Moving items in WinRAR

[John Matthews]

Since I have made a few new models to my disposal, how can I move the model components and textures into a folder to organize it better?

[Zappy]

Go to -steamapps/common/SourceFilmmaker/game/, and make a new folder (with the name you want), then move the "materials", "models", etecetera folders into it.
Then launch Source FilmMaker through Steam, choose "Launch SDK" in the pop-up, click "Edit Search Paths For Selected Mod", and tick on everything you want.

[John Matthews]

well I want to try and organize the items in question in WinRAR so that when people move the materials and models folders, it'll be ready to be used. That was the question.

[Zappy]

In what way do you want to "organize them in WinRAR"?

[John Matthews]

Materials to a 'Materials' folder, and Models in another folder labeled 'Models' in WinRaR

[John Matthews]

I used a custom 3D pony maker to make the models in question. Now I have to deal with the model files and textures That's Strune all over.

[Marco Skoll]

You need to replicate the folder structure set out in the .QC and .VMT files.

If, for example, the model is supposed to be at "/JohnMatthews/MLP/CustomPony.mdl", then you'll need to make a models folder, a JohnMatthews folder inside that, then an MLP folder inside that, then put the .mdl, .vvd and .dx90.vtx files there.

Same thing for the materials, and the paths for any textures set out in the .VMT files.

Do that, preferably check that it works by installing it to a new mod folder in your own SFM (make sure that the mod folder that your own version is in is disabled, otherwise you'll just load any version you've already installed), and then zip the whole thing up.

[John Matthews]

ok and how do I do the zip file process?

[Marco Skoll]

I don't personally use WinRAR, so I don't know about that.

For 7zip though, it's all accessed via Windows Explorer. Right click -> 7zip -> Add to whichever type of archive I want to make - .7z, .zip, whatever.

Alternatively, the "Send to -> Compressed folder" option is in Windows by default (but only supports the .zip format).

[John Matthews]

ok, I changed the PNG files to VMT files. Now for the 3d objects, will they still be working if I leave them as .obj?

[Marco Skoll]

... not for SFM, no. None of that will work.

Have you actually got these models, materials and/or textures working in Source yet?

[John Matthews]

not really no. Been trying to do Source but I don't know where to get it.

[John Matthews]

so I have to do the testing in the Source to actually get it working?

[Marco Skoll]

Absolutely. Even despite having some experience of porting models to Source, I wouldn't dare assume that a model was working until I'd actually tested it quite extensively in SFM.

What modelling program are you using? There's a very extensive guide on porting to SFM via Blender here (although a lot of it remains relevant for other modelling programs too).

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=245723825

[John Matthews]

I didn't use blender to make my model. I used a 3D pony maker from the web. ^^;

[John Matthews]

and since I used that approach, I can't have bodygroups or skins that I can interact with. Such as making the eyes different Sizes, or the wings to fold.