Models / Skins Question Mega Thread - Developers

[IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/wkmdlt.jpg[/IMG] All I really know how to do right now is... well... make shapes and add textures. [editline]21st December 2010[/editline] Scratch that. Can't even add textures :suicide:

[QUOTE=Hank228;26861001]So this is a question kind of out of the blue. I'm kind of a noob when it comes to modeling and texturing but I've made a few (obviously, not very good) models. Anyway, I've found a few ragdolls that I would like to use as player models. Where do I begin with something as... insane as this.[/QUOTE] If those models are already rigged to the valve biped (without massive changes to it), making them playermodels and NPC's is relatively simple. You just decompile the models, include the shared ones (just decompile a playermodel to see which ones) and recompile. The playermodel addition is then a few lines of lua code, which can more or less be borrowed from another.

How hard is it to model? How do you exactly make a model? Is it anything like connect the dots?

I need help with my model of a tree. It is actually made up of two models one for the top and the other is the trunk. I'm having a problem with the trunk. [img_thumb]http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/6212/svshack40000.jpg[/img_thumb] the tree leaves aren't casing shadows on the trunk. also the actual texturing of the leaves I did sucks. is there anyway to make it better? [img_thumb]http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7726/svshack40002.jpg[/img_thumb] Should I increase the resolution of the texture? currently its 2048x2048 which I think is more than enough. I need two models because of its purpose [img_thumb]http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/7200/svshack40001.jpg[/img_thumb] thanks [QUOTE=Ignhelper;26870624]How hard is it to model? How do you exactly make a model? Is it anything like connect the dots?[/QUOTE] There are a lot of techniques for modeling and plenty of tutorials on how to do just about anything in modeling. Once you know how to use the program it's all about using that knowledge and your artistic licence.

So it's two seperate models right? Just compile the one with any translucency in it with $mostlyopaque. That might help fix the shadow issues. Also to get those leaves better. Make the background green for them as opposed to white, and give the alpha a slightly fuzier outline.

Question: What is the main difference between a phongmask and a specular map on your alpha layer of your normal map ?

The phongmask in the normal controls how much it reflects. The phongexponent map (specular) controls how tight the reflection is. At least to my understanding. For instance both metals and rubbers can reflect as much light, but the reflection on the rubber will be a whole lot more softer and spread out.

Could someone show me which programs I should use and give me a basic Description of what they do, I tried out Milk Shape but I need a register code to export models what other program could I use? Do People use Blender as a trial or buy it seems to be the most popular.

[QUOTE=wraithcat;26867488]If those models are already rigged to the valve biped (without massive changes to it), making them playermodels and NPC's is relatively simple. You just decompile the models, include the shared ones (just decompile a playermodel to see which ones) and recompile. The playermodel addition is then a few lines of lua code, which can more or less be borrowed from another.[/QUOTE] I'm afraid I'm a bit of a noob and can't really find where exactly the player models are stored and I don't even know how to decompile them either. Where do I find the lua code for player models? Edit: Nevermind, I figured it out. Thanks for the help wraithcat :)

I just started working with maya and mudbox. How do you mirror your actions? also how would you do this in xsi and 3dsmax.

How do I make the eyes of a model glow? I've got "$selfillum" 1 in the VMT, has position of it anything to say? I want to make a hunter-based skin with glowing eyes, you see. Any help will be highly appretiated.

Eyeshaders don't work with self illum You could put a particle right in front of the eyes though which would possibly look similar.

I'm think about something similar like Billy's eyes here [url]http://www.garrysmod.org/downloads/?a=view&id=99196[/url] Which uses the self illum. I read: "One of the options in the eye's VMT is to make them glow". Do I use the wrong kind of eyes, or..?

I'm pretty sure those eyes don't have actual eye settings, and they're probably just a regular texture.

Dangit... There goes that project.

ok here's a question: how would I go about making a t-shirt for a personal model im making... I have ripped converse all stars from GH:WT and I have baggy jeans that I originally made for GTA:SA, im using 3DS max 2010 and i have milkshape an XSI

I have a question abut the bone order for a model. Is there any way to change which bone is the root bone without having to redo the entire skeleton? I made a ragdoll out of a tripod-mounted machine gun, but it assigned the root bone as the machine gun itself, while I'd like to have the tripod be the root bone to prevent the gun from swinging freely.

