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[llVeXXll]

Hello, I am totally new to making models. I am using 3D studio max 2013, with wallworm model tools. I am modeling for counterstrike global offensive beta. I am having so many problems getting started!

Firstly, none of the paths the guy gives in the tutorials exist in cs go. I changed the bin path to the folder that studiomdl and vtex is in, which is steamapps/common/counterstrikeglobaloffensive/bin.

But there is no correct folder for the other 2. Here is a screenshot of what it looks like:



What paths should I set the models and materials bit to?

Next, I have downloaded some free models off a website, I want to use them in a CS GO map that I am working on, but I don't know where to start. It's worth mentioning that I HAVE NEVER USED 3DSMAX before, I opened the .3ds file up in max.. it's all in different parts, is there a way I can group it? Then what do I do next? It looks like it's poly count is WAAAAY too high to have in a CS map, is there a way I can reduce it? Is there even a way I can tell if it has a texture or not? If it did not have a texture would it just appear grey in 3dsmax? argh! so much to learn. I have been trying to get just one damn model into my map for weeks using blender and it's smd exporter, which failed miserably, because it kept giving me just one .smd file, but I know I need at least 3 (x_ref, x_phys) etc. I just don't get it!

Will be so grateful for any help.

[wallworm]

Welcome to the World Of Worms!

I don't yet have CS:GO  so cannot yet test. But I think you need to do this:

In the sdk_content folder, create:

modelsrc
materialsrc

And set those as the targets for the modelsrc and materialsrc folders.

For the Game Info Dir, set it to the csgo folder.

Set the mapsrc path to the sdk_content/maps folder.

IF the modelsrc and materialsrc folders don't work (above) try renaming them to just models and materials respectively... since I see the maps folder in there is just called maps. Then set the paths to the new renamed folder.

Hopefully that gets you up and going. Please let us know if that works.

[llVeXXll]

Thanks for the quick reply! I have set my paths to your first suggestions for now, and I'm not sure if CS GO needs a game info because it is the only orangebox game I have installed, it doesn't rely on anything else.

I would go ahead and test this but I don't know what to do next. I think I have to pick model? but the model is all in little bits, I'm sorry I am asking stupid questions, I just really have no Idea.

If it helps, here is a link to download the model I am trying to compile (it's quite a small file)

http://www.mediafire.com/?x3xdyckj653m88i

[wallworm]

For Wall Worm purposes... the Game Info Dir is required (as of the most resent updates). The material exporter needs it now.

To test the model, I really don't have time at this moment.

My suggestion is to start with something simple. I know this sounds silly, but practice exporting a few simple models like a single box into the game. It will help you learn the general process. Once you are comfortable with that come back and I'll help explain more complex model set ups.

[llVeXXll]

Hi  again, so I went and created a little wonky cube sort of thing, and tried exporting it. I think it did it right.. although I still only have ONE .smd file when I think I should have 3?

After that, how do I compile it? I tried using guistudiocompile but it failed, saying that the path for the current version of SDK was wrong. But someone told me wallworm can compile it automatically.

Finally, I don't understand how to make a collision for it, and also, how to do it if I DONT want it to have a collision.

[wallworm]

Since I don't have GO yet it's hard to speak from authority... but I'm assuming it is the same as l4d2 and portal2...

Where the SMD was made... is there another file next to it with a .BAT extension? If you double click that, does your model compile?

That file controls the compiling and should simply run on export (unless a global option in WW called Compile on Export is turned off).

Regarding a collision hull... you have to make one and assign it to your model. Luckily for you there is just a button called Quick Hull in the collision hulls tab... that is good for almost all simple models. After doing that and exporting again, there should be two SMDs. At that stage you should have whatevermodelcalled.smd, whatevermodelcalled_hull.smd, whatevermodelcalled.qc and whatevermodelcalled.bat . If this is not true, and the BAT file doesn't run, then something is still incorrect.

Right click the BAT file, click Edit. Copy the contents of that file and paste them here... it might help debug it.

[llVeXXll]

Ok, so I ran the batch file, it did some stuff, I ended up (in csgo/models/myproject) a .mdl, a .vtx, a .vvd, and a .phys.

I know I wont be able to see my model in game because it has no skin (I don't know how to skin a model). But just for learning purposes, what do I do next?

