Sean F Kelly



-676275-67627500 Usability Test 3D Modeling Software Comparison for & GMAXvs.TrainSim ModelerTABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2Methods …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3Tasks ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……. 3Evaluative Criteria ..…………………………………………………….……………………………….….. 3Test Environment ……………………………………………………….……………………………….….. 4Results ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………….…….. 5Task 1 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 5Task 2 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 7Task 3 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 8Task 4 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 9Task 5 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 11Task 6 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 14Task 7 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 16Task 8 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 18Task 9 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….…………. 20Task 10 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….….……. 22Task 11 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….….……. 24Task 12 ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….….……. 26Discussion ………………………………………………………………….……………………………….……………... 28Total Average Scores …………………………………………………………………………….…………. 28Limitations ………………………………………………………………….………………………….….……. 29Recommendations ……………………………………………….……………………………….…...……. 29INTRODUCTIONThis Usability Test compares and contrasts the functionality of two 3D modeling programs designed for creating 3D objects for the PC game Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS). The purpose of the test is to assist users of MSTS who wish to create 3D objects but who have not yet decided on a program to do so. There is a relatively small number of 3D modeling software capable of exporting to MSTS’s native “Shape File” format, “.s”. I have chosen to analyze two of the most frequently used: GMAX and TrainSim Modeler, or TSM.GMAX is a general 3D modeling program capable of making 3D objects for a variety of different uses, with many “Plugins” available for exporting objects into useable file formats. TSM, on the other hand, was designed specifically for making MSTS shape files, and has no other export options than “.s”. In order to compare the programs’ ability to create content for MSTS, this test compares the Microsoft Train Simulator plugin for GMAX with the base TSM program. These two programs are well-known in the MSTS community, with various tutorials written for both programs. However, there is very little documentation directly comparing their usability, with the majority being brief, opinionated thread postings on the forums.While MSTS is a very dated program (original release in 2001), there continues to be demand for additional content creation, especially with the emergence of Open Rails, a free, open source program that can make use of legacy MSTS content while implementing hugely improved visuals, physics, and operational capabilities. Open Rails is regarded by many in the MSTS community as the future of PC railroad simulation. With its ability to read content originally designed for MSTS, including its “.s” shape file, this usability test therefore also provides Open Rails content makers with information to help choose a 3D modeling program.All of the tests performed in this analysis were done under the assumption that the user was of a moderate 3D modeling experience level. For the sake of testing, this can be defined as a user who is aware of the general capabilities of typical 3D modeling programs and has experience using one or more well-known 3D modeling programs (such as AutoCAD or Solidworks), but who has never used either of the two modeling programs analyzed in this usability test (GMAX and TSM). Both programs are analyzed for the specific purpose of designing objects for Microsoft Train Simulator, thus the user is expected to have a basic understanding of Microsoft Train Simulator shape files.METHODSIn order to compare usability, I created a list of 12 simple to moderately-complex tasks that a user should expect to find when creating a 3D object for Microsoft Train Simulator/Open Rails. In creating the task list, the intent was to have tasks that were specific enough to have definite completion and a basis of comparison, but broad enough that they should be found in any reasonably-complex 3D modeling software.Tasks:Navigate around 3D world (move, zoom, and rotate camera)Access XYZ planar/dimensional views and perspective view.Create a 5x5x5 rectangular prism with desired number of segments.Create a shape from extruding a spline.Rotate and scale an object.Clone an object.Move the object’s pivot point/bine/merge objects.Split an object.Assign an object hierarchy structure.Apply a texture to an object and alter textures modes.Export object to MSTS shape file.Evaluative Criteria:The task was able to be completed without problems.[Strongly Disagree ; Disagree ; Neutral ; Agree ; Strongly Agree]The tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.[Strongly Disagree ; Disagree ; Neutral ; Agree ; Strongly Agree]The pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.