Modelook 0.08a
1998 Scott Gilroy

Modelook web page:  http://members.xoom.com/sgilroy/
Downloads page:  http://members.xoom.com/sgilroy/download.html

Warning!  This is an Alpha release and