Installation guide - Mesa setup - Project setup - Ressources Structure - Manually install Mesa shelf - Mesa_config help - Environnement variables - Issues and common errors - Uninstall MESAHow to update - update from 2.0.1 to 2.1 - Update from 1.1 to 2.0.1 - Update from 1.0.1 to 1.1Export Guide - Preparing the scene - Shading - Layering - Collision and Ragdoll model - Cleaning the scene - Export the assetsTutorials - Maya Settings for Source Engine - Import SMD mesh and skeleton - MESA install video - MESA export videoSource Engine - HitBoxes and HitGroups - Create a Source Engine Mod - Decompile the Models and animations - Extract Content from VPK files - StudioMDL common ErrorsDota Items Creation Guide - Workspace for Dota 2 Export the assets Configure the components to export Now in that Stage we will see the most important panels to export a functional prop model. Open the SMD Options Panel by click on the icon from the shelf. We will only Export the SMD Reference and the SMD physic model. Check all the options as on the screen below. Description : Freeze and Reset Transforms : can be usefull is you forget to freeze , but never use this with animated models or the skin cluster will be deleted. Combine and Smooth the physics models : Combine will combine all the polysurface from the physics layer into one object group ( don’t forget the shape node) Export 1 frame Idle Smd : will create an animation sequence with one frame, use this for prop models and donot duplicate the name sequence when you set new animations on the animation tab. Export Animation SMDs : will export all the animation defined on the Animation tab. Export Texture (Vtex) : will export the VMT (materials) and VTF ( textures map) , the texture map must be a TGA format file. Create a QC script : Will write the QC script on the disk. If you modifying the QC manually into a text editor you can uncheck that option. Compile MDL : will compile the QC scriptwhen the full compile button is activated, don’t forget to have steam opens. Paths setup Now just display the Paths Tab, click on GENERATE PATHS button and the paths are updated , if the fields are empty the model will not being exported. SMD /QC path : The default path is the same path than the scene location, but it will pointed on the /modelsrc/ folder. you can change the name of the smd, it will affected the name of the final MDL file. The folder /props/ must to exist into %GAME_PROJECT%/models/ or you will get an error ( check for write enable ) you must to save your scene when the path is changed, or the export will fail. Materials / Textures Path : the path of the /materialsrc/ directory where the TGA files are stored. This path must always be %GAME_PROJECT_SRC%/materialsrc/ when you click on Generate Paths. If the path does not ended by /materialsrc/, you probably have to Set the Maya Project workspace on the right project workspace ( %MESADIR% /projects/SourceFilmMaker/ for that tutorial). MESA Environment Variables section** The section show the current paths set as environment variables on your system. If you edit the environment variables , you must to restart Maya. If the %GAME_PROJECT% and %VPROJECT% are not identical , it can be caused by the Authoring tools launcher that is running in background and overide the %VPROJECT% variable path. The console Output log You must to save your scene again CTRL+S Click on the Full Compile button Open the Script Editor to see the Report. The log : g:/steam/steamapps/sourcemods/modname G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/ modelsrc/props/ modelsrc/props/ ---------------------------------------------- Writing SMD file ---------------------------------------------- exporting to G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube_idle.smd Extracting animation data frames 0 to 1 ---------------------------------------------- Writing SMD file ---------------------------------------------- exporting to G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube_phy.smd pCubeShape2 getting triangles from pCubeShape2 ---------------------------------------------- Writing .VMT files ---------------------------------------------- writing :phongE1SG exporting shader phongE1 exported g:/steam/steamapps/sourcemods/modname/materials/models/props/cube.vmt OK TO WRITE vtf export for G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/materialsrc/models/props/cube.txt base texture map vtf creation normal map vtf creation ---------------------------------------------- Writing SMD file ---------------------------------------------- exporting to G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube.smd pCubeShape1 