Posted by Gwot on May 23, 1998 at 03:59:16:
In Reply to: Re: Mapping Skin posted by Chaoslord.CC on May 22, 1998 at 17:29:47:
Ok here is wot I do when I want to make a skin. Aside from the animations, I make a separate scene file or mesh that is pulled apart generally into the layout I want for the skin template. If the mesh is composed of separate models then I arrange them into the most comfortable position for me to map in a 2d view. If this requires you to rearange objects or pull/stretch vertices, then so be it. I then export my newly arranged model or scenefile and import into q2m to generate the skin.
Question: in q2m are you using the get position from mesh or the front/back options to generate your skin. I use front/back. and then do any further stretching/scaling/repositioning of mapping verts in the skin editor. Once you have your skin template saved as a pcx or bmp you can delete this screwed up frame of your model in q2m because its not needed in the final md2 file. Remember, whether you are using a cube or a human shaped mesh, you can strech and move the verts to any position that is more comfortable for you to skin. Q2m basically works under the assumption that you have a front and a back side to skin. So for a cube I would rotate it slightly so that two of the corners would be located at the furthest left/right sides of the model. Pull the top/back corner vert up so that you can see the top of the cube in an orthagonal view now and the bottom front vert down (obscurring the bottom polys from the orthagonal view - they would be facing the opposite side, or rear view for the skin). Now this will make your cube look totally fucked, but it doesn't matter because you are only creating mapping coordinates. You are not changing the object. Think of the mapping verts as a separte ghosted version of the original mesh - or onion skin in animation terms. They are nothing but markers on the skin that are directly related to the real verts on the mesh. Hope this helps. You seem sooooo close to getting it right.
Gwot