MS3D has a 30-day trial period, but the decompiler/recompiler works after the trial period expires (you just can't save any edited model references after that time). Pretty much all you need - along with a model that you can pull all of the updated animations from.
Just a note: as well as the
new weapon animations, almost ALL of the previous animations have been modified or updated in some way for the 4.0b player models... so you'll want to replace ALL of the animations just to be on the safe side.
I know there's a million tutorials on models, but here's a quick and easy method (with MS3D):1. take your model that you want to convert, along with a 4.0b model and copy them both into a separate folder (preferably a new empty folder)
2. decompile the 4.0b model, but only check-mark "Sequences" (animations) and "QC," un-check "References" and "Textures"(
->Tools->Half-Life->Decompile Normal HL MDL File...after you browse to the model, a box will pop up)
3. decompile the other model but only un-check "Sequences"
4. open up both QC files in a text editor or in MS3D (opens in notepad) and replace the "Attachments" and "Animations" sections in the other model's QC from the 4.0b QC. Save the modified QC file.
5. compile model using the modified QC and there you go! (
->Tools->Half-Life->Compile QC File...)
6. check out model in a model viewer, then test it out in-game via 3rd-person view
7. if it "moonwalks," decompile and recompile model with MS3D changing NOTHING and it
should be ok after that. You might also want to check the texture alignment and adjust as needed - this can be done with a model viewer.
I've had pretty good luck so far with MS3D for player models (aside from the UV/texture shift issue). I've found that the big issues come when you get into weapon "view" models - especially the new 4.0b weapons with several separate reference smd's. But that's another topic...
The biggest problem I've found with player models, is with them doing the "moonwalk" - meaning they they're running forward when you're moving backward. I asked about it over at the HIT forums, but no one knew how to "properly" fix it. All I know is that decompiling/recompiling twice seems to fix it for the most part - I think it has something to do with the animations being "married" to the reference skeleton the second time around. And for some reason, the UV/texture shift issue doesn't seem to affect it as much the second time (if at all in some cases).
One other thing - if you can't get it to compile, try GuiStudioMDL - it seems to be a little better at reporting errors so you can fix what needs to be fixed.
BTW, TS (The Specialists) models are BY FAR the
most difficult models to convert - the model's bones are labeled in Italian (I think) so the reference smd has to be completely re-rigged or all of the bones need to be renamed to match the SC animation bones. And then the rigging usually looks messed up anyway...
Sorry for being so long-winded, but it's something I tend to do sometimes... :/
BTW, to make up for the long-winded-ness, here's a model in my "to-do" list that I just did in the middle of writing this
10k+ polys of fun!!! (I only converted it and adjusted the texture - someone else converted it to SC3.0 anims; and I haven't tested it in-game, yet)