Quake 2 modelling with Maya questions

[reindeerflotilla]

Hi there. 

I wanna create my own stand-alone game in Quake 2. I use Autodesk Maya for most of my modelling.

I'm mostly assembling what tools I plan on using (level editor, image editor etc) and I sort of want to figure out what is the ideal way of importing my models complete with animations would be. I noticed there's someone asking for help in relation to 3DSmax but since I use Maya I was wondering if anyone had any tips for me.

So far the main method I have is to model and animate in Maya and then export into Blender and from there export as MD2. Since I haven't yet found an MD2 plugin for Maya that works. (The one on Github I finally got to compile but it asks me for an animation set .txt. Which blender doesn't). I'm also wondering what the ideal way to test models would be. IE: in Quake 2 Model Editor or in some other program. Or just by trying to load it in the game itself. 

Does anyone have any advice or could link me to a few tutorials on the subject? A lot of the links I've found have been broken. 

thanks

[Null]

Hi,
I'm not aware of any proper md2 exporter for Maya, only the 3ds Max route. Here are some models that have been converted using the following method:
leray.proboards.com/thread/3569/castle-prop-previews-animated

I've also made plenty of models with animation for Quake 2, and here's the route I recommend.

---

From Maya I'd export as fbx with animation to 3dsmax, or you can use the "Send to 3ds Max" in Maya File menu if you have a recent version.

(Optionally: I'd reduce the number of polys below 1200 using modifier ProOptimizer). Make sure that your UVs don't go outside the box or your textures will be messed up.
Next use this md2 exporter plugin for 3ds max:
forum.tastyspleen.net/quake/index.php?topic=17252.0


You'll need to re-save your md2 model afterwords using Quake 2 Modeller to fix UVS and re-assign your pcx skin to work with q2 when you save:
www.fileplanet.com/8649/0/fileinfo/


To test your models you can import them back into 3ds max using the md2 importer found in the zip above. You can also open and preview md2 files in Quake 2 Modeller.


To quickly convert textures to q2 pcx format you can use Map Tools:
leray.proboards.com/thread/3568/tools-scale-models-convert-textures

If you want more precise / fine tuned texture results I'd recommend exporting using Photoshop with Quake2.act palette file that comes with Quake 2 Modeller:
To export from Photoshop:
Image > Mode > Indexed Color > Palette > Custom... > Load > q2mdlr9b\Quake2.act > OK
File > Save As > BMP
Then save this file as pcx next to your md2 file, ex: quake2\baseq2\models\modeldir\skin.pcx using Wally to fix palette.
www.quaketerminus.com/tools/wally_155b.exe

For level editor I'd recommend Trenchbroom 2:
kristianduske.com/trenchbroom/
leray.proboards.com/thread/3616/trenchbroom-shortcut-cheatsheet

------


Model Repository
tastyspleen.net/~p1/quake2/weapons/models/

Model Support tools
leray.proboards.com/thread/3568/tools-scale-models-convert-textures
leray.proboards.com/thread/3654/add-custom-models-quark
leray.proboards.com/thread/3655/model-converter-quake-mdl-formats
leray.proboards.com/thread/3657/custom-textures-skies-sounds
leray.proboards.com/thread/3656/custom-model-packs-models-maps

Map/Override Repository
http.tastyspleen.net/~p1/quake2/weapons/maps/?C=M;O=D

[reindeerflotilla]

Thank you very much for the links. I'll try and use them to the best of my ability.

Dec 7, 2016 1:49:04 GMT -5 Null said:

For level editor I'd recommend Trenchbroom 2:
kristianduske.com/trenchbroom/
leray.proboards.com/thread/3616/trenchbroom-shortcut-cheatsheet

I have been trying to use Trenchbroom 2 although with limited results. The editor crashes every time I try to compile a map. I had to submit it to its Github. In the meantime I've been using gtkradiant

[Null]

For some things Trenchbroom 2 is gimmicky like that. I recommend trying an earlier version.
As a work around I wouldn't use Trenchbroom2 to compile the bsp, only save the map file, and use a batch file to compile it afterwords, which is almost as quick.
Example batch file:

@echo OFF
SET mapname=some_mapname
QBSP3.exe -threads 6 %mapname%
::QVIS3.exe -threads 6 -fast %mapname%
QVIS3.exe -threads 6 %mapname%
QRAD3.exe -threads 6 %mapname%
arghrad.exe -threads 6 -v %mapname%
..\..\r1q2.exe +set cheats 1 +set game weapons +map %mapname%
pause


---
This way you can fine tune a certain step, ex just do the lights:

arghrad -nocolor -minlighta 5 -maxlighta 170 -radmin 10 -choplight 64 -gamedir C:\quake2\baseq2\ -moddir C:\quake2\baseq2 C:\quake2\baseq2\mapname.bsp
pause

[reindeerflotilla]

Dec 7, 2016 2:09:32 GMT -5 Null said:

For some things Trenchbroom 2 is gimmicky like that. I recommend trying an earlier version.
As a work around I wouldn't use Trenchbroom2 to compile the bsp, only save the map file, and use a batch file to compile it afterwords, which is almost as quick.
Example batch file:

@echo OFF
SET mapname=some_mapname
QBSP3.exe -threads 6 %mapname%
::QVIS3.exe -threads 6 -fast %mapname%
QVIS3.exe -threads 6 %mapname%
QRAD3.exe -threads 6 %mapname%
arghrad.exe -threads 6 -v %mapname%
..\..\r1q2.exe +set cheats 1 +set game weapons +map %mapname%
pause


---
This way you can fine tune a certain step, ex just do the lights:

arghrad -nocolor -minlighta 5 -maxlighta 170 -radmin 10 -choplight 64 -gamedir C:\quake2\baseq2\ -moddir C:\quake2\baseq2 C:\quake2\baseq2\mapname.bsp
pause

I've taken to reopening it in gtkradiant and using that to build. 

[Null]

That's a start!
Looking forward to seeing what you'll make