[new] — Presagis Creator Tutorial

Presagis Creator is highly regarded as a specialized tool for professional simulation 3D model development, particularly for industries like aerospace and defense. While it is praised for its precision and control, potential users should be aware that the software is currently undergoing a major transition. Tutorial & Learning Experience

Training for Presagis Creator is primarily delivered through structured, self-paced courses and specific tool-focused videos.

Self-Paced Training: Presagis offers courses that include step-by-step exercises. Many of these exercises are accompanied by instructional videos to help users visualize the modeling process.

Video Resources: Tutorials often focus on specific high-fidelity tasks, such as using "wizards" for rapid generation of buildings, bridges, and runways.

Syllabus & Curriculum: The "Using Creator" course syllabus typically covers creating models and databases from scratch, with a focus on building optimized 3D hierarchies.

Learning Curve: While the interface is described as intuitive for simulation professionals, users may find it relies more on manual procedures compared to newer, more automated terrain-generation tools like Hermes. Expert & User Reviews

Industry Standard: Reviewers on professional networks like LinkedIn emphasize that Creator remains a top choice for professional simulation because of its OpenFlight native output, which is the de facto standard in the visual simulation industry.

Legacy vs. Modern Performance: In comparative evaluations, Creator is often cited for its unmatched precision and reliability, though it can be slower for large-scale terrain generation compared to modern AI-assisted tools.

Niche Support: Some users have noted limitations in third-party hardware support; for instance, it does not natively support 3Dconnexion devices unless manually mapped. Critical Product Status Note

As of late 2024, Presagis as a standalone entity is ceasing operations. While most of its product line is being discontinued, Creator is the only product that will continue to be commercialized as a standalone tool with its own independent roadmap under CAE. Official support and resources are now transitioned to the CAE customer portal.

These official videos provide a look at the software's interface and feature updates, which are essential for understanding the tutorial content: Creator 2013 623 views · 12 years ago YouTube · EDS Technologies CREATOR 19: New Features & Enhancements 2K views · 6 years ago YouTube · Presagis Presagis Suite 18 Webinar 1K views · 7 years ago YouTube · Presagis Who Is Presagis? 6K views · 5 years ago YouTube · Presagis FAQ - Presagis presagis creator tutorial


Part 9: Saving and Exporting

  1. File > Save As.
  2. Save as .flt (OpenFlight format).
  3. This format is readable by most simulation engines (Vega Prime, Unity with plugins, Unreal Engine with plugins, etc.).

Step 2: Creating the Polygon

  1. Select the Polygon Tool (looks like a triangle).
  2. In the Graphical View, drag a selection box over the four vertices you just created.
  3. They should highlight. Click Accept (usually a checkmark or press Enter).
  4. You now have a flat 2D face.

Part 1: Understanding the Core Philosophy (Before You Click)

Before touching the interface, understand two key concepts:

  1. The Hierarchy (The Scene Graph): Creator uses a tree structure. Every object is a node. The entire world starts at the root -> group -> object -> face level. This ordering dictates how the simulation engine renders items.
  2. Polygon Budgets: Real-time sims need 60 FPS. Creator tools force you to think about triangles, not artistic detail.

5. Lights & materials

  1. Create lights: Create → Light → (Directional/Point/Spot). Adjust intensity and color.
  2. Materials: Open Material Editor; assign diffuse/specular maps, normal maps, opacity.
  3. Use PBR workflows if supported: set metallic/roughness textures and enable gamma/sRGB settings.

6. Common Beginner Mistakes & Fixes

| Mistake | Fix | |---------|-----| | Huge untextured terrain | Add at least a low-res satellite texture | | No LODs on buildings | Create LOD_2 (box) and LOD_3 (flat billboard) | | Model flickering | Check for coplanar polygons → delete or offset | | Missing textures in runtime | Set relative texture path (not absolute) | | Slow viewport | Enable View > Show > Bounding Box mode |


Where to find the Official Full Manual

If you need the official 400+ page PDF documentation:

  1. Open Presagis Creator.
  2. Go to Help > Documentation.
  3. This opens the Presagis Creator User’s Guide, which covers every single button and script in depth.

