Sooo... if you're going to compile a new weapon, should you only make a C model? What if its a replacement for an old weapon (minigun) that doesn't appear to use C models, do you need to do the W & V models?
Sooo... if you're going to compile a new weapon, should you only make a C model? What if its a replacement for an old weapon (minigun) that doesn't appear to use C models, do you need to do the W & V models?
you can check how the IRON CURTAIN works and copy the method valve used to implement it in the fists person view
I agree with neodement, the skull he used in the first place fits with the overall design of the weapon.
I'm still working in the compression issues. I realized PNG format is smaller than TGA but keeps the quality untouched. why valve has to only accept TGAs or PSDs! ;_;
Edit: and it's already 10 am PST Robin Walker didn't answer my email ;_;
how would the VMT be if the spec is out of the alpha?
this is my current VMT, what things would I need to change to remove normal map but keep the specular?
"vertexLitGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "models/player/Engineer/Goldfinger_W_RED.vtf"
"$bumpmap" "models/player/Engineer/Goldfinger_W_Normal.vtf"
"$envmap" "env_cubemap"
"$envmapcontrast" 1
//"$envmaptint" "[1.0 1.0 0.5]"
"$normalmapalphaenvmapmask" 1
"$phong" "1"
"$phongexponent" "5"
"$phongboost" "10"
"$phongfresnelranges" "[.25 .5 1]"
// Rim lighting parameters
"$rimlight" "0.5" // To enable rim lighting (requires phong)
"$rimlightexponent" "2" // Exponent for phong component of rim lighting
"$rimlightboost" "0.25"
}
Just looked through the SDK wiki... apparently you can only set the mask as the alpha of your normal ($bumpmap) or the alpha of your base texture ($basemapalphaphongmask) I guess placing it as an alpha in a flat normal is the way to go then
colossal, what do you think about having 2 slaves ?
SNIPA and ME ?, think about it man
Careful.... CAREFUL!!!! lol, Jk.
the pizza man Idea is mine, and the clown pyro is his.
If you have any Ideas that you want me to mess around with, just talk to me.
Is anyone able to confirm what i posted earlier is normal or not concerning the sniper angle? I know most of you guys are MAX users and dont use ma files but theres gotta be a few of you who use Maya.
Does that normal map on the hat do anything you couldn't do with a decent spec map?
Hmm ... im not quite sure how to respond to that, spec and normal maps really arent compatible.
The normal maps on these hats do smooth the curbs (C.) and counteract some smoothing errors on the top (A.).
Alsow, they apply the ornament bevels and some forge dents on the crowns gold parts (B.).
Dont know how you could do that with a spec map.
Anyway, the normal maps really are dead-weight and use hardly any calculation effort.
i saw many materials in the TF2 .gcf that refer to a default, blank blue normal map.
' "$bumpmap" "models/effects/flat_normal" '
(from the hallmark)
Here it appears that to apply a empty normal map is even less expensiv then not to assign one at all.
So, there really is no reason at all not to use normal maps.
On the other hand, what spec maps can do to your hat u can observe on the otherwise lovely 'capotain'
Not for faking smooth edges, no. But for faking depth? Absolutely.
I know they're not intended to do the same job, but they can in TF2. Valve are very unlikely to use your normal map unless it does something really important (like the Heavy's boxing hat, Pugilists Protector). Just being factual here.
Here, this isn't the best example, but it shows the sort of thing I mean:
Don't knock it until you've tried it!
edit: Basically render your high poly as an AO bake instead of a normal bake and multiply it in photoshop a bit (and rub out some stuff), sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For the top of the hat I think it will work. It doesn't really work in games that aren't TF2.
edit2: Put that high poly AO on your diffuse as well
@Genic, he's saying that the normal map really doesn't effect the model much. Valve has a very firm stance lately about just using that single flat normal located in models/effects on every model they can. They usually remove custom normal maps from community submissions and apply that flat one and lately they've been replacing unique normal maps on their own models (Frontier Justice, The Wrangler).
