can anyone explain the process for using a .mdl as a detail mesh..

[f-c-m]

Ok so if mdl (model) files can be used in hammer as detail/static meshes within the map..

is there an entity for it? whats it called?...
can you scale it within hammer or must you adjust its size in 3dsmax/3d-app ??

any other details we may need to know to use this successfully?

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Yes. it's called "waiting for the game to be released".

 

[Papau]

Same as Q3.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

You really are Q3/Radiant obsessed, aren't you?

Anyway, stop helping people trying to use the leaked/stolen Hammer.

 

[Papau]

If you would accept that the similarities between Q3 and HL2 far exceed the differences, you would be way ahead and wouldn't have to ask a lot of stupid "how to" questions.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

I sincerely hope that you're not referring to me personally. I don't believe I've ever asked any stupid "how to" questions, nor do I even vaguely care about the similarities/differences between HL2 and Q3.

I'm sure many people don't want to be "helped" by someone with as condescending and patronising an attitude as you display. Not to mention the fact that you actually very rarely, if ever, "help" anyone.

 

[f-c-m]

doh

so I log in and i see alot of replies to my message..
then yet again like most other posts once i get in I realize that not one reply actually helped a bit..

jesus..

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

That's because you're asking for help with editing for HL2, which you can't do unless you downloaded the stolen "beta".

No help will be provided on these forums for people using work stolen from Valve.

 

[f-c-m]

uhmm
actually
I wasnt aware that it was specific to hl2
Im attempting to do this within hl1's hammer as I was told it was very similar..

Even some information stating that no not in hl1 but yes in hl2 ..
would be great..

but Ive seen some things in hl1 that are quite details so I assumed this process encompassed both halflife titles.

this beta might have people on edge, but you might wanna stop bein such a nazi about it.. not everyone is out to be a bad person.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

You can place MDLs within Hammer, but you

a) won't see them in Hammer
b) won't be able to scale/adjust them (other than rotation)

I believe the entity you require is a "monstermaker" - and then specify the path to the specific .mdl you want to display.

However, these won't act as detail or static meshes in the sense that you mean. They'll still be covered by a basid square bounding box, they won't cast shadows (RAD doesn't take them into account). It's the equivalent of spawning a non-moving NPC into the game.

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by PiMuRho
You can place MDLs within Hammer, but you

a) won't see them in Hammer
b) won't be able to scale/adjust them (other than rotation)

I believe the entity you require is a "monstermaker" - and then specify the path to the specific .mdl you want to display.

However, these won't act as detail or static meshes in the sense that you mean. They'll still be covered by a basid square bounding box, they won't cast shadows (RAD doesn't take them into account). It's the equivalent of spawning a non-moving NPC into the game.

I wonder if its possible to do that.. and also attach a custom decal that looks like its shadow (faking the shadowing in HL1 that objects appear to have in HL2) then if the object moves the shadow moves with it, if the object is destroyed the decal is killed also.. Far from perfect and wouldn't work all the time, if atall.. But it certainly got me thinking

 

[f-c-m]

thanks

Thanks for the reply, Ok that is something I didnt know (about not being calculated in RAD etc.. )...

scale is ok I can redo scale within 3dsmax easy enough,

Now is this the way it will be handled in hl2 as well?..

Or is it that in HL1 the mdl for a detail mesh only works this way, but the newer hl2 will now incorporate it fully , while still using mdl files it will now calculate them within the rad process if a specific entity is applied to them?..

I realise information is limited for hl2 stuff, but my map wont be finished for quite some time so I would expect that i'll be converting it to hl2, (and have a great time changing the scale of everything im sure! )..

so I may not waste my time modeling these details if in the end hl2 wont support it.

I can use them as placeholders in my hl1 map and not worry about the shadow casting etc.. until hl2 is out and i have a chance to do it in that version of hammer.

 

[f-c-m]

oh oh, and to ask another question,
MDL files cannot be compiled into the BSP is this correct??.. in hl1 anyways?
if that is the case, is this too something that differs hl1 from hl2? will hl2 include mdl's in the map file itself?

seeing as ive already read stuff about valve using models as detail meshes in their maps.. Im just trying to wrap my head around what is HL1 specific and what I can look forward to in hl2

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

As far as I'm aware, detail meshes in HL2 are dynamically lit, so you don't have to worry about the lighting.

 

[The Dark Elf]

f-c-m: AFAIK the source engine will be similar to HL1 for editing, if you go here http://collective.valve-erc.com/ there's a FAQ that should answer a lot of your questions.

 

[AndersJ]

With VHE3.5beta you are able to see the models.
You can find it at : collective.valve-erc.com/
In halflife I use cycler_sprite for models, but to get this entity to allow mdl-preview in the editor you need to do some stuff with the fgd. Descriptions can be found on the same site.
If you want too, you can use the modified dod-fgd that is there aswell, and then the entity is called env_model.
:cheers:
This is for hl1, I don't give a shit about hl2 til it's out.