This just started as a really basic skin hack for my own personal use, but I decided "Hell, I haven't released any model/skin work for at least a year. The last thing I released some real weapon names for CSS, and enhanced Special forces for Azure Sheep... Maybe I could release this."

I'm not a skinner, I specialise more with model tweaks and hacks and bits, but I decided to give it a go. I will release it if I feel that there is enough demand/support. Its not a major piece of work, and I don't want to release something that no-one is going to use. No, I haven't asked for permission from Sproily or Soul-Slayer, but if I decide to release be assured that I will.

Simply, its a return of the browner bakelite onto the Soul-Slayer/Sproily MP40. I never really liked the way that the skin never matched the sprite on the HUD (I can be really picky), so I decided to try to give the feel of the default MP40 back. Its not finished yet, I still have some extra fine tuning to do and I have to figure out how to change the normal mapping so it no longer has a metallic shine (any help with this would be appreciated). AND I still have to find the bit at the back of the bakelite in the textures to sort that out (and help here too). I'm still new to modding Source. Its much more confusing than the good old HL engine. AND if I figure out how to rotate selections in Paint Shop Pro 7 I'll do the pistol grip as well.

Anyway, without further irrelevant babble:

PREVIEW

Click to enlarge

Preview made at 1024x768, reduced to 800x600. Model detail on high, texture detail on medium.

NOTE: I need a Host!

PS - can anyone recommend a decent 3d modelling program (preferably free)? My Milkshape 3d registration ran out recently, and I'm after a better one to cope with Source.


UPDATE:

CHECK LAST POST BY ME FOR NEW PIC

I think 'SOFTIMAGE XSI' has a free version intended for use with Source, I don't know much about it though.

Do you want to remove the normal map or lessen the effect it has?

Release it ;)

I just want to lessen the effect in one area, around the bakelite. I still want the normal map, but I don't understand them enough to edit them. I don't want to lose the metallic shine from the normal maps around the other areas of the textures.

Hey, actually that looks damn good. Release it.

I'd use it.

You could just redo the normal map yourself, running the filter on different parts on seperate layers with different settings.

I don't know how to make normal maps either... tinfoil

Well, I still to this day do not understand the obssesion of everyone to try and make the metal on all these weapons so dark.....

/rant

But a quick go-over:

Normal maps have nada to do with shine really. That falls under the Alpha map (more is a sec). Normal maps are used to give the illusion of elevation and relief. Normal maps are very similar to bump maps - so similar in fact that many creative heads, like John Carmack, actually refer to them AS bumpmaps (normal maps do what bumps maps were originally intended to do LOL). Here is a link about it
http://members.shaw.ca/jimht03/normal.html
ANYWAY.... the way to flatten out an area in a bump map is to make the area match it's surrounding base are as much as possible. If you have a gray background, copy that color and paint it all over the area you want to take out of the normal map.

Spectral maps (the shininess) is controlled through 2 things: the Alpha map in the VTF file and the parameters set in the VMT file. To make a long sotry short, in the alpha map %100 white = not shiny and %100 black = terminator 2. It really consists of making the image grayscale and inverting it. Okay, it's a little more work than that to get the effect perfect but you get the idea.. I'll let someone else expound upon the settings in the VTM. I don't really know them well, I just keep copying the settings of other models I like.

And, BTW, there is no normal map OR spectral map for the default MP40

Originally posted by S@bre
I don't know how to make normal maps either... tinfoil you can use VTFedit
http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=38

OR

if you are using Photoshop I reccomend the VTF plugin
http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=39

I looks so cool but I cant find out what you changed?:confused:

Originally posted by DayofDfeat123
I looks so cool but I cant find out what you changed?:confused:
he recolored the bakelite that was originaly dark grey in Sproily's release to a more accurate brownish color.

it looks good, by the way.

OK, I've finished the skin hack itself. I just need to get rid of the metallic shine from the bakelite parts and then its done. Unfortunately that bit is proving excessively hard... I can't get the Paint Shop Pro plugin working, I can't find anyway in VTFEdit to do it, I just don't get it.

Here's the pic:


Oh, and thanks to Wile E Coyote for indirectly giving me reference pics so I knew exactly how far around to redo. I won't redo the pistol grip as in the reference pic below the MP40 has a similar style grip to Sproily's original one, and I've had enough trouble with this skin already...

http://usera.imagecave.com/WileECoyote/bakelite_MP40_3.jpg

Im sorry but I dont like it at all.

Try following some shading and make it from scratch

I'd like to see how the shinyness looks ingame before judging, is the effect done with the alpha map now?

Currently it still uses the default normal maps for the model, so it still unfortunately has a metallic shine. I've tried pratting around with the normal maps, it didn't make a difference, and I can't get the plugin for photoshop/paint shop to properly work.

I'm trying to work out how Alpha maps work now, redirection to any clear and easy tutorials and/or some directions here would be appreciated.

I'm still getting used to normals too, but what exactly is the problem you are having with the plugin?

Personally I like normals that you can tell are there

Everytime I try to do something, it comes up with the message "Plugin passed bad parameters."

The site I got it from, nVidia had directions for Paint Shop Pro, but also told me to download "These required Dll's." That statement was not a link, and the list of downloads they were referring to didn't have any dll downloads...

I PM'd you some really bad tips on alpha mapping, I don't know much about it myself. :p

Good luck with your technical probs, I know nothing about PSP I'm afraid.

I've just about finished with making alpha maps. It looks reasonable, I'll be releasing soon.

Here's what the reflections look like:

[WARNING] This JPEG compression may damage your eyesight.

I now need a host. Anyone got one?