Getting started with truespace 7.0

Beside presenting a confusing user interface by default, trueSpace7.0 has been a disconcerting version to the users base also because it represents a rupture in trueSpace line. First, it focuses on real-time activities, a concept that may sound interesting but that is not the primary focus for most of 3D artists. But moreover, unlike tS6.6 and its predecessors, trueSpace7 is essentially a customizable creation plateform, rather than a pure program for creating 3d illustration and animation. It is entirely designed to be fully expandable with seamless add-ons integration. Caligari doesn't provide users with additional 3d creation tools, but with a 3d creations tools TOOL ! It was somehow a revolution, and this may explain why Microsoft bought and dropped that licence : the concept of a professional program in which the users are building the tools they need, rather than making new purchases, probably didn't fit into Redmond economical vision of the software industry...

This tutorial was recorded by Paul Ashington, one of the trueSpace team developpers. It explains the new features of that revolutionary trueSpace 7 architecture, formerly known under the code name Rosetta - this is why all trueSpace7 file formats extension start with an .RsXxx

If you are purely interested in 3D creation technics, like learning how to create stairs or paint a chair with texture, this tutorial may not be the one to start with, to say the least. We suggest you to pick an other one in the tutorial list.
But if you want to uncover the hidden part of the iceberg, understand the new tS7 philosophy, and realize the full potential this new architecture has to offer, then you are in the right place !

As you will notice the interface slightly differs from what you see in trueSpace7.6, that is because the tutorials are recorded on an earlier version : tS7.0.
Although the interface has been revised in tS7.6, the features and workflows presented in this version are still valid.
Among the noticable changes between tS7.0 and 7.6 we can point these :
- The tS7.6 Stack View has 3 tabs instead of 5 icons,
- The tS7.6 3D views tabs are Workspace and Model instead of Player and Model,
- The tS7.6 icons relative to the Model view are designed in the tS6.6 style (rectangle 30x22 pixels) and embeded inside the Model view frame, while the icons relative to the new architecture have adifferent aspect (square 30x30 pixels). This helps to identify which part of the software they operate in. In the tS7.0 screen captures below you will see that all icons are the 30x30 type and can be docked outside of the 3d views. This was the specificity of the 7.0 and 7.1 versions : Modeler tools were all operated via the Bridge from the new architecture icons.
- The tS7.0 SuperLightworks shader that was editable in the Link Editor is gone in tS7.6.

Note about the "Player" :
In the trueSpace 7.0 version, the Workspace window was called Player because it was essentially a 3D space to "play" interactive activities and load content created in the Model window. In the trueSpace7.6 you are probably using, that Player windows has been enhanced with a lot of content creation tools. For example, you can create primitives and edit them, add lights, build a skeleton, and more. Although it is not a fully functionnal 3d creation environment as rich as the Model space, it is on the path for it and you can definately "work" in it. That's the reason why that Player window is now called the Workspace.

1.0 Quick tour

1.1 Introduction

2.0 Windows and Layouts

2.1 Toolbars and buttons

3.0 Libraries and History Stack

4.0 The 3D Player Window (called Workspace in tS7.6)

4.2 Player (=Workspace) Mesh Edit tools

4.2 Player (=Workspace) Record tool

4.3 Player (=Workspace) Macro Recording

5.0 What is the Matrix

5.1 Using the Link Editor

5.2 Linking objects together

6.0 The other windows

7.0 Creating and modifying a real-time DirectX shader

7.1 Creating and modifying a real-time DirectX shader

7.2 Creating and modifying a real-time DirectX shader

8 Moving on to the light

9 Animate

10 Real-time post-processing