How to start making own 3d models?

Discuss the creation of various model formats for Quake engines, and related matters to modeling.
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toom
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 5:13 pm

How to start making own 3d models?

Post by toom »

Hello,
What software to use to make custom 3d characters?
Is there a way to convert a high-poly (7000 vertices) model to low-poly (3500)?
What format is better- SMD, MD2, MD5?
Any tutorials?

Please help!
leileilol
Posts: 2783
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Re: How to start making own 3d models?

Post by leileilol »

toom wrote:Hello,
What software to use to make custom 3d characters?
I use Blender. No one here really model characters anymore.
toom wrote: Is there a way to convert a high-poly (7000 vertices) model to low-poly (3500)?
- Most do it by rendering a normal map on a low poly model to retain detail
- It's best to reduce polys by hand than use a button to do it for you
toom wrote:SMD
Enjoy your lack of vertex weights, also most quake engines do not support hl model format nor dpm/zym
toom wrote:MD2
Enjoy your lack or vertex precision (wobblies)
toom wrote:MD5
Enjoy your lack of normals (broken up shading)
i should not be here
razvanab
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Re: How to start making own 3d models?

Post by razvanab »

leileilol wrote:
toom wrote:Hello,
What software to use to make custom 3d characters?
I use Blender. No one here really model characters anymore.
toom wrote: Is there a way to convert a high-poly (7000 vertices) model to low-poly (3500)?
- Most do it by rendering a normal map on a low poly model to retain detail
- It's best to reduce polys by hand than use a button to do it for you
toom wrote:SMD
Enjoy your lack of vertex weights, also most quake engines do not support hl model format nor dpm/zym
toom wrote:MD2
Enjoy your lack or vertex precision (wobblies)
toom wrote:MD5
Enjoy your lack of normals (broken up shading)

so in the end there is 3d format without problems ?
leileilol
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Post by leileilol »

MD3.
i should not be here
Urre
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Post by Urre »

leileilol wrote:MD3.
Enjoy limited physical size (512 qu) and huge filesizes using many animations.

A format supported by DP which atleast seems to work fine, is PSK.
I was once a Quake modder
toom
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Post by toom »

The problem with MD3 is a limit of polygons to 4096. The problem with PSK is that the game engine I am using is not supporting this type of 3d model and we don't have to time to write code for it.
leileilol
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Post by leileilol »

Urre wrote: A format supported by DP which atleast seems to work fine, is PSK.
Enjoy your lack of exporters that isn't 3DSMax.
toom wrote:The problem with MD3 is a limit of polygons to 4096.
Not true, i've had a 20k+ poly MD3 before working nicely
i should not be here
zxcvb
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Post by zxcvb »

*all:

enjoy your tired lame ironic tone when replying to a post.
________
HERBAL VAPORIZERS
Last edited by zxcvb on Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Electro
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Post by Electro »

toom: It really depends what you need out of your game as to what format you'd choose. Each one has their pros and cons. You also need to be sure that there's obviously exporters available for the format you think is best suited.

If you provide some more info on what you'd need out of a model format, and what modeling package you're using.. I'll help you figure out a model format that would be best suited.
Benjamin Darling
http://www.bendarling.net/

Reflex - In development competitive arena fps combining modern tech with the speed, precision and freedom of 90's shooters.
http://www.reflexfps.net/
toom
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Post by toom »

The game, which I write, is my MSc dissertation. Because of that I don't want to spend hundred of $$$ and I cannot use pirated software.
Currently I use GMax. It can export to Md3 format but the exporter plugin is limited to 4096 polygons. I have a human character from MakeHuman which I converted with MeshLab to abut 7000 vertices and I can load it into GMax but cannot export it into Md3.
I have ASE/ASC exporter for GMax, but I don't know if this format supports animations.
I know how to make bones in GMax and animate them, but not how to attach bones to the model.
The game engine uses GLScene component, so the following 3d formats are supprted: 3ds,bsp,gl2,gts,lwo, md2,md3, md5,mdc, ms3d,nmf, nurbs,obj, ,smd,stl, tin,vrml.
I read somewhere that I can pose my model in MakeHuman and export as many obj files and then compile them into Md3 animation. But I don't know how to compile it and the problem is that I cannot texture the model in MakeHuman (at least I don't know how) and it has bare feet (it needs some shoes :P).
absynth
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Post by absynth »

I kind of skimmed through this and didn't hear anyone talk about milkshape.

Milkshape imports a number of formats and has some great polygon reduction features like the directx mesh tool.

milkshape is $25.. an amazing price and has a ton of tutorials. gmax is cool, but has its own limiations and combining that program with the power / flexibility milkshape offers I think you'd find a solution that way.

Thanks
Caleb
leileilol
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Post by leileilol »

absynth wrote:didn't hear anyone talk about milkshape.
Because it's a broken piece of crap not worth mentioning?

Milkshape + Gmax + LithUnwrap is sooo 2002. Nothing has really changed for those programs since then.
i should not be here
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