getting maps from blender to gtkradiant

[endtheunion]

hi, i use blender and i'm interested in mapping. i know that at some point i'll have to use gtkradiant, but since i use blender a fair bit i'd like to do the actual modeling part in blender and then texture it and finish it off in gtkradiant. the problem is that, as far as i can see, gtkradiant will only import .map files and i haven't had any luck with getting .map exporters to work with blender.

if anyone has any advice on how to get a model from blender to gtkradiant it would be a great help.

thanks.

[obsidian]

What game are you mapping for? Q3 engine or D3 engine? Both games will support certain 3D file formats. For both games, GtkRadiant can't just open files, you have to import them.

For Quake 3, right click and choose misc_model, then select the file you want to import.

For D3 engine, right click and choose func_static, then with the entity selected, click on the model button in the entity inspector. Then find your model file.

[Black_Dog]

Model import doesn't work like that in q3 or d3. Texturing needs to be done by assigning materials and editing uvs in the 3d app. That data is then exported part of the model file and can't be edited from within radiant.

[endtheunion]

obsidian-
i'm planning on modeling for quake3. thanks for the right click tip, i'd been looking through the pull down menus at the top of the screen and wondering why i couldn't find any way of importing models. (complete gtkradiant noob). now with rightclick/misc/misc_model i have a load of different filetypes i can work with. you've been a massive help.

black dog-
i'm glad to hear i need to do the skinnning in blender. the more i can get done in blender the better. thanks for the advice.

[obsidian]

Cautionary note, you probably don't want to create actual walls and such in Blender, since models do not clip, are not used to generate portals, etc, etc. As far as the game engine is concerned, models are invisible to the game world.

You can work around this by adding clip brushes and caulk to seal off your map, but you are almost better off having created your geometry with brushwork in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, models are great for adding detailed geometry and there are just some things that you can't build in GtkRadiant that is a snap in modeling programs. Just be aware that models in Q3 have some limitations that you will have to work around. Before you start creating a whole map in Blender, I suggest you do a few small scale tests to determine how these limitations will affect what you want to do.

[endtheunion]

Cautionary note, you probably don't want to create actual walls and such in Blender, since models do not clip, are not used to generate portals, etc, etc. As far as the game engine is concern ed, models are invisible to the game world.

useful bit of information there. i'd just assumed that imported models would have the same properties as stuff made with brushes.

You can work around this by adding clip brushes and caulk to seal off your map, but you are almost better off having created your geometry with brushwork in the first place.

yes, it sounds like the work i'd have to do to make a blender made map work would be as time consuming as making the map in gtkradiant in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, models are great for adding detailed geometry and there are just some things that you can't build in GtkRadiant that is a snap in modeling programs.

ok, i think i've got it now. i'll build the vast bulk of the map in gtkradiant, do the detailed stuff in blender, import the models and then put clip brushes around those models to make them appear solid in the game.

thanks for the help obsidian, i've got a far better idea what i'm doing now. :-)

[Silicone_Milk]

I'm going to have to point you to
http://www.quake3bits.com

Kats site was made pretty much specifically for Blender + Quake 3

We talk on http://www.quake3bits.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi

There are some nice tuorials there and links to import/export, and modeling tools/resources.

Hope this helps.

[Kat]

Aye, read this link specifically as it deals with everything you're going to need to think of for this method of building maps (for Q3, Q4, D3)

http://www.quake3bits.com/cgi-bin/ikonb ... ST;f=6;t=9

[endtheunion]

cool, i'll see you on the quake3bits forum.