I want to get into skinning, because I would like to make my own version of the MP40. I'm trying to work on metal:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v107/SuperWonito/metal.jpg

Can anyone please give me tips on how to create believable metal?

Oh, and for future references, when you are skinning, are you supposed to create your skin as a seperate file, and then incorporated it into the default skin? Or do you skin it right on top of the default? Or is there a more complicated process?

ok Ill send you a pm on better metal and stuff but the rest... what? do you know how to acually get the skin in the game yet?

I know how to get my stuff in there, but what I would like to know is an efficient way to put them in. Like, would you create wood/metal first on a seperate file and then copy them on to an already existing skin, or would you just skin right in the existing skin?

You open the skin you want to skin them just make your skin over it and save it how you always. Heres something like yours I made in like 3minutes.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i49/dayofdfeat123/picmet.gif

how do you guys make it look like that
i just got Photoshop CS2

Originally posted by Unk
how do you guys make it look like that
i just got Photoshop CS2

Here is some stuff you may find highly useful

http://www.cdg.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=18&sid=6ab00d63ff098c24ec59afc9ee199619

you should put more texture into it.

Thanks for the suggestion. :) Another question comes up. For those who have been skinning, how do you know which part is which? For example, when you skin a Thompson SMG, there are way too many metal parts to know which one is which on your first try. :(

you need a 3d modeling program like 3dsm. add colors and you will know what is what.
you could also probably use hlmv

Can I also use SoftImage|XSI Mod Tool, which is what I see that Valve recommends?

needs more sechs

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c13/bilwit/metaltest01.jpg

Originally posted by SilentSteps
Thanks for the suggestion. :) Another question comes up. For those who have been skinning, how do you know which part is which? For example, when you skin a Thompson SMG, there are way too many metal parts to know which one is which on your first try. :(

Download the hl2 sdk and view the model w/ the Model Viewer.. (you can either color over parts of the existing, textured UV Map or somehow get it off of the model--in which you'd have to decompile the model and export it from a modelling program or any uv mapping program such as Lithunwrap [r.i.p]).

whoa so your saying you can render your models that havnt been compiled in sdk?? If possible how?

Wooaaahhh back up..

Mr. SilentSteps was asking how do you know which parts of the UV Map goes where on the model.. All I said was to view it w/ the model viewer--not needing to have a 3d modelling proggy.

As for "[rendering]... models that haven't been compiled in the sdk".. you don't need to compile models for reskins :confused: . I'm not quite sure what your saying there sir :eek:

EDIT: I think I (sorta) understand what you're talking about.. you can import the model reference(s) into a 3d modelling program, assign it's corresponding textures and view it from there..