Setting a character to a generation requires creating an animation2.cfg file.  The reason for this is we're making new model actions, such as axe swings for Slipgaters, BFG and Pistol actions for Doom Warriors, etc.  The animation2.cfg file will list these animations and also has a keyword to assign that model to a specific Generation.  Here is a sample animation2.cfg used for Grunt so he can be a Strogg Trooper:


[/color]The class names are as follows:

earth
doom
slipgate
strogg
arena

Arena Gladiators use standard Q3 weapons and will never require additional animations in the .md3 model.  The other four Generations will all have unique poses.  If you know which Generation you're planning to use your model with I can provide the current list of actions.  This may change, but for the moment, Earth, Doom, and Slipgate's functions are in place for their animations.  I have not yet implemented Strogg Troopers, but I can pretty much guess at that.

As for making a player model, there are tools available, but modelers all have different preferences.  I can name a few tools you will need in addition to a model making program:

Npherno's md3 compiler - this is a must.  Once you export a .md3 from a program, there's cleanup work.  Npherno's allows you to edit texture paths, shift frames, and rebuild normals so the model lights properly.

Npherno's md3 viewer - comes with the compiler.  Not very user friendly, but it allows you to see what a model looks like.

The model editor itself I'd have to check on.  Gmax was available a while back, but there may be other tools. Tabun has a good tutorial posted on unwrapping texture coordinates in 3D Studio Max.

A colorizing skin is actually pretty easy for Generations.  I'll post on that in a bit.

The Lightning bolt and hammer symbols have been around since Quake 1.  You can use them at will, however if you use them from someone else's texture you'll have to ask their permission first.  I'd have to check our files to see if we have a version that's strictly ours.

Food time for me for now, I'll post more later.

I'm not sure if you mean that you've never modelled/animated before, or just not for Quake 3. The following is written on the assumption that you're really a beginner, so ignore whatever you'd reply with a "Well D'uh!" to. ;]

I'd advise you to look into a few tutorials and other sources of information before you get started on anything serious -- there are a lot of pitfalls that would pretty much require a start from scratch.

On this site:
A big thread on Q3 modelling in general

A lot that deals with 3d studio max should go for gmax aswell. Sadly, all the polycount links in that thread are dead now.

Elsewhere:
This page and others.. very useful stuff, especially since it precisely describes a practical process of making a properly 'animateable' model for Q3 specifically
If you want to animate, you'll want either very good knowledge of working with bones and deformation, or character studio. I'm not sure the latter comes with gmax, and I am sure that the former should not be underestimated.

If you want my help on any specific problem while modelling, keep in mind that I work pretty much exclusively with 3d Studio max (4 to , meshtools (working mostly with editable poly) and using the plugins/tools described in my modelling thread on this forum (the first link of this post). Those tools I know well enough to do what you're looking to do. It is unlikely that I will be able to help you with others (though Phoenix might).

As for model size, I suggest you load up/import an md3 from Quake 3 into max, and use that for reference. That's your safest bet. Remember that the bounding box of the player model does not change, regardless of how big your model is. It's best to make your model not too much larger (or smaller) than id's default Q3 models.

You cannot do that. Weapon models are the same for all player models. You can change the gauntlet to a sword--say, in a personal, small package replacement--but you cannot do it discriminately.

I wouldn't worry too much about Games Workshop dashing in with a cease and desist. As long as you're not going to release your models as part of a big, public project, it's ok. There are even several 40k inspired custom player models made by the community, and they never got shot down.

Besides, as long as your model looks closer to a box than an eldar character, why worry? j/k ;]

Good luck!

I don't know... Games Workshop isn't exactly known to be kind to their fanbase.

I've not had very good luck with Milkshape3D in the past, so I can't help much with editing in that program.  I couldn't get it to export a simple projectile model without it wanting to generate a "command" file.  Q3 doesn't use any kind of "command" file for models.  What you see in any player model's folder is all that's used.

