing?

A: For now, I am only creating the M880, but I may release others depending on the buses success.


Q: Why use Google Sketchup?

A: I’m using this program as I believe it is good for people like me who are new to the world of bus development, I know a lot of people and possibly even me have moaned at developers for using this program but I don’t really mind what others think.



Q: Will you be showing us from time to time the bus in Blender?

A: I may if people would like that. I would just need to learn more on how to do this.



Q: Can I be a Beta Tester?

A: Absolutely… NOT. I will be picking out a team of trusted people when I feel this bus is ready for Beta Release, and currently it is nowhere near.



Q: When is the Planned Release?

A: Currently, even I am unaware of this at the minute, I will be able to confirm a date closer to release (Which will be about two weeks prior to the release.



Q: Can I become a member of the development team?

A: At the moment, no. If I feel I need help within the project, I will privately ask an experienced member for help.



Q: Can we see some pictures of it so far?

A: Yes!



Development Pictures:

1.PNG
2.PNG
4.PNG






(Side Note: I know that I will have to get rid of the rear colour in the lights)



I will be posting pictures of my overall development each weekday (So not Weekends)

Please give me any constructive criticism that will help me improve this.



Thanks,

The British Gamer
 
Last edited:

MylesW

i make things sometimes
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Todays work: I have started work on the rear of the bus and the right windows. I have recieved a blueprint from @Lukeyboi (Thanks Luke!)

Images:
5.PNG
6.PNG
7.PNG


(Known bugs: I need to re-align the windows on the right side of the bus)
I am also considering taking this bus into private development, meaning that I won't be posting any updates on here, but instead, on my discord server. Let me know your thoughts. Reason? All of the dislikes I am receiving for this project.
 

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LeylandNationalStagecoach

Developer
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Jun 28, 2018
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Thank you for the idea RoadHog!
Also, what are everybody's thoughts on this going private?
No, please don't make it private!
I really like the idea of a solo getting made for OMSI 2, and I really like that you always kept us up to date on the progress.
And if you'd make it private, no one would know anything about it, and if it'd get cancelled we'd also never know.
And even if you finish making the bus, no one could download it and enjoy driving it it'd be a private thing which no one would have access to. :(
So please, don't make it private.
Many thanks in advance!
 

MylesW

i make things sometimes
Dec 29, 2016
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No, please don't make it private!
I really like the idea of a solo getting made for OMSI 2, and I really like that you always kept us up to date on the progress.
And if you'd make it private, no one would know anything about it, and if it'd get cancelled we'd also never know.
And even if you finish making the bus, no one could download it and enjoy driving it it'd be a private thing which no one would have access to. :(
So please, don't make it private.
Many thanks in advance!
Thanks for you kind words! When I said it would be private, I meant it would be kept in private development, but would be released publicly once done!
 
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MylesW

i make things sometimes
Dec 29, 2016
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My current main focus of the bus is completing the rear first.
Today I have removed the front window as I only realised I had forgotten to do this. I have also started work on the front lights. You may have also realised that the rear lights are coloured in, this is mainly for me to remember the colours of the light :D .
Photos:
1542124885954.png

1542124912428.png




1542124997782.png
(Not my photo) still need to do some heavy work on the windows.
 

Lukeyboi

Lukeyboi's OMSI Workshop
Apr 5, 2016
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Unfortunately if you want to make something of decent quality you will have to put the hard work in. Provided you want to take an EASIER route, you're better off learning blender (and I'm not kidding you). Nothing is going to come to you easy, but when it comes to you, you'll find Blender easy. There are no shortcuts or work around in creating a good quality OMSI add-on. It requires 100% blood, sweat and tears at first but as is everything, once you're in, you'll find it a doddle. No one is expecting you to be perfect at first so if you create some bad models at first keep trying because you WILL get there. I'll be happy to show you all my learning curve of models over time, as it shows what hard work will earn you!

Whilst using SketchUp COULD produce a good quality result (I have seen decent SketchUp models) it is a lot harder to achieve and you'll find just by using it you have created un-necessary complications and extra work for yourself. For example, you can't UV map in SketchUp. Neither can you export into an OMSI ready format (without at least flipping the model). You'll find you'll need to import stuff into Blender to do this stuff (most likely case is you'll have to) and it's going to not only be tedious but confusing exporting all these different things into Blender. Do you have the latest version of the model in Blender? Is X part exported yet?

I also tried importing a decent quality model from SketchUp into blender recently which brung up 2 outstanding issues: the models poly count was HIDEOUSLY LARGE. You'll find yourself spending so many hours trying to optimise your model to try and get it to run above 3FPS. THIS IS TEDIOUS AND A WASTE OF TIME! I also noticed the model was in many different small layers, making the model a pain to work with. It would also be a tedious job to fuse all these layers together.

Remember it's not as if you're on your own when you're learning blender. There are so many YouTube tutorials that will guide you. Although the interface looks nasty, trust me, learning blender is like learning a new game. It's learning what different keys do. There's also various members of the community (myself included) who will be happy to assist with any blender related queries you may have.

I've spent time writing this to HELP you and ANY new developer wanting to start out in the bus dev world, not to demotivate or put any of you off, so please don't take it that way. If I wanted to be mean I wouldn't have spent the last 10 or so mins writing this big wall of text!
 

