Blender import in a mod for QW

(Zaku212) #1

I’m currently working on 3 new models in blender for the QWTA mod (i have the jupiter, flame desecrator and a surprise :D) working on the rigging phases, learning animations ,and am working up some textures for them(i can’t draw to save my life).

What i need to know is if anyone can tell me how to get them to work ingame, im not even sure of the coding needed to get them into the game.

The models are complete and rigging is done on the tanks, but not the surprise(cos it’s a bit more complicated)

so please if anyone can tell me i’d be really greatful

(hozz) #2

http://wiki.splashdamage.com/index.php/Vehicle_Tutorial

Not sure if there’s any more information on this. If anybody remembers a thread from the old forum about it, maybe it can be found in google cache by it’s title.

Good luck :slight_smile:

(pazur) #3

Check my video tutorial that explains how you can export models in blender for ETQW: http://www.pazurmapping.com/tipsnew_idtech4.htm

(Violator) #4

Nice tutorial :slight_smile:

I use a simpler (if more hacky) method for model export:

  1. Create the model in Blender. Set it to smooth shading. Convert quads to triangles (can do ctrl-T in edit mode).
  2. Split screen for UV edit mode and import image from tga file (Image -> Open) to use for the skin.
  3. Select all on the model on the left. Do the UV mapping (unwrap - smart projections seems to work best to start with as you said in the tut).
  4. In the box with the material name imported from the tga rename it to the material in your mtr file with __'s inplace of / (the text to the right of ‘IM:’) e.g. ‘viotex__metal’.
  5. Export the model as obj (Export -> Wavefront obj).
  6. Open the exported file in notepad
  7. Search for ‘usemtl’ in the file. It should find a line like:
    usemtl None_viotex__plaster
  8. Remove the ‘None_’ prefix (so it now reads usemtl viotex__plaster) and save the file.
    It should import into ET:QW :).
(pazur) #5

Interesting… I wonder if there is a format that doesn’t need manual fixing in notepad?

BTW: How can you export models with animation? Also as Wavefront obj or do I need something else? What would be the entity it goes in?

(GUNSL1NG3R) #6

animated models need to be md5’s afaik

the use of existing rigs and animations is easiest to avoid having to get deep into def files

this

uses existing textures, animations and rig

MOPs tutorial vids are awesome. I have them saved on a seperate drive but the files are way to large to upload here. Got them off the ol forums (may they R.I.P.)

@ MOP, wheres a linky??? :wink:

I found them,
http://www.3dworldmag.com/page/3dworld?entry=3d_world_114_s_3ds

the bonus vid was what I needed most…where to put the files and what files to create etc.
worked for my blenders

as for unwrapping, I dont often get results that are easy to work with via the given choices (smart, from view etc)
For uv layouts that are easier to work with I usually,
split screen with uv image editor to right side and edit mode on left (de-select all)
switch to edge select (instead of vert) and with shift pressed, create a line part way around an object.
control E > mark seam > select all > unwrap

(pazur) #7

Is there a plugin to export md5 from Blender?

(GUNSL1NG3R) #8

post 7 in this thread
http://www.splashdamage.com/forums/showthread.php?p=211568#post211568

not sure which versions these are. I have been using these
importer
http://www.doom3world.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=6901
exporter
http://www.doom3world.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1711
its been awhile since I dloaded them so you may need to read through the thread for latest or compare to those in the first link

I’ve been using
importer/ version 0.6 released 2008-5-31
exporter/ version 0.94, 2006-02-09
with blender 2.48a from here http://download.blender.org/release/

note with the exporter
(do not close blender after export)
after an export, check the console for the write path.
I have found files sometimes will be written to C: tmp
and other times it will just overwrite the file you are working on so the next time you try to open your project you get the dreaded “error, unknown file type”.
just check the write path and if its writing to “my blenders” goto
C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\my blenders
and drag the file out to desktop.
then re-save your work in blender.
there are other things needing to be done with a text editor
see post 8 in first link including the youtube links

(pazur) #9

Cool. Thanks!

(Zaku212) #10

Woah this really took off while i was away…

So i’m to use existing rigs for the sake of simplicity and then to export em as md5’s?

