Long story short, I'll be catching a train to work soon instead of driving. It's a an hour and a half each way, so though it'd be a good chance to get a laptop and do some modelling.


Has anyone tried 3D modelling using a laptop, in rush hour on a train?

Is it feasible or just hard and frustrating?

Is is practicle to use the touchpad?

Or is there a better way? like maybe a 3D mouse (3D connexion), track ball, pointing device etc.


Any help/advice/anecdotes are appreciated.

Thanks

Alex

i have a laptop with a touchpad and 3 mouse buttons, and all i really need is a stable base to do any of my work on it during my hour-long commute to university and back.
I've seen it give me more time to do art - 3d, graphic design, or music production - and it doesn't bother me.

In my case it's a case of 'you gotta take what you get', because I rarely get the time to do art I want anymore, so I'm happy with it.

I used to model texture on the train! It's works fine if you have a small mouse/wacom/laptop I think. It probably depends more on the train you'll be riding, I used to always take this large silent modern train with big tables. It's a lot harder to do on an older shacky train (or one full of people).

Hi, I used to commute from Brighton to Portsmouth. Where are you commuting to from Portsmouth? The train over to Brighton was not too busy, especially if you get an early one. Commuting that length of time is a dog though, I only managed 6 months and it was really affecting my home life. Some peope don't have a problem with it though.

i've done it on a plane in high turbulence before... with a small laptop mouse... can't speak for a train though... although it sounds cool!
but if you use a touchpad, you're nucking futz. like what kind of train are we talking about here? like new york subway style.... chicago L train... a badass bombardier? i'm sure there are more specific terms for them, like commuter train or something... but all of them are going to have different seating layouts and environments which will determine how much arm room you are going to have available... like Peris said...

you don't need a powerhouse laptop if you're just using it to laydown some work to take to your actual workstation... investing in a laptop to do it all is not only pricey, but a bad investment as upgrading parts on a laptop is the equivalent of upgrading your coffee maker... people have their qualms on tablet pcs, but i love them for instances such as this... an hour to kill before going into work... a way to do some warm up sculpting or sketching. i only assume you don't have a machine to use yet as you said you were going to "get" a laptop... so yeah... a nice laptop and a small wacom will do even better if you don't mind lugging around the extra hardware...

i need to really stfu... gosh damn... coffee

Depends on the train, how many people are going to be on it, and how busy it is. For instance I take the LIRR to Manhattan every day. That's pretty much a no go unless you have a tablet pc, can get a seat, and deal with the shaking. So not really.

1h and half each way everyday? fuck.

I doubt it will work well, only tried to draw (pencil and paper) and it's impossible.

Don't know what trains are like, but I get a headache from even reading a few lines of text on a bus or in a car.

So as long as you don't get a headache from doing it I don't see any problem with it if you've got enough space to do your work.

On trawlers they use trackball mice, great if you've got limited space or your surface is too unstable for a traditional mouse.
Or you can get a small wacom, they are really portable.

I tried doing this once but it failed (with mouse)... the touchpad is absolutely not made for modeling. (it says so on the back if you get frustrated enough to actually brake it off).

Maybe a trackball could do it...

I'm flying home next week for a while, and was thinking of doing the same thing, modeling on the plane though. It's a 3 hour flight, so we'll see. I use a trackball though, so I don't have to have really much space at all for a moue. Although... idk if the drop down table will be wide enough.

Tried it before, and the trains here in Germany are actually quite comfortable.
But I couldn't do it without enough space for the mouse

Maybe look into one of those new netbooks/laptops/tabletPCs with a touchscreen... I can imagine this might work pretty well (with a stylus of course... forget those resistive multi-touch screens which can be only used with bare fingers).

I tried touchpad and it was a pain in the arse, slowed me down about 10x and is just frustrating. Last time I tried doing anything on a laptop on a train... there's usually not enough room to use the mouse unless you're lucky enough to be on a train which has tables, and those tables are not fully occupied...

I tried 3D sculpting on a train and it was bad news bears.

If you do go this route I'd recommend a SSD drive over a standard laptop hard drive so it can handle the shakes and movement.

did once a sculpt , i even had a small tabble, my laptop is too big tho and my wacom is an A5 , but i had space and it was hell. Also everyone on the train thought i was watching porn.

Just make sure your not motion sick, I can barely look at my computer or anything while I'm in a car for longer than 30 seconds without feeling sick, but they don't have long distance trains where I live so I wouldn't know if it has the same effect, but its likely I would have the same problem.

