Custom Model Doesn't Fit any Blizz skin

[Rarktor]

Hello all, I have made a new model for a custom unit and am unsure how to plan the skin for it because it is shaped unlike any other unit already in the game. I am using GMAX and was wondering if anyone more skilled in its use knows how to get it to export all the faces of the model in 2D so I know where to draw when I make its custom skin, like a .tga with only two colors, where the model is and where it isn't. Did I explain clearly?

Thanks!

 

[D.V.D]

Custom skin would work.

 

[Sui-cookie]

Custom skin would work.

um..how does that help? o_o he need to know how to make a custom skin..not how to spell it >.<

sry, ive never tried to model, and ive looked for tutorials on the subject but i cant find any about creating a custom skin..only about editing them...

but this looks helpful :/
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/resource.php?t=88592
..though i dont really know >.< sry if its not...its lithunwrap..which sounds like what you need

 

[Rarktor]

Thanks, cookie! LithUnwrap looks like what i wanted. Only problem is getting my .gmax model file converted to a file type LithUnwrap can read.

Gmax+Notepad+Dexport=.mdl, "There was an error in reading the file" message from LithUnwrap
MdlxConv=.mdl to .mdx
Biturn=.mdx to .3ds, but Biturn can't convert it! "Error loading data" message and no preview

I think I'm screwing up when i copy over from Gmax to Notepad to make the .mdl, but MdlxConv seems to work with it just fine. LithUnwrap can do .mdl or .3ds but my model file seems to be unreadable once I get it out of Gmax.

Should i post the text in the mdl?

 

[Varine]

You'll just have to unwrap the UVW and fit it to the texture.

 

[Rarktor]

I'm trying to make a custom skin starting from scratch. I want to know where to draw and where to leave blank on the .tga file. I'm not trying to use any previous skin. I want to make one specific to my custom model. I think LithUnwrap can do what I want but I mess up my .mdl file when I create it from my .gmax file.

I'll attach it so maybe someone can see something I did wrong.

 

[Fire-Wolf]

You can't just have the model, for custom skins the texture must be imported also.

 

[Rarktor]

I'm nowhere near ready to import anything to my map yet. I still need to create the custom skin to go on the model. The attached .mdl is only for the purpose of feeding through LithUnwrap so I can get a 2D image canvas to draw on.

I'm not using a Blizzard skin or any skin file edited from a Blizzard skin. I want to make my own skin. That .mdl is a skin-less copy of my real model just to pass through LithUnwrap. I will delete it once I have made the skin. What I can't figure out is why LithUnwrap can't read it.

 

[D.V.D]

You sure that LithUnWrap can read the file type of your model?

 

[Rarktor]

Yes, LithUnwrap can read a long list of file types, .mdl and .3ds among them. I'm pretty sure that the problem is with my .mdl. It's my first one ever and Biturn can't read it either.