Mr. C's Models! (Really)

[Mr. C]

Ah, The Models Resource! I've been wanting to do stuff for this place for quite some time... Well, now the time has come! Yep, you're old pal Mr. C has been looking to rip some models! Thing is, because I have instant approval, I can't submit then wait to see if something's wrong with the model in question via a PM from the staff. So, before I dive into this magical new world, I want to make sure I'm doing this right! So, I'll check here, and you guys can tell me if you're experiencing problems with the models. Below is a link to download a ZIP folder with the model, in .obj format, and all the textures needed for it!

The first model submission I've ever done? The Mad Piano from Super Mario 64. Yeah. THAT piano. Hey, someone had to do it, right? Anyway, in regards to the textures, I've made them look exactly as they do in the game. I ran into a few hurdles, but nothing I couldn't handle. The thing I wanted to mention was, the piano's keys look like they're slightly misaligned with the keys texture on the sides. That's how it looks in the game.

Anyway, here you go:
Super Mario 64 - Mad Piano

And here's a picture I took in Noesis of how it looks with me, and how it SHOULD look to you:
This picture, right here.

Anyway, I hope it works, and if it does, I'll upload it right away, and upload some other things too! If it doesn't, or if I've done something I shouldn't have, please tell me the problems you're having, and I will do my best to resolve the issue! Thanks!

[StardustDragon08]

Oh that piano. Only time I've ever had a jump scare in a mario game.

[Ton]

Mr. C doing models?! Best news all day.

[Garamonde]

Nice!! For good measure, it may be a good idea to post a few more here just to make sure that each model submitted will come out as it should (especially when you go to do more complex characters).

I'll ask Peardian to check this thread when he can, unless someone gives it the okay before then.

[sutinoer]

I'm looking forward to it what they riping so.

[Pingus!]

Hey man glad to see you jumping around into different territories! Hope we can collab someday!

[Mr. C]

Nice!! For good measure, it may be a good idea to post a few more here just to make sure that each model submitted will come out as it should (especially when you go to do more complex characters).

I'll ask Peardian to check this thread when he can, unless someone gives it the okay before then.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I just figured it would be best to start out with something simple. Sorta testing the waters, y'know? Anyway, here's something a little more complicated for good measure: Linda from Chameleon Twist! (I was working on Davy too, but I ran into some technical difficulties. Should have him done later, assuming Linda and the Piano are up to snuff.) I would have had this here earlier, but when I was fixing the mapping on her shoes, I noticed her right hand is mapped wrong. Turns out it's mapped wrong in the game. Drove me nuts for about an hour before I figured that out...  Anyway, the model:

Chameleon Twist - Linda

And the big icon, as an example:

Here it is.

Here's hoping everything's up to code! And to a glorious future of model ripping! Real quick, I can only do N64 for now, but I've been looking into getting others as well. You know me. Always moving forward.

[OS-PRIME]

So far your model rips look great. It's great that your also allowing us to check if your models have any compatibility issues as well. Great work man.

[Ton]

I'm glad to see you filling in some gaps we have! You're more than capable. Can't wait to see a completed N64 section or two!

[Mr. C]

Hey, all! Since I've taken to checking with my models, here's some more for you! For the sake of convenience, I've zipped all of the models I've got so far into one ZIP folder, and uploaded it for your analysis. The folder also contains the big icons. When the files have been given the a-OK, I'll upload them separately to TMR. Hey, posting my stuff on the forum first, then waiting for approval? It'll be just like old times! I'm feeling nostalgic already!  Just take a look at the models, and if there's something wrong with them (probably the textures, as the models themselves never gave me issues), I'll be sure to get right on it! If nothing's wrong with them, I'll know they're good to go, and I'll hop on over to TMR and submit them! Oooooh, I can't wait to be a model submitter!

Anyway, this includes all 6 chameleons from Chameleon Twist, the Crave Entertainment logo from Gex 3, and two enemies (Mad Piano and Tox Box) from Super Mario 64. Enjoy!

Here's all the models and big icons!

Okay, then! Have a fantastic day, everyone!

[Peardian]

Nice to see another model ripper around! I'm also glad you decided to get feedback here, first. On more than one occasion, I've seen people go and submit dozens of rips before I have a chance to look at any, only to find that every single one of them needs to be redone.

