Texturing new guns

(bobblehat) #1

For a new mod I’m working on (as I’ve noticed a lot of similar topics are about mapping):

Ive made a few gun models (in Blender) and I can export them to MD3 (which ET uses for most models AFAIK). However, now I am a bit lost as to what to do next. I assume I have to texture it, but I get a bit lost as to how ET does it.

In Pak0.pk3 theres a textures folder and the models/weapons2/ folder with some matching textures that seem to get wrapped around the models.

Is there any way to find out how ET will wrap an image (is is called UV mapping?) around my model - and similarly, is there a quicker way to make that image other than trial and error?

(-SSF-Sage) #2

[QUOTE=bobblehat;177967]For a new mod I’m working on (as I’ve noticed a lot of similar topics are about mapping):

Ive made a few gun models (in Blender) and I can export them to MD3 (which ET uses for most models AFAIK). However, now I am a bit lost as to what to do next. I assume I have to texture it, but I get a bit lost as to how ET does it.

In Pak0.pk3 theres a textures folder and the models/weapons2/ folder with some matching textures that seem to get wrapped around the models.

Is there any way to find out how ET will wrap an image (is is called UV mapping?) around my model - and similarly, is there a quicker way to make that image other than trial and error?[/QUOTE]

Map the gun on a square UV-map. Make all different “surface groups” on different coordinates on it, so they won’t overlap with other. If you need only 1 shader, put all in one map. Now you’ll have it all mapped, select it all in uv face select mode, then go to uv’s ->scripts->Save uv face layout (in uv/image-editor). Then it will print the “map line coords” and you can just paint over it in photoshop etc.

(bobblehat) #3

That really helped thanks - It took me a while to get a UV map that didnt have overlaps - ended up making every edge a seam, which cant be a good idea though. =\

(-SSF-Sage) #4

Np. The uv editing (esp. unwrap) can be a bit bit*h in blender sometimes. I usually don’t use seams. I unwrap every face/face group in separate, then resize, place it and usually even align (depends on what kind of faces I’m working with ofc).

(bobblehat) #5

Aha, just figured out that you can select all faces in UV Face Select mode, and press U for unwrap - then click “Unwrap (smart projections)” and it seperates it all out automatically.

On a similar thought, I’ve finished the gun models, but there is a lot of models of arms holding the guns and strange models usualy called something like “v_fg42_barrel”.

Will I need to model those too?

(For a free game where you can change practically everything except the main engine, theres very little information on modding besides getting it running - so thanks for the help.)

(-SSF-Sage) #6

[QUOTE=bobblehat;178006]Aha, just figured out that you can select all faces in UV Face Select mode, and press U for unwrap - then click “Unwrap (smart projections)” and it seperates it all out automatically.

On a similar thought, I’ve finished the gun models, but there is a lot of models of arms holding the guns and strange models usualy called something like “v_fg42_barrel”.

Will I need to model those too?

(For a free game where you can change practically everything except the main engine, theres very little information on modding besides getting it running - so thanks for the help.)[/QUOTE]

Hmm… Where did you find that smart projections? For the question, I guess trial and error is the way to go. Try the model in different situations and see what happens. Also spent a day or two opening different files from pak0.pk3 with notepad etc. it provides useful info usually.

(bobblehat) #7

I selected all of my model in Edit Mode, and then went to UV Face select. Then I pressed “U” and went down to Unwrap (smart projections).

(-SSF-Sage) #8

Thanks! I kinda missed the part you said press U. Now I found whole a lot of tools for uv mapping.

(th0rn3) #9

1st, I think blender is kinda strange (anyway i like those controls), I am using milkshape 3d.
2nd, I strongly recommend you to use Lithunwrap, which supports md3, mdl, mdc and other formats. Its so easy to use, you wont even belive.