Anyway, I really like the medic hat. I don't get how it fits with the Medic as a class really though. Medieval doesn't come up in his biography ever really. It worked with the Demoman sort of because he's Scottish and the Scottish had a large presence in that era. Did you make custom skins for each color though? That's unnecessary. The paint doesn't use skins to color the models.
I'm not a fan of that crown much. It's a bit too simple in my opinion, even for TF2. Maybe if the metal workings were a bit more ornate and not just flat plates it'd be more interesting.
@Arcaltarion, are you including PSD files in your materials zips? That's why I'm guessing you're over every time. You should have absolutely no problem including multiple VTF, VMT and TGA files unless your texture is 1024x1024.
@Sharkisss, search for material problems through this thread. I've had to have covered at least 3 possible problems and solutions. Start out with what Vig said though, checking that your material applied to the model in MAX before you export has the same name as your VMT file.
@Vig, just to clear this up, your VTF doesn't have to be named the same as your VMT. The MDL file searches for only the VMT file and the VMT file tells it what VTF to use.
@zip: that's exactly my problem, the viewmodel needs 1024x1024 or the engravings look like a blurry mess, if I have to reduce it to 512 the engravings have to disappear, and I really like them. Just the hand, without the fingers or wrist, barely fits in a 512x512 image size.
Also, the texture valve uses for their original gunslinger has a 1024x1024 image size, and the one I made has more detail than theirs. they don't fit in the 2 mb zip because when I tested the stuff, I didn't know that save the normal map with a 32 b/p resolution (for the specular alpha) will boost its size to the infinite
Edit: the solution I found is submit just one neutral texture.
Hi Alberto. In that case, just break it up into multiple submissions, and note that each entry is part X of a total submission count of Y. That way we can easily piece them all together easily. Robin.
I LOVE ROBIN WALKER. I'm dancing right now across the house
Aww, i feel so old right now. lol. Really, noone saw the realation?
Its ofc. supposed to be Monty Python themed.
i alsow started a black knight helmet for the engi and a the knight who say ni for the heavy.
Really all rather fun and games. But it got a smile out of me.
And thats what this is all about in the end, ... right?
Not for faking smooth edges, no. But for faking depth? Absolutely.
That actually does look quite promising, i wasnt aware of this technique.
Though, this would mean a extra map alsow and the benefits you get from a normal map really overwhelm here imo.
... Valve has a very firm stance lately about just using that single flat normal located in models/effects on every model they can. ...
Okay, i see that. Sorry, i didnt knew about this development.
Quite sad really though. i do love TF2 for its every normaled pixel.
And alsow rather unfair cause all the new hats are normaled like the skull, voodoo, horsemans, snaggletooth, ...
You do find a cupple of normals on some of the old hats as well, like the snipers "pith_helmet_normall".
Well, thanks for your concern guys but i, do like it. Not only on my hats, but generally in TF2.
If they have to take it down, so be it.
But, in all honesty, id rather see my techwizard not taken at all than without its normals.
@Genic, didn't catch the Monty Python references at first glance. They're nice, but I don't see how they fit with those characters still. They are very nice hats though.
And yes they do use normal maps on some hats if they genuinely add to them, but there's really not much of a need for the normal on your hats. There aren't any intricate engravings or details on them that would need to be bumped and you could just model out those metal rims without using too many extra polys.
Submit it with the normal if you'd like to. We're just trying to help you based on what we've learned throughout the 127 pages of this thread.
Yeah normal bakes are always better. This is just a situational method you can use if you already have a spec mask and don't want an extra map. Hopefully Valve will just use your normals :]
I think Valve might be getting more lenient about it but I'm not sure...
YUP, one last(how many times have i say this?) question that just crossed my mind: In the contribution page they say you have to submit a .ZIP... but... they also accept .RAR, Don't they?
I think Valve might be getting more lenient about it but I'm not sure...