getting triangles from pCubeShape1 ---------------------------------------------- Writing .VMT files ---------------------------------------------- writing :phongE1SG exporting shader phongE1 exported g:/steam/steamapps/sourcemods/modname/materials/models/props/cube.vmt OK TO WRITE vtf export for G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/materialsrc/models/props/cube.txt base texture map vtf creation normal map vtf creation qdir: "g:\steam\steamapps\sourcemods\modname_source\modelsrc\props\" gamedir: "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\" g_path: "G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube.qc" Building binary model files... Working on "cube.qc" SMD MODEL cube.smd SMD MODEL cube_idle.smd SMD MODEL cube_phy.smd Model has 1 convex sub-parts Collision model completed. --------------------- writing g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.mdl: bones 964 bytes (1) animations 112 bytes (1 anims) (1 frames) [0:01] sequences 220 bytes (1 seq) ik/pose 164 bytes eyeballs 0 bytes (0 eyeballs) flexes 0 bytes (0 flexes) textures 72 bytes keyvalues 0 bytes bone transforms 0 bytes Collision model volume 64000.00 in^3 collision 0 bytes total 1704 --------------------- writing g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.vvd: vertices 4608 bytes (96 vertices) tangents 1536 bytes (96 vertices) total 6208 bytes --------------------- Generating optimized mesh "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.sw.vtx": body parts: 8 bytes models: 20 bytes model LODs: 12 bytes meshes: 9 bytes strip groups: 25 bytes strips: 27 bytes verts: 864 bytes indices: 264 bytes bone changes: 16 bytes everything: 1269 bytes --------------------- Generating optimized mesh "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.dx80.vtx": body parts: 8 bytes models: 20 bytes model LODs: 12 bytes meshes: 9 bytes strip groups: 25 bytes strips: 27 bytes verts: 864 bytes indices: 264 bytes bone changes: 16 bytes everything: 1269 bytes --------------------- Generating optimized mesh "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.dx90.vtx": body parts: 8 bytes models: 20 bytes model LODs: 12 bytes meshes: 9 bytes strip groups: 25 bytes strips: 27 bytes verts: 864 bytes indices: 264 bytes bone changes: 16 bytes everything: 1269 bytes Completed "cube.qc"
Export the assets Configure the components to export Now in that Stage we will see the most important panels to export a functional prop model. Open the SMD Options Panel by click on the icon from the shelf. We will only Export the SMD Reference and the SMD physic model. Check all the options as on the screen below. Description : Freeze and Reset Transforms : can be usefull is you forget to freeze , but never use this with animated models or the skin cluster will be deleted. Combine and Smooth the physics models : Combine will combine all the polysurface from the physics layer into one object group ( don’t forget the shape node) Export 1 frame Idle Smd : will create an animation sequence with one frame, use this for prop models and donot duplicate the name sequence when you set new animations on the animation tab. Export Animation SMDs : will export all the animation defined on the Animation tab. Export Texture (Vtex) : will export the VMT (materials) and VTF ( textures map) , the texture map must be a TGA format file. Create a QC script : Will write the QC script on the disk. If you modifying the QC manually into a text editor you can uncheck that option. Compile MDL : will compile the QC scriptwhen the full compile button is activated, don’t forget to have steam opens. Paths setup Now just display the Paths Tab, click on GENERATE PATHS button and the paths are updated , if the fields are empty the model will not being exported. SMD /QC path : The default path is the same path than the scene location, but it will pointed on the /modelsrc/ folder. you can change the name of the smd, it will affected the name of the final MDL file. The folder /props/ must to exist into %GAME_PROJECT%/models/ or you will get an error ( check for write enable ) you must to save your scene when the path is changed, or the export will fail. Materials / Textures Path : the path of the /materialsrc/ directory where the TGA files are stored. This path must always be %GAME_PROJECT_SRC%/materialsrc/ when you click on Generate Paths. If the path does not ended by /materialsrc/, you probably have to Set the Maya Project workspace on the right project workspace ( %MESADIR% /projects/SourceFilmMaker/ for that tutorial). MESA Environment Variables section** The section show the current paths set as environment variables on your