Custom Content Challenge #1: Modelling Light Sources

Do you wish you could make your own props for HL2 but never started learning? Did you used to model a lot but have since stopped? Are you looking for a quick, fun break from all the current modelling projects you have to do for your mod/coursework? Yeah, you guessed it, if you answered "yes" to any of these questions, now's the time to take part in CCC#1.

What this is:

A small, fun challenge that will hopefully get SnarkPitters to create some content and learn / refine some new skills. With enough submissions, I'll assemble them all into a model pack and put it up for download, with everyone getting individual credit for their work. Hopefully, the HL2 mapping community at large will appreciate some fresh prop content.

What this isn't:

This isn't a competition. There will be no voting on the best model at the end of the month. Instead, this is a challenge for fun, for the satisfaction of creating something and being able to show it off.

Assignment for CCC#1:

For the first CCC, we're modelling light sources. That means anything that mappers could put in their map as a way to light it. This includes everything from bathroom light fixtures, to neon bar signs, to trash barrels lit on fire, to chandeliers.

Rules:

• When you decide on what you want to model, post the source picture here (or if you're working out of your head, post an early WIP or at least describe it), so that others know what you're working on and can choose something different.
• You can model as many light fixtures as you'd like, and contribute as many as you'd like (if you feel like you're on a roll), as long as you follow the previous guideline.
• Submitted models must be properly built, skinned, and compiled. Everything necessary to get the model working in-game must be compressed together.
• Submitted models must be properly scaled. Make sure to place your models in a simple map to make sure it is the correct size. Include a screenshot of the model in game so we can tell it's scaled correctly. No one wants to load up a desklamp model and find its bigger than the combine dropship, etc.

When compiling and zipping, organize your directories and files like so:

[mod]/models/snarkpacks/p1_lights/
[mod]/materials/snarkpacks/p1_lights/

As ReNo pointed out, "p1" stand for the first model pack, and this number will increase as we do more challenges.

And for each material or model file, use a 3 or 4 letter prefix like: reno_light1.mdl, or fish_light1_tex.vmt

Organizing the directories like this will keep everything tidy, and using the naming prefix will keep everyones work discreet.

You can post links in this thread to download your work, or if you don't have hosting you can send all submissions to me to host. My email is:

Why are we modelling light fixtures?

We're doing light fixtures because lighting is necessary for every single map, and therefore a pack containing a variety of light fixtures will get downloaded and used. More importantly, light fixtures can be extremely simple to construct, or more challenging depending on what object gets chosen. Hopefully, this subject will allow novices and advanced modellers to enjoy themselves.

Also:

• Use this thread to call 'dibs' on certain objects by posting a source picture.
• Use this thread to post WIP shots (wireframe etc) and ask for feedback, criticism.
• Use this thread to post links to finished works, as well as screens with total tri's, your skin, and how it looks ingame.
• Don't use this thread for edition problems, use the HL2 Editing Forum

Advice: For the new modellers, try something simple, and for the experienced modellers, pick something challenging.

You might want to make 2 skins: one for "on" and one for "off"

Here are some sample source images to inspire you. Also, think outside of the box and get creative:



















Feel free to use any of these source images for your model. I did quite a bit of searching and I think they'd all be pretty fun to model.

Have fun, but get these done!

I sincerely hope everyone gives this a go. I have faith that this community is active, and would like a creative challenge. When I get home from China on August 15/16 I will get my prop started.

If anyone needs tutorials on getting started, try the big editing sites (here, 'lopers, etc) as well as Google. If you're still stuck, post here and we'll try to help you get started.

-AtM

Most recent Edit: Correct Scaling

I'm in

Shouldn't be too hard to come with a simple light fixture or two -- I'll certainly have to think something up first. That being said, I hope you all like low-poly stuff

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Breaking the laws of mapping since 2003 and doing a damn fine job at it

Sounds like a great excuse to start using the copy of XSI I downloaded.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

I might pick up modeling and give this a try.
Here's some resources:
http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index.php/Category:ModelingTutorials

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

Glad you guys want to do this. I hope others join in too.

Here is another really good resource:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/XSI

That whole page has stuff on using XSI, with tons of normal tutorials. If you want to watch 1 hour long (or 5 hour long) video tutorials walking you through the whole process of modelling, uvmapping, skinning, and compiling, check this out:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/XSI#Video_Tutorials

Also, this is sweet:



Modelling fever! :evilgrin:

I'm in as well. I'll start tomorrow, right now is time for sleep. I've actually come up with more good stuff in the half-awake state of waking up than I have while trying to invent good stuff. Perhaps my muse will sprinkle some inspiration into my brain tonight...