Originally Posted by easterislandnick

Hi, I used to commute from Brighton to Portsmouth. Where are you commuting to from Portsmouth? The train over to Brighton was not too busy, especially if you get an early one. Commuting that length of time is a dog though, I only managed 6 months and it was really affecting my home life. Some peope don't have a problem with it though.

Ah cool, I'm going Fratton to Horsham. Been driving it for 2 years, which takes longer! Hopefully I can eventually get a job closer to home - don't fancy moving.


Luckily I don't get travel sick, so reading, using a comp etc is not a problem.

Nope, I don't have a laptop at the mo, so may take the plunge. Has the added benfit of being a bit more social at home too, so I won't be shut away in a room as much.


Well I've been trying the train out this week, and its been OK so far.

I get on towards the start of the line, so its quite quiet and looks like I'll be able to get a seat with no trouble. It gets busier the closer to London I get, but as its very very early, its still not too bad. Each seat has a drop down table, but they are small, the seating areas that face each other do have a slightly bigger tables. But not sure they'd be enough room for a mouse on the table too.

Return journey is a busier, but its reasonably quiet.

I've been secretely spying on laptop users on the train to see how they do it. They seem oblivious to everyone and seem to use them fine, But I guess they are just looking at spreadsheets and not modelling!

I'll have to look into a touch screen laptop - I'm guessing they are very expensive. Not sure how easy it'd be to model using it?!

I do have an A5 Wacom, but not sure they'd be much room for it.

Looked at 3Dconnextion 3D mouse http://www.3dconnexion.com/ but seems you have to use in conjunction with a mouse. Anyone use one?

I'm curious about using a track ball, seems like it could be a good solution, but wonder if I'd cause major RSI. Anyone use one?


Thanks for the advice, keep it coming.

I don't think touch screen was programmed with 3d modeling in mind. anytime I had to use a touch screen system for anything it seems really flaky. Just bring a drawing pad about the same size you think the laptop and mouse would take up one day and try to draw. If you can draw then you should be able to model.

I just looked at that 3d connextion mouse, its not even a mouse at all. I got all excited like it was gunna be really awesome, and really its just something expensive you have to buy so you don't have to use keyboard shortcuts. Your suppose to use it in your other hand opposite your mouse...I think my brain would get confused. I know this is off topic but that was disappointing :/

yeah, definitely depend on the train. an old diesel train with crappy suspension and no tables is a nogo.
but an electric train with a cantina, usually have a few tables as well, so you can sit down in the cantina and draw/do 3d.
if you get dizzy from reading on a train, try sitting the other way. i've found that sitting towards the driving direction and reading, i get nauseous, but sitting with my back towards the driving direction is fine. also try and find something minty or fresh to chew on. usually helps against the nausea as well.
oh and i love those older style trains with private lounges. gives you both peace and quiet, a table, and a window that can be opened.

Originally Posted by Illusions

Depends on the train, how many people are going to be on it, and how busy it is. For instance I take the LIRR to Manhattan every day. That's pretty much a no go unless you have a tablet pc, can get a seat, and deal with the shaking. So not really.

Agreed. As much as I would like to draw while on the LIRR on a commute to or from the city it's just not going to happen, though a quick game or two on the NDS isn't impossible .

Originally Posted by $!nz

Agreed. As much as I would like to draw while on the LIRR on a commute to or from the city it's just not going to happen, though a quick game or two on the NDS isn't impossible .

The best is if you have to switch at Jamaica. Oh what? You managed to get a seat and start enjoying either a book, game, or something on your laptop? Well guess what, pack that shit up, cause you're gonna have to get on another train. Oh. You want a seat? Yeah so do another 100 people switching with you...

Originally Posted by Firecracker197

I just looked at that 3d connextion mouse, its not even a mouse at all. I got all excited like it was gunna be really awesome, and really its just something expensive you have to buy so you don't have to use keyboard shortcuts. Your suppose to use it in your other hand opposite your mouse...I think my brain would get confused. I know this is off topic but that was disappointing :/

Ah sorry man to get you excited. I wasn't sure what it was either, but managed to look a few vids on youtube. Its basically used in conjunction with a mouse, it moves your viewport - rotates, zooms etc and reducing the number of clicks and mouse movment you need normally. Its quite cool still, but its gonna be no use to me on the train.

I've been trying the train out this week, and as I get on at the start of the line I can get a seat no problem. Its pretty quiet really, although I do catch it very very early in the morning! Return journey is busier but still quite quiet really.

Think I may pinch my girlfriends laptop and try that out.