Features
#365 posted by sock on 2012/05/16 22:32:19
I was wondering if you don't mind adding some more features:
* BMP skin support (8 bit) I can't get Photoshop to save in that wacky PCX format you use.
* Multiple skins (via the normal text file)
* Update special mdl keys (rotate etc)
* specify names and groups to animation sets (via the normal text file, a comma delimited list) It is awkward viewing stuff in Qme with just a huge list of numbers for frame names.
In Order
#366 posted by Preach on 2012/05/17 00:37:04
Yes
Yes
Yes and
Yes
The first one will come from using another python library. The pcx thing was largely chosen because I didn't want the md3tomdl source to have any dependencies on external code, and 8bit pcx was just easy enough to hand-parse. I'll make sure that the examples include some that use the library.
Multiple skins and proper group frames are things that are easy to manipulate with a script and the module that I have now. It's the kind of thing that you'd have to write a whole difficult-to-parse syntax in the "config file" method of the existing tool, so I hope the omission thus far is understandable.
As an example, to set the rotate flag on a model would require the following line added to the script:
����mymdl.flags = 8
If the requirement to know the numerical values of the flags is considered too taxing I might be persuaded to include them as constants!
Md3tomdl
#367 posted by sock on 2012/05/17 01:58:38
@preach, that would be awesome to have those features. It is the last things I use Qme for (multiple skins and model flags) and not having Qme in the pipeline will be awesome.
The config file flag of mymdl.flags is fine with me, is this parameter available in the current version?
I totally understand why the skin / animation names option is missing from the current version. Writing a config file parser is always time consuming.
Prerelease
#368 posted by Preach on 2012/05/17 09:56:50
There seems no point keeping the module back when it would already be useful to you, so here it is:
http://www.btinternet.com/~chapterhonour/qmdl.zip
Pop the qmdl folder in your python "Lib" folder. You can then put the following lines in a file called flag.py to add the flag to the mdl file md3tomdl produces.
��from qmdl.mdl import Mdl
��mymdl = Mdl()
��infile = open(r"input.mdl", "rb")
��mymdl.read(infile)
��infile.close()
��mymdl.flags = 8
��outfile = open(r"output.mdl", "wb")
��mymdl.write(outfile)
��outfile.close()
I'd suggest having a short batch file that calls md3tomdl followed by this python script.
Let me know how it works, I've tested with python 3.2, but if you have an earlier version installed it might still work...
Supplimental
#369 posted by Preach on 2012/05/17 10:39:13
Some helpful code for renaming frames:
def rename_range(frames, start, name, length):
����for i in range(length):
��������frames[i + start].name = (name + str(i + 1)).encode("ascii")
def rename_frames(mdl, names):
����i = 0
����for name in names:
��������rename_range(mdl.frames, i, *(name))
��������i += name[1]
rename_frames(mymdl, [("walk", 8), ("run", 6), ("stand", 9)])
Essentially you write a list of tuples, where each tuple is the sequence name and length.
Snakeless
#370 posted by sock on 2012/05/17 23:32:40
@Preach, unfortunately I don't have python installed, but I can wait, honestly there is no hurry. :) Plus I am busy creating new skins at the moment, so it will be a while before I am back to exporting models again.
#371 posted by necros on 2012/05/18 03:28:41
rawr
Sock's mesh, uv and skin and I rigged and posed it.
Thanks again for the converter, preach. Wouldn't have bothered with this stuff without it.
Another Angle
#372 posted by sock on 2012/05/18 03:45:57
Nice!
#373 posted by ijed on 2012/05/18 04:00:08
Hot
#374 posted by wakey on 2012/05/18 04:30:29
When i look at this, i start to think the dragon monster would also fit neatly into socks map.
#375 posted by metlslime on 2012/05/18 05:12:36
wow, really nice.
Quake's monster skins tend to have a bit more blood and grime splattered on them; yours looks relatively clean by comparison.
#376 posted by necros on 2012/05/18 05:14:39
there's two skins, a clean one and a bloodied one. :)
Hell Knight Command
#377 posted by negke on 2012/05/18 09:47:05
Very nice, indeed!
Sock
#378 posted by JPL on 2012/05/18 10:37:21
Very nice ! Would love to see its behaviour ingame :) Go map !!
Awesome
#379 posted by Preach on 2012/05/18 10:59:41
The knight with a shield has finally been realised.
Sock + Necros
All this new medieval stuff looks like taken from an alternate reality that also happened to just have Q1, it's that good.
#381 posted by JneeraZ on 2012/05/18 12:33:57
And it's an amazing looking shield! Nice work!
Nice, Indeed!
#382 posted by generic on 2012/05/18 13:50:20
That's the best looking model I have seen in a while :)
Woot
#383 posted by madfox on 2012/05/18 20:21:34
I like the way is has that humor on his face, while its shield looks so nasty.
Great model face lift!
In Fact
#384 posted by ijed on 2012/05/18 22:03:37
It reminds me of John Blanche' illustrations:
http://taran.pagesperso-orange.fr/images/4khorne.jpg
Especially those from Sorcery!
Cool Article
#385 posted by Preach on 2012/05/20 01:29:15
Something I found on polycount today, linked from the low-poly-models thread
http://wiki.polycount.com/SphereTopology
It's a guide on how to save polys on spheres by collapsing edges that don't improve the silhouette of the shape. It's interesting in itself, but also as a starting point for how to optimise curved models generally.
Quad Post
#386 posted by Preach on 2012/05/22 01:12:16
Okay, it's only a double post.
http://www.btinternet.com/~chapterhonour/quadtrick.zip
Whack it in progs and load a map with a quad.
It's basically a similar trick to the gem, but because I can write the scripts in python now, I can cope with doing directional calculations on normals. This means you can get coherent effects rather than the random ones seen earlier.
Not Sure
#387 posted by ijed on 2012/05/22 03:27:08
I see the difference. Is it engine dependent?
And yeah, a well presented article.
I'd be interested in one a bit more high level though. How the silhouette is all important and the visual acuity of the ones in Quake is pretty damn good.
#388 posted by necros on 2012/05/22 03:39:22
that looks awesome man... :D
Velvet Touch
#389 posted by madfox on 2012/05/22 08:31:44
Yes, that looks good!
I just remade the squad.mdl, giving it a flat skinfile.
It doesn't change much to the already excisting,
as if smaller objects get reduced in game.
This scripted print really glows.
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