[MODELLING] Making models for Garry's Mod

[DarkN00b]

MAKING MODELS FOR GARRY'S MOD

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As of now, all modelling applications require knowledge that is included here. Don't worry though, "knowledge" is followed by tutorial so you can apply!

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Before we start, we have to make sure we have all tools we need.

• 3DsMax (Wallworm)
  
• VTFedit
  
• Crowbar
  

You may use Blender or Cinema4D but be aware that we don't have developer or contributor using any of these so you will be on your own with some questions regarding the software and it's plugins

You can get it in the spoiler below

Spoiler :

3DsMax (Studentversion since it's free. If you don't want that then buy it or whatever) - Download site

Wallworm (Plugin required to export your model to SMD format) - Download site

VTFEdit (Required for making textures) - Download site

Crowbar (Compiling tool) - Download site

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Each software is required for you to make your own model for Garry's mod. To explain what each is doing. Each software has it's own tutorial how to install on their site so there's no need for me to write my own drama about that.

Even so, I include crowbar tutorial just incase.

Spoiler :

How to intall
1. Download crowbar
2. Extract all contents from the zip to steam\steamapps\common\Half Life 2\bin
3. Launch crowbar
4. Proceed with these steps in spoiler
Setting gmod in the compile menu
1. Go to the compile tab.
2. Click the "set up games" button.
[Image: B95pxyX.png]
3. Now just set up as you like. All things are explained in the crowbar.
[Image: HXbuhRb.png]
5. Done.

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Now, if our tools are ready we shall start with making a simple model, texturing it and porting it to Garry's mod in steps. I divided the progress to stages. Each stage includes the steps and all.....

Note : We expect you to have atleast most of the basic skills with 3dsmax

STAGE 1

Spoiler :

The basic stage where we already have our plugin Wallworm installed. We're going to create our model and texture it..

1. Launch 3Dsmax

2. Make a simple cube with smooth edges (Just chamfer the edges without smooth modifiers)
Example here

Spoiler :

[Image: 7Q8QfyP.png]

3. Now, let's texture our model with Unwrap UVW. I have made all the sides the same side and put them on one place. For our purpose it should be enough. The checkerpattern should look like this --
Example

Spoiler :

[Image: QsHzV3p.png]

4. Now let's apply some random seamless material to our model. We apply it from material editor (M)
Example

Spoiler :

[Image: zb6hYk6.png]

5. After you double click the bitmap choose the texture. In our case I picked some metal texture. I got the texture from here

6. When we apply the material. Click "go to parent". That means we got to the general material settings.
Example

Spoiler :

[Image: pfxfOcv.png]

7. After we get to general settings we HAVE to rename the material name. That is very important because it will be our name for .VMT file which is located in "materials/ourmodel/" and so on. Of course this is not the only way to do this, but it's much easier to do it this way. If you mess up you can either export it again after renaming it or just open .SMD and replace all the wrong names with correct ones. But that is really annoying.

Let's rename it to something reasonable like "metal".

---Capital letters don't matter.
Example

Spoiler :

[Image: VJ97kRB.png]
[Image: tuH5TcJ.png]

8-9. After we're done with that, we finally export our model.

Open the exporter from - WALLWORM/EXPORTERS/EXPORT DMX/SMD/VTA FILE !

Make sure you have selected "reference" in the exporter or else it won't work. Rest is not that relevant to change since all we do is just exporting a simple model. Then export to some folder with approciate name. For example "Cube".

Example

Spoiler :

[Image: S2CuQvR.png]
[Image: 8xk4759.png]

10. STAGE 1 is now done.

STAGE 2

Spoiler :

This stage is all about preparing your model to be compiled to MDL. format (final form). You'll need a atleast a simple text editor...

1. Go to the folder where is your SMD of cube

2. Open text editor, in my case notepad++

3. Make new file and save as. Then save the file as "<insert the name here>.QC"

4. Now, we have the QC file at last.

5. Open it and read the spoilers below

QC File

Spoiler :

The QC file is one of the "core" files in your models and there are various commands for it (Not gonna list them until we get more lessons done in here)

Basic model template

Spoiler :

$modelname "<text>.mdl"    

$model "<text>" "<text>.smd"

$cdmaterials "<text>"

$surfaceprop "<surfaceproperty>"                                 

$sequence idle "<text>.smd" fps 1

$collisionmodel "<text>.smd" {

$mass 0.00                                         

$inertia 0.00

$damping 0.00

$rotdamping 0.00
}

$ModelName
[spoiler]
Write down path where your model will be along with the name.
Example here
$modelname "darknoob/arms/c_arms.mdl"

$model

Spoiler :

$model "<text>" "<text>.smd"

A name of your model.

