importing/exporting nub question hl2 models

[davidboothe]

okay. I am trying to import the crowbar model into xsi so I can change it. I have the smd file, but i don't know where the texture file is. When I try to import the refrence smd, or the qc file, it just shows two green stars.

I am trying to take the crowbar, keep its animations and bone structure but change the look of it into a sword, then export it back for a simple mod i'm making. can I edit hl2 weapons files with milkshape 3d?

 

[bazooka]

Short answer, you're kind of screwed w/ XSI.

Long answer.

Textures are now separate from the model files. V_weapons textures for HL2 are located in "source materials.gcf" under hl2/materials/models/weapons/<weaponname>/. Hand textures are under "v_hand" where <weaponname> is. .VTFs are the images. .VMF's are the code for Source's lighting, rendering, whatever engine.

You may need to convert the .VTFs into .TGA in order to use them in XSI. Use Nem's VTFEdit or Jed's VTFTool.

You need to import the <weapon>_reference.smd to get the model geometry. Those two stars are nulls representing the rigging of the crowbar model. However there are no bones. You can create them yourself using the nulls as a reference. You'll need to import the hands_reference.smd as well if you want hands. Here is where you'll run into problems. As I said before, there are no bones, only nulls. They model isn't rigged. Basically, if you want to animate it easily, you'll have to create your own set of bones, and weight the vertices so you don't get transformation deformations.

On top of that, Valve's SMD Importer doesn't, to my knowledge, import any of the bloody animations.

Sucks, huh?

You have some options.

1) Use 3dsMax
2) Rig it and animate it yourself in XSI
3) Wait for someone else to do it for you
4) Wait until Valve's SMD Importer is updated (possibly never)
5) Wait until Cannonfodder's decompiler is updated and try again -- although I'm fairly certain the problem is not w/ his decompiler.
6) Cry.

I'm thinking of doing it myself, but honestly, I'm a newbie so it probably would turn out really crappy. It'd be really nice if someone could just did it in XSI and released the XSI scene file with the rigged arms. I bet we'd see more v_models released for Source suddenly.

Question though -- has anyone tried importing the SMD into 3dsMax, saving it as a .3ds, then importing it into XSI via the Import .3ds file option? Or alternatively, exporting it from 3dsMax as a XSI scene file (if there is such a plug-in)? I'm wondering if that would keep the bone structure intact. I imagine it would, but I don't know jack.

 

[davidboothe]

Bazooka,
This info is really helpful in leading me in the right direction.
Now one problem I have, is I don't have 3dsmax. I only have maya, and I havn't used 3dsmax since version 2 something. Do you have an aim account, I'd like to possibly talk about this in more detail? my aim is metalslugmaster (on my mac/laptop) and metalslugmaster2 (on my pc/desktop).

 

[bazooka]

Honestly, I'm probably just as much a newb as you are -- I just learned most of this info in the past week. I believe though, that Maya will work just as well as Max -- it's just XSI that is problematic with the SMD importing.

Don't get your hopes up about learning a lot from me though, as I am only just learning most of this info, too. But I'd try to help, at the very least. I'll add you to AIM.