And I’m almost sure i’ve f-ed something up in the modeling stage cos faces start to dissapear in the texturing mode…

Thanks everyone who posted :smiley:

(GUNSL1NG3R) #11

Using existing rigs just makes things soooo much easier (imo) because all bones are named, cam views/enter exit points (for vehicles) are correctly located (and unforgotten) and there are probably a ton of other reasons I cant even think of before my second cup of coffee :wink:

It’s not to say it cant be done, just soooo much easier.
Take the player animations. There are tons of them and all were done very well.
The female character I created was built around this rig and used these animations.
problem is…she runs like a dude, walks like a dude, looks like a dude.
without re-animating movement animations for both teams, any amount of effort on a great model is pointless.

So, its not to say it cant be done, just a TON of extra work.

(Zaku212) #12

So that brings in a new question(hooray?)
How the hell do ya get the rigs from quake into blender (this is probably a really “Duh” kinda thing)

but thanks in advance, will maybe have pics up of the desi, the titan i’m starting again and the surprise needs an entirely new rig (have no bloody idea how to get a tophat that can rotate up down.and side to side)

Is it possible to take a existing rig and mess it around to suit your own needs?

(GUNSL1NG3R) #13

Follow the links in post #8 above

keep your model the way it is and while in object mode hit A to select all.
Hit M and pick a new layer to move it all to then click OK

just in case,
just under the 3d window on the right side is where you view/hide layers (looks like a bunch of blocks). hold shift to view multiple.

once your model is moved import the titan md5 from the sdk to layer one
from the titan select the rig and move that to its own layer.
I find myself using all available layers and sometimes wish there were more.

then display the layers with your mesh(s) and the titan bones (rig) in object mode
switch to wiremesh view, select your mesh then the rig hit Alt P > choose make parent to armature > do not create groups.

Then you need to do the weight painting plenty of vid tutorials on youtube
heres 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?playnext=1&playnext_from=TL&videos=vv34iAbqbgE&v=DWVzqorScTM

hopefully your model matches closely enough to the existing bones. if you edit the locations of the bones, you would need to create new animations to match.

(Zaku212) #14

Sweet thanks man.
hopefully will get something done (have next week off)
so expect to see at least some pics for the flame desi :smiley:

(GUNSL1NG3R) #15

About the disapearing areas, sounds like you have some uv’s flipped the wrong way.
select all > Ctrl N > Recalculate normals to outside
It doesnt always work on meshs’ with open sides but will get most set correctly
for the remainder switch to face select (Ctrl Tab 3) select the flipped faces Ctrl F, 1

Flipped normals happen alot when extruding or duplicating and is bound to need fixing

(Zaku212) #16

Riiiight, looking back at the model for the Jupiter, there is a load of newbi mistakes, so i’m doing a re-model from the origional titan model and so far it’s looking very pretty :D, will have modelling and rigging to titan rig don-ish by weeks end

(Zaku212) #17

ok, used importer went via SDK 1.5/base/models/vehicles/edf_titan

taking that(seems to have the rig intact already), and editing it, will it retain it’s rig, and if so how do you edit a rig that is complete( i mean just to weight paint the added parts so they work)

(SphereCow) #18

[QUOTE=GUNSL1NG3R;212155]Using existing rigs just makes things soooo much easier (imo) because all bones are named, cam views/enter exit points (for vehicles) are correctly located (and unforgotten) and there are probably a ton of other reasons I cant even think of before my second cup of coffee :wink:

It’s not to say it cant be done, just soooo much easier.
Take the player animations. There are tons of them and all were done very well.
The female character I created was built around this rig and used these animations.
problem is…she runs like a dude, walks like a dude, looks like a dude.
without re-animating movement animations for both teams, any amount of effort on a great model is pointless.

So, its not to say it cant be done, just a TON of extra work.[/QUOTE]

Don’t worry about having a matrix of animations where there’s separate animations for the left lean crouch and the right lean crouch. Just blend them. It’s a lot easier.


Some tips when putting a new rigged mesh onto the GDF or Strogg rig: Delete vertex groups from mesh that don’t have a corresponding bone.

All vertex points must have atleast a weight. Weights should have 4 bones controling them at maximum.

That’s all I’ve figured so far. Tips as I get better.

(SphereCow) #19

I have a question, myself.

I imported an animation from ETQW, the “Powerup” animation which shows the cyclops standing up. Then I exported it back into ETQW with a slight modification.

The problem is that when the cyclops stands, it starts to flicker and disappear depending on where the camera sees it from.

Does anyone know what might cause that?

(-SSF-Sage) #20

Material (mtr) problem?