Anyway, before I get to the actual models themselves, here are some tips for ripping.



First, don't worry too much about the exact visual appearance of the materials on your model. I've seen a number of novice model rippers spend time trying to perfect things like the filtering used by the texture, the type of transparency used, or even the shininess of the surface. While these things are good for rendering, none of these attributes carry over (properly) into the common model formats used by the site. The only two things that matter are that the correct base texture is used and that the UVs are correct. (More about those later.) I'm sure that most people who download models from the site never use the materials on models exactly as-is, anyway.

Next, I recommend using something other than MilkShape. Besides being limited in terms of what it can do, most of the problematic OBJ exports I encounter were exported with MilkShape. You can use it for now to learn the basics, but you'll benefit greatly from learning to use one of the more robust tools.

The second important tip is to always double-check your exports. After you export your model, try opening it up and make sure that everything is in place. Even if you're a seasoned ripper, it's good to check, because then you can notice things on your model like what I've noticed about your rips: the textures appear upside-down on the model. Now, I know that N64 textures usually rip upside-down when using the VRML method, so I can't tell if the textures are like that because you flipped them yourself or because MilkShape flipped the UVs on you. Either way, this is the sort of thing that you can easily catch on your own without waiting for approval from someone like me.

The next tip is related, because it is something that can be difficult to catch on your own if you're not looking for it: texture paths. For most model formats, textures are loaded onto the model by using a file path. This path is set when you are working on the model and is put as part of the model (or .MTL file for .OBJ models) when you export. Ideally, you want the path to be relative (ex: "./teeth.png" or even just "teeth.png") so that the texture is loaded based on where the model has been placed, no matter what the folder is called. However, with some programs (like MilkShape), they usually end up putting absolute file paths instead. This means that, when someone tries to load your piano model, for example, the textures won't load unless they happen to be located in the folder "C:\VRML\piano".

This is a very common issue, but fortunately there is a bright side: texture paths in both. DAE and .OBJ (well, MTL) can be fixed using any ol' text editor. (I personally prefer Notepad++ for its "Find and Replace All in All Open Documents" feature.) It's okay if you forget sometimes, but try to make a habit out of checking the texture paths on every model you export. Another thing about paths is that, obviously, they become set into the model once you export them. If you want to rename a texture, make sure you do it before you export, not afterwards. (You did it the right way with your models, but I feel like I should mention it just in case.)

My last tip involves UVs and handling them. Specifically, try to avoid editing them if you can and, if you do have to, make sure you do it with perfect mathematical precision. The moment that you try to adjust the model's UVs by hands, the integrity of the UV map is lost. Use tools with number input fields to move the UVs by exact amounts, such as 100%, -100%, 50%, etc. This is especially important for N64 ripping. Nintendo 64 games can be tricky to very rip. A lot of N64 games use different techniques to try and minimize the number of texture space used. Several of these tricks involve playing with the UV map. Once you learn the tricks and how to "fix" them, though, there is a lot you can rip. It's too much info for me to dump right here, so just send me a message if you have a tricky model problem.



I think that's it for now. Sorry for the wall of text!

[Mr. C]

Ah, thanks so much! I'll work on things posthaste! I was following a tutorial that recommended MilkShape. What 3D modeling program would you recommend?

As for the textures being upside-down, I flipped them because they appeared upside-down in Noesis, and I assumed they'd be upside-down in everything else as well. Guess I was wrong, huh? Sorry.

I will take your critique to heart, and adjust things thusly! And don't worry about text walls, they don't bother me! After all, how can I get better without a little instruction?

[Peardian]

Flipping the texture is okay as long as you flip the UVs to go with it.

As for a modeling program, Blender is a good free option, though it seems a number of people have issues with its DAE exporting.

[Mr. C]

Flipping the texture is okay as long as you flip the UVs to go with it.

As for a modeling program, Blender is a good free option, though it seems a number of people have issues with its DAE exporting.

Huh. That's funny. The tutorial I used also suggested Blender, alongside MilkShape, so I already have it! I'll see what I can do now! Thanks so much! :D

[SuperTVGRFan18496]

Can we Sumbit to N64 Models from tMR?