Wow, thank you @JohnnyLaw & @metlslime, always good to get feedback on my articles, took me forever to create it. Made my evening! 

would a touch less dithering look better on the "shirt" area? 

@Shamblernaut
The shirt area needs more detail. As of now the shirt is almost one solid color without dithering. I plan on some leather straps and more variety and then I can get rid of this awfulness. I tried a few different conversion algorithms but I might need to push pixels manually in the end.

I've also prematurely documented some of the process while procrastinating.

Here's an overview of the stages the modeling went through.
http://pnahratow.github.io/chainforcer-lowpoly-modeling-stages.html

Here is a timelapse video of some texture painting.
https://youtu.be/SlOZWpu9t7o 

Really digging everything you're doing. 

Is there some sort of hybrid between nearest neighbour and dithering that works well?

It's been probably a decade since I had to use the (I'm showing my age a little here) reduce colour depth function in Paint Shop Pro.

Also, until I started watching your video just now, it never occurred to me just how silly it is shading on what really should be a dynamically lit model. 

@ Bloughsburgh, KillPixel
ty, very much!

@Shamblernaut
... it never occurred to me just how silly it is shading on what really should be a dynamically lit model

I must say I really disagree. Sure eventually you're going to be right. But given the years of ugly plasticy looking video game renderers we witnessed ever since normalmaps entered the jungle the handpainted artwork is one of the reasons why I like quake/old games so much.
Sadly, nowadays this kind of stuff has drifted a bit into the cartoonish world of games like Dota or Lol. 

True, the tech needs to be able to emulate what you would have been able to convey with shading. The benefit is that it is dynamic. Things like the reflection on your models visor should be dynamic rather than static.

But yeah, it was a comment on the ideal situation, certainly not what is best for quake. 

Strong reflections do look very good in modern games and painting that stuff is in fact silly. 

There is an updated version of the Authentic Models package after all. I didn't find it earlier, so I went ahead and made my own candidate version a while ago. This one is dated March 2nd and contains the new Shambler model.

http://www.quaketastic.com/files/models/auth_mdl13.zip

I don't need to make and publish my own after all. This one is by the same guy as the previous versions. 

Hello, I am Hiro-Hamada from Quakeone.com

considering this is a request fourm, here is my request:

I am wanting to import a giant crab into Quake 1 darkplaces as a new enemy, and call it 'Macra'.

More info about the crab mod here:
http://quakeone.com/forums/quake-help/general-help/12114-hello-new-guy-here.html

crab can be found here: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=aa0b6c19c73e14c269c25319f5f1c1e1

also, I am wanting to port a Special weapons Dalek that shoots rockets. It is to be a static model 

Oh! forgot a few things!

here is the special weapons dalek model:

both Macra crab and Special Weapons Dalek are from sketchup.

also, I want the crab's pinchers (the part connected to the claws) to be a bit bigger, EXACTLY like in this image: http://orangecow.org/who-sprites2/macra-sm.jpg . I also once tried before to put the .DAE model of the crab into sketchup, but look how it turned out I was told that the conversion apparently went wrong... http://quakeone.com/attachments/forums/quake-help/general-help/2137d1461374844-hello-new-guy-here-crab-error.jpg 

^^ This Hiro-Hamada above is a ZDoom modder and he's picked up QuakeC real quick and already made a couple of nice weapon mods (no kidding -- he's a quick study).

He wants to convert models to .mdl or .md3 for DarkPlaces.

Told him not too many people who know modelling participate that much @ quakeone.com lately.

Can someone give him some pointers? He definitely seems the type that if someone gives him some tips, he might make something awesome. 

Oh! yes!

I am also a big Zdoom modder!

correct you are, baker!

I am also a teen with a bit of a short attention span, and big-time autism. So I must be able to understand the explanations fluently.

I have decided to do a different type of Macra crab model. The model itself does not exist, but these pictures provide what it looks like.

https://whoflix.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/macra-terror-shawcraft.jpg

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/doctorwho/images/0/01/Macra_terror.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120222195739&path-prefix=es

http://www.dalek6388.co.uk/images/macra.png

here is how the macra crab moves regularly:
watch 11:02 to 11:37.
https://youtu.be/1M_t6okgEa0?t=663

To attack, it could reach out and snatch at it's opponent, this crab is not slow, but not too fast.

when he dies, his claws slam down, then his anntennes and eyes slowly look down, as if it's a robot shutting down.

and That's it for the Macra crab Description. 

Correction:

tried to turn the grenade launcher into a flame thrower, but failed. all I can do so far, is go into .QC files, attempt to mess around with them (usually ends up failing), edit death messages, and change sounds. 

crab model needs more pixel density, less HD crab.
Go on! 

but flp posted a tutorial recently: http://pnahratow.github.io/creating-models-for-quake-1.html 

well, it could be turned pixel density by lowering the model polycount. which crab are you referring to? the one with visible legs, or the one that i showed in the 3 images (the one that has a big mouth, and 2 antennas) 

https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Import-Export/Quake_mdl

How do i install the exporter/importer into python. 

I also agree that the first model you posted was too high poly for q1. The second concept (from the video you posted) looks would fit it to sewer maps or tight maze maps perfectly. 

Perhaps you could use it as a base? 

https://www.quaddicted.com/reviews/housp.html 

Yes! I think the Classic Macra would fit in good!

but could someone (other than me, for i am not too good at all at making models) make a model for it? 

I've found out that several custom models out there have inverted lighting normals. This screws up with directional lighting in engines that supports it.
Here's a video.

Can this be a Blender exporter issue?

Rescaling the model in qME makes qME recreate the lighting normals, but the smoothness across non-continuous areas is lost, so it isn't a proper fix. 

That is some old skool investigation. Interesting. 

Ok, so, conidering my last post, what happens if you request someone to do a model the way I did on my last post, by simply asking (after giving info) Also, what is the best Quake 1 map editor out there?