Hello, new here, so I apologise in advance if this is not the correct place to post this.

I have been a game developer for 5+ years, and recently started dabbling in level design, more specifically map design for Garry's Mod using Hammer Editor. I am currently designing a bathroom and would like to know if anybody here knows anything about 3D model conversion. I am trying to convert a .3ds model to a .mdl model and I have no clue how to do it, and searching Google really doesn't give me many clues either. The only useful bit of information I could find was something about using Blender, but even that was confusing.

Sorry if this is a waste of time, I just can't seem to find anywhere else that I could possibly think of to ask this question, but thank you for reading anyway. If you do know how to convert 3D models then please do let me know.

Thanks

Tommy

JoeJ said:

When i made Quake 3 levels, i wanted to do so using 3DsMax instead Quake editor, and i was wondering why there was no conversation tool.

Today i think i understand the reason: Quake levels are made of convex polyhedra (BSP brushes), which allow a robust definition of solid and empty space.
Contrary, using common DCC modeling tools, we tend to model only the visible side of the walls of a room. Or if we place a column inside a room, we likely create some cylinder, but without capping disks at the top and bottom, as they are not visible.
Thus the models we create for visual purposes are no proper manifolds, and don't allow a robust definition of solid or empty space. For that reason it's not trivially possible to convert such models to Quakes format, because its BSP compiler expects this robust solid / empty space definition.

Pretty sure the same applies to Hammer and Valves engines (at least the older stuff). But you should also ask at specific Valve forums, because it's users should know better. Maybe somebody did a working conversation tool, which isn't impossible.

Otherwise, probably you have to remodel walls in Hammer, but can at least import detail meshes like a faucet. Such detail models usually are not part of the BSP and get a convex hull for collisions.

Hey thanks for taking the time to reply. I did wonder if it was even possible, I will ask on Valve forums to see if anyone there has made any kind of tool for conversion, although I have my doubts that it exists. Thank you for the very well explained reply!

Tommy