I don't know if it's just me, but it feels like it takes a lot for a normal map to actually look good in source when compared to specular map. Atleast, that's from my observation, maybe I'm missing a technique to make normals appear stronger. I've always made the assumption that Valve feels this way too. When you look back at any of the weapons with fine-details being accomplished with normal maps, you could see a lot of unnecessary noise. Maybe they just want to avoid that.
yeah, I know I can, but I just realized I submitted the Hat in .RAR!
I have to upload it again
Hmm, I guess you could upload it again... It's good that you pointed this out though, because I use .rar files frequently over .zip and would have probably made this mistake myself somewhere along the lines.
Also, my hat (posted way back in page 121) is nearing completion but STILL has this issue where the model will disappear when fraps or any sort of non-steam related application is running over the game window. (I.E. When skype notifications come up, the hat will glitch out when running windowed TF2) I'm assuming it's something on my end that's wrong, seeing as I've never seen this happened to hats before. Could it be because my hat replaces a hat that doesn't have the same bone structure? (To test the hat, I've quickly replaced the soldier_bill hat.)
As for submission process, is valve interested in obtaining things such as the SMD and QC files so they can tweak things further if need be? Or do they tend to just like having the mdl files / texture files?
As for submission process, is valve interested in obtaining things such as the SMD and QC files so they can tweak things further if need be? Or do they tend to just like having the mdl files / texture files?
Taken from the Contribution Site.
Format summary:
Required:
Model source formats: .QL, .OBJ, or .MT
Materials source formats: .TGA/.PSD
Optional Source compilation files:
Model compilation format: .DMX, .SMD, .QC (required if your item has jigglebones, or other custom .QC commands)
Materials compilation formats: .TXT
Optional compiled files:
Model compiled formats: .MDL and all associated .VTX, .PHY, and .VVD files
Materials compiled format: .VTF, .VMT (required if your materials have custom shaders)
Hey there,
I just made a shotgun for heavy in tf2, and I need help.
I made custom animations, and they show up like they should after I compile them. But when I go in-game, it puts the animations back to default...WTH?
sooo...I'd like to replace the iron curtain but i don't have that drop. Let's say i named my model c_iron_curtain. How can i test ?
I tried to replace the minigun smd by iron curtain smd in the item_game.txt but no luck so far.
edit : now it works, randomly replaced text.
anyway:
YAAAR ma chainzaw is not textured ! but u get the spirit
The blade is a bit long i think.
Hooray u can't see the blade while "shooting" \o/
i think i'll do a speshal viewmodel then
(teeth are temp)
edit : better with some view model cheating
i started making a tribal cleaver for fallout:nv but towards the end of creating the mesh i thought i could adapt it to fit TF2 a little better. the texture isn't complete; i was thinking of adding some aboriginal-style paint to the blade to fill out some of the blank space. there is a gem attached to the end because i thought of the name "Bloodstone" for a weapon and made the cleaver around that idea
genic, you make me feel old =P I recognized the second crown/helmet but not the first, forehead slap on seeing the ref for the first.
Noors, that's looking rad, even with a hacked up texture
crazy-g, call me minimalist but I like the first one, cool stuff so far.
Arcaltarion, thanks for the tip about the Iron Curtain they compiled it as a C model, so much easier to replace!
I need to get the animations exported and in the .qc file and get a final texture finished off (whats shown is EXTREMELY WIP).
I also need to make a few minor scale adjustments to some pieces.
Oh I also have to compile the other two models...
crazy-g, i know you said your texture is wip but beware to keep it "simple" The handle and the blood pattern are too detailled.
And vig, if your able to mimic the feeling i had with painkiller grenade (stake) launcher then ( else </3 )
i started making a tribal cleaver for fallout:nv but towards the end of creating the mesh i thought i could adapt it to fit TF2 a little better. the texture isn't complete; i was thinking of adding some aboriginal-style paint to the blade to fill out some of the blank space. there is a gem attached to the end because i thought of the name "Bloodstone" for a weapon and made the cleaver around that idea
some quick ideas for aboriginal blade
I like design number 5. I'm distracted by pretty patterns. Ooooh...
ok, yesterday while I was waiting answers for the compression stuff I started a crappy sketch.
