I'm just wondering about an idea that has been lingering around my head.

Would it be possible to "model" just a 2D flat "frame" that can be used to display an image as your weapon "model"

ei: I take variouse images of my M1 Garand, in idle, fireing, buttsmack, etc. And somehow have those images played on the 2D "model" for animations, etc. The model will move up, down, etc to show idle, and fireing, but the image will stay stationary on it, but change for every animation sequence.

I was just wondering if that is at all possible, because I'd enjoy playing useing a 100% look-a-like of my RL weapons.. + the boost in FPS while keeping the gun model would be nice.

i don't belive it's possible to animated textures in hl
but i know you can in source ..
but to have the different animated textures for eg reloading, shooting so on..
you would need to make supgroups ..
but you won't be able to use these subgroups unless it is programmed into the game ..

unless yes i guess it would possible .. in source ...
programmed into a mod ...

no, not animated textures..

ok.

Texture1 (image of Garand in idle)
Model its displayed on moves to animate it.

::Gun fires::

Texture2 displayed (image of Garand fireing)

Model recoil to the right of the screen to move the image.


Think of it as cheap animations, just to use a image of a real gun, lol.

baasicaly playing with a photo of a real gun .. n have different views for each anim ?

you could swap out the model with a single plane, 2 poly square with the skin as your pic, idle and shot animations would be fairly easy, but reload and the like would need more polys

so, yeah, it can be done, but you would need 2 polys per frame you want to use... might not be as fun as you think, but, yeah, posible i think

I might try it ;)

see how bored i get

That is so wierd. Ive been thinking about this too. Its not exactly normal to suggest this. But, it would be tough to pull off and I dont think youd get the deired effect in the long run.

I distinctly remember somone doing this for a Garand during beta 2/3 days, I think they even had a lightgun style "RELOAD!" warning come up when you were empty.

I wonder if any digging will find something...

Good news:
it will work, and compiles and everything, can be done.

Bad News:
It will not be released today

I did the garand, 1-poly, and was going to add 2 more polys, one for the magazine, the other for a hand (maybe a 4th poly, for the other hand... ) , I had a nice plan for all the reload and other animations...
anyway, after I got a few animations into it, I realized, there are way too many guns/animations to do them all, and just having one gun doesn't really serve any purpose other than to show that it will work, and my computer is quick enough to where there is no motivation for me to make models I will never use.

Sorry for the "I am lazy" post, but I am here to say, it can be done, and even look good, if someone took the time, but I will not be doing it.

here is a screen shot of the prototype to test if it would compile ;)

do you think you could just send me the model, with a flat one face texture for the gun, hand combined, etc. So I can just slap an image from my camera onto it?