editing player and weapon models

[s0mm3s]

hi,

i'm totally new to game design and modelling. but theres a modding project and i'm into resolving problems. i want to edit player and weapon models and i need suport or tutoring immediately.

how to edit the .zym format?
which software do i need?
how to use this?

please help me. teach me how to create new models.

thanks
sommes

[cortez]

ok i have no idea about modeling but the software with the most options is blender 3d
modeling maping and something more and you have many user helps to get in

[Psychcf]

actually I'm not sure if blender can open the zym format out of the box. You probably can with a plugin though...

[SavageX]

Nothing can edit the .zym format. Grab the "real" sources of the models instead:

http://svn.icculus.org/nexuiz/modelsource/

Most of them should be .smd, which is what Half Life uses as editing format.

[s0mm3s]

thx for your help.

i've got the "real" models. but how to edit this? is there any software to edit the player model skin?

s0mm3s

[Genegineer]

Ok. Some of the models should be in 3DS model format. You should also be able to find files in SMD format as well. If you look a little more into those files, you will find a file called zmodel.bat or something like that. Also with the model files you will also find text files for each character, which detail which files go into the .zym file and what speed the animations are played. Make your model in whatever modeller your choose, but save them in .smd format. then make the text file. then run zmodel to compile it into a .zym file. Possible modellers are Blender (free), Milkshape (inexpensive), or 3DS max (extremely expensive). BTW, if you do not use the default skeletons, you will need to make the animations over again.

[esteel]

Well as far as i know the blender .smd export is virtually non-existant or utter crap.. thats the main problem with the current models as i understand it..

[ihsan]

I'm working on a blender export solution for weapons and human models but i'm not sure how to configure zmodel to export WEAPONS.
Blender seems to export a good weapon smd but everything I do results in a empty(?) zym from zmodel

All the configurations I have are for human models. If nobody has an example of a weapon config then I need a few questions answered.

What bone does weapons have to be weighted to?

Do I need the whole humanoid skeleton in the smd?

What SCENE do I export?

[ihsan]

Sorry to double-post but i just got wanimations from sourceforge. My goal is a 1 click blender -> nexuiz weapon script and another for humanoids.

[ai]

i'm totally new to game design and modelling.

Well, I understand some of the passion one might have to create something, especially for a great game like this, but if you're totally new to modeling then I don't know if player models is the first thing you want to start with. Unless you're an extremely good learner or have exceptional artistic skills I'd have to bust your bubble.
I've seen tons of newbies coming into modeling saying: "I wanna create a realistic human", as a first model and that's just not how it works. Sure, a game model will be a lot easier to make but the concept is still there. However, some new factors will come into play like you'd have to check your poly count, be sure not to have "non-manifold" objects, not any "faces" that are hidden that would add to the poly count and a numerous of other factors.
But, if you've made levels/maps to some other games you'd have at least a basic understanding which would be good.

Just remember, what is never going to be seen on/in the model, make sure there's nothing there. (Talking about hidden faces and such inside a model which would be unnecessary to have)
It takes time to learn modeling, it's not just something anyone can dive into and create what they want, but there might be exceptions, I hope you're one