Making female characters wear heels

So I'm trying to make some of the female characters (esp. the dignitaries) look a little more professional by wearing heels. Funny how some like Linda Foreman wear heels in the wrong setting (in the house? Seriously?)

I tried taking Linda's model and made the other female hostages use it with mixed results. It's mostly alright, the problem is their faces. Their skin get imprinted on the hair mesh, making it look weird.

I heard the only way to make such modifications is to use 3D Studio Max (but we all know that's impossible). But I looked on furrycat's gsmhacking program and it talks about copying materials from a GSM model. You think that can help me with what I'm trying to achieve? At least lemme take the other hostages' heads and placing it on Linda's model.

Thanks for your future help!

What program are you currently using to export the models?
Just realized you are not currently using a 3d program to export.

Things to consider.
1. HighPoly shoes on a low poly model is not ideal
2. updating the mission characters, and mission skins for each map to point to new models. Overwriting the Gsm's is not ideal because there are different maps that might fit the setting of the current model.
3. any other modifications to the model should not exceed 4,000 polygons total, if you are just bind the meshing and not properly applying paint weights to areas that need it.

It can be done in 3d studio max, if you can find it and get it to run, and run the plugins.

The Face problem could be related to the Facial Expressions. Are you modifying the face UV;s or mesh in any way?

There is a learning curve. Luckly you have folks here that are experienced in character models for swat 3.
Here are some preliminary steps.
1. choose a 3d modeling program, Either 3ds Max, or Maya 6.0.  I use Maya.
2. Familiarize yourself with the missioncharacters.dat and missionskins.dat by reviewing the FAQs pages included in the 2.1 version of the game.
3. Import the model into Maya.
4. Unbind the model
5. Make the changes.
6  Combine Meshes based on Swat3 naming convetion, ie: l_leg, r_leg, face, etc.
7. Merg Verts, and Sow UV's to remove duplicate vertices and UV's on meshes,
5. Bind the model
6. Fix weights
7. Apply Hit Detection Vertex color.
8, Export

I can get away with 3 versions of the above process to save my previous work and have a back up, you might want to consider using more.
I know the export plugins are availabe on furrycat's website for swat 3, but the import plugin he has not made it public.

I am glad Copy-cat popped in because he is probably the best in community for answering your 3D model question.

I never really got into 3D model work much for Swat 3. For the Chicken Cannon mod I used Worldcraft to make the gun (believe it or not) and imported into 3D Studio Max 2.5 for textures and final exporting. I claimed it was "prototype" gun to justify it's ugly blocky look, lol.

I used GSM hacking with the NightB4Christmas map to make some not so great elves. If I recall I modified some kid models by using GSM hacking to add conical hats to the tops of their heads. I seem to remember making the hats also in 3D Studio Max and then exporting them and then using GSM hacking to add them to the models.

I was always such a lazy guy and never forced myself to learn more about 3D modelling.

Things to consider.
1. HighPoly shoes on a low poly model is not ideal
2. updating the mission characters, and mission skins for each map to point to new models. Overwriting the Gsm's is not ideal because there are different maps that might fit the setting of the current model.

Doesn't matter. SWAT 3's graphics scream 1999 everyday. That being said, it is possible with just gsmhacking? I still don't understand how to use the copy material function.

It can be done in 3d studio max, if you can find it and get it to run, and run the plugins.

Yeah...unless I have Win 98, and an original copy (has anti-piracy protection). And 2.5. So...yeah...

The Face problem could be related to the Facial Expressions.

That's why I disabled expressions altogether. Too much work. If you want I can show you some of my what I did. But it just annoys me that most women now have Linda's hairstyle.

There is a learning curve. Luckly you have folks here that are experienced in character models for swat 3.
Here are some preliminary steps.
1. choose a 3d modeling program, Either 3ds Max, or Maya 6.0.  I use Maya.
2. Familiarize yourself with the missioncharacters.dat and missionskins.dat by reviewing the FAQs pages included in the 2.1 version of the game.
3. Import the model into Maya.
4. Unbind the model
5. Make the changes.
6  Combine Meshes based on Swat3 naming convetion, ie: l_leg, r_leg, face, etc.
7. Merg Verts, and Sow UV's to remove duplicate vertices and UV's on meshes,
5. Bind the model
6. Fix weights
7. Apply Hit Detection Vertex color.
8, Export

I understand Maya requires a $200 subsciption a month so I guess this isn't happening either.

Thanks for your answer, and I love your work (notably the Athlete Training Center where you got models from Hitman in SWAT 3!).

I used GSM hacking with the NightB4Christmas map to make some not so great elves.

Hilarious mod btw

If I recall I modified some kid models by using GSM hacking to add conical hats to the tops of their heads. I seem to remember making the hats also in 3D Studio Max and then exporting them and then using GSM hacking to add them to the models.

I want to do something like that. Like put Cindy Karr's head on Linda Foreman's body.

Thanks for answering!

Not sure if that is possible unless the head is larger. It just adds geometry to an existing model and doesn't remove any. That hats work on the elves only because they of course sit on the top of their heads. If you deleted the hats their normal heads would still be there.