[Strongly Disagree ; Disagree ; Neutral ; Agree ; Strongly Agree]The task was easy to learn/repeat.[Strongly Disagree ; Disagree ; Neutral ; Agree ; Strongly Agree]If access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.[Strongly Disagree ; Disagree ; Not Needed ; Agree ; Strongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:[1-10 Seconds ; 10-30 Sec. ; 30 Sec.-1 Min. ; 1-3 Min. ; more than 3 Min.]Test Environment:All testing was performed on a PC laptop running Windows 7. Testing was performed over the course of several days. To the best of my knowledge, there are not significant differences in the operation of either program depending on which version of Windows it is operated on. Preliminary testing shows that both programs function equally as well on Windows XP. RESULTSTASK 1: “Navigate around the 3D world (move, zoom, and rotate camera).”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.For this task, any user who already has experience with 3D modeling software will find that GMAX has a vastly superior 3D environment, with very intuitive tools to moving the camera around. The user can quickly find the “Pan” button, which is a must-have in and 3D modeling program. All buttons relevant to moving the camera were in the same region in the lower right of the User Interface.TSM, on the other hand, had a very counter-intuitive method of moving the screen around, involving right clicking on a location and selecting “Center” every time you want to move the camera. Not only is this quirky, but it is different than common 3D modeling programs, such as AutoCAD, which use a similar method as GMAX with a “Pan” option, in which the user holds the mouse and drags it around to move the view. Zooming in TSM also required going to a drop-down menu, as opposed to GMAX where this an easy-to-find button in the lower right.Figure 1.1: TSM User Interface. Right-clicking brings up options to assist in moving camera. There is no Pan function.Figure 1.2: The GMAX User Interface. The Pan function (the hand icon) and all other camera movement options are grouped together in the lower right.TASK 2: “Access XYZ planar/dimensional views and perspective view.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.Both programs scored very similarly for this task. The X,Y, and Z planar views were readily accessible in both TSM and GMAX, requiring you to only click in one of the four quadrants of the User Interface to “activate” that particular view.One major advantage of GMAX’s Perspective View is that it offers much easier navigation and it is possible to create and edit objects directly in Perspective View. On the other hand, in TSM, it seems like the user can only create and edit objects in the Planar views, which is a very quirky limitation not found in most 3D modeling programs.TASK 3: “Create a 5x5x5 rectangular prism with desired number of segments.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.Both programs had very similar ways to make simple primitive objects. TSM had the easiest-to-find function, with a large box on the left of the screen showing various shapes to create. TSM also has the added function of being able to define the location of the object’s pivot point at creation, a nice touch.It took a bit longer to locate the function necessary to create a cube in GMAX, but once located, it was a simple task. GMAX shines in that it has several methods of creating a cube, including one where you can drag out a box with your mouse, plus a simple user-friendly interface to modify an object after the fact. Modifying a primitive in TSM after creation is not difficult, but takes a bit longer to find in the User Interface.Both programs had a straight-forward way of defining the number of segments on each side of the cube at creation.TASK 4: “Create a shape from extruding a spline.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.As I began to move to more complex functions, GMAX’s advantage became apparent, especially with its Help Files. TSM’s Help File is of moderate size, but its total lack of a “Search” function, plus the vague naming of sub-sections of the Help file, made it very difficult to complete for complex tasks. In most cases, I had to resort to searching online for a solution.For GMAX, I could not locate the tools in the UI quickly, so I opened up the Help file, and a quick search got me all the information I needed to complete the task.Figure 4.1: After extensive online searching and reading through the Help files until coming across relevant info, I extruded an object from a drawn spline using “Template Mode” and “Extrude”, neither of which had dedicated subsections in the Help file.Figure 4.2: Extruding a cube from a flat plane using Face Extrude in GMAX.TASK 5: “Rotate and scale an object.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.For this function, TSM proved to be the easiest program to learn, with easy-to-find Scale and Rotate functions. For GMAX, the Rotate function was easy enough to locate in the UI, but scaling provided a different problem. An error message arose in GMAX, which can be seen below, which required a rather convoluted workaround.Figure 5.1: An easy-to-find scaling option, coupled with “constraining” various axes (limiting the scale to only one or two axes) provides great flexibility in TSM.Figure 5.2: Attempting to scale an object creates an error message, required the user to learn a workaround.Figure 5.3: Workaround involving find the “XForm” option. Once selected, scaling provides intuitive methods to scale on only one axis.TASK 6: “Clone an object.