I think it's to creepy and it doesn't fit quite well with tf2. but I wanna show it to you anyway
skulls and crossbones and dinamite and all that pirate stuff
Replies
you can check how the IRON CURTAIN works and copy the method valve used to implement it in the fists person view
The one he has is fine.
I'm still working in the compression issues. I realized PNG format is smaller than TGA but keeps the quality untouched. why valve has to only accept TGAs or PSDs! ;_;
Edit: and it's already 10 am PST Robin Walker didn't answer my email ;_;
Just looked through the SDK wiki... apparently you can only set the mask as the alpha of your normal ($bumpmap) or the alpha of your base texture ($basemapalphaphongmask)
I'd say get some team colors in there, maybe as an entwined ribbon.
Thank you very much, dude!
That does ease my conscience about my most recent work alsow
Okay, three guesses which movie i watched this weekend
Careful.... CAREFUL!!!! lol, Jk.
the pizza man Idea is mine, and the clown pyro is his.
If you have any Ideas that you want me to mess around with, just talk to me.
Hmm ... im not quite sure how to respond to that, spec and normal maps really arent compatible.
The normal maps on these hats do smooth the curbs (C.) and counteract some smoothing errors on the top (A.).
Alsow, they apply the ornament bevels and some forge dents on the crowns gold parts (B.).
Dont know how you could do that with a spec map.
Anyway, the normal maps really are dead-weight and use hardly any calculation effort.
i saw many materials in the TF2 .gcf that refer to a default, blank blue normal map.
' "$bumpmap" "models/effects/flat_normal" '
(from the hallmark)
Here it appears that to apply a empty normal map is even less expensiv then not to assign one at all.
So, there really is no reason at all not to use normal maps.
On the other hand, what spec maps can do to your hat u can observe on the otherwise lovely 'capotain'
I know they're not intended to do the same job, but they can in TF2. Valve are very unlikely to use your normal map unless it does something really important (like the Heavy's boxing hat, Pugilists Protector). Just being factual here.
Here, this isn't the best example, but it shows the sort of thing I mean:
Don't knock it until you've tried it!
edit: Basically render your high poly as an AO bake instead of a normal bake and multiply it in photoshop a bit (and rub out some stuff), sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. For the top of the hat I think it will work. It doesn't really work in games that aren't TF2.
edit2: Put that high poly AO on your diffuse as well
Anyway, I really like the medic hat. I don't get how it fits with the Medic as a class really though. Medieval doesn't come up in his biography ever really. It worked with the Demoman sort of because he's Scottish and the Scottish had a large presence in that era. Did you make custom skins for each color though? That's unnecessary. The paint doesn't use skins to color the models.
I'm not a fan of that crown much. It's a bit too simple in my opinion, even for TF2. Maybe if the metal workings were a bit more ornate and not just flat plates it'd be more interesting.
@Arcaltarion, are you including PSD files in your materials zips? That's why I'm guessing you're over every time. You should have absolutely no problem including multiple VTF, VMT and TGA files unless your texture is 1024x1024.
@Sharkisss, search for material problems through this thread. I've had to have covered at least 3 possible problems and solutions. Start out with what Vig said though, checking that your material applied to the model in MAX before you export has the same name as your VMT file.
@Vig, just to clear this up, your VTF doesn't have to be named the same as your VMT. The MDL file searches for only the VMT file and the VMT file tells it what VTF to use.
Also, the texture valve uses for their original gunslinger has a 1024x1024 image size, and the one I made has more detail than theirs. they don't fit in the 2 mb zip because when I tested the stuff, I didn't know that save the normal map with a 32 b/p resolution (for the specular alpha) will boost its size to the infinite
Edit: the solution I found is submit just one neutral texture.
