3DSimED Version 2 Updates

To download the latest version Click here for more details

If you are looking for version 1 updates of 3DSimED and TrkMaker click here.

Support files for SketchUp Export/Import (unchanged since 2.4).

Version 2.8 Release Notes

Improved support for NFS Shift cars and tracks including XBox 360 format.

Import of V8 SuperStars Next Challenge .BIN files. The import of cars works well, but track import will need improving in future versions.

The Tools->Data Reports->Model Info now includes the extents of objects.

Version 2.7 Release Notes

New import of Flight Simulator X .MDL files allows use of gMax, a free download equivalent to 3DS Max 4, for editing models (note that the FSX gamepack for gMax is required). There is also limited support for FS 2004 Scenery models exported from gMax (this requires the Fs2004 gamepack for gMax).

Right-click selection intermittent crashes on NVidia cards fixed.

Problems with Windows Explorer Right-click/context menu fixed.

Edit->Materials->Replace includes the option to assign a material to geometry with no material.

Import Race On  .GMT problem fixed. This was associated with objects having incorrectly defined texture blending.

Texture map names are now capitalised when exporting ISI formats. This improves the handling of special materials such as mirrors. 

F1-2001 .MAS with packed .BMP files can now be expanded. 

When updating N2003 PTF, animation is preserved.

Improved import of 3DS which use object instancing.

Exported ISI .GMT files were larger than necessary if no UV mapping was present.

Edit Object Explode and Isolate now much quicker for large objects.

Improved import of NFS Shift. Objects such as tyres are now correctly textured.

Export to GPL .3do improved.

Codemaster Dirt track import greatly improved.  

Import of V8 Superstars now includes trackside objects such as vehicles.

Version 2.6 Release Notes

Import of NFS Shift cars, tracks and individual .MEB objects.

Export to NFS Shift .MEB

Import of V8 SuperStars .BIN files (cars and tracks).

Shader support for rendering has been improved to include OpenGL fragment programs. Fragment program output is very similar to GLSL but is supported on a greater range of graphic cards as well as many on-board graphic chips. To enable fragment programs use the Home->OpenGL Options->Load Fragment Programs function; you may also need to select the Display->OpenGL Options->Fragment Program Rendering option if your system support GLSL shader rendering.

New Edit->Paste Vertices function allowing XYZ, normals etc to be copied from another model.

New Material Edit->Re-scale Texture->Swap Texture Channel UV function allowing channel coordinates to be swapped.

New Tools->Data Report->Materials giving a report on the materials’ attributes.

Tools->Data Report->Model Info gives more information about the model.

Tools->Data Report functions output is now to a notepad style window allowing the reports to be browsed, edited and archived.

The X-Axis is now drawn in red, the Y-Axis green and the Z-Axis drawn in blue.

Improved file error handling when exporting or saving models.

Texture maps of animated materials were not copied by the Export->Export Textures function.

When writing  ShadowReceiver=TRUE to a scn file no space was appended so the next argument in the line would be ignored.

Problems with object orientation when importing from GRID have been corrected.

Use of the Windows API function getaddrinfo has been altered to ensure 3DSimED will work on Windows 2000.

Version 2.5 Release Notes

New: Export GPL TSO in both GPL native .3DO and .ASE for ASE23DO.EXE.

New: Tools->Texture Map Conversion for all maps used by the materials within a scene or model.

Improved: Imported GPL .3DO now show the collision planes.

Improved: Export commands that include objects now have the option not to export hidden objects.

Improved: Option when converting textures to write GPL 16-bit mips

Improved: Material Diffuse RGB can be set.

Fix for problem with Browse Folders dialog which could crash preventing the exporting of objects etc.

Fix to ensure 3DSimED no longer looks for the VS2005 run-time libraries.

Fix for skipping the first record when importing a GPL .3DO.

Fix for writing DX9 shader for Diffuse & Normal maps & specular RGB, when exporting rFactor, GTR2, RACE07 .GMT files.

2.4 Release Notes

Import and Export of Google SketchUp SKP files.

PNG graphic file format support.

Enhanced Folder Browse window with a 'Recent Folders' button.

The Object Edit dialog has a new function to copy the presently selected instance of an object to the 3DSimED clipboard.

Fix for problem with saving animation sequences for ISI formats.

Fix for missing view toolbar on dialogs.

Fix for texture browser not initially showing the current texture on XP.

Fix for saving GPL drawings to other formats.

Fix to allow rFactor materials to reference JPG files.

Version 2.3 Release Notes

3DSimED now has a ribbon interface and the ability to customize keyboard shortcuts, a Quick Access Toolbar and visual style. Read more about these new features.

Running on Vista no longer requires administrator permissions for file associations.

All settings are now saved to the registry which will explain why you will have lost the settings you had from earlier versions which were saved to 3DSimED.INI in the Windows folder.

The texture browser now works correctly on Vista.

Recent Folders that were unavailable could cause 3DSimED to crash.

With OpenGL GLSL shaders used for rendering, the Memorize XYZ would intermittently fail.

Rain reflection shaders were incorrectly written to Race 07 .GMT models.

Some of the GLSL shaders which required a mixture of diffuse maps would incorrectly render.

Some Grid tracks had missing parts of the road surface when a track has a number of configurartions.

Version 2.2 Release Notes

There is now the option to write 32 bit BMP files from the texture browser.

If the animation sequence was edited it was not saved to objects when exporting.

Exporting a .3DS a model that was imported from .3DS could crash 3DSimEd.

The texture scaling prompts for the channel scale was incorrect.

A recent folder or file which was no longer available could cause a crash.

Version 2.1 Release Notes

Below the notes is a download link.

The handling of materials and their editing has been greatly improved. Almost all shaders available in rFactor, and other ISI format sims, are now supported including the blend shaders. Multiple texture map channel coordinates support has also been included. 3DSimED can render the almost all of the shaders providing the graphics card runs OpenGL GLSL.

Objects saved in ISI format (rFactor through to Race 07) have far better frame-rates with max details and shadows.

Workaround to stop crashes on Radeon 4870 running catalyst 8.8.

Display menu has new option to switch Animations on/off.

The right-button context menu has a new function to hide the material.

Display menu has new function to Un-Hide material which was hidden with right-button context menu.

Display menu has new function to Un-Hide object which was hidden with right-button context menu.

Saving of objects in ISI formats rFactor through to Race 07 is quicker.

The status bar displays the full path and filename of recent files when the mouse pointer moves over the recent files on the File menu

Isolate includes objects within the isolated object.

The rendering of material hilighting is faster.

Expo and shadow objects were the wrong size after exporting from 3DSimED.

GRID and DIRT PSSG files can be opened and the geometry imported.

Texture maps can be extracted from and replaced in GRID/DIRT .PSSG files.

Greatly improved Ford Racing 3 import.

The File Menu now has a Recent Folder list which allows the user to change the current working folder.

The conversion to TGA allows writing bottom-up as well as top-down raster lines.

Animations can now have frames numbered greater than 9.