MylesW

i make things sometimes
Dec 29, 2016
1,900
28
5,298
Unfortunately if you want to make something of decent quality you will have to put the hard work in. Provided you want to take an EASIER route, you're better off learning blender (and I'm not kidding you). Nothing is going to come to you easy, but when it comes to you, you'll find Blender easy. There are no shortcuts or work around in creating a good quality OMSI add-on. It requires 100% blood, sweat and tears at first but as is everything, once you're in, you'll find it a doddle. No one is expecting you to be perfect at first so if you create some bad models at first keep trying because you WILL get there. I'll be happy to show you all my learning curve of models over time, as it shows what hard work will earn you!

Whilst using SketchUp COULD produce a good quality result (I have seen decent SketchUp models) it is a lot harder to achieve and you'll find just by using it you have created un-necessary complications and extra work for yourself. For example, you can't UV map in SketchUp. Neither can you export into an OMSI ready format (without at least flipping the model). You'll find you'll need to import stuff into Blender to do this stuff (most likely case is you'll have to) and it's going to not only be tedious but confusing exporting all these different things into Blender. Do you have the latest version of the model in Blender? Is X part exported yet?

I also tried importing a decent quality model from SketchUp into blender recently which brung up 2 outstanding issues: the models poly count was HIDEOUSLY LARGE. You'll find yourself spending so many hours trying to optimise your model to try and get it to run above 3FPS. THIS IS TEDIOUS AND A WASTE OF TIME! I also noticed the model was in many different small layers, making the model a pain to work with. It would also be a tedious job to fuse all these layers together.

Remember it's not as if you're on your own when you're learning blender. There are so many YouTube tutorials that will guide you. Although the interface looks nasty, trust me, learning blender is like learning a new game. It's learning what different keys do. There's also various members of the community (myself included) who will be happy to assist with any blender related queries you may have.

I've spent time writing this to HELP you and ANY new developer wanting to start out in the bus dev world, not to demotivate or put any of you off, so please don't take it that way. If I wanted to be mean I wouldn't have spent the last 10 or so mins writing this big wall of text!
Thank you Luke, as I said in my first development, so that's why I am using Sketchup, I will at some point switch over to Blender but for the time being, I wanted to see how Sketchup worked for now and for the future aswell. My next project (I'm not telling you what just yet) will be on Blender. Thanks for spending your time writing this. TBG.


There will be no work today.
I will also be reducing my updates to weekly
(Every Friday)
 

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LeylandNationalStagecoach

Developer
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Jun 28, 2018
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So, I got the lengths wrong! I originally thought it was 9.10m long, but it was 7.10m long!
My main focus since my last update has been adjusting the size of the bus.

NEW vs OLD
View attachment 37116

View attachment 37117

View attachment 37118

I will NOT be posting any update screenshots next week due to family things but I will be back the week after that!

Thanks , TBG.
Looks awesome! :cool:
Those small ones always stop literally right in front of my front yard, I could actually see them from where I'm sitting right now, lol. :D
Congratulations! The new small one looks really cute! :)
 
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MylesW

i make things sometimes
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Looks awesome! :cool:
Those small ones always stop literally right in front of my front yard, I could actually see them from where I'm sitting right now, lol. :D
Congratulations! The new small one looks really cute! :)
Thanks! I think I forgot to mention that the smaller version (7.10m) will be replacing the longer (9.10m) variant. Also, I have Optare Solos come past my house everyday, there's even a bus stop outside where they stop too!
 

LeylandNationalStagecoach

Developer
Outreach
Jun 28, 2018
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Fayton Heath, Caldshire
Thanks! I think I forgot to mention that the smaller version (7.10m) will be replacing the longer (9.10m) variant. Also, I have Optare Solos come past my house everyday, there's even a bus stop outside where they stop too!
Thanks for the info! :D
Solos going past residential homes seems to be the new trend, lol.;)
 
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MylesW

i make things sometimes
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Not bad so far I must say, although if you're making an M880 it should be 8.8m ;), as the numbers in the class show it's length in centimetres.
Thanks for this.
This weeks work:
I have adjusted the length to 8.8m

1542988934378.png

1542988969031.png

1542988996280.png



I have added a translucent texture as the windows to give the bus a little more 'realism' and 'feeling'.
Any constructive criticism then please feel free, but I don't want anything like 'Why use sketchup?' and all that rubbish

Also:
OLD vs NEW Time! OLD
1542989149572.png


NEW:
1542989196876.png
 

LeylandNationalStagecoach

Developer
Outreach
Jun 28, 2018
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Thanks for this.
This weeks work:
I have adjusted the length to 8.8m

View attachment 37439
View attachment 37441
View attachment 37442


I have added a translucent texture as the windows to give the bus a little more 'realism' and 'feeling'.
Any constructive criticism then please feel free, but I don't want anything like 'Why use sketchup?' and all that rubbish

Also:
OLD vs NEW Time! OLD
View attachment 37443

NEW:View attachment 37444

Awesome news!
Some constructive criticism:
I'd suggest you'd make the text flat, 3D text has has many many polygons, and will probably not even import into OMSI 2.
I know it's hard to model, but IRL, the Solo has pretty large bulging out fenders, over the wheels. (see below)

Stagecoach_Optare_Solo_Exeter.jpg

[IMAGE]

Also, on your solo model, the window is much larger than on the original and goes nearly all the way to the lights, although in real life, that's not the case.
I'm not trying to be harsh or anything, but that's the all the constructive criticism I've got.

But the bus is really shaping up to become a real life Solo, congrats!

BTW: I've been on Solos many times
 

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