Questions about SFM?
polycounter lvl 10
I am thinking of trying the source filmmaker since its now available.but I am a little confused of how to go about it.I have never been an online gamer that much so from what I gathered are:
-u need to have a steam account to download SFM
-u need to install steam
Do u need to download a valve game like team fortress to use with SFM or the SFM package comes with TF game?
Does sfm work with only TF or u can use any valve game?
If say I created a model with Maya and animated it,can I import the model and animation into SFM or I will require SDK to make that happen?Also if I created a world and environment in Maya,how do I import the meshes,textures and materials into SFM?
So do I need to download both sdk and sfm?
Lastly,do I need to be online to use SFM or I can work offline with it like Maya and UDK.I am suspecting since u need a steam account u have to be online?
I don't know if anyone here is familiar with this and can help me out.Thanks.
-u need to have a steam account to download SFM
-u need to install steam
Do u need to download a valve game like team fortress to use with SFM or the SFM package comes with TF game?
Does sfm work with only TF or u can use any valve game?
If say I created a model with Maya and animated it,can I import the model and animation into SFM or I will require SDK to make that happen?Also if I created a world and environment in Maya,how do I import the meshes,textures and materials into SFM?
So do I need to download both sdk and sfm?
Lastly,do I need to be online to use SFM or I can work offline with it like Maya and UDK.I am suspecting since u need a steam account u have to be online?
I don't know if anyone here is familiar with this and can help me out.Thanks.
Replies
- It only works with TF2 right now
- There's lots of tutorials but the cliff notes are "you export several .smd files, write a .qc file that describes how they connect, put it through soursdk/.../studiomdl.exe, and then your have a .mdl you can use in game."
- Do not create your entire world in MAX, no. Source is an older engine with some major performance considerations, large portions of your world should be built in editor whenever possible. complex parts should be models. But there should be a structure of 'brushes' as they call them for performance's sake. This sin't just runtime performance. If you do this wrong lighting can take HOURS to build, if you do it right it's always been <15min for me.
- Download both if you want to make custom assets to import.
- STEAM WORKS OFFLINE! (sry I have this argument a lot) Simply login once and have 'remember my login info checked' -or- 'login once and use the go-into offline mode' button and DONT restart Steam. Steam needs approved credentials before it lets you use it offline and the 2 methods above are the best way to keep the approved credentials despite loosing your network connection.
This is the best site to go to for information: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/ I've written articles there myself.
TF2 and Dota2 are the games that currently work, but it requires som hacking to get Dota models to work right now. But if you really want them there is about a billion tutorials on how to get them.
Also, here is some info on the WW forums about exporting directly from Max into SFM.
A valid point, so forgive me for not allowing for special exporters. But it's important to understand level geometry and prop geometry are handeled different in game so should follow different workflows.
Your tool being an alternative to using Hammer
No apology needed.
Yes... very true. And I have sometimes developed migraines trying to explain to new users of WW how to distinguish the two types of geometry.
But a major goal throughout the development of WW has been to move 100% of the design into Max (modeling, level design, texturing, lighting, etc). Right now I've got it to 99%. There are only a couple things left (for my own purposes, at least) where I'd send a scene to Hammer before compiling anymore.
One of my own techniques regarding keeping level design and models separate involves extensive use of Layers. All of my level design geometry is always kept in layers devoted to level design, etc.
Damn,,one would have to be online to use it like Cryengine?Thats too bad.I kinda prefer to work offline cause u can use it anywhere and anytime.Requiring internet connection is kinda restricting,u could go on a trip or vacation and not need to bother about internet.Why is it necessary?Don't get it.Same thing with offline documentation for game engines.udk doesn't have one and neither does sdk.They could just make one every year,and if one needs feedback,they check online.
Source engine requires rebuilding lights like udk?I hate the rebuilding light part especially in udk.I would prefer to put lights around my scene myself than rebuild repeatedly and sometimes it takes a long time.Lets say I set up a static mesh fence and move the lights such that it cast shadows on my skeletal meshes when I rebuild the lighting.The shadows are cast in a different direction or on the floor in udk.Why is that?Since Source engine is older,it could be way worse.Been reading up on the engine and its quite clear its old.Wonder if u still need to rebuild lights in unreal 4.
I really like the lighting of SFM.Watched the lighting tutorial and its really great.If they could just make the SFM such that u don't require the source engine (standalone)kinda like motion builder.It would be really cool.U can import models with fbx,set up lights and animate away.
Speaking of motionbuilder,it seems its very similar to SFM,in terms of graphics.I have been playing around with it and granted the lighting isn't as vibrant as SFM.The spotlight is okay with volumetrics on but looks wierd from certain angles,u can't make point lights volumetric either.MB needs to work on their lighting.
I might have to pass on SFM and SDK cause of the internet connection requirement everytime u wanna use it..too bad.
I have been looking into possibilities of using a game engine for animated movies cause of faster rendering time.SFM was just perfect but seems importing and setting up custom meshes and textures is going to be problematic.Read somewhere one university ditched the engine cause of the way one works with scripts whereas other engines are now intuitive.
I will be using motionbuilder for now.Thanks again.