Modelling for GZDoom

[Reactor]

This year it's high time to start workin' on MD3 models for GZDoom. Before I purchase any software, I'd like to know a few things first, so I won't spend munnies on an unusable software. I'll need some models, and I've never did any modelling before, so this'll be the first step. And as you know, the first step is always critical.

My first question is - which modelling software can save models in MD3 format? Or any format for that matter,which is supported by GZDoom?

Second question is - that modelling software is also capable of animating models? For instance, let's say, giant spinning maces (much like in Tyrian 2000 level "MACES")?

Third question is - what is a GZDoom model made of? I believe it's not just a single MD3 file.

Last but not least, I wish to know is it easy or extremely hard to create such models (not enemies, but static objects and animated static objects). I never really talked about this with anyone so far, but it's an important aspect. If it takes 3 months to fix together a sink or wall-mounted advertisement boards, then it's highly uneffective.

Thank you for all useful answers in advance.

[phantombeta]

Get Blender and the MD3 export script. (It's somewhere on the DRD Team forum, I think)
It's completely free and it works very well.

[Reactor]

Sounds promising indeed. Can Blender also animate said models (like, falling furniture, giant spinning maces, or such). There might be some tutorials about this, but English is not my native language, it is possible for me to over-look them.

[Enjay]

Blender is a very fully featured editor. It is, however, quite complex and has an interefce that is difficult to master. If you do, however, you will have a very powerful tool at your fingertips.

If you want to try something a bit simpler, you could do worse than go for Misfit Model, the most up to date version is a fork of the code known as Misfit Cubed: http://sourceforge.net/projects/misfitcubed/

It is set up to work with low poly game models and can save MD3 models natively.

[Reactor]

Blender will do the trick, hopefully, there'll be tutorial videos about the things I'd like to do with them. What I'm still not sure about is that Blender is also capable to animate the current model somehow (I believe the animated-ness of a model is within the model itself, it's not something you can do in GZDoom editors).
Albeit I'm not sure, as I don't really know what a GZDoom model consist of. A model file, a texture file (PNG) and that's about it?

EDIT: I found this on an external site (not the DRD one): http://www.katsbits.com/tools/#md3
Will it work?

[phantombeta]

http://forum.drdteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=6078 Here's the script. I have Blender 2.67b and it works on that, so I believe it's safe to get that version. The script might not work on newer versions, though.

[Reactor]

Excellent! Now all I have to do is buy Blender and see what it can do.
Tell me; basic functions (like resizing a model) are hard to accomplish, or it can be done with ease, like you do it with Irfanview images?

[Enjay]

buy Blender

It's free.

http://www.blender.org/

[YukiHerz]

Simple actions like scaling, moving and rotating are easy to do in blender.

For example, with your mouse hovering over the 3d viewport just press S and then move it into or away from the model's central point to scale.

[Reactor]

Heh, I never thought such a good piece of software is free (usually, even worse softwares come with a price). Then again, Linux is free as well. Thank you Enjay
About models' size, is there a pixel-to-triangle converter scheme somewhere? Like um, what'd be the model size for a 160 pixels tall human figure, and such.

[Kappes Buur]

Have a look at http://www.blenderguru.com
and download the Free Blender Keyboard Shortcut Guide

[Reactor]

Brilliant idea I'll put these in business right away.