I LOVE ROBIN WALKER. I'm dancing right now across the house
Its ofc. supposed to be Monty Python themed.
i alsow started a black knight helmet for the engi and a the knight who say ni for the heavy.
Really all rather fun and games. But it got a smile out of me.
And thats what this is all about in the end, ... right?
That actually does look quite promising, i wasnt aware of this technique.
Though, this would mean a extra map alsow and the benefits you get from a normal map really overwhelm here imo.
Okay, i see that. Sorry, i didnt knew about this development.
Quite sad really though. i do love TF2 for its every normaled pixel.
And alsow rather unfair cause all the new hats are normaled like the skull, voodoo, horsemans, snaggletooth, ...
You do find a cupple of normals on some of the old hats as well, like the snipers "pith_helmet_normall".
Well, thanks for your concern guys but i, do like it. Not only on my hats, but generally in TF2.
If they have to take it down, so be it.
But, in all honesty, id rather see my techwizard not taken at all than without its normals.
No dude, i just created one paint alpha-mask and these are samples how some colors look, if applyed.
And yes they do use normal maps on some hats if they genuinely add to them, but there's really not much of a need for the normal on your hats. There aren't any intricate engravings or details on them that would need to be bumped and you could just model out those metal rims without using too many extra polys.
Submit it with the normal if you'd like to. We're just trying to help you based on what we've learned throughout the 127 pages of this thread.
I think Valve might be getting more lenient about it but I'm not sure...
I have to upload it again
I don't know if it's just me, but it feels like it takes a lot for a normal map to actually look good in source when compared to specular map. Atleast, that's from my observation, maybe I'm missing a technique to make normals appear stronger. I've always made the assumption that Valve feels this way too. When you look back at any of the weapons with fine-details being accomplished with normal maps, you could see a lot of unnecessary noise. Maybe they just want to avoid that.
Hmm, I guess you could upload it again... It's good that you pointed this out though, because I use .rar files frequently over .zip and would have probably made this mistake myself somewhere along the lines.
Also, my hat (posted way back in page 121) is nearing completion but STILL has this issue where the model will disappear when fraps or any sort of non-steam related application is running over the game window. (I.E. When skype notifications come up, the hat will glitch out when running windowed TF2) I'm assuming it's something on my end that's wrong, seeing as I've never seen this happened to hats before. Could it be because my hat replaces a hat that doesn't have the same bone structure? (To test the hat, I've quickly replaced the soldier_bill hat.)
As for submission process, is valve interested in obtaining things such as the SMD and QC files so they can tweak things further if need be? Or do they tend to just like having the mdl files / texture files?
Taken from the Contribution Site.
Format summary:
*ahem* Wow, that's what I get making a post when I'm completely checked out for today. Thanks for that.
I just made a shotgun for heavy in tf2, and I need help.
I made custom animations, and they show up like they should after I compile them. But when I go in-game, it puts the animations back to default...WTH?