system. If you edit the environment variables , you must to restart Maya. If the %GAME_PROJECT% and %VPROJECT% are not identical , it can be caused by the Authoring tools launcher that is running in background and overide the %VPROJECT% variable path. The console Output log You must to save your scene again CTRL+S Click on the Full Compile button Open the Script Editor to see the Report. The log : g:/steam/steamapps/sourcemods/modname G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/ modelsrc/props/ modelsrc/props/ ---------------------------------------------- Writing SMD file ---------------------------------------------- exporting to G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube_idle.smd Extracting animation data frames 0 to 1 ---------------------------------------------- Writing SMD file ---------------------------------------------- exporting to G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube_phy.smd pCubeShape2 getting triangles from pCubeShape2 ---------------------------------------------- Writing .VMT files ---------------------------------------------- writing :phongE1SG exporting shader phongE1 exported g:/steam/steamapps/sourcemods/modname/materials/models/props/cube.vmt OK TO WRITE vtf export for G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/materialsrc/models/props/cube.txt base texture map vtf creation normal map vtf creation ---------------------------------------------- Writing SMD file ---------------------------------------------- exporting to G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube.smd pCubeShape1 getting triangles from pCubeShape1 ---------------------------------------------- Writing .VMT files ---------------------------------------------- writing :phongE1SG exporting shader phongE1 exported g:/steam/steamapps/sourcemods/modname/materials/models/props/cube.vmt OK TO WRITE vtf export for G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/materialsrc/models/props/cube.txt base texture map vtf creation normal map vtf creation qdir: "g:\steam\steamapps\sourcemods\modname_source\modelsrc\props\" gamedir: "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\" g_path: "G:/Steam/steamapps/SourceMods/ModName_source/modelsrc/props/cube.qc" Building binary model files... Working on "cube.qc" SMD MODEL cube.smd SMD MODEL cube_idle.smd SMD MODEL cube_phy.smd Model has 1 convex sub-parts Collision model completed. --------------------- writing g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.mdl: bones 964 bytes (1) animations 112 bytes (1 anims) (1 frames) [0:01] sequences 220 bytes (1 seq) ik/pose 164 bytes eyeballs 0 bytes (0 eyeballs) flexes 0 bytes (0 flexes) textures 72 bytes keyvalues 0 bytes bone transforms 0 bytes Collision model volume 64000.00 in^3 collision 0 bytes total 1704 --------------------- writing g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.vvd: vertices 4608 bytes (96 vertices) tangents 1536 bytes (96 vertices) total 6208 bytes --------------------- Generating optimized mesh "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.sw.vtx": body parts: 8 bytes models: 20 bytes model LODs: 12 bytes meshes: 9 bytes strip groups: 25 bytes strips: 27 bytes verts: 864 bytes indices: 264 bytes bone changes: 16 bytes everything: 1269 bytes --------------------- Generating optimized mesh "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.dx80.vtx": body parts: 8 bytes models: 20 bytes model LODs: 12 bytes meshes: 9 bytes strip groups: 25 bytes strips: 27 bytes verts: 864 bytes indices: 264 bytes bone changes: 16 bytes everything: 1269 bytes --------------------- Generating optimized mesh "g:\steam\steamapps\SourceMods\modname\models/props/cube.dx90.vtx": body parts: 8 bytes models: 20 bytes model LODs: 12 bytes meshes: 9 bytes strip groups: 25 bytes strips: 27 bytes verts: 864 bytes indices: 264 bytes bone changes: 16 bytes everything: 1269 bytes Completed "cube.qc"
you can change the name of the smd, it will affected the name of the final MDL file. The folder /props/ must to exist into %GAME_PROJECT%/models/ or you will get an error ( check for write enable ) you must to save your scene when the path is changed, or the export will fail.
This path must always be %GAME_PROJECT_SRC%/materialsrc/ when you click on Generate Paths. If the path does not ended by /materialsrc/, you probably have to Set the Maya Project workspace on the right project workspace ( %MESADIR% /projects/SourceFilmMaker/ for that tutorial).
If the %GAME_PROJECT% and %VPROJECT% are not identical , it can be caused by the Authoring tools launcher that is running in background and overide the %VPROJECT% variable path.