Oh damn it, source, why must you suck?!?!

Makkon

Okay......

This is really my last resort. even the expansive universe of google was not able to solve my problem after several days. Don't mind me if I seem frantic, currently I have a feeling of udder hoplessness with source, and I'm very close to just forgeting the whole thing. I'm giving it just ONE. LAST. CHANCE.

I must get a character into source, first by getting the default human skeleton into Maya so that I can do custom animations, and then successfully compiling the damn thing so it works.

I have all of cannonfodder's tools (except for the max import, I don't have max) and Palmer's maya prop editing tutorial. Unfortunatley, those only provide minimal information and do not allow me to do what I need to do: characters.

Does anyone know of a comprehensive tut that deals with getting characters FROM MAYA into source?
Also, does anyone have a CLUE how to get the default human skeleton into Maya so I can work with it? I'm not interested in making a custom skeleton so as to make all the regular animations by from scratch.

I know that CheapAlert managed to get a garg into garry's mod, but I know not how. even that information would help beyond measure.

I'm totally fried, so try to use small words that even a child could understand. Define any word that isn't used in casual converstaion (like source lingo. Every tut I read passed right over my head becuase I rarley knew what they meant by QC or SMD_export command modual whatever....)

Anyway, any useful information provided will be met with open arms and eternal gratfulness will be granted. Thanks in advance!

KDR_11k

Source? You should write a function to load them from datafiles instead of hardcoding them . (it's Source Engine if you mean the engine, just plain "source" is usually read as "sourcecode")

Apparently the Source Engine accepts the same models (or at least the sam transitional format) as the HL1 engine so most tutorials should apply. You need to export the mesh and all animations as "SMD" (StudioMDL?) files, they hold either the mesh itself or one animation each. Get an SMD exporter for Maya and use that.

Next up is the QC File. The extension stems from QuakeC but that's irrelevant for now. It's a script file that tells the model compiler (which will turn all those SMDs and texture files into one big MDL file) what exactly to do. The tutorials should explain the exact syntax (did you think you could get a model into any non-Unreal engine without any script files?). When that's done, you run the compiler which should be part of the SDK on the QC file.

cholden

had this bookmarked forever, but never tried it. Let me know if it helps for my own future reference:
http://ii.hl2files.com/sdk/export_maya.php

Makkon

That certainly answers a lot fo questions, I thank you for defining several terms for me. I'm slightly less ignorant, now.
However, one question still remains: is it possible to get a skeleton from source into Maya? if so, how? and If it is possible and I do manage to do it, would it still be compatable with all the other Human animations? If such a thing is even conceavable in source, then my wishes of giving my animation practice *purpose*, aside from tha fact that they are practice, shall be ganted.

Oh, and with this QC thing, all I do is just export all my animations into SMD format and then script some crap into the QC, then I compile the whole thing into an MDL? Makes sense, just like the old quake days..... cept emensly more complex.

Oh, and thanks for the Tut, Cholden, looks like something I could use.
Thanks again!

Sean McBride

Makkon, i've got a ton of experiance working with models and getting them into source. There isnt that much different about the process other that where you install your exporting tools.

If you have any specific questions at all i'll be happy to answer them.

EMail: n30g3n3s1s@comcast.net
AIM: n30g3n3s1s
MSN: n30g3ns1s@hotmail.com

Makkon

Oh, thank you, n30g3n3s1s !!!!!! I was litterally ready to give up!

at this point I havn't very many specific questions right now, but I do have some stupid ones.
First, I'll tell you what I learned this past week.

First I learned:

-what a qc file is, what it does, and how to work it
-the different smd's you have to have for a complete model
-many different methods of getting a bipped skeleton into maya, many of which are sketchy, undefined, and rather hard to make any sense out of.
-how to structure my folders
-how to compile

However, after that it's void.

I don't know how to:

-get a model to export the way I want
-get a model to open into model viewer
-work with a skeleton and get it to export correctly (like.... an animation skel and a ragdoll skel)
-work with exporting animations (I use a reference, right?)
-Make gestures
-Make poses
-define hit boxes
-define bone limits
-get it into a state in which I can test everything in the actual source engine (would probably need a flipping coder)

as you can see, I have a lot of questions for you. I'd like to talk to you on msn if you can get on. it would be much easier if we could talk in real time incase one question pops up after another (like they do so often).

Thanks again, n30g3n3s1s!!! I really can't express my gratitude!