PalnGipanji Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 Originally posted by LBuRNa i got question, how do you turn saber hilts that you download from the internet into mod compatible?????? It depends on how generous the author was. All you need is their md3, and if they were feeling particularly giving when they packed the model (or forgetful), then some of them would have it. If not, you're just out of luck (as far as I know, glm's can't be decompiled/imported). If yes, then here's what you do: 1) First, extract all of the contents of the saber's pk3 into a new folder in your toolkit's base folder. As an example, I will say the path is models\weapons2\saber_example 2) See if the author included a .skin file. If not, check to see if there is a .qc file. One of these two should be included. There are 3 cases to this step, so do the one that is appropriate for the saber. 2a) If NEITHER file (.qc or .skin) exists... well, it may be possible to import md3s into file type conversion programs, or 3D Studio Max. What you need to find is all of the surface names that exist for the saber. (Most commonly, there will be one surface called w_saber. However, a saber does not have to be one piece, nor does it have to be named w_saber.) Open Notepad to record the surface names. Then, find the corresponding texture file for each surface and record it next to its surface name in Notepad, seperated only by a comma. For example, our saber will be named w_saber, and its texture file is saberExample.jpg. This should appear in Notepad: w_saber,models/weapons2/saber_example/saberExample.jpg When all of these are complete, you will need to save this as w_saber.skin. (or something.skin... whatever you wish, really.) 2b) If there is ONLY A .qc FILE... open this file up in Notepad. There will be several lines of unimportant hoohaa, then it will get onto naming surfaces and textures used for those surfaces. Copy these and paste them into a new Notepad window, changing the path to point to saber_example instead of just saber. Then save as w_saber.skin (or somename.skin). 2c) If there is a .skin FILE... open the .skin file in Notepad and change the models/weapons2/saber path to models/weapons2/saber_example. (The easiest way to do this is to use the Replace function in Notepad.) Save. * Please note that some sabers also have shaders associated with them. These files should be updated to the mod-compatible path as well! * 3) Open the md3 in md3view, and import the skin. This should work now, as you have updated your skin file to point to the mod-compatible directory. 4) Export GLM. 5) Make PK3. If all goes well, you should see the texture on the saber in md3view. Once this happens, you're gold, and can export the GLM and make the pk3 for the new mod-compatible saber. I'm not sure if there are ways to import GLMs, but so far, my searches on the topic have come up nilch. Anyway, I hope that answers your question without confusing you too much. (I used this method to make the Kit Fisto saber hilt mod-compatible... it was released a while back to replace the default saber.) By the way, I saw a question on some forum asking people if they really used WinZip to make their pk3s. I just wanted to say YES I DO. I see no need to get other software to do the same thing, and it's just as easy to me. Anyway, I think that's it for now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotchy Posted October 18, 2002 Author Share Posted October 18, 2002 Originally posted by PalnGipanji By the way, I saw a question on some forum asking people if they really used WinZip to make their pk3s. I just wanted to say YES I DO. I see no need to get other software to do the same thing, and it's just as easy to me. Anyway, I think that's it for now! Just to be clear... I didn't want to offend or belittle anyone's mod making techniques, I simply use a different program that I think is a bit truer to the purpose of the .pk3 format. PakScape's (the program I use for compressing .pk3s) GUI is more like a Windows Explorer interface than winzip. I think it might be easier to use for new modders since it is so straightforward in it's purpose. As a matter of fact, it opens/saves .zip, .pk3, .pak, and .vol files... and it's free. But if you're comfortable with WinZip, then by all means WinZip your .pk3s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalnGipanji Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 Oh, I wasn't offended. I thought I was the only one using WinZip though. Don't sweat it. It really doesn't matter how it's packaged, as long as it works! But I will say that there really isn't a PK3 format... it's just a ZIP file with a different extension. It's all good tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psynex Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 Well, I got it to work finally. I can't say specifically what it was. Most everything you all wrote there I already knew and HAD tried, but they didn't work. I took too many steps to know EXACTLY what was causing the problem, but it could have been any of them. I went and moved around all the directories. I created a moc directory under the Tools directy (which was advice given to me a while ago that I tried then and didn't help). I also deleted all of the original files except the skin file. Then I went back into max, checked for any isolated vertexes (which I didn't see any) and deleted them with that wonderful button. I exported a new MD3 using the proper name instead of whatever I originally called it and then renaming it. I opened up Photoshop and exported the texture...all to the working directory. Then all I did was open the md3 in the viewer and the skin was already applied to the model. I was thrilled. One last thing to make it complete... What size does the mod compatible icon have to be? What does it have to be named? