Posts by Wunderboy

  • 3DS Max polygon reductiont tools

    So what tool do you guys use for making low-poly versions of your models?

    Back in the day I just used Max's Optimise tool then used the MultiRes modifier but even still, that tends to screw up my models sometimes. I've been playing with Poly Cruncher a bit although I find the "Frenglish" user manual a bit confusing sometimes.

    What other options are out there?

  • [Half-Life 2] Model with Normal map and specular

    When you export an SMD from Max 9, it takes the name of the texture in the diffuse channel and exports that for each face.

    Source doesnt actually use that texture, what it does is look for a VMT file for the same name, so if your diffuse texture was "mytexture.tga" Source will be looking for "mytexture.vmt" in each of the material paths you specify in your QC.

    Inside the VMT file itself is where you set-up your components for the shader, i.e. specular, diffuse, exponent, etc.

  • Source shaders preview?

    Err, HLMV uses the same engine as the game so what you see in HLMV *is* how it will appear in game (although the lighting is just a simple single light).

    The alternative is to just put your model in a map and use the various console commands, i.e. if you reload the textures it updates it from any changes you made to the VMT.

    Failing that, use GMOD to drop the model into a map and reload the textures when you change them.

    Thought some of you might find these useful for testing models and checking performance issues with big textures, etc. Most of them require sv_cheats on to work.

    The texture memory display might be good for comparing just how much memory those lovely 2048x2048 diffuse+bump+phong textures take up and the model stats overlay for checking how long your models take to draw, etc.

    Shader Control

    These control parts of the material shader system. Mostly they allow you to turn on/off different features in the engine.

    mat_bumpmap 0/1- Turns off/on bump mapping (normal maps).

    mat_fastnobump 0/1 - Turns off/on bump mapping (normal maps) quickly without reloading materials.

    mat_diffuse 0/1 - Turns off/on diffuse textures (kinda pointless to use!).

    mat_drawwater 0/1- Turns off/on water.

    mat_fullbright 0/1 - Turns off/on fullbright lighting.

    mat_hsv 0/1 - Turns off/on Huse, Saturation, Value colour space (in mose cases, makes B&W).

    mat_specular 0/1 - Turns off/on specular mapping (reflective surfaces like glass).

    mat_fastspecular 0/1 - Turns off/on specular mapping quickly but wont reload materials.

    mat_mipmaptextures 0/1 - Turns off/on mip map textures.

    r_phong 0/1 - Turns off/on phong lighting (doesn't work?).

    Diagnostic

    These provide info about the graphics system and graphics hardware.

    mat_configcurrent - Dumps the current graphics config to the console.

    mat_info - Dumps the current spec, properties and support of the graphic hardware.

    mat_fillrate 0/1 - Shows density of fillrate for pixels (of limited use, pretty cool though!)

    mat_luxels 0/1 - Shows density lightmap grid

    mat_showhistogram 0/1 - Show histogram of colour distribution in the frame.

    mat_show_texture_memory_usage 0/1 - Show current memory useage in kilobytes for the current frame.

    Textures

    These related mostly to textures and materials. Useful if you edit a texture and need to reload it without re-starting the game.

    mat_picmip 0...4 - Sets the quality of textures by using lower mipmap levels instead of the larger. Doesn't give much of a FPS increase but doesn't reduce texture memory useage.

    [Blocked Image: http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4030/matpicmipnf7.th.jpg]

    mat_crosshair - Shows the name of the texture currently under the crosshair.

    mat_show_ab_hdr 0/1 - Turns off/on splitscreen display of Non-HDR/HDR comparison.

    mat_reloadallmaterials - Reloads all the materials. (VMT)

    mat_reloadmaterial - Reload material(s) with in its name. (VMT)

    mat_reloadtextures - Reloads all textures. (VTF)

    mat_texturelimit - Sets the limit in kilobytes the material system will use per frame. -1 = infinite.

    +mat_texture_list - Toggle showing a list of all textures including name, type and memory size (bind to a key)

    mat_wireframe 0/1 - Shows a wireframe overlay on map surfaces and shows models as wireframe only.

    Models

    These are useful for debugging and testing model issues such as performance, types and collision hulls.

    r_colorstaticprops 0/1 - Shows static prop models in different colours.

    r_drawdetailprops 0/1 - Draw detail prop models.

    r_drawothermodels 0/1/2 - Draw non static models. 0 off, 1 on, 2 wireframe.

    r_drawmodelstatsoverlay 0/1/2 - Draws and info overlay non-static models you can see. 0 off, 1 on, 2 measured.

    r_drawmodelstatsoverlay 0/1/2 - Show info overlay for non-static models you can see. 0 off, 1 on, 2 measured.

    r_drawmodelstatsoverlaymin - Minimum time in milliseconds a model needs to take to draw to be displayed when the stats overlay mode is "measured".

    r_drawmodelstatsoverlaymax - Maxumum number time in milliseconds a model can take to draw before it is displayed red in stats overlay mode is "measured"

    vcollide_wireframe 0/1 - Draws the collision model wireframe for models. Static are blue, physics, red.

    vcollide_wireframe_axis 0/1 - Draws the orientation and origin axis for collision models.

  • batch compiler problems

    I know you said you've tried other compilers but have you tried my GUIStudioMDL2?

    It is nothing more than just a graphical front-end to StudioMDL.exe and you can just choose a game from the drop down list. You only have to load the QC file once as every time you press the compile button it re-reads it so you can just make edits to the .QC and save.

    Just sounded like it does everything you're already trying to do in a BAT file.

  • Stockholm Halo launch event :???:

    Ok, saw this advertised in the local Stockholm free paper.

    Translated (badly) word for word...

    Halo Concert at Berwaldhallen!

    A unique experience where game culture meets dance, rock n roll and symphony orchestra.

    Members of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra play the popular Halo music together with guitarist Jani Liimatainen (who?)

    Backyard Babies play their own music inspired by Halo (no wonder their shit)

    Stockholm 59 degrees North dance together with Halo's Master Chief with the help of motion capture technology. (lolbutts)

    And so on and so on...

    WTF. Thats going to be a wierd night out...