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.Both programs had fairly comparable results, although TSM’s had a bit less intuitive UI, involving just “Copy-pasting” the object. GMAX had a dedicated “Clone” function.Figure 6.1: The simple Copy-Paste functionality of TSM. Figure 6.2: The clone function of GMAX.TASK 7: “Move the object’s pivot point/center.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.After not being able to locate a function to adjust the pivot point within TSM, I tried to look in the Help file, but once again, this proved futile, and a long Google search was required. Even after finding the function under Part Properties, it requires a strictly numerical adjustment of the pivot, while GMAX provides the option to numerically enter it, or to move it by hand in the Planar or Perspective views. GMAX provided very intuitive methods of moving the pivot independently from the object, or vice versa.Figure 7.1: TSM’s very simple method of moving the Pivot (Axis Location).Figure 7.2: GMAX’s complex, but intuitive method of Pivot adjustment visible at right, with Help file open at left, showing the useful Search function.TASK 8: “Combine/merge objects.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.Like in previous tasks, it took a long time to figure this out in TSM, but once the function was located, it provided a simple method of combining objects. Ironically, the most difficult aspect was figuring out how to select the objects in a manner that the “Join” function would work correctly.GMAX’s Help file provided ample information to complete the task, and as usual, GMAX had an array of additional helpful functions specifying the method of joining the objects.Figure 8.1: TSM’s “Join” function, simple but effective.Figure 8.2: GMAX’s function to combine objects took a while to locate, but the Help file gave ample information necessary, plus additional information on specific ways of joining objects.TASK 9: “Split an object.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.This function proved extremely difficult in TSM due to a lack of easy-to-access Help information, and a difficult method of selecting just a portion of an object. GMAX, on the other hand, provided more intuitive tools, plus the very important function of “Capping” holes that are created by splitting an object. TSM seems to lack any method of capping a hole, meaning you would need to manually create a new face to cover the hole resulting from splitting an object in two.Figure 9.1: TSM’s “Split Part” function in the drop menu is simple, but figuring out how to select just a portion of the object and then split it off from the rest was very difficult and time-consuming.Figure 9.2: GMAX provides a simple method of cutting an object with a slice plane, which is easy to move around and angle accordingly. Once slicing, there is a function to “Cap holes” which would quickly replace the missing top of the green object here.TASK 10: “Assign an object hierarchy structure.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.This proved to be one of the most difficult tasks to find information on for TSM, but once finally locating the method to do it, it was extremely simple. The massive amount of time needed for the task could have been reduced if there was simply a better Help file with a simple Search function.GMAX’s Hierarchy “Link” function proved difficult to locate, but the Help files were very explanatory. Hierarchy in GMAX can be set up by either visually dragging a Link line between two objects, or opening up a list of objects, similar to that in TSM.Figure10.1: Editing the Hierarchy within TSM requires opening the “Parts Properties” dialog as opposed to having a dedicated function. Once located, this function is simple, although not the most user-friendly compared to GMAX.Figure 10.2: The highlighted function near the top left is the Link function which allows you to visually drag a line from “Child” to “Parent”. Additionally, with the button selected, a list can be opened to select an Object as a Parent, useful with a very complex object where clicking and dragging to a specific object is difficult.Task 11: “Apply a texture to an object and alter textures modes.