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| Creating Skins | |
All you need to create custom skins for Heretic II models are:
There are plenty of graphics programs around that allow you to manipulate images. I use Corel Photo-Paint, although have also used PaintShop Pro in the past. Find a program you like and become familiar with it; most good graphics programs are much the same. I won't go into much detail about image processing, since I'll assume you are familar enough with at least one graphics program. If not, then your chances of making a decent looking skin are slim anyway!
Here is a ZIP file containing all the images you will need to begin skinning for Heretic II. How to use them is explained in the next few pages of the tutorial.
The choice of software available to convert images into M8 skin files is more limited. Some CD-ROM versions of Heretic II come with a suite of editing programs that allow you to create custom skins or game levels. The Qdata program is included with these tools, however it is not easy to use. My version of Heretic II didn't come with the editing tools anyway.
There is also a freeware program called MipMaker that will convert images to M8. However skins created with this software won't seem to appear in OpenGL video mode (you just see a plain white model).
I personally use QuArK (Quake Army Knife) to create both M8 skins and my own levels for the game. The program can be downloaded for free, and you can ask all the questions you can think of at the QuArk group. These skins will work in OpenGL video mode.
If you want to copy parts from existing skins, you will need a program to convert existing M8 files into images. Game File Explorer (GFE) is a freeware program that will do this. QuArK is also capable of doing so.
The hardest part of making a good skin is in understanding how
a two dimensional image is wrapped around a three dimensional model.
The next few pages give a quick tutorial on skin making, using the Corvus model
as a example.