Using IQM? [Darkplaces]

Alright I would really appreciate help in this department... I have been wanting to use iqm models for a very long time now, and for the life of me, I can't figure it out.
I don't even know where to start to spawn a model in QC using IQM.. Nor do I know how to control or identify bones.
Also, I would like to know how to use bones in Blender and have them be usable in Darkplaces.

I hope I'm not asking too much, but I am a complete noob when it comes to any model format that ISN'T mdl. Thanks guys!

Just use it.


setmodel(fart,"models/poogas.iqm");

YOU'RE USING AN IQM

Obligatory often-neglected QSG note:

Don't forget to check for the IQM extension so you can optionally use the IQM for engines that support it, having a fallback for engines that don't.

wait, there's an qsg extension to be checked?

I loaded an IQM in darkplaces, and I got an error message. It says only version 0 models are supported. What does that mean?

It means your darkplaces build is too old. IQM is up to version 2 right now and DP should support it.

It means your darkplaces build is too old. IQM is up to version 2 right now and DP should support it.

I confirm. DP supports IQM version 2. I use it

I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure I downloaded the Darkplaces 6 hour autobuild. I will redownload and try again. I may have gotten it mixed up with the stable darkplaces which may be old.

blender 2.49 or 2.6x?

2.49

Have you tried to export from blender 2.62 or 2.63 your model in a recent DP version? Because I had the same error some month ago but uploading to blender 2.6x and recent DP version solved the error

I have it mostly done and in-game (Had to update my engine source). I figured out how to apply the texture to an IQM (Its the name of the texture that's applied as the UV. You stick it in the textures folder in darkplaces.)
But now I am faced with a couple more problems. How can I export animations with it? And how can I export the bones and move them in-game?

EDIT: So do I have been reading and in blender, I have to put the animation frames into framegroups? Any reference on how to do that?

This is a little how to I made some time ago and never finished cause to lack of time. It's incomplete and full of errors/imprecisions but I hope you'll find useful.
There's a very crappy blend model inside just for learning purpose.

cheers

Thank you very much for you tutorial! It helped me with most of my issues and I have gotten a great understanding of the format. I recommend it to anyone getting into IQM.

But I have an issue. I managed to get the animations and all, except my character is super deformed with the animations.


As you can see, the players arms are streched weird, and legs are too. I exported with Blender 2.49 if that has anything to do with it. But That's my last issue! Gotta get that fixed and then this file format will become of my own to use!

mmm.. from that perspesctive I can't be of help at 100%. I had once a problem with iqm exporting. My model seemed a messy patchwork of verts without a shape, but it happened only when I was using blender to iqe and with all the .iqe files stored in a single .iqm with iqm converter. Your model, instead, seems that only the limbs suffered the "stretchy disease" from iqm exporting. This could be (but I'm not sure, of course) a very limited amount of loops in the proximity of joints.

I made a sketch to clarify what I said. In the image A the wrong situation: an arm (or leg or tentacle... a limb!) with only one loop section in the proximity of joint intersection. This will cause bad deformation when the limbs are rotating.
In the image B, instead, 2 rows of loops before the intersection anf 2 after it preserve the limb from being "stretched"
IMAGE A IMAGE B

PS: I'm glad you found the howto useful!

Hers another image to clarify


I will try out what you said and see where that takes me.