Importing finished custom models into DarkRadiant for FM building ?

[Petike the Taffer]

Perhaps a silly question, but how do you do custom model importing into DR ?

 

I've found loads of documentation on things like WIP model import/export for various 3D modelling software, or what formats models should be saved in, etc., etc. But I basically couldn't find anything on how to import a finished, working custom model into DR. Sharing custom models made by our members is awesome, but it's hardly of any use if one isn't even sure on how to import them into the level they're building.

I couldn't find a thread or a wiki article that could answer this. So, any up-to-date advice on how to do this for the current version of DarkRadiant ? I'll take whatever good advice I can get, and rest assured, I'll also write down some documentation based on it. Just so the info could be shared with other newbs who are still learning the ropes in DR.

 

On a final note: Yes, I mean custom models. Not prefabs or maps. I know how to import those, it's easy. And those are already part of the base game at this point. But custom models made by others, that's a whole other kettle of fish for me. I'd like to try something simple for a start, e.g. importing a custom chair, etc., just to test the model importing process.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all advice, I appreciate it immensely.

[ERH+]

You mean .ase or .lwo?

Making text file in /def folder and changing extension to .def, then putting this inside?

 entityDef atdm:aaa11
{
    "inherit"             "func_static"
    "editor_usage"        "aaa11"
    "model"               "models/erh/submarine/aaa11.lwo"
}

Or you mean animated models with skeletons?

 

I'm more curious how to export DR models without this lack of smoothing, I've searched for .ase-to-.lwo converter but 3D Object Converter makes .lwo file that can't be opened in DR.

Restricting "export to model" function only to boxes without any curves is a poor solution...

Edited April 22, 2018 by ERH+

[Petike the Taffer]

You mean .ase or .lwo?

Making text file in /def folder and changing extension to .def, then putting this inside?

 entityDef atdm:aaa11
{
    "inherit"             "func_static"
    "editor_usage"        "aaa11"
    "model"               "models/erh/submarine/aaa11.lwo"
}

Or you mean animated models with skeletons?

 

I'm more curious how to export DR models without this lack of smoothing, I've searched for .ase-to-.lwo converter but 3D Object Converter makes .lwo file that can't be opened in DR.

Restricting "export to model" function only to boxes without any curves is a poor solution...

 

I have no idea about any of that.

 

I can check the models' formats, though.

[Springheel]

Perhaps a silly question, but how do you do custom model importing into DR ?

 

I've found loads of documentation on things like WIP model import/export for various 3D modelling software, or what formats models should be saved in, etc., etc. But I basically couldn't find anything on how to import a finished, working custom model into DR. Sharing custom models made by our members is awesome, but it's hardly of any use if one isn't even sure on how to import them into the level they're building.

 

I couldn't find a thread or a wiki article that could answer this. So, any up-to-date advice on how to do this for the current version of DarkRadiant ? I'll take whatever good advice I can get, and rest assured, I'll also write down some documentation based on it. Just so the info could be shared with other newbs who are still learning the ropes in DR.

 

There's not much to it. You just have to save the model into a location in the models/ folder in your pk4. Then, as long as DR is set up to point to that pk4, you add it to your map like you would any other model.

 

If the model uses custom textures, that adds an extra step or two, as you would also have to save the material and texture files.

 

This might be of some help: https://youtu.be/sz5u398AgP4?t=1m37s

[peter_spy]

It depends a bit on your modeling software. You'll probably use .ase models, as .lwo isn't supported in popular modeling apps. For .ase there is actually a particular workflow you should follow, depending on your needs, and for stuff like multiple materials or shadow / collision meshes. I have that in my notes, let me know if you need it, so I'll post it here. Btw. you don't need any defs for just using models. Defs are for more complicated stuff, like assigning lamp model to a light etc.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Judith

[Springheel]

I don't think he's talking about making models, just adding ones that have already been made but aren't part of the core assets.

[Petike the Taffer]

 

There's not much to it. You just have to save the model into a location in the models/ folder in your pk4. Then, as long as DR is set up to point to that pk4, you add it to your map like you would any other model.

 

If the model uses custom textures, that adds an extra step or two, as you would also have to save the material and texture files.

 

This might be of some help: https://youtu.be/sz5u398AgP4?t=1m37s

 

Thank you kindly. I'll have a look at the video as well.

 

I currently don't have a models/ folder in either the TDM root folder or in the DarkRadiant root foolder. So, do I need to make one ?

 

I don't think he's talking about making models, just adding ones that have already been made but aren't part of the core assets.

 

Exactly.

[Obsttorte]

You mean .ase or .lwo?

Making text file in /def folder and changing extension to .def, then putting this inside?

 entityDef atdm:aaa11
{
    "inherit"             "func_static"
    "editor_usage"        "aaa11"
    "model"               "models/erh/submarine/aaa11.lwo"
}

There is no need to create an entity definition for models, unless you want to make use of lod. As Springheel said, just place them in your models folder (or any subfolder inside there).

[Springheel]

Thank you kindly. I'll have a look at the video as well.

 

I currently don't have a models/ folder in either the TDM root folder or in the DarkRadiant root foolder. So, do I need to make one ?

.

Generally you'll want to make a project folder first. The video explains that as well though you might have to rewind a bit.

[peter_spy]

Yup, you need to have a project folder (fms/yourfmname) with DR pointed to that folder as well. Then your folders will generally mimic the folder structure of TDM, or you can have fewer folders for faster access. You need "materials", "models", and "textures" folder inside your fm folder to make it work. Assuming you put everything there and you're using .ase model which was exported correctly with assigned bitmap, you need to edit it with notepad, and look for *MAP_DIFFUSE section. Paste the material path in the BITMAP section, but use "//base/" prefix, e.g. //base/textures/etc.

[OrbWeaver]

Just to be clear: you don't "add new models into DarkRadiant". You add the new models into the Doom 3 asset tree, and DarkRadiant picks them up in the same way the game does.

 

This may seem like nit-picking, but it's important to understand that the process for importing a new model has nothing to do with the editor. You would follow exactly the same steps if you were using the native DoomEdit.

 

If the model is already finished and textured, and you are not exporting it from a modelling application yourself, the import process is as simple as copying the model file (ASE or LWO) and its associated textures into the appropriate locations in your expanded assets folder.

[peter_spy]

That's why I offered posting the whole workflow here, just to have better understaning how it works (and in case you wanted to make models yourself). It's not that straightforward in case of .ase models.

 

Btw. you can't apply materials to an .ase model for DR and TDM, if you don't manually edit it in notepad. So the first order of business would be making a material for a model and then pasting it in proper section in .ase model. LWO works in a different manner.

[Petike the Taffer]

Just to be clear: you don't "add new models into DarkRadiant". You add the new models into the Doom 3 asset tree, and DarkRadiant picks them up in the same way the game does.

 

This may seem like nit-picking, but it's important to understand that the process for importing a new model has nothing to do with the editor. You would follow exactly the same steps if you were using the native DoomEdit.

 

If the model is already finished and textured, and you are not exporting it from a modelling application yourself, the import process is as simple as copying the model file (ASE or LWO) and its associated textures into the appropriate locations in your expanded assets folder.

 

I know (or suspected) you don't really add assets to the toolkit itself. It always uses the resources available in the game's folders themselves, so it's rather expected you'd have to make a custom models folder somewhere in the game (e.g. in an FM project folder) for it to work. I might be a bit ignorant of a separate FM projects folder, as so far, I've only ever stored my maps-in-progress in the Maps folder. (Which isn't sufficient to make a whole FM, obviously, but good for DR building practice and the occassional dmap test.)