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.This is one of the tasks where TSM proved to be substantially superior, especially for Train Simulator specifically. TSM contained a user-friendly interface to assign textures to different sides of a primitive object with ease. However, this method could prove problematic with more complex objects.GMAX, on the other hand, has an incredibly complex set of functions to apply Textures. This was also a rare instance where the Help files did not provide as much information as would have been appreciated, and so this largely involved Guess-and-Check work to figure out how the functions work. Locating the functions in the UI was very time-consuming, but once they were located, the UI relevant to the task was somewhat more straight-forward.Figure 11.1: TSM provides a very simple and straightforward method of assigning textures, including an easy Drag-box option for selecting the portion of an image file you wish to apply to an object.Figure 11.2: Texturing in GMAX required learning how to use some pretty complex features under the Modifier List, with a large degree of Guess-and-Check required to obtain satisfactory results. It is a much more powerful tool, however with a wider array of Mapping options.Task 12: “Export object to MSTS shape file.”TSM12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.GMAX12345The task was able to be completed without problems.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task was easy to learn/repeat.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStrongly AgreeIf access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.Strongly DisagreeDisagreeNot NeededAgreeStrongly AgreeThe task took the following amount of time to complete:1-10 Seconds10-30 Sec.30 Sec.-1 Min.1-3 Min.More than 3 Min.This is the task where TSM has perhaps the largest advantage. TSM has a user-friendly built in export option including a function which lets you easily define how the object will show up in the MSTS Route Editor (the tool used to place objects in Train Simulator). This is a significant timesaver.GMAX, on the other hand, has a rather quirky export process which is very prone to error and does not usually provide a meaningful error message than actually helps determine what the problem is. This is likely the largest shortcoming with using GMAX; you will likely have to search online on the forums to find answers to specific questions on why some objects will not export correctly. Additionally, the user will have to manually edit the data files in MSTS in order to add the object to your particular railroad.Figure 12.1: TSM has a very user-friendly export process which includes a number of features that drastically shorten the amount of time to get the object imported into MSTS. Every one of these functions on the screen is a huge timesaver over manually editing a particular data file for MSTS.Figure 12.2: GMAX’s export process has a simple window (at right) that has a number of rather strangely named functions without much explanation. It is very prone to crashing if the user has unknowingly set up their 3D model incorrectly.DISCUSSIONTotal Average ScoresCriteriaTSMGMAXThe task was able to be completed without problems.4.04.3The tools necessary to complete the task were easy to locate in the User Interface.3.33.6The pertinent User Interface enhanced user experience.3.33.9The task was easy to learn/repeat.3.94.3If access to Help was needed, Help was easy to follow & helped complete the task.2.93.6The task took the following amount of time to complete (Low Score=Less time)3.33.5Notes: Possible scores range from 1.0 to 5.0, with 3.0 being neutral.As can be seen, GMAX had an advantage across the board in all criteria except for one (amount of time taken). The largest advantage for GMAX is its extensive and detailed Help file, which provided assistance to essentially every problem encountered, while TSM’s Help file is severely lacking due to the vague Subsection names and the lack of a Search function, which is almost imperative for any complex software. Recall that these tests were done under the assumption of a user who has moderate experience in typical 3D modeling programs.The second largest advantage was with the User Interface. This advantage, and many others in fact, are largely due to the fact that GMAX is a much newer program.For a user totally inexperienced with 3D modeling, GMAX may appear to be overwhelming at first, but with practice it has a much wider array of available functions to aid in creating complex objects. TSM, on the other hand, seems to be targeted at users who do not have prior 3D modeling experience, and focuses on simplicity. But in many cases, this simplicity results in a lower quality and lack of functionality, and combined with the Help files issue, TSM falls far behind.Limitations:One limitation of the study was that it focused only on functions that could be found in both TSM and GMAX, and it is by no means an exhaustive study of functions; the tested functions only scratch the surface for both programs.Additionally, it would have proved helpful if different Time Criteria had been chosen at the outset of the Usability Test, as the option for “Greater than 3 Minutes” covers an extremely wide variety of times, in reality. Some tasks that fell under this criteria took in the neighborhood of 3 to 5 minutes, while others took nearly 30 minutes; obviously this a huge range that was not properly accounted for by the available metrics.Recommendations:It is my recommendation that any user who is beginning to create objects for either MSTS or Open Rails learn to use GMAX. While it some areas it may have a steeper learning curve, it will prove to be a superior program in the long run with its plethora of additional features, and its high-quality Help file to assist with almost any issue. ................
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