A body for your model (Include reference models only!). May be used for bodygroups also.

$cdmaterials

Spoiler :

$cdmaterials "<text>"
Place path where your textures will be. (You must create the folders yourself for this.)

$surfaceprop

Spoiler :

$surfaceprop "<surfaceproperty>"     

Add a surface property (will have sounds, and effects from the material) from the surfaceproperty list in the other spoiler.

$sequence

Spoiler :

$sequence idle "<text>.smd" fps 1

If the model doesn't have any animation when idle then add your reference SMD.
If your model has animation then include the sequence SMD into it.

$collisionmodel

Spoiler :

For now include your reference SMD. When WIKI has more tutorials I will include how to make hulls and collision models.

$mass

Spoiler :

Change this to how heavy you want the prop to be. For reference: Bucket = 8, Barrel = 30, Blast door = 92, Airboat = 500, Jeep = 1000

Surface properties list

Spoiler :

Use this for $surfaceprop "<text>" in the QC file.

Special

• default
  
• default_silent
  
• floatingstandable
  
• item
  
• ladder
  
• no_decal
  
• player
  
• player_control_clip
  

Concrete / Rock

• baserock
  
• boulder (Will cause material glitches if used in models)
  
• brick
  
• concrete
  
• concrete_block
  
• gravel
  
• rock
  

Metal

• canister
  
• chain
  
• chainlink
  
• combine_metal
  
• crowbar
  
• floating_metal_barrel
  
• grenade
  
• gunship
  
• metal
  
• metal_barrel
  
• metal_bouncy
  
• Metal_Box
  
• metal_seafloorcar
  
• metalgrate
  
• metalpanel
  
• metalvent
  
• metalvehicle
  
• paintcan
  
• popcan
  
• roller
  
• slipperymetal
  
• solidmetal
  
• strider
  
• weapon
  

Wood

• Wood
  
• Wood_Box
  
• Wood_Crate
  
• Wood_Furniture
  
• Wood_LowDensity
  
• Wood_Plank
  
• Wood_Panel
  
• Wood_Solid
  

Terrain

• dirt
  
• grass
  
• gravel
  
• mud
  
• quicksand
  
• sand
  
• slipperyslime
  
• antlionsand
  

Liquid

• slime
  
• water
  
• wade
  

Frozen

• ice
  
• snow
  

Organic

• alienflesh
  
• antlion
  
• armorflesh
  
• bloodyflesh
  
• flesh
  
• foliage
  
• watermelon
  
• zombieflesh
  

Manufactured

• asphalt
  
• glass
  
• glassbottle
  
• combine_glass
  
• tile
  
• paper
  
• papercup
  
• cardboard
  
• plaster
  
• plastic_barrel
  
• plastic_barrel_buoyant
  
• Plastic_Box
  
• plastic
  
• rubber
  
• rubbertire
  
• slidingrubbertire
  
• slidingrubbertire_front
  
• slidingrubbertire_rear
  
• jeeptire
  
• brakingrubbertire
  

Miscellaneous

• carpet
  
• ceiling_tile
  
• computer
  
• pottery
  

Surface properties copied from Valve Site

6. Use your common sense and copy&paste the template from QC spoiler and fill in your things. So it could make sense  of course. For example our surface is metal so put in Metal at the correct command.
example

Spoiler :

[Image: jvpqSKv.png]

7. Launch crowbar and go to compile tab.

8. Then find the QC with crowbar and click compile. If you can't find your compiled model click "go to" at right bottom corner.

9. Now you see MDL. and other files. THEY ARE IMPORTANT! Now just drag them to the path you wrote in your QC file. As crowbar should have already crated the folder in garrysmod/garrysmod/models/.

10. STAGE 2 DONE

STAGE 3

Spoiler :

Last final part is to set up textures which is very easy. You'll need a image which should be texture (VTF) and make a vmt. for it though VTFEDIT.

1. Turn on VTFedit

2. Import your texture with it. Or just open the texture in VTFedit

3. If your texture has some random size like 666x666 then use resize option to some reasonable reasolution like 512x512.

3. Don't change anything else and click OK.

4. Click save as and save it in the path you specified in your QC.

5. Then in tools tab at top of VTFedit click create VMT

6. Find the base texture

7. Then, in options set VertexLitGeneric or else you wont be able to see it.

8. Click create and put it with the VTF.

RENEMBER THAT WHAT YOUR MODEL IS SEARCHING FOR IS ALWAYS VMT AND NOT VTF!

9. Done, for our tutorial its enough to grasp the basics.

10. STAGE 3 DONE

STAGE 4

Spoiler :

Test ingame. If you got issues then ask in comments.

If there are any issues with the tutorial please let me know.

Created by DarkN00b

Created by darkn00b