Here is my .qc
$cd "C: Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\benhenry96\team fortress 2\tf\models\weapons\v_models\Decompiled\QuadrupleB ypass"
$modelname "weapons\v_models\v_shotgun_heavy.mdl"
$model "v_shotgun" "v_shotgun_heavy.dmx.smd"
$cdmaterials "models/player/hvyweapon/"
$cdmaterials "models/weapons/v_shotgun/"
// Model uses material "models/player/hvyweapon/hvyweapon_hands.vmt"
// Model uses material "models/weapons/v_shotgun/v_shotgun.vmt"
$hboxset "default"
$hbox 0 "bip_lowerArm_L" -2.490 -15.180 -2.790 4.510 6.330 4.710
$hbox 0 "bip_hand_L" -4.150 -7.840 -4.510 2.850 3.160 6.490
$hbox 0 "bip_hand_R" -2.260 -0.840 -5.590 4.240 8.160 3.410
$hbox 0 "weapon_bone" -1.250 -0.300 -3.000 1.250 4.700 35.000
$attachment "weapon_bone" "weapon_bone" 0.00 0.00 0.00 rotate -0.00 -0.00 -0.00
$attachment "muzzle" "weapon_bone" 0.00 3.73 34.92 rotate -90.00 -0.00 0.00
$attachment "eject_brass" "weapon_bone" -0.80 3.25 10.76 rotate -11.66 162.02 -167.64
$surfaceprop "default"
$illumposition 14.985 -11.252 -23.013
$sequence draw "draw" ACT_VM_DRAW 1 fps 30.00 node raised {
{ event 5004 1 "Weapon_Shotgun.Draw" }
}
$sequence idle "idle" loop ACT_VM_IDLE 1 fps 30.00 node raised
$sequence fire "fire" snap ACT_VM_PRIMARYATTACK 1 fps 40.00 node raised {
{ event 6002 13 "3" }
}
$sequence reload_start "reload_start" ACT_RELOAD_START 1 fps 30.00
$sequence reload_loop "reload_loop" loop ACT_VM_RELOAD 1 fps 30.00 {
{ event 5004 2 "Weapon_Shotgun.Reload" }
}
$sequence reload_end "reload_end" ACT_RELOAD_FINISH 1 fps 35.00 {
}
$bonemerge bip_thumb_0_L
$bonemerge bip_thumb_1_L
$bonemerge bip_thumb_2_L
$bonemerge bip_index_0_L
$bonemerge bip_index_1_L
$bonemerge bip_index_2_L
$bonemerge bip_middle_0_L
$bonemerge bip_middle_1_L
$bonemerge bip_middle_2_L
$bonemerge bip_ring_0_L
$bonemerge bip_ring_1_L
$bonemerge bip_ring_2_L
$bonemerge bip_pinky_0_L
$bonemerge bip_pinky_1_L
$bonemerge bip_pinky_2_L
$bonemerge bip_thumb_0_R
$bonemerge bip_thumb_1_R
$bonemerge bip_thumb_2_R
$bonemerge bip_index_0_R
$bonemerge bip_index_1_R
$bonemerge bip_index_2_R
$bonemerge bip_middle_0_R
$bonemerge bip_middle_1_R
$bonemerge bip_middle_2_R
$bonemerge bip_ring_0_R
$bonemerge bip_ring_1_R
$bonemerge bip_ring_2_R
$bonemerge bip_pinky_0_R
$bonemerge bip_pinky_1_R
$bonemerge bip_pinky_2_R
I tried to replace the minigun smd by iron curtain smd in the item_game.txt but no luck so far.
edit : now it works, randomly replaced text.
Submitted! (thanks, SNIPA)
Loving the Python helmets too.
anyway:
YAAAR ma chainzaw is not textured ! but u get the spirit
The blade is a bit long i think.
Hooray u can't see the blade while "shooting" \o/
i think i'll do a speshal viewmodel then
(teeth are temp)
edit : better with some view model cheating
some quick ideas for aboriginal blade
Noors, that's looking rad, even with a hacked up texture
crazy-g, call me minimalist but I like the first one, cool stuff so far.
Arcaltarion, thanks for the tip about the Iron Curtain they compiled it as a C model, so much easier to replace!
I need to get the animations exported and in the .qc file and get a final texture finished off (whats shown is EXTREMELY WIP).
I also need to make a few minor scale adjustments to some pieces.
Oh I also have to compile the other two models...
And vig, if your able to mimic the feeling i had with painkiller grenade (stake) launcher then
( else </3 )
And the black knight helmet for demoman (no pun intended
More screen and a bad quality video here : http://emfromkraland.olympe-network.com/tf2_contribute.html
My ref was :
I think it's to creepy and it doesn't fit quite well with tf2. but I wanna show it to you anyway
skulls and crossbones and dinamite and all that pirate stuff
So here it is: (wip)
It's a head bandage for the heavy + a lollipop for the big boy.
I hope there isn't a hat like my already available,but I really don't want to scroll through 128 sites.