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 Posted - May 02 2007 : 11:35:20 PM
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After I saw the Tyco punch out card stock houses that Tony Cook posted images of - the creation of card stock model houses in HO scale idea kind of bit me. I made a couple using Paint, PaintShop Pro, and real photos of buildings in my area with decent results. But I was just looking at that software from Evans Designs and wondered if anyone has tried it.
I like caffeine and a chainsaw ...
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 Posted - March 24 2008 : 02:02:05 AM
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Well - I took the plunge and purchased it. I've seen a couple reviews - one really negative review and a couple good ones. When it arrives, I'll give it a spin and tell you folks whether or not it was worth the two Jacksons I gave up.
I like caffeine and a chainsaw ...
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 Posted - March 28 2008 : 3:20:07 PM
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Yesterday the software finally arrived.
As far as product packaging goes, it ain't fancy. Model Builder comes with 1 CD; 2 small color copied ink-jet printed manuals (with some typographical errors) on using the software and project ideas; a color copied ink-jet printed case insert; and a generic slim clear CD/DVD case that you pick up at any store.
At first glance you'll go ... I actually paid money for this? The product packaging looks so ... primitive.
But ... pretty packaging, glossy thick manuals and designer CD/DVD cases don't necessarily indicate a software product is any good. (*cough* Microsoft products *cough*)
On Vista Home and XP SP2, I had no issues installing it. You put the CDROM in, it autostarts, and you install the software. In a couple minutes, it's installed on your system.
The software (if purchased through Walthers) is a couple versions old though. Once installed, you'll need to get on the Internet and go the Evan Designs' website and download your free 25 Megabyte update. Again, installing the update worked fine and I easily upgraded to their latest version ... 1.5.4.
Unlike most programs, Evan Designs' software has a pretty basic user interface. It looks like most shareware that has been written in Visual Basic. It'll start with a screen where you decide which on screen measurements to use (English/Metric) and what scale you want to work in.
Then - off you go to the editing screen. If you're familiar with Microsoft Publisher ... same general principals apply here. The software has drop-down boxes that contain different design selections for windows, doors, brick, wood, stone, etc. You select the item you want, click in the software's workspace area, then resize the object with your mouse. When you're done, you print the project out on a color printer, cut it out, and paste it together.
Remember though, the software uses only 8 1/2" x 11" paper, so creating a a large multistory building will require you possibly create one side at a time (instead of having all sides on a single sheet of paper).
Couple things to consider ... there's no way to add or edit any text to the buildings in the program. Double clicking on saved model builder project files will not open them directly for editing in the software - it just starts the software and you still have to open the file from the FILE-OPEN menu option. Unlike publishing programs ... there are no Fine/Coarse “nudging” functionality using the arrow keys. All object movement/placement is done coarsely with the mouse.
Almost all of the images from windows to doors to siding/roofing materials are cropped photos of actual windows to doors to siding/roofing materials. There's enough items to get you started. The real fun is being able to *import* your own images that you have taken (or downloaded from the internet), cropped, and turned into GIF files with transparent backgrounds. This gives you almost unlimited object possibilities.
I used to create similar paper structures using plain old Microsoft Paint, Paintshop Pro and/or Adobe Photoshop. But keeping objects scaled correctly was always a major pain in those programs. Now - I use Microsoft Paint, Paintshop Pro and/or Adobe Photoshop to create/edit the objects I want and import the objects into Model Builder to create the actual scaled buildings.
The one real downside is that there is no "shareware" or "try-then-buy" version of this software to download and play with to decide whether you like it or hate it. But truthfully - this is the only software out there that I've seen to do this with relative ease.
I like caffeine and a chainsaw ...
Edited by - HOScale Model Railroader on March 28 2008 3:48:40 PM
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Posted - March 28 2008 : 4:03:29 PM
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Interesting review. It does sound pretty limited. Do you have any photos of the printed sides or finished product?
The Tyco Depot
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 Posted - March 30 2008 : 2:49:53 PM
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I haven't put my samples up yet, but they have a nice sample one here that comes out really nice:
http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/freebuilding.html
/tyco/forum/uploaded/HOScale Model Railroader/hunt.jpg
I have a very sneaky suspicion that Clever Models (who make HO and N Scale cardstock buildings that they sell online for $12 a pop) use Model Builder to assemble/scale their designs after they take pictures of actual buildings and crop/enhance them in Photoshop.
I just thought I'd try it out since nobody seems to have played with it (and I had some birthday money). It's not a shoot-edit-print all in one type package. At $35 (Walthers), it's more of a $21 program. But then again, here I'm quibbling about price when I just spend $35 on a Lifelike vintage 7-11 Store HO model building kit and routinely drool over rare McDonalds HO models that people on eBay pay up to $300 for and consider that a deal.
[:D]
I like caffeine and a chainsaw ...
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Posted - April 11 2008 : 3:09:48 PM
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Update:
I just received a test version of Model Builder 1.5.5 from Evan Designs (not available yet as a general upgrade).
I am impressed. Within a week or so after emailing to the authors (and other users talking with them), they coded a pre-release upgrade that included two of the major items I didn't find in the previous version. (Try to get Microsoft to do that! Heh heh.)
"Object Nudging" using the arrow keys was implemented in this release! And what is even better, you have the option of setting how much of a "Nudge" you want. I have commercial Desktop Publishing software that doesn't even offer that feature.
The application now allows you to select where you save projects and load projects from, included some new palettes called "paper models" (provides glue tabs and a roof line overlay graphics that can help with roof line cutting) and "glass pane" (for when you like a window but not what is in it). The existing "stucco" palette included a couple of stucco textures where the stucco has broken off exposing the brick underneath - to give building walls that side/back alley look.
Again I stress, Model Builder's authors never intended MB to be a do-all/end-all photo editing/CAD product suite like Punch! Software's Home Design Architectural Series® 4000 v10 or Adobe Photoshop ... which cost around $200 and $650 respectively and have pretty hefty learning curves.
Before anyone complains to the model railroading gods, I'm not selling the product. Just giving a personal review on it since - well, I couldn't find any good Internet Reviews about this unique model railroading software.
I like caffeine and a chainsaw ...
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