Making a .qc file for a custom (idle) model *need help* - Developers

Hello. I've been trying to make this "speed limit" sign and import it into Garry's Mod. Only thing is that I've got no clue on how to export it. So far I've followed a video on Youtube and ended up with a bunch of .SMD files and I know that I'm missing a .qc file. Here are some screenshots for reference: Model in Blender: http://prntscr.com/jewn6x Files that I have from exporting with Blender Source tools: http://prntscr.com/jewneo Anims folder inside ^^: http://prntscr.com/jewns6 What I'm looking for is how to make the .qc file. I've tried different videos as well as trying to make sence of the valve wiki with no luck. Any information needed feel free to ask me.

This video contains pretty much anything you need to know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNg_UouLbcA the tutorial is admittedly not the best, but gets it's job done, for more info you should visit the notso official valve page regarding the matter: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Compiling_a_model and not as useful: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/QC

the not so official valve page has already been tried. I've watched that video, the problem is that I don't have ONE .smd, I have 3 that all need to go into the .qc but I'm not sure how they are to be added... @Grodbert

So you're trying to make bodygroups?

@Grodbert I've got no clue. I'm making a sign so I'm trying to make it with "permaprops" addon so it stays on the server.

Ok ko, I think I got what you want it to be, if you use bodygroups you will be able to use different versions of the same circle sign without changing the actual prop, this also means that you won't need the "circle_idle" animation, same with the "text_idle" which I hope to god doesn't refer to the text on blender. If you have no interest in using bodygroups, which for simplicity's sake this should be the case, you can just fuse the 3 parts into a single mesh by selecting them in blender with A (hopefully you don't have a camera and a light in the scene[nvm I just saw it in the screenshot, remember to delete it]) and then ALT+J , export it into an .smd to have a single file, this way you'll be able to follow the tutorial. Now, if you were a daredevil such as myself, I'd live life on the edge and decide to make everything into a bodygroup (lamp not included), it is actually very easy, just add this onto the normal QC: $BodyGroup "NAMEOFTHEBODYGROUP" { studio "NAMEOFTHEFILE.smd" blank } Blank means there's nothing, so an option for the bodygroup would be to have none at all (like hat or no hat), having more than one is redundant. You can add as many models in a single bodygroup by adding more "studio". VERY IMPORTANT I do not think you included an armature in your model, make sure to have that as well, see video posted above for tutorial.

What is an armature? I'll convert them all together. text_idle does refer to the text I'm a complete noob, trying to make custom stuff for the first time ever. What do i type in the .qc if I DONT want to use bodygroups, but simply make multiple props? @Grodbert

Armature is just the skeleton, but better? It involves stuff like kinematics and rigging, which we will need to use, but that's too complicated to explain, just know that it's basically a synonym if you're using it for 3d modelling softwares. I have no idea how you managed to export the idle animations, I assume you already dabbled with bones and just didn't know about armature, either that or you saved the movevent of the objects and not of the bones. Luckly for YOU, this is all you will need to type for the qc: $modelname "REFERTO1.mdl" $body referto2b "REFERTO2.smd" $staticprop $surfaceprop referto3 $cdmaterials "REFERTO4" $sequence idle "REFERTO5.smd" // no animation wanted, so re-using the reference mesh $collisionmodel "REFERTO6.smd" { $concave } This is where the model will end up relative to your Gmod folder, it will always be located in garrysmod/models/REFERTO1 , this isn't really important as you can just move the model around, but the folders will be automatically created there, so do it for convenience's sake, THE .MDL IS REQUIRED or not, I never dared to not include it. The name of your .smd file, this is the one you exported, and had to join together, this is the circle, stick and text, but all in one! choose a name for "referto2b", it doesn't matter much. How the material will behave! Not necessary, but very much useful, also used to calculate how much the prop will weight if you don't set the weight yourself, here's a list of all material properties: Material surface properties The Command Directory for the Materials, this is like the model's one, but it's garrysmod/materials/, very hard at first, if you have problems read this: Just ported a model but 2 issues occured , note, unlike the model's folder, you CAN NOT move the files around, what's written in the QC is final. The idle animations, usually stuff like "anims/idle.smd", also interesting that if the prop is static (like it's written there, might not be needed), it doesn't need an idle animation, so you can reuse the model itself, you will still need bones in the model, the bones, even without any actual animations, act like one. The collision model, use collision joints for ragdoll, read the "just ported a model but 2 issues occured" for more info on it.

I've gotten to the point where it is in game! Only problem is that it has no textures, only the "50" mark on it. Problem is that I can't figure out how to get my materials from blender into the materials folder... How do I extract them from Blender? @Grodbert

Well, are they textures in the first place? If they are go in the uv/image viewer and save it as a png. You will need VTFEdit for this,I am sure both the video I linked you and the thread on point 4 has the answer for a material problem. The rest can be solved with a simple google search, as an example, the first google result for "armature 3d" is a good explanation for what it is.