Model Start

[Willy2k]

Okay, i need alot of backup for my modelling start. Tutorials and so on..
I did read a few, but i never found out how to save something as .mdl ?
I guess i need somekind of a compiler or something..

Please post links for tutorials helping me with this or just some good beginner tutorials.

 

[Vance.D.Jason]

I can help up to textureing

First off a lot of this is going to depend on the software you are using. The source SDK comes with the exporter for .smd from .smd you can make a .mdl by using studiomdl located in your sourcesdk/bin folder. The way this would look is you need to make files in this order.

model -> .smd;

.smd + .qc -> .mdl;

textureing I myself am having a problem with however from what I have read it should go something like this

model texture (.tga) -> .vtf

.vtf + .vtm -> .mdl;

The steps for the model half are pretty straight forward

1. Make your model's reference (this is the one you want to see in game)

2. Make a simplier version of your model (for physics)

3. Make what ever animations go for your model (idle counts but requires no work, you will see this one ingame as well obviously)

4. Export those into SMD format using your SMD exporter which comes with the sourcesdk file. You should rename them as you go so you don't forget which is which like model_ref.smd, model_phys.smd, model_idle.smd

---------------------------------------------------
You should now have 3+ smd files 1 reference 1 physics and the rest animations.
---------------------------------------------------

5. make your .qc file :: there are many good websites on what .qc files do and how to make specific ones such as ::

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/QC_Commands
http://www.snarkpit.net/editing.php?page=tutorials&game=HL2&id=177

but the basic requirements are as follows

$modelname "custom/yourModel.mdl"
$scale 1.0
$cd ".\"
$body "Body" yourModel_ref.smd
$cdmaterials "models/custom"
$staticprop
$sequence idle "yourModel_idle" fps 5 ACT_IDLE 1
$surfaceprop "flesh"
$keyvalues { "prop_data" {"base" "flesh.small" }
$collisionmodel "yourModel_phys.smd"
{
$concave
$mass 5.0
}

------------------------------------------------
to make this file open up notepad and paste it in and change the file extension to .qc instead of .txt (you may have to change a few folder options to change your file extension)
------------------------------------------------

6. Take your SMDs and .qc and paste them into the sourcesdk/bin (same folder as studiomdl.exe) then just drag and drop ur .qc onto studiomdl.exe

7. Your models should be created (without texture I still dont know how to get them textured I'll keep you posted if i figure it out)

you can now open up your hlmv.exe and open your model to look at it.

It will look pink and black because it is still untextured heres an example i made.

http://img152.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gun118iv.jpg

I hope that was helpful, and if you come across a way to texture the files correctly let me know plz.

Jason Vance