Presagis Creator is a specialized 3D modeling tool for high-fidelity, real-time simulation, widely used for generating optimized OpenFlight format assets in aerospace and defense. The workflow emphasizes structured hierarchical databases, polygon modeling, and the application of attributes like Levels of Detail (LOD) and Degrees of Freedom (DOF). For self-paced training and official tutorials, visit Creator 2013

Presagis Creator , you should focus on its hierarchical workflow, which is designed for building optimized 3D databases for real-time performance. 1. Essential Learning Resources

While the official Presagis website was discontinued in late 2024, resources are still available through the CAE Customer Portal or by contacting presagissupport@cae.com . Key documents include: www.cae.com The Desktop Tutor:

A practical, hands-on guide that covers everything from the basics to advanced real-time model construction. Creating Models for Simulations Guide:

This manual details the specific anatomy of databases, node organization, and the rendering process (Application, Cull, and Draw). www.modelbenders.com 2. Core Workflow for 3D Modeling

A typical tutorial in Creator follows these sequential production steps: Database Structuring: Organize models using a drag-and-drop hierarchical view to control the structure and rendering process efficiently. Geometry Creation: Build models from multiple viewpoints. Use

to rapidly generate complex structures like runways, bridges, and buildings. Texture Mapping: Presagis Creator is highly regarded as a specialized

Apply textures using "Texture Power Tools" that wrap coordinates for easy mapping, or use the 3D painting palette for custom detailing. Lighting and Shading:

Use the Light Source Palette to create infinite, local, or spotlight sources. Advanced users can use Radiosity Tools to generate light maps for realism. 3. Key Features to Explore OpenFlight Format: Creator’s native output is OpenFlight , the industry standard for real-time 3D visual simulation. Automation:

Utilize scripting tools and wizards to automate repetitive tasks and increase productivity. Interoperability: Learn how to integrate your work with other platforms like Terra Vista for terrain generation or Esri ArcGIS Pro for GIS visualization. database hierarchy optimization? Terra Vista Terrain Generation Software - AGENIUM

This guide provides an overview of the fundamentals for using Presagis Creator

, a specialized 3D modeling tool designed for high-performance, real-time simulation databases. www.modelbenders.com 1. Understanding the Interface & Hierarchy Creator is built around a hierarchical visual database that follows the OpenFlight (.flt) standard Scene Graph

: Manage your model through a drag-and-drop tree view. This structure controls how the simulation engine renders the model. Multiple Viewports

: Model from various angles simultaneously to ensure precision in complex 3D structures. Optimal Performance : Unlike standard 3D tools, Creator focuses on building optimal database hierarchies

to ensure high-fidelity performance in real-time environments. 2. Core Modeling Steps

Follow this general production order for building simulation-ready models: Geometry Creation

: Use core modeling tools to construct basic shapes, buildings, or specialized structures like airports and runways. Articulation & DOF Degrees of Freedom (DOF) Part 9: Saving and Exporting

to allow parts of your model (like a vehicle turret or landing gear) to move within the simulation. Level of Detail (LOD)

: Implement LOD nodes to optimize performance; the model will simplify its geometry as it moves further from the viewer. Materials & Textures

: Apply lighting, materials, and textures to achieve realism. Presagis Creator allows for precise texture mapping essential for high-fidelity sims. 3. Advanced Automation & Plugins

: Use built-in wizards to automate repetitive tasks, such as generating complex bridge structures or urban details. : Utilize scripting tools for custom workflow automation. Extensibility : The software features a plug-in architecture

, allowing you to develop custom tools specific to your simulation needs. 4. Learning Resources

For in-depth, hands-on practice, you can refer to official documentation and community training: Self-Paced Training : Presagis offers self-paced training courses featuring step-by-step exercises and instructional videos. Technical Manuals : Detailed guides like the MultiGen Creator Modeling Guide

provide deep dives into database structuring and real-time practices. Are you looking to model a specific type of environment

, such as an urban landscape or a flight simulation terrain? FAQ - Presagis

Part 5: Texturing

A model without texture is just a grey block.