How To Make Skins For Models

[DisruptedHunter]

I edited some textures for some models but instead of fully replacing them, I'd like to make skins. I don't remember how to do it and was hoping you'd help me figure it out. For example, I edited the curtains_01 from props_manor and made them a dark purple for my halloween map..but I need different colors as well, how do I make is so that model have these skins it can call on in hammer?

 

[Seba]

You have to recompile the model under a different name; texturegroups (skin sets) can't be added to existing models. Here is the model decompiler (use Hooch's version), and here is the article about $texturegroup, the .qc command used to give a model different skins.

 

[Pocket]

Also make sure the decompile/recompile process doesn't mess with the orientation or origin, since that's a thing that happens in some cases. Anyone who loads a map with this model in it is going to keep that copy of the model in memory when they change to another map.

 

[Seba]

That shouldn't be problem, steve; when adding skins you should be making a completely different model (for curtains01.mdl you'd make curtains01_skins.mdl maybe), not compiling under the same name; that way the thing you described won't happen.

 

[Pocket]

But it's not necessary if you have any intention of doing it right.