I found this text which seems to explain everything:

http://www.gamers.org/pub/idgames2/planetquake/chopshop/utilities/quake/graphic_utils/sprgen.txt

Sorry if you already had all that info but it looked useful. 

none of that stuff in that qc file is even needed. it was probably used when they 'compiled' the sprites, the same way some of the data at the top of all the monster .qc files aren't needed.

sprites are handled identically to models. just set .frame to a number and you're set. you can use the same frame macros that are used for monsters except instead of using $frame1, $frame2, just put the number 0, 1, 2 in that spot instead. 

thsnks for your info. I'll check on it.
a sprite looks more tinkling then a mdl. 

sprites are handled identically to models

Does this mean that any code that places an arbitrary model in a map, could also place a sprite? I'm aware that quoth can do this, but I'm curious about other mods. 

yes. it, of course, won't animate without code though. (not sure about the sprite frame group though) 

After several attempts I succeeded in making a sprite in quake.
First I had to convert the brushes in the sprite upside down, as I only got an upside down sprite in game.

Then I tried, as you said necros, it identically to a model, but then I got it wrong as it isn't a model that wants to attack me.
so I probably overlooked something in my coding text, and decided to make them all the same frame.
That worked, although it isn't a nice code.


$cd /raid/quake/id1/models/can
$origin 16 16 24
$base base
$skin base

$frame 1 2 3

void() can_stand1 =[ $1, can_stand2 ] {ai_stand();};
void() can_stand2 =[ $2, can_stand3 ] {ai_stand();};
void() can_stand3 =[ $3, can_stand1 ] {ai_stand();};

void() model_can =
{
precache_model ("progs/can.spr");
self.solid = SOLID_BBOX;
self.movetype = MOVETYPE_NONE;

setmodel (self, "progs/can.spr");

setsize (self, '16 16 -24', '16 16 40');
self.th_stand = can_stand1;
self.th_walk = can_stand1;
self.th_run = can_stand1;
self.th_pain = can_stand1;
self.th_die = can_stand1;

walkmonster_start ();

};


Screenshots don't work with sprites:
http://members.home.nl/gimli/sprite.wmv 

You can simplify that code a bit, and take out the monster AI functions which don't suit a trash can well.

void() can_stand1 =[ 0, can_stand2 ] {};
void() can_stand2 =[ 1, can_stand3 ] {};
void() can_stand3 =[ 2, can_stand1 ] {};

void() model_can =
{
precache_model ("progs/can.spr");
self.solid = SOLID_BBOX;
self.movetype = MOVETYPE_NONE;

setmodel (self, "progs/can.spr");

setsize (self, '16 16 -24', '16 16 40');
self.think = can_stand1;
self.nextthink = time + 0.1;
};

Notice that the $1-3 can be replaced with the numbers 0 to 2, the corresponding numbers for the frames in your model. The ai_stand() function is not needed, so we delete it.

Also, you don't need to run all the walkmonster_start stuff just to get it to run can_stand1, which is what is doing the animation here. If you just set that function to be the entity's .think, and set the .nextthink to time + 0.1, then in 0.1 seconds time the can will run can_stand1.

For a more detailed explanation of what is going on with a line like:
void() can_stand1 =[ $1, can_stand2 ] {ai_stand();};
you might want to read the second half of http://www.quakeexpo.com/booth.php?id=32&page=186
I know I wrote it myself, blowing my own trumpet and all, but it's easier for me to find my own articles on the matter. 

Blender seems like a great tool to create terrains and other "advanced" brushwork. Here is a long but easy way to get a Quake 1 map from the Q3 .map export.

-First a dirty hack. Edit the export_map.py. A bit below "# Split mesh into connected regions" change "write_face2brush(file, f)" to "write_cube2brush(file, face_group)". I suggest saving under a new name (top of the file) to avoid confusion.

-Create your stuff from single brushes. You can use the first brush as base.

-Move vertices around happily (with snapping I suggest) and don't forget triangulation on faces that need it (if you get gaps and "wrong" brushes exported, this will be the reason). Ctrl-T and Ctrl-Shift-T (for the other diagonale) do this. You will need to do it on faces that create a new edge.

-When you are done, export: File -> Export -> your q3 script. If you use 64 for scale, the first brush will equal a 128� brush, 32 will get you 64� and so on. I think the Grid Snap is a good idea, haven't played with it yet.

