hi,

I'd like to apply different .bmps to each model in a level (each model is the same .mdl) to create slightly unique models without actually creating unique models.

can I create a simple material that would apply the .bmp to the model?
I don't require or want any other effects just paint the .bmp onto the model.

do I need to use a shader instead of a material to do this?

whichever way I need to go does anyone have a very basic simple example that I can use to learn what to do?

thanks,
LazyDog

nobody with some experience can help me out here?

You can give the model multiple skins in MED (this is explained in the manual), then in code change the skin being applied to the model by using my.skin=number. No shaders needed.

-Rhuarc

Ah, But Rhuarc this can become very costly with skin sizes. For example if he has a large model with Many choices of skin colors and all he wants to be able to do is slap on another BMP Image to the model instead of having to make an entire new skin for each BMP with all those colors.

Yes, I'm already doing the multiple skin thing that's exactly why I'm looking at the possiblity of using a shader/material because I have so many skins. I'm just looking for a simple example of putting a graphic on the model.

correct me if Im wrong as I am new to shaders but can you not just do something like this:

bmap texture_for_me=<my_texture.bmp>;

material change_texture_mat
{
skin2 = texture_for_me;
effect = "
texture mtlSkin2;
technique env_cube
{
pass P0
{
Texture[0] = <mtlSkin2>;
}

";
}

function change_texture
{
my.material=change_texture_mat;
}