Newbie: Need advice on how to skin/retexture model in maya

[lachesis]

OK

Total newb here - I read through the sticky at the top but these seem to focus more on actual modelling than just re-skinning.

I want to open up a CT model and just re-skin him as a new person. I'm guessing I extract it from somehwere in the gcf along with some tga's and then just photoshop it up but I have no idea where to start.

Just a simple quick guide on opening the mdl or smd file and the files I need to edit for skinning would be great.

Thanks

 

[mindless_moder]

u will need gcf scape. a maya plugin for importing and exporting smds, a vtf decompiler and a mdl decompiler.
it goes like this
u first extract with gcf scape u'll get a mdl file and a vtf file the vtf contains ur texture and the mdl contains ur models geometry and animations .
then u decompile both of them using vtf2tga for hte vtf and ur favourite mdl decompiler ...after u decompile it u will get a few smd's one of them (i think its idle) will have the geometry. all u have to do is open up the tga in photoshop edit it and preview the effects by applying the material to the model. you MIGHT have to work with a multisubobject material for some models.

 

[lachesis]

Ok that's fair and simple enough.

I've got a sample *.tga:

How do I know how to get a picture of a head like that? And in the tga - do I just replace/go over the current images in there? Do they need to be the same height/shape size etc.? or is it a case of the model just ignores the black part of the tga file?

Thanks for the help :-D

 

[mindless_moder]

it needs to be in the same ratio if u want to change the size of the map just "constrain" the proportions in photoshop. as for actually texturing u need to look online for reference and painting tutorials.