Tutorial: Creating a Weapon for Source - Part 1

[Stormy]

Right, Here is the updated link to the file everyone was having problems with. Re-zipped and re-uploaded.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/bpd5di - 04 Modeling 3.rar - Size: 136MB

Sorry for the problems. Would like to request getting the artical updated with the new linky! Thanks.

Little update: She is unwrapped

[Thonz]

Nice!, looking forward to the next tutorial

[Mist]

Ive noticed that when you want to get vertices/edges/polys lined up, you click on one and copy the axis co-ordinate then paste them into each other vert/edge/poly individually.

There's a much quicker (and less hassle) way by just selecting all the vertices and clicking "make planar" (either x, y or z depending which axis you want them aligned). This aligns them on the axis so you dont need to do any copy/pasting of co-ords.

[Stormy]

Oh so there is . I had never noticed that before. Looks pretty damn handy that tool. The only problem tho is it looks like it align them to an average rather then a user chosen access. But all that really means is you would have to align the vert's and then move them all together to corrospond to the reference.

[Mist]

I just watched your "finishing touches" vid. Surely it would make alot more sense to do the animation before you delete the back faces, maybe even before you unwrap and texture? since the animation will govern where not to have any geometry or texturing.

Plus, you would probably want to finish the model as complete because you will need a world model and 3rd person model? then you would optimize the 1st person model..

im just wondering..

[requiem2d]

I think over the past few years the range (ratio aspect in polies) between 1P and 3P has increased, probably due to more detailed environments, more players on the field (so more weapons, etc.) In that respect, you'll find a lot of artists just create a new mesh altogether for 3P, I for one find it easier and quicker, with a more efficient end result.

However, I agree on the animation part, check it out, see how it's going to flow: Then delete your backfaces and UV your gun for full texture resolution and a more optimized gameplay.

[tigger]

I thought UV's had to be done before the animation?...

[Mist]

Originally Posted by tigger

I thought UV's had to be done before the animation?...

only if your using bones i think, and since guns don't need to deform, they dont need to be rigged to bones. At least thats my thoughts..

actually, if you do use bones, cant you just add the uv unwrap modifier above the skin/physique stack?

requiem: I suppose your right about the world models, it does seem logical to remake the weapon. I just played CS: Source and noticed the world models look alot crapper than the 1st person ones.

This is why I really want to get a weapon in source (or any engine really) because it would answer alot of questions that ive been wondering.

[bitmap]

im guessing stormy already knows how he wants his animations. hence the deleted faces.

[Stormy]

Originally Posted by Mist

only if your using bones i think, and since guns don't need to deform, they dont need to be rigged to bones. At least thats my thoughts..

actually, if you do use bones, cant you just add the uv unwrap modifier above the skin/physique stack?

requiem: I suppose your right about the world models, it does seem logical to remake the weapon. I just played CS: Source and noticed the world models look alot crapper than the 1st person ones.

This is why I really want to get a weapon in source (or any engine really) because it would answer alot of questions that ive been wondering.

Source does use bones for animation, even first person weapons like this which is why i have gone in and deleted the back facing before I unwrapped or animated. It is very hard deleating the back faces at such an early stage and making sure you don't take away is very important.

First off the animations are all seperate files, so the shoot, idle, reload all have there own max file which makes it hard to delete the correct back facing in the first place. So what needs deleting in one animation may not need to be removed in another and without two windows open at once it makes it hard.

After the weapon has been skinned it is hard to collapse the stack so that it saves the weighting to allow you to go in and UV unwrap but its not impossible by any means and some cleaver ticks with skin utilities can keep everything running smoothly.

But after a bit of trial and error I personly find that this is the best way of going about it. Have a rough idea of your animations in your head. Keep them simple, not to heroic and over the top as it may well look stupid in the end. With that rough idea you should grasp what faces wont be seen. Be 100% sure tho, if your a little unsure leave them in just to be safe. It's not hard during the animation process just to make some small adjustments if there are areas that are showing the lack of back facing polies.

Source can handle the polies on that weapon, I keped it low so if you dont want to delete the faces it should still be fine. The main reason I go in and do it is to save space on the UV's.