Thanks, Zeq. I haven't used crowbar, so I can't help you figure out how to use it, but if it works, then I would recommend downloading it.

I guess so. This whole lack of support for the hlmv/source SDK is getting annoying as well. It seems Valve just forgot about it. I straight up can't view anything withing the vpk files anymore (I basically have to extract everything to even use the hlmv...)

Yeah. I'm not sure how useful the program will be for tf2, but I used it a few years ago when dota 2 models weren't provided and needed to be decompiled.

http://www.chaosincarnate.net/cannonfodder/cftools.php?program=studiocompiler

You mean the decompiler? I'm not sure if there is an alternative... The only other decompiling program is Studiocompiler, but it's written by the same guy who made that program. So it probably won't work either. Are you sure it's a windows 8 issue? I'm not sure if there is any solution other than using a different OS... windows 8 isn't a desktop PC OS anyway... you should really be using win 7.

c_battleaxe if I remember properly. But my hlmv isn't working for some reason so I can't be 100% sure.

The two that come to mind are Crazy-g and Mecha the Slag.

I'm sorry... animating is not my expertise. I think it would be best to contact a workshopper who has made an item with custom animations and ask them how it's done.

First load the character model using the (Steam) Load Model feature. Then load your hat by using the (Steam) Load Weapon feature.

Aha! That would make sense. I'm guessing the small white dot probably got compressed too much to be read.