hi everyone. As some may know, I have made quite a few gun models recently, and i started working on a 'mod', a first person shooter which i am making models for, guns first but maybe some scenery props to come? The guns have gone well i think, but i need to make some arms and hands to attach to them. im not confident at all with organic modelling, so what i thought to do was download an existing model, and chop off the arms and retexture them.

My problem is when i download files from the net, i cant get them to open. Im using Maya 2008. I downloaded an MB file the other day, and when i tried opening it, the workspace just became a white blank. I tried an mdl file (wasnt sure if you could open mdl files anyway), and same again. no joy.

Can someone tell me if they think this is a problem with the downloaded file itself, or that it might have been made in a different version of maya? Or suggest a good trustable site with available models? And if i download a file, should i open it by 'opening the file with maya' or open up maya and import the file?

I would really like to get some hands on the guns cause the coder is itching to put them in game to get a test version out, and ive started holding up the process.

I would go to Turbosquid to get any 3rd party models...

if its a native file mb or ma then just open them, if not then import them with the correct import tool...

IF you are getting a white screen on opening the files... check out the size of the file... If its a biggie this will take time to load. If not them it might be corrupt.... You cant get summin for nuthin Im afraid...

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Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will truely know peace - Jimmy Hendrix
Winner SM VFX Challenge 1
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cheers r@nSid. hopefully/unfortunately I was just being impatient, i'll try givin it a little longer to load. or head to turbosquid.



did i see from one of your posts elsewhere that you use xsi? i downloaded the mod tool. ive had a little look at max before, i find it so hard to get used to a different 3d program other than maya....what do you think of xsi? i saw in it that there was a male figure model, and i thought about importing that to maya, but i cldnt get my head round how it was done, the folder structure in xsi kinda(really) confuses me.

you can't open an mdl file in maya
you need the plugin for it

i never got the plugin so i can't help you there

also, you can't do anything with an mdl file, you can only see it in the model viewer in steam... you need to get yourself mdldecompiler from cannon fodder. it will split the mdl file into its required smd files which you can import into mod tool or maya with a plug in

as for xsi, there's nothing really wrong with it. you just have to change a few settings, like the mouse... change it so it works the same way as maya, and there is another thing you should change too... i can't remember which though

sadly, since its ModTool you can't play with the short cut keys, which means you can't change the changing from one view port to all four to ctrl+space (because space is the hotkey for the select tool, so ctrl+space works best for switching views)

there are a few free tutorials from noesis as well... you should check them out

also, if you want to change a file from xsi to maya you just export using crosswalk. download crosswalk, it'll add itself to maya as a plugin

one thing to note though... maya and xsi don't use the same axis. in xsi (and max) the z axis is up and y axis is forward. maya does it correctly though. so when you import a file the model will be pointing the wrong way.

also, xsi is easy to use. the only thing i couldn't grasp was switching between applications cuz the hotkeys are a little different

if i were you, i'd get the trial of xsi 7, because then you can get yourself the free digital tutors artist guide to xsi 7, which is really helpful.

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that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

Computer skills I should have:
Objective C, C#, Java, MEL. Python, C++, XML, JavaScript, XSLT, HTML, SQL, CSS, FXScript, Clips, SOAR, ActionScript, OpenGL, DirectX
Maya, XSI, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Motion, Illustrator, Flash, Swift3D

cool. ta for confirming that for me, i thought mdl files were not for maya.

ha ha about the mdlcompiler thing. Ive been downloading it, but i cant get it to open. ive been round the houses and back on forums and ive tried all the answers but just cant get it to work, its always in the wrong directory. i try putting it where ive been told, and its now in about 5 different places in my valve folder structure - none of em open. im sure theres something ive missed, or maybe ive installed steam wrongly in the first place or something - it was doin my head in.

thats interesting about the xsi 7 trial, if the digital tutors guide is helpful. the noesis videos were ok, for explaining the layout, switching/expanding viewports etc, but as far as actually modelling, i didnt make any headway. ive still got too much of a 'if its not maya, i dont really have time for it' block. i know that would go if i perservered, but the noesis vids didnt really give me enough to perservere with.

In the interim ive downloaded a free gordon freeman model which ive chopped the arm off, its worked alright looks wise, but ive got to rig it, which shouldnt be too hard for basically just a trigger finger but then my rigging skills and experience is approximately zilch, so more headaches coming soon! ah, is there no end!!