(aaa3) #10

will u do this with milkshape? ^^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WruTNnF6Ztg /magic/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AiLyQWXjIg&feature=related /massive/

(-SSF-Sage) #11

[QUOTE=th0rn3;178074]1st, I think blender is kinda strange (anyway i like those controls), I am using milkshape 3d.
2nd, I strongly recommend you to use Lithunwrap, which supports md3, mdl, mdc and other formats. Its so easy to use, you wont even belive.[/QUOTE]

I love blender! So powerful and easy to use. It took me like 2 evenings to get hang on the editor to build up models. Then it took me time to learn use the tools to make it easier. And to learn to export it all correctly. Now I can do pretty good models imo, but I’m still learning the tools.

Isn’t the lithunwrap shareware? I’ve been intrested on it but it stopped when I saw it cost. I don’t wanna steal good progs.

(aaa3) #12

damn… i so jealous… lucky u :stuck_out_tongue:
i already have lots 10’s of models i plan to make but i feel i couldnt even make a single cube with blender…( it starts with a cube open :P)

(-SSF-Sage) #13

[QUOTE=aaa3;178082]damn… i so jealous… lucky u :stuck_out_tongue:
i already have lots 10’s of models i plan to make but i feel i couldnt even make a single cube with blender…( it starts with a cube open :P)[/QUOTE]

Have you had a look on these video tutorials? These helped me a lot. Link.

(th0rn3) #14

Yes, lithunwrap is shareware. But it has a freeware version

(bobblehat) #15

Blender Unwrap suits me fine (from what I know its actually been converted to a plugin for other modellers) - I found an interesting collection of WEAP files.

Opening “thompson.weap” It seems pretty straight forward, untill I get to:


model			"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson.md3"
flashModel		"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_flash.mdc"

// weapon building
// the parts are numbered because there are some hardcoded references for some weapons to certain parts

firstPerson {
	weaponLink
	{
	part 0
	{
		tag		"tag_barrel"
		model	"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_barrel.mdc"
	}
	part 1
	{
		tag		"tag_barrel2"
		model	"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_barrel2.mdc"
	}
	part 2
	{
		tag		"tag_barrel3"
		model	"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_barrel3.mdc"
		axisskin	"models/weapons2/thompson/thompson_axis.skin"
		alliedskin	"models/weapons2/thompson/thompson_allied.skin"
	}
}

What I find confusing about that, is the different models and the tags - can anyone help?

(Though curiosity though, why’s there a different model for flash?)

(-SSF-Sage) #16

[QUOTE=bobblehat;178117]Blender Unwrap suits me fine (from what I know its actually been converted to a plugin for other modellers) - I found an interesting collection of WEAP files.

Opening “thompson.weap” It seems pretty straight forward, untill I get to:


model			"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson.md3"
flashModel		"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_flash.mdc"

// weapon building
// the parts are numbered because there are some hardcoded references for some weapons to certain parts

firstPerson {
	weaponLink
	{
	part 0
	{
		tag		"tag_barrel"
		model	"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_barrel.mdc"
	}
	part 1
	{
		tag		"tag_barrel2"
		model	"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_barrel2.mdc"
	}
	part 2
	{
		tag		"tag_barrel3"
		model	"models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson_barrel3.mdc"
		axisskin	"models/weapons2/thompson/thompson_axis.skin"
		alliedskin	"models/weapons2/thompson/thompson_allied.skin"
	}
}

What I find confusing about that, is the different models and the tags - can anyone help?

(Though curiosity though, why’s there a different model for flash?)[/QUOTE]

The flash is probably the flash that comes when you fire. I think it’s just alerted through out the code. I think those are the models you see in first player view (obviously cos it says that). Like when you hold the gun in your hand, how you see it in case you didn’t know what 1st player means.

(bobblehat) #17

My wording wasn’t too great - what I was trying to say was, from the models I’ve looked at, there is one model that is shown on screen in first person:

“models/weapons2/thompson/v_thompson.md3” - for a thompson;

but the other models seem confusing - barrel1 is a strange prism-like object; barrel2 is a long diagonal cuboid (an ammo clip?), while barrel3 is another arm, holding what seems to be barrel2.

Is there actually two models showing on screen during some parts of the animations? If barrel2 is an ammo clip, Barrel3 would be taking the ammo clip out and putting a new one in, which would explain why it seems to be holding one.