Embedded Files
Modding a Left 4 Dead 2 Survivor
Modding a Left 4 Dead 2 Survivor
Converting a Mesh from L4D2 to Source
Converting a Mesh from L4D2 to Source
Most people would probably not call this process "converting", but it really is just another conversion similar to the other ones in this section. It is commonly called "decompiling", because it is changing the binary files into text files.
Decompiling
Decompiling
Crowbar decompiles the L4D2 survivor models the best; use it unless you have some strange reason not to. You can also decompile using the older MDL Decompiler 0.4.1, but you won't get nearly as much of the original survivor's data and you have to do some extra steps.
Decompiling with Crowbar
Decompiling with Crowbar
Open Crowbar.
Click "Browse..." button and select the mdl file of the model.
Check all checkboxes except for the "debug" and "extra info" ones. (You can include the debug info without any problems, but the info is not needed for this tutorial.)
Check the "Apply Right-Hand Fix" checkbox if the model is a survivor from L4D2.
Select the "Subfolder (of MDL file)" option.
Click the "Use Default" button. (This will set the option, for example, to "decompiled 0.19" in Crowbar 0.19.)
Click the "Decompile MDL File" button.
After the decompile is finished, check the Decompile Log for any errors.
Decompiling with MDL Decompiler 0.4.1
Decompiling with MDL Decompiler 0.4.1
Place the model files that you want to convert into their own folder. There should be a vtx file, a mdl file, a phy file and a vvd file.
Verify two files exist, one with extension of ".dx80.vtx" and one with ".dx90.vtx". If needed, you can copy an existing vtx file (".vtx", ".sw.vtx", ".dx80.vtx", or ".dx90.vtx") and change the copy's extension.
Open the mdl file in Notepad++. (The first four characters should be "IDST" [without the quotes]. The fifth character is usually a zero "0" [without the quotes], but can be one of several different characters.)
Change the fifth character to a comma ",".
Save (overwriting same file).
Close Notepad++.
IMPORTANT: Because of bugs in MDL Decompiler, ALWAYS restart MDL Decompiler for each decompile, whether it fails or succeeds. Not doing so will likely cause problems with the next decompile.
Open MDL Decompiler.
Uncheck the "Use Steam File Access" option at the bottom.
In the "Choose Model file" option, select mdl file.
In the "output" option, select the folder that the mdl file is in. (MDL Decompiler should default to this folder).
Click the "Extract" button.
Close the couple of windows that pop up indicating error or success.
Close MDL Decompiler.
Verify that there are new files in the folder: one or more smd files and a "mdldecompiler.qc" file.
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