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o

I'm in. :smile:

Edit: I started doing this out of my mind. :smile: The image should be orph
sized. Current poly count is 602 tris. I'll optimize it a bit further
and then do some LOD versions... Then I'll be facing my personal devil

• UV-mapping and texturing.

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''Everyone wades in s**t until they're competent enough to walk on it. Jesus style.''
Dystopia - Empires

I'd like to be in, I'll give something a try. :smile:

Maybe tomorrow..

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-- midkay

Looks good... I may have to enter this one if I find some extra time this week!

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http://maze5.net

I'm in, too.

there's a bug on the go with model compiling atm. 'can't find tier0 insertion point', or something along those lines. the simple workaround is to have hlmodel viewer running in the background when you compile your model.

to keep the finished model pack neat, can i suggest that everyone compiles their model/s into the same folder as each other. [mod]models/snarkstuff/lights for example.

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i eat paint

Good point there fishy - we'll need to define the texture folder too. How about...

[mod]/models/snarkpacks/p1_lights/
[mod]/materials/snarkpacks/p1_lights/

Obviously the "p1" prefix would be incremented with each new pack. Reason I'm thinking such a prefix would be wise is incase we decide to return to a theme at some point. Any other suggestions? Maybe we should use our own, unique, 3/4 character prefixes on the filenames too - eg. reno_light1.mdl, or ren_light1_tex.vmt?

I'm definately up for working on something for this if I can find the time.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

I'm in. I also suggest using prefixes on the model and material names, a short version of your nick and a number, like cap1 or ren2. Or, use subfolders perhaps, although that's probably cluttering when picking a model in Hammer.

I'll post some sketches of what I'm going to do after dinner and perhaps I'll have one done this evening.

// Oh, people may also want to know about collision models. Physics props usually have a low-poly version that's used for the collision handling. You may want to check some other collision models to get an idea of how downscaled this can be.

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

fishy, ReNo, and Captain P: good points and duly noted. I've updated the original post with instructions for naming directories and files. Thanks :smile:

Im in, I have never modeled before but hey, there is a first time for everything!

Glad to hear it :smile:

I discovered another good resource for XSI users:

http://www.xsibase.com/tutorials/modeling.php

That's the Modelling tutorials page, but they have a very active forum as well, might want to poke around there if you're curious about learning the program.

I haven't come across any resources for the other modelling programs (but then again, I haven't really looked) so if anyone has some good tutorials or websites, link 'em here. Soon, I'll consolidate all the links and put them in my first post.

Here is some information for those of you who like to participate, but
for some reason or another don't want to download XSI Mod tool.

Blender, completely free modeling
program that has very powerful UV unwrapping tools. The package is only
10MB and you don't need to give any information or anything else. It's
a free opensource program with no strings attached.

The quickstart guide in the installation directory should get you
started, but if you need more help take a look at
the online
manual.

To get your models exported you need
one of
these exporters. Also it is beneficial to read
this
short tutorial.

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''Everyone wades in s**t until they're competent enough to walk on it. Jesus style.''
Dystopia - Empires

I'm down for this.

btw, there's some sort of bug that will shut down your model compile; 'can't find tier0 insertion point', or somesuch, that may appear for some users. to stop this, just run hlmv in the background.

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i eat paint

K, thanks for notifying. :smile:

I'm going to model these 3 things for now:



Left-most thing will probably end up being two models, so people can vary the spotlight height.

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

One issue we also need to address is scale. All of these props need use the same scale proportions, so that we maintain consistency. I think the units in XSI equal the units in Hammer, which makes it easy. We could offer a scale template, which people have to adhere to. For instance, when the model is finished, the creater places it in a template box room, compiles the map, then takes a screenshot of the model. This way we are all consistent with both our images and our scale.

I can model, but I can't skin. So I'll stay outa this.

Good point, Finger. I was planning to run tests anyway to correct scale, comparing things to existing props and human models and such.

Perhaps a critics run would be good, where every model that gets into the pack is first being looked at by various other guys, both to maintain quality and to improve that modellers skills?

Oh, progress btw:


192 tri's.

Next stage is skinning. Oh my. :smile:

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

French Toast said:
I can model, but I can't skin. So I'll stay outa this.

Good a time as any to start, don't you think? You could always just try modelling something really simple, like a rectangular outdoor light. Skinning wouldn't be hard for something without curves.

@Finger: I was hoping most people would compile their models and put em in game in a basic room with an NPC or two, just to check the scale. Do you think it's worth mentioning on the first post?