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Sitherino Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 do you think i could take a shot at skinning one of those sabers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDevil Posted October 19, 2002 Share Posted October 19, 2002 http://www.hyperjump.net/velkoon/uqdsaber.jpg Heres one more pic I found that might help you... Your model looks very close to the actual saber, except your missing those 4 little pointy thingy-majigurs that stick upwards from the top of the hilt... (have no idea what you would call them) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalnGipanji Posted October 19, 2002 Share Posted October 19, 2002 Icon: 128x128 w_icon_lightsaber_na.tga Glad you finally got it to work Psynex. Any screens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psynex Posted October 20, 2002 Share Posted October 20, 2002 I'm not quite finished with it, and wasn't going to show it off until the model it's being released with was done...but eh, what the hell right?! Let's see if I can get these to work. My domain is there, but I have no site up yet...Soon, very soon. cool-lighting render render with my crappy skin job in-game shot(needs some more tweaking) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotchy Posted October 20, 2002 Author Share Posted October 20, 2002 I remodeled Ulic's Jedi saber and am finishing up the UVW unwrapping. I should be finished with the unwrapping and ready to skin both Jedi and Outcast sabers tomorrow (Monday). Screenies: Ulic Jedi Saber (512 Polies): Pic 1 Pic 2 Replies: InsaneSith: Sure! I'll send you out both of them with a full "toolkit". I suppose I should send the original .gmax file plus the .md3, .skin, and .glm right? Post a reply here or just PM me with soem info. GreenDevil: I have those reference pics, but as far as I can tell... that saber is the one he used as a Sith Apprentice. I might make that one too since you mentioned it... it's not too much different from the Jedi saber. Thanks for your comments guys... I'm learning alot here. I'll have some new stuff soon. And to fend off the release date questions: I'm shooting for the end of the week on the Outcast and Jedi sabers. I'm a full time college student, so I don't have an abundance of time to devote to this, but it is a priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Sitherino Posted October 20, 2002 Share Posted October 20, 2002 thats sounds great i'd enjoy it also if you could check out my thread on titled WIP:Qi Na padawan saber. maybe you could help me out. oh ignore the first pictures i redid the model youll see it farther down. if you need to contact me you can reach me here or here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Sitherino Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 bu bu bu bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Sitherino Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 hey scotchy just send them to the first one ok? uhm also could you help me with my saber or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDevil Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Hey there Scotchy! I think your doing a great time with this model, and I'm very impressed by your skills. If that saber IS the one he used as a Sith Apprentice I strongly hope you will make that one also. That one also seems to catch my eye, and it wouldn't take that much editing of your current saber to make it like that. Heres a pic I made of what would need to be changed: http://www.hyperjump.net/velkoon/TEST.gif (I have them numerically labeled to what each applies to) 1) Those box looking things that are placed around the hilt seem to be a little too short. To match the picture, they seem to need to be lifted to the yellow mark I made 2) Just a small circlular ring around the hilt need to be placed his to sort of jutt that area out a little 3) Nothing big, but maybe a button or two in this area 4) Those four dagger type spokes that jutt out from the top. They don't look very tall, so I suggest they only go as high as those yellow marks are in the picture. Anyway, hoped that helped a little... great job and keep it up!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotchy Posted October 21, 2002 Author Share Posted October 21, 2002 I COMMAND THEE TO STOP SPAMMING MY THREAD! To InsaneSith: My AIM is Scotchy10008, contact me there if you need to speak with me IMMEDIATELY. I'll try to help as much as I can, but don't go insane and start madly bumping my thread. I'll go look at your saber and give you some pointers... BUT don't expect to get the sabers until tomorrow or tuesday. I'm not finished mapping yet and don't want to send you an incomplete uvw. No need to reply to this until you actually have something to reply to. Just do as I instructed and all will be fine. And REMEMBER, AIM me if you DESPERATELY need to talk. To Greendevil: Thanks for the redraw, but I'm just going remodel to make the Sith saber. Modeling is actually the easy and fun part... the rest is where the tedium comes in. I'll try t omodel a basic one in the next 2 days and post some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenDevil Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 Sounds great Scotchy!! Can't wait to see the pics, that saber looks awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotchy Posted October 28, 2002 Author Share Posted October 28, 2002 Sorry for lack of updates... haven't really done too much with the models as of late. I'll try to have something new and useful to update with soon. I've gotten both of the sabers ingame, but without proper textures or finished uvwmaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotchy Posted October 30, 2002 Author Share Posted October 30, 2002 [uPDATE] I got max 4.2 yesterday - YAYS - so now I'm going to move everything over to it and finish them up with max 4. I should have screenies of some newer WIPs soon including some early holiday sabers. I have been following that thread and noticed how IMHO odd the models being made looked and decided to try my hand at making a few of them. I've made the champagne bottle, beer can, christmas tree, and have a squash (for no other reason than to have a squash ). The champagne bottle looks great ingame (with MY sabermod of course ), but I don't plan on relesing it until I've discussed it with TheWhiteRaider. [uPDATE] I'm having an interesting "problem" with my tags. When I began this whole crazy mini-adventure, I started out using this tutorial by -=[FBF]=-. In his tutorial, in his description of the creation and orientation of tag_flash he says: Tags are just simple, one-faced triangles, with a right angle and one side twice the length of the