Chrome Models

Windelkron

<div class="IPBDescription">how to?</div> Is there a way I can make more chrome models for myself? Is it easy or does it require a lot of modelling skill?

For example, I want to make the barrel of the shotgun chrome. Can I just go into Milkshape (I guess I'll have to register it, I installed it yesterday but it says it's expired) and copy whatever? Can someone write a brief tutorial on how to make chrome pieces?

These are the things I want to see chrome: Shotgun, welder, GL;
and also change things up a bit and make shiny claws for the skulk/fade,
and maybe chrome HA hands (you know those badass handguards, make 'em shiny <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->)

Darkkiz

Well, you just copy the part you want chrome in milkshape, and resize it abit, so it will overlay the original, then apply chrome texture. I have no idea how to make it transparent though.

Ollj

Transparency gets determined in the .qc file and requires a model compiler exe that can read them.
You set a kind of transparency (indexalpha, alphablend) to textures.

Maus

As darkkiz was saying:

(1) Select what you wat to be chromed
(2) Duplicate it
(3) Enlarge it a tiny tiny bit
(4) Assign a new texture to it (finding the *right* texture might be a pain - I've not tried doing this yet, but frankly it shouldn't really matter too much)
(5) Add the line <b>$texrendermode "filename.bmp" "additive"</b> to your qc file. I tend to put it near the top, before you get to bodygroups and hitboxes.
(6) Compile

Notes:
*The texture needs to be made chrome. You can do this in one of two ways: (a) name the texture's bmp file <b>chrome</b>_xxx.bmp (b) in HLMV set it to be chrome in the textures tab, and re-save the model.
*You won't be able to preview te chrome effect in HLMV as it doesn't support the transparency .dlls yet
*You will, of course, require said dlls to see the effect in-game

edit: Oh, and as ollj pointed out - you'll need the updated studiomdl.exe if you don't have it yet. I can't remember the link, but if you start at www.valve-erc.com and explore from there you'll find it soon enough.