Also, before anything is included in the pack, I would agree people would need to be able to get them working in game, and see if they're up to a certain level of quality. We don't want to flood the market with cheap products bearing the "SnarkPit" name. :smile:

Well, I am hate XSI, so I am use 3ds Max. I'll play around, but I have no idea how to go about skinning in 3ds.

EDIT: Well, my pirated copy of 3ds just got mad screwed up, so I guess I'll cave and suffer through XSI...

EDIT2: I'm making roughly this;



But don't expect the finished projeect to look like that...

Addicted to Morphine said:
<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting French Toast</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>I can model, but I can't skin. So I'll stay outa this.

Good a time as any to start, don't you think? You could always just try modelling something really simple, like a rectangular outdoor light. Skinning wouldn't be hard for something without curves.

@Finger: I was hoping most people would compile their models and put em in game in a basic room with an NPC or two, just to check the scale. Do you think it's worth mentioning on the first post?

Also, before anything is included in the pack, I would agree people would need to be able to get them working in game, and see if they're up to a certain level of quality. We don't want to flood the market with cheap products bearing the "SnarkPit" name. :smile: </div></div>

Yeah, I think it's important. Seeing as you can't scale models in hammer (you have to recompile them at a different scale), a disproportioned light fixture isn't going to be much use to the people who would use these packs. Rather than have a person who ends up with the tedious job of checking all of the models, it's best if everyone agrees to police themselves. We just need everyone to post screenies with something as a scale cue, which everyone uses.

Isn't putting a scale restrction on the model kinda like saying; "Build what you want, but not really." ?

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Breaking the laws of mapping since 2003 and doing a damn fine job at it

Do you want to download a pack of light fixtures where some are the size of your pinky and others are as big as trucks? No.

So in answer to your question, no, that's not what it's saying.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>・quoting G.Ballblue</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Isn't putting a scale restrction on the model kinda like saying; "Build what you want, but not really." ?</DIV></DIV>

The way I see it, the only scale restriction is it has to look good, it has to look real.

If you're modelling a small desklamp, that's fine, as long as it looks right in game. If you're modelling huge stadium lights thats fine too. We're just trying to avoid desklamp sized stadium lights, or stadium sized desklamps :smile:

Edit: Added a fourth rule regarding Correct Model Scaling to the first post.

Double Edit: Whenever a moderator has some free time, could they take a look at the front page news I submitted about this modelling challenge? I want the people who randomly drop by the site to be aware of what we've got going on here. Thanks :smile:

Starting up 3dsmax now.

I might give a few different styles a try.. I'd like to create something I could use in my map, as well as get a bit of practice so I can do some more typical things later if I can pull these simpler things off, like a fire hydrant. (Can you believe HL2 has no stock fire hydrant model?!)

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-- midkay

This took me all of twenty minutes. I think I'm in love with modelling. Seriously, there's no emoticon for this feeling.

288 Triangles, I'm guessing that's high?

It's kind of late, but tomorrow (or later tonight) I'm going to make it look slender-er.

I turned on my lava lamp for inspiration, now I think it's flipping me off.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

You should be ashamed of yourself Stradric. They said "light sources".

A lava lamp is a light source.

Clarity?

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

Stadric: Agreed, a lava lamp works :smile: Morph even included one in his first post's list of "example images".

If you were up for some constructive criticism - it looks nice, but you should maybe study a picture of one for a minute or two and remember/adjust some details.. such as how the bottle slopes upward in a straight line (usually), and has a seperate metal cap.. and I think the base on the first picture was a bit more realistic than the second which is more rounded. this might be a good example if you wanted to study a picture and do some tweaking to your model based on that. Looking nice though, and 288 polies is good. It will probably drop if you straighten it out a bit though. As for the material, hm, good luck :smile: For realistic results you'll need to use the refraction shader, ugh.. better google around for that one.

Anywho, I'm basically done modeling my first light source.. which is based off Morph's first post's image that looks something like this:



Screens in a few minutes.. honestly, I spent like 10-15 minutes modeling it and going on an hour now as far as rendering it out nicely. :biggrin:

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-- midkay

Stadric said:
A lava lamp is a light source.

Clarity?

Lol, you made it longer.

As well as other things.
This is my first independant model, so cut me just a little bit of slack (not too much :razz: ).
Thanks for the pic, midk, that was the design I was thinking of when I started

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

You can import images into XSI and put them behind the model so you can easily compare the two. Honestly though, the lava lamp isn't immediately recognizable as one, yet. I'd say take another crack at it but use the source images. It tapers a lot sooner, and the base is different.

I added a lid to the more cylindrical lamp, but I think I'm going to call it a night and start on the one from the picture in the morning.