other. The way the tags are aligned defines the orientation of what they represent, i.e. which way the saber lies in the hand. So, lets make a tag. Draw a right-angled triangle with a spline, convert it to an editable poly, and call it tag_flash. No problem there... but then he goes on: Tag "flash" is where the blade is emitted, so move it into the emitter 'dish', and orientate it to face like this: PICTURE Here is where my problem lies... when I orient my tags the way it shows in the picture, my blade emits out of the side of the hilt. The tutorial suggests that the blade emits from the sharper point attached to the shortest edge, but when I make hilts the blade emits from the exact center of the triangle and aligns along the longest edge. Example: Tutorial Tags: |\ |_\ |__\ |___\ __ __ __ __ __ > (emits from \ lower edge) My Tags: ^ | | | | | |\ | |_\| _ _ _ _ _ (triangle XYZ center, emits from) |__\ |___\ I've not stumbled over this or anything (I simply align the tag the way that works) but I would like to know if this is an isolated incident or if this is a failing of the tutorial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoCarBo Posted November 11, 2002 Share Posted November 11, 2002 I am also having a similar problem with my tag_flash. I have followed two different tutorials where it states that the blade is emitted along the shortest side of the flash tag. I position the tag exactly as it shows in the following tutorial, http://www.massassi.com/coffeestain/03.html However, after generating the control file, exporting the model from Milkshape 3D to a .md3 file, ... exporting a .glm file from Md3view, packaging etc... I open up the saber in game and the saber comes out of the hilt sideways. (Yes ,I would start new games when changing models). After repeating this same disaster a few times, I imported the .glm file back into Milkshape 3d to see what was happening with my tag_flash and I noticed that the tag triangle was pointing upwards (long sides upward). I'm not sure why the position was altered through the export process. Maybe I'm missing something that I should be doing with my flash tag that the tutorial is missing? I've been sifting through tutorial after tutorial and I haven't seen a lot of basic information relating to tag issues. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotchy Posted November 11, 2002 Author Share Posted November 11, 2002 I you just align it with the saber emitting along the longest edge from the exact center of the triangle it usually works. About .qc files... I don't like them. Maybe you should just use a simple .skin file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charon Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 I've been working on a saber hilt myself, for an SP conversion a couple of my friends are working on. But no matter what I do, I can't get tag_flash to work correctly. The blade allways seems to emit off to the side, no matter which way I orient the tag_flash Could one of you who actually got this to work explain exactly what tag_flash is supposed to be? I'm using Gmax, if that helps at all. And yes, I did ask this question in a separate post, sorry for reapeating, but now I know I found somone who got this stuff to work. Thanks, --Charon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charon Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 Finally got my tag to work. I had to place it exactly opposite of the way it's been suggested here... *sigh* Oh well, it works correctly now. Low Poly test of the model is done, (my first modeling attempt, except for this half done... thing, I'll probably never finish.) UVW for my saber hilt is done, as is skinning, aside from a little cleanup. Ingame works, allthough the coloration of the body vs the emitter and pommel seem too close. For the Higher poly model, I'm planning a strange kindof spiral handgrip. Would it be unadvised to attempt something like this? Uhh, Ascii render coming up... | | |\ | | \| | | | \| | | |\ | [__] The slashes being the spiral ridges. I was thinking of making them a separate object in the model, and just projecting through the main body. Is that going to cause an issue anywhere? Edit: Gah, bad ascii, bad! Instead of trying, I'll point out that the main body is a straight pipe, no features other than the raised grip. So ignore the badly done Saber above. ;> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoCarBo Posted November 17, 2002 Share Posted November 17, 2002 I eventually figured out the correct direction for my tag_flash. I had to direct mine so that the side opposite the Hypotenuse was the line of emission. The point of the tag_flash triangle was pointed downward. I'm not sure why it's different from the posted advice or the tutorials for that matter. I'd be interested to find out. ^ ^ ----------- | | | | | | Thanks again for the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charon Posted November 17, 2002 Share Posted November 17, 2002 That's pretty much exactly the way I had to do it. Irritating little punk, that tag is. Now I'm trying to get tag_parent aligned so kyle grips the saber in the right place. Of course, no position I've tried seems to work. Anyone know if tag_parent even has a bearing at all on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haseco Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 u really dont need the tag_parent...point (0,0,0) is the tag_parent if that tag isnt stated otherwise. The tag_flash is tricky...usually i take one guess run with the tag oriented the corrent way and then from what i see in game (i suggest take a screenshot or printscreen..just in case u forget) i rotate, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psynex Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Both tutorials are not correct and I'm really surprised they haven't been fixed by now. The blade does emit from the long end. Best solution to make life easier: 1) Import the standard saber from the pk3 2) Merge your saber into the scene 3) Move your saber into place (where the original is) and orient it appropriately 4) Delete the original saber 5) Tweak the tags placement on your saber using only Move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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