Model Questions Created 17 years ago2007-01-07 20:59:18 UTC by doc

Hi everyone, got a few questions concerning models and stuff.


A) Where do i find those models used in so many mods out there? Like the purple frog with one eye, the worker in orange clothing, grass/plants moving in the wind/the 2 skin like abominations used in USS Darkstar and Redemption? I can find them with my model viewer (exept the last 2) but can't find them in the editor

B) You know a site where i can download half life monsters/characters/weapons? I don't mean texture updates but new monsters to place. Right now i'd love to be able to add some civilians in my maps, not scientists but normal everyday people.

C) Would i regret creating my new mods with Spirit of halflife?

D) How do i play sounds NOT included in the ambient sound folder by using an ambient_generic entity? Like a button sound or a scientist dialogue?

Thats all folks

A) So you found them already ah? Well, they aren't used in HL, so there's no entity that refers directly to them. However, you can use them with the monster_furniture entity, or better, the cycler or cycler_sprite. Fill in the path and modelname of the model you want to use and you're done - though beware, HL isn't that easy when it comes to using models, mainly because there's no truly specific entity devoted to them, unlike HL2 with it's prop entities.

B) You may want to do some Googling or asking around. I remember a few sites with some furniture and tree models and such, but no civilians or the like.

C) Perhaps, if you're easily scared off by some more complex entities. Otherwise, you'll find it a pleasure to work with, since it opens up a wide variety of possibilities.

D) The same as for the ambient sounds. As long as the sounds you want to use are within the sound folder (whether that's the sound folder in the .pak file, or the .gcf file if you're using Steam, or the actual sound folder).

A) They're from Default half-life. Use GCF-scape to extract the models from half-life.gcf in your Steamapps directory, then use the entity monster_furniture or monster_generic and choose the appropriate model.

B) There's always the HIT forums, they have loads of fly models.

C) No. Spirit rules, and yes, it's used as a mod base.
Orpheus, lots of popular mods are based on Spirit... at least DoD is, and that should be incentive enough.
Honestly, it's great to base a mod on, gives you lotsa more options.

D) Ambient_generics aren't only for ambience sounds - ambient_generic looks in valve/sounds by default, not valve/sounds/ambience - if your sound is valve/sounds/hello.wav, just type hello.wav in the ambient_generic's options.

And a note - hardly anyone uses WON-HL these days - Files are packed in PAKs.

Yup. And GCF's are used for Steam.

PAK files were used because that's what the Quake engine uses. Since the inception of Steam, it's been GCFs, mainly because it's an easier format to work with giving Steam's penchant for updating.

Ummm... Yes, there is a GCFScape, and it works with PAKs too.

Read my first reply ;]. There is a GCF-Scape, made by the formidable Nemesis.

CAPTAIN P:
Don't judge me quite yet, i haven't tried to fill the path, but have a question before i do:P My model files are located in my PAK file, how do i enter this destination to get those default models to my level by using the monster_furniture?

There will be a 'model' field in the entity properties. Just type: models/construction.mdl or whatever the name of the model you want is.

Also you can place any downloaded models into your vave/models folder the same way (Example: models/newscientist.mdl.) If you look at the Pak0.pak file and your valve folder you'll notice that they are almost similar layout wise. The game seems to work from the valve folder first rather than the .pak so if you have a custom scientist.mdl in your valve/models file the game will use that rather than the one in the .Pak file. If you don't want it to override the scientist model you can rename the one in your valve/models folder to something like newsci.mdl and then (with spirit) you can have both kinds together in a map with fully functioning AI.