MilkShape 3D Tools

MilkShape 3D features a variety of tools that expand on the basic functionality of the application. At the top of the tools list are tools used in the creation of models for game engines. At the bottom are tools related to general purpose modeling.

The top of the menu shows that several game specific tools are available.

Half-Life

Edit QC File...

This has the same effect as opening the QC file for a Half-Life model in the default text editor (usually Notepad under Windows).

Compile QC File... This options generates a compiled QC file from a Quake Control file. A Quake Control file is a file that holds a description of the animations, groups and materials that games using the Quake II and III engine can understand.
Decompile Normal HL MDL File... This will decompile and load a Half-Life model into MilkShape 3D. The MDL format of the native format of the Half-Life game.
Decompile CS Left MDL File... This option decompiles and loads a left hand model from Counterstrike into MilkShape 3D.
Decompile CD Right MDL File... This option decompiles and loads a right hand model from Counterstrike into MilkShape 3D.
Generate QC File... This will allow you to save a control file for the model you have created. This must be names with the same name as the SMD model that you export.

Quake III Arena

Generate Control File...

This command saves a Quake III control file to the directory you specify in the save window.

Unreal Tournament

Load Default Male Skeleton

This has the same effect as opening the Unreal Tournament male skeleton from the MilkShape 3D directory. The UT skeletons are provided as a structure round which to build UT bipedal models.

Load Default Female Skeleton This has the same effect as opening the Unreal Tournament female skeleton from the MilkShape 3D directory.

Decompile Genesis 3D ACT

This option allows you to decompile an ACT model used by the Genesis 3D engine.

Compile Quake 1 MDL

This option will compile a Quake 1 MDL file, used in the Quake 1 engine.

Convert Old MS3D File Format

This is an option provided to convert from an old version of the MilkShape 3D file format. This option can be used to change files created with MilkShape 3D versions 1.4.0 and earlier. See Menus.

Show Model Statistics

This option brings up a statistics window showing very useful statistics like the number of faces in the scene. Refer to this often to help tune your model. See Menus and The Model Statistics Window.

Mirror All

This tool allows the model to be mirrored without selecting anything. This is useful when you are symmetrically modeling something in several groups. The three options for mirroring are left to right, top to bottom and front to back.

Smooth Edges

This tool will add triangles to the mesh to make it smoother, more organic and natural looking. The number of extra triangles to be added can be adjusted by the Inward Pull slider. Smoothing can be performed on selected faces only by using the 'Only smooth selected triangles' option.

Progressive Mesh

This tool can reduce the number of triangles in the model. Specify a percentage of the current number of polygons in the model you wish to reduce the model to.

Scale Animation

This allows you to compress and expand the length of the animation of the current model. Enter the target number of frames in the edit box and press Scale to perform the Animation Scale action.

Fatboy

The Fatboy tool can create a model that looks fat simply by moving the vertices of the model. Adjust how fat you wish the model to appear by changing the number in the Size Change box. The Fatboy command can be limited to selected vertices by checking the 'Only warp selected vertices' checkbox.

Reverse Animation

This tool simply reverses the animation.

Scale All

This tool is used to scale all the components of the current model. Selection of groups of triangles is not necessary for this tool to work.