And for next time, if I don't want a collision, should I just create a model not make a collision for it, and export it without choosing anything in the collisions section? or should I tick non solid?

The piano model I linked you to is all in little pieces when I open it up n 3dsmax, is there a way i can group it together?

[wallworm]

If you don't want a collision model, simply don't assign one in the WWMT collision hull rollout. If you already have a hull and don't want one, select all the pieces of the hull and click the Del button in the collision model rollout.

There are a couple ways to have all multiple pieces to a model:

FOR FUTURE REFERENCE TO ALL PEOPLE USING WALLWORM!!! DO NOT EVER EVER EVER USE the GROUP function inside Max for any feaure whatsover (the one exception being brush and func_detail geometry inside Anvil). For WWMT, do not group anything. Groups are not supported!

Way 1: Attach all pieces together (can take a while with a lot of pieces).

• Select one piece. If it is not an editbale poly, right click it and convert to editbale poly.
• Assign that as the root node in WWMT with the Pick Model button.
• In the modifier tab of the command panel, click the Attach button and then choose all the pieces.

Way 2: Use WWMT Add Sel (prefered if you are new to Max)
After you assign a root model node with the Pick Model button, select all the extra pieces and press the Add Sel button in the main rollout in WWMT.

[llVeXXll]

Ok so I got a piano to export ok, but when I downloaded the piano, the skin was a seperate image file. The model itself was untextured in max. How can I tell the model to look for that skin?

[wallworm]

Was the material in the form of a marterial file (mtl) or in a bitmap (jpg,tga, etc)?

You will want to open up the Material Editor (press M). If it was a material library, click little arrow on left and choose Open Material Library. If it was a bitmap, right-click an empty part of the material editor (where the grid is) and create a new Standard Material. Then drag out to the left from the diffuse node and choose Maps > Bitmap and browse for the bitmap.

Select the Standard Material (by clicking it) and then make sure your entire model is selected in Max. The Assign the material by pressing the icon at the top of the material editor that looks like a little checkerd ball above a little green cube. (When you hover over it, a tooltip says Assign Materials to Selection).

Those are simple basic Max things.

As for Source, there are some things to consider. First, the bitmap must be a TGA*. If it is a jpg or png, etc, it won't work. So if that is the case convert it. Also, the dimension of the bitmap must always be a power of 2. So it must have length width of values like 512, 1024, etc.

To compile the texture, make sure steam is running, open WWMT and click the Export VTFs button in the main rollout.

[llVeXXll]

The material was in .jpg format but I have converted it into a .tga (it was already 1024 x 1024 so that's ok)

I have loaded up the material editor, I right clicked on the empty space but there was no new option. I selected material> standard. Then I dragged the dot to the left of the text "diffuse colour" out into empty space, and selected bitmap, and selected my .tga. I selected the piano and hit the button I think you are talking about, but nothing is happening. Here is a screenshot of what I have. Sorry about this. I'm really grateful for your help.

[wallworm]

By default, maps (textures) do not show up in the max viewport. To make it appear, select your material in the material editor and click the square checker icon with a little yellow light icon in the top of the material editor. (When you hover over button, it says Show Shaded Material in Viewport.)

[llVeXXll]

Thanks, I can see the texture in 3dsmax now. but.. ARGH, it still wont work. I clicked export vtf. I checked also write .vmt. When I hit export, it gave me a batch file in sdk_content/materials/myproject. I ran the batch file, nothing happened. I checked csgo/materials/models/myproject.. no vtf or vmt files there. The mode is still compiling fine though, just got no texture on it!!

[wallworm]

Right-click the batch file and click Edit. Copy the contents and paste them here. It will help figure the problem.

[wallworm]

I finally installed the CS:GO SDK today and had a run with it. Like with SFM, a longtime function in compiling models is no longer valid (the $origin command). Since WW has used that, this affects WW.

I am working on an update today that will fix this problem. It will fix models that are offset from the prop positions (often appearing outside a map, etc).

Unfortunately, this fix will require people to use the WWMT SMD Exporter when compiling for CS:GO.... as the fix is in the SMD Exporter. That is fine except the Wunderboy exporter is faster... but isn't even available yet for Max 2013 anyway. I'll ask Wunderboy to add support for this, as well as Cannonfodder.

I'll release an update for this today or tomorrow.