-Open the .map in QuArK (Quake 3). Copy the brushes into a Quake 1 .map. Save that .map.

-Open the Q1 .map in a texteditor and replace ".00000" with "" if you feel like it. You must replace all " 0 1 1 0 0 0" with " 0 1 1". (If there are 0.xxxxx values, well those too. I haven't really figured out where those sometimes sneak in yet.)

Done! 

Before exporting, make sure to select all brushes (a). 

First I had to convert the brushes in the sprite upside down, as I only got an upside down sprite in game.

This is actually a bug; sprites are drawn upside-down in glquake and a lot of engines that are based on glquake. 

i didn't really explain properly:

$frame 1 2 3

void() can_stand1 =[ $1, can_stand2 ] {ai_stand();};
void() can_stand2 =[ $2, can_stand3 ] {ai_stand();};
void() can_stand3 =[ $3, can_stand1 ] {ai_stand();};

should be



void() can_stand1 =[ 0, can_stand2 ] {ai_stand();};
void() can_stand2 =[ 1, can_stand3 ] {ai_stand();};
void() can_stand3 =[ 2, can_stand1 ] {ai_stand();};

all those $frame1 $frame2 crap does is start counting up from 0 and assign a number, so when you do like

$walk1 $walk2
$run1 $run

$walk1 = 0
$walk2 = 1
$run1 = 2
$run2 = 3

and your model would have the two walk frames as the first two frames, and the two run frames as the last two. (they have to be in that order) 

and as far as i can tell,

$cd /raid/quake/id1/models/can
$origin 16 16 24
$base base
$skin base
is completely useless and doesn't do anything.
it was only there when id compiled the old models using their old tools. now with qme and such, that isn't necessary. 

Thanks for your answers, it was really a mystery to me how to get sprites inside Quake.

metlslime - I already thought I did something wrong. FimG shows all the other sprites right, but it is something to remind.

preach - that works great. I have already your tutorial on my disk, but reading it again won't do me harm. It gives more insight in the statements.

necros - thanks, that makes the script shorter and reasonable to use.

For now the sprite runs good, but I can't place it on buttom. If I use:

setsize (self, '0 0 0', '12 12 24');

the can appears excact on the half. 

found it. placing them better in Quark. 

Someone could do a cheatsheet image (or webpage) showcasing a multitude of settings and setting combinations from aguiRre's Light.exe.

RE:Blender:
It sure is fun (especially if you are used to a crippling editor like QuArK) but the need for manual triangulation ruins half of it. Maybe there is an automatic way, I haven't found it yet. It would be great if concave brushes would automatically split into smaller convex ones, heh. Also if there was a way to split meshes into cubes, woohoo. There are some nifty generators, maybe there is a way. r_speeds be damned!
Using a pure 3D "interface" surely feels different and to me it also inspires.

http://www.quaketastic.com/upload/files/screen_shots/spirit_blender1.jpg
http://www.quaketastic.com/upload/files/screen_shots/spirit_blender2.jpg 

"It would be great if concave brushes would automatically split into smaller convex ones, heh."

I tried to add that feature to ToeTag for ages - it's not as easy as it sounds. Would be hella nice though. 

H� Willem, I was surprised to see that screenshot on quaketastic.
I'm already a long time mapping on the Doom's Hangar.
So I was quiet surprised seeing someone who had actually done it. 

Where is the 15 character texture name limit set in Quake? Is it the WAD format, the compiler tools, the engine(s)? How hard would it be to get rid of it? 

The WAD format is a huge part of it. Because of that, to change it, you'd have to change all of the engine and tool code that references WAD files. 

Damn, that is one restriction I just cannot comprehend. 

You should look into how MDL files are stored and de-coded sometimes. Now THAT'S a mind bending nightmare. 

a lot of quake tech was sufficient for what id wanted to do, so they never bothered to worry about it. 

Stores vector min, max; as floats, then the vectors for everything else are stored as unsigned bytes, with 0 being the minimum possible value for the axis and 255 being the maximum possible.

Did I miss anything? 

"Did I miss anything?"

That's the overall concept, yes. Have you written code to actually parse that out of a PAK file? It's a nightmare. 

My "Blender fix" will leave you with many many MANY duplicate brushes. I obviously did not know what I was doing. Well, I don't think anyone except me uses it but still, just be aware so far.