I'm trying to find as much help as I can with my model. When I open it in HL MDL viewer, it comes up non-textured. I only have one VMT of one texture right now, just to see if I have figured out the .vmt system. I haven't, and I need help. [code]"VertexLitGeneric" { "$basetexture" "Models/props_lilrobot/33CC461F_c" "$bumpmap" "models/props_lilrobot/33CC461F_c" "$envmap" "env_cubemap" "$normalmapalphaenvmapmask" 1 "$envmapcontrast" 1 "$model" 1 "$selfillum" 1 }[/code] That's one of the .vmt files, and all of the textures are named something random. Here's a list of a small portion of the .bmp files that were converted to .vtf. [img]http://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/11/87/91/70/names10.png[/img] Anyone know why it still shows up checkered? Update: If opened in HL Mdl Viewer, I click the Models tab. On the right side, it brings up two errors: [code] ***ERROR*** Model attempted to load one or more VMTs it can't find. models/props_lilrobot/33cc461f_c models/props_lilrobot/d6b6397_c

Okay i've followed the "how to make a model for source" tutorial perfectly and i still can't see my textures ingame. The weapon shows up with that purple checkerboard texture so i assume the normals are proper (or else wouldn't it be invisible?). The texture is in [b]materials/models/weapons/c_items[/b]. The vtf file is named [b]c_mace.vtf[/b]. The vmt file has [b]"$basetexture" "models/weapons/c_items/c_mace"[/b] The qc file has [b]$cdmaterials "models/weapons/c_items/"[/b]. The mdl file is [b]c_mace.mdl[/b] and it has its own folder like every other tf2 weapon. Ideas?

Did you double check to make sure the texture the .SMD has been assigned has the same name as C_mace? Or, the numbered names, in Lilrobot's case?

[QUOTE=Srgt. Shotup;27311695]Did you double check to make sure the texture the .SMD has been assigned has the same name as C_mace? Or, the numbered names, in Lilrobot's case?[/QUOTE] They're the same name, but it's looking for the .bmps in the .SMD file according to the hex editor. Could that be the problem?

It could be. Otherwise, do you have any kind of modeling program? You could try reassigning textures from that.

I use Milkshape 3D. I manually assigned each .bmp through that. I'll assign a random .vtf, compile a .vmt, then get back to you on this. Damn it, it still doesn't feel like working. :V I've attached a picture of the model in a hex editor, if this can analyse what I need to do, or something. [img]http://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/11/87/91/70/hex10.png[/img]

[QUOTE=Srgt. Shotup;27311695]Did you double check to make sure the texture the .SMD has been assigned has the same name as c_mace?[/QUOTE] SMDs get assigned textures? How? :gonk:

[QUOTE=azuiswhore;27313072]SMDs get assigned textures? How? :gonk:[/QUOTE] I believe an assigned texture is something like the textures applied to it in the model editor you're using. For example, I use Milkshape 3D, the materials I used are the "assigned textures". [img]http://i37.servimg.com/u/f37/11/87/91/70/assign10.png[/img]

I really just can't get the hang of this Note++ program, I've been wanting to turn a counterstrike player model into one that would be compatable with gmod, but when i pull the .mdl into the porgram all i find is this... [IMG]http://i56.tinypic.com/24o7g48.jpg[/IMG]

No no no, use XVI32 not Notepad++.

[QUOTE=LilRobot;27313171]I believe an assigned texture is something like the textures applied to it in the model editor you're using. For example, I use Milkshape 3D, the materials I used are the "assigned textures".[/QUOTE] Dunno how blender does it, but i cannot find where it's referencing a backscratcher image. When i export as SMD it has that as the skin, but it shows up as the purple checkerboard. :confused:

I'm using 3DS Max. Is there any mode where you can view the image file of a diffuse map in the perspective window? It would give me a better overview of how the model looks when it's textured and done.

[QUOTE=Aceid;27324482]I'm using 3DS Max. Is there any mode where you can view the image file of a diffuse map in the perspective window? It would give me a better overview of how the model looks when it's textured and done.[/QUOTE] Drag and drop, buddy. Open the folder with the texture, minimize it so it's still open but it's smaller and is over the 3DS Max window, then drag the texture (.tga, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, any image file) onto the model in perspective view.