The .skin files are just text files that tell what texture is applied to which object in the md3.  You can edit them with any text editor (notepad, etc).  You can't just copy and paste because you'll have to change the texture paths to match your model's folder name.  Let's look at Crash's upper_default.skin file:


The first two lines concern the objects in the .md3, and what textures they should load.  The object names are important.  In the .md3 file, any objects must have a name.  In Crash's case, there are two named objects:  u_arms, and u_chest.  You'll see that they use different textures for each one.  These object names must match the object names in your model or Quake 3 will not render a texture on the model.  In addition, the texture paths must be included in the .skin file as shown above.  Q3 will usually complain if it can't load a texture and it will tell you what it tried to load.  If your model has no texture, check the console for an error.  If there's no error, check to make sure your object names are correct.

A very, very useful tool for making sure your objects are properly named is Npherno's md3 compiler.  A lot of the program was never completed, but the important parts were, and it's almost impossible to make an md3 without it.  It allows you to rebuild normals (very important for your model to light properly), change object names, specify texture paths (important for item models, weapons, etc - player models leave this blank), add or delete objects from a model, and rearrange model frames.  If you don't have it, get it.  If you can't find it, let me know and I'll get you a copy.

Below the textures in the .skin file are the tags listed in the model.  Tags are used to position various objects.  In this case, there are three tags, listed in order.  I can't find anything specific in the game code that reads the tags from the .skin file, but I'd stick with the format Id's used just to be safe.  Tags can be a little bit confusing at first, but they're actually fairly simple.  Every player model has three separate model files:

lower.md3
upper.md3
head.md3

lower.md3 is the legs.  In this file, there is a tag_torso.
upper.md3 is the torso and arms.  In this file, there is a tag_torso, tag_head, and a tag_weapon.
head.md3 is the head.  In this file there is a tag_head.

Every model has an origin point:  0,0,0.  The hierarchy is like this:

The origin of the player's current weapon positions on tag_weapon in the upper.md3 file.
The origin of head.md3 positions on tag_head in the upper.md3 file.
The origin of upper.md3 positions on tag_torso in the lower.md3 file.

The tag_head in head.md3 is not used by the game code.
The tag_torso in the upper.md3 is not used by the game code.

The reason tag_head and tag_torso exist in the head and upper models is simply a result of the export process.  It also makes positioning tweaks easier if you have to edit the model after splitting it up.

You will notice additional model files, such as upper_1.md3 and upper_2.md3.  These are LOD or Level Of Detail models.  They're versions of the upper.md3 model that have fewer polygons used for rendering from farther away, or with lower detail settings.  You can just copy your own upper.md3 and rename it upper_1.md3 and upper_2.md3 if you're testing your model without any LOD versions ready.  Same for the lower.md3 and head.md3.  LOD models aren't as important now in Q3 as they were when it was first released, so it's up to you if you want to make LOD versions of your model or not.

=====================

The Doom plasma rifle is different from the Q3 plasma rifle in a few ways.  First, it fires at a much faster rate, but the projectiles fly at slightly less than half the speed of Q3's plasma.  Second, the Doom projectiles have a bounding box.  That is, they have length, width, and height while flying through the air.  So long as the edge of this bounding box touches the player's bounding box, the Doom plasma scores a hit.  You do not have to be as accurate with Doom plasma to inflict damage.  The Q3 plasma does not have a bounding box.  The exact position of the projectile must touch somewhere in the player's bounding box to score a hit.  One other difference is that the Q3 plasma does some slight splash damage, like a rocket, whereas the Doom plasma does not.  Skilled players can "plasma-climb" walls using the Q3 plasma gun.  This cannot be done with Doom's weapon.  As for use, Doom's weapon is more useful at closer ranges and in tighter areas.  Long hallways without any side exits can be saturated with plasma to good effect.  Plasma can be sprayed to saturate an area to make it hard to avoid, or it can be used to pin a player in a corner.  The Q3 weapon relies more on accurate aiming.  It's not as effective at boxing someone in at close range, but it is much more precise and the faster projectiles make it more effective for long range attacks.  Five direct hits from either gun will result in a kill on an unarmored player with 100 health.

A Clan Arena game type is very possible, and there's a good possibility that it will be part of 1.0's release. 

Awk, was not a tease this time!  Was just answering question.  Tease videos already made. 

Wouldn't mind one bit.