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Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
As I Lay Dying

I think I'm done with the LOD models. :smile: What do you think of the
amount of detail versus polycount? I'm I running at safe levels here or
have I perhaps gone too low...



Next up. Unwrapping and the UV hell followed by compiling hell and getting the scale just right. :razz:

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''Everyone wades in s**t until they're competent enough to walk on it. Jesus style.''
Dystopia - Empires

As you wish, slack cut! :biggrin:

Anyways here's two renders of the model I did for fun.. one with the light "off" with just some general ambient lighting and one with the light on to illustrate how it may look turned on. They both have higher poly counts than the game model does, I was just screwing around:

Light off.
Light on.

.. and then a wireframe of the model that I'll try to get into HL2, with the polycounter open:

Wireframe view.

launches the Valve Wiki bookmark to find out about model importing

[edit]
Scythe:

Looks great, the highest-LOD one looks fine, in fact 426 tris could be good as the highest LOD version.

I don't think you need so many though. You could do three, or even get away with two, just a high-quality one for close up and a low quality one from far off.

[edit2]
BTW, nice job scythe - looks great. :biggrin:

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-- midkay

Hey, both of those models look great.

Scythe - to be honest, I think you could use the low lod version as the final one. Even though the poly count dropped a good bit, the actual silouette of the model barely changed at all. I don't think you would even notice the difference in detail there once it's textured. I'd have to really look at it ingame to really tell, but at MOST I would go with 1 lod for this model.

I was actually thinking the same as Finger until I looked down at the base of the lowest or second-to-lowest LOD versions. I'd suggest taking the base of the second-to-highest LOD model and putting it on the lowest, and it'd look great. The sphere at the top, even on the lowest, looks good all-round, as does the pole.

Gosh, importing models looks really painful though..

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-- midkay

Yeah, I think the lamppost looks good, but it might be easier to tell how the model looks at each tricount if we get a more angled version (maybe even almost top down), so I can see how round the base is. It's hard to tell the difference right now, as nothing really changes from a horizontal perspective.

@midk, those look great!

Yeah, I'm talking about the lowermost part (the wide, round base at the bottom that's quite small). The pole itself should be fine since it's so small, but having a 6- or 8-sided base would be quite noticeably lowpoly IMO, since it's so large and clearly-seen from the top-down.

Morph: thanks.. groans at the Valve pages and pages on importing models and sighs :smile:

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-- midkay

Image taken from perspective as requested:



The lowest polycount might be at bit too coarse. Or perhaps I should
change the sphere part from the second lowest to the lowest. Also do
you think that the plate thing is too large in diameter?

<span style="color: limegreen; font-weight: bold;">Edit: <span style="color: white;">I took some of your suggestions into account and and modified the lowest LOD model into this:



Polycount is 202 tris

</span></span>

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''Everyone wades in s**t until they're competent enough to walk on it. Jesus style.''
Dystopia - Empires

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quote:</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>And for each material or model file, use a 3 or 4 letter prefix like: reno_light1.mdl, or fish_light1_tex.vmt</DIV></DIV>

hehe, no custom textures from me. i'll be using default hl2 stuff :razz:

also, model textures have an existing subdirectory; [mod]materials/models/....
it helps to have the 'models' part in the path when selecting textures for world geometry in hammer, so as not to get lighting errors etc.

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i eat paint

I'd say, pick the 462 version as final model and use the others as LODs. There's hardly a visual difference between the 600 an 462 version, so I think it's not worth the additional poly's.
Looks good bytheway. You're probably going to use a dark-green worn-off paint on it? It's really renaissance-type or at least old-looking. :smile:

Oh, here's some interesting stuff about LOD models on the Valve wiki: LOD Models. I didn't know about specifying a low-poly version for creating shadows, for example...

I did some more work on my desk light, here's an in-game screenshot:



What do you think about the color? I've used a 64x64 texture for this, including normal map. I figured it doesn't really need much more detail since it's mostly flat colored and shiny surfaces.
Also, it's 186 poly's, the LOD model is 87 poly's - though the difference is hardly noticeable even though it swaps models at distance 25.
It can only be used as a physics prop bytheway, as seemingly props without propdata can only be static, and ones with propdata can only be physical...

EDIT: Good you mentioned that, fishy. :smile:

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

You should maybe consider making static and non-static versions captain, just to make it suitable for any circumstances. Its only a matter of adding $staticprop to the QC file and recompiling, if I'm not mistaken.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Mohahahaha! Andrei is in business! Gmax can import acad files and hammer can export them. :biggrin:

Yeah, and removing the propdata section and saving under a different model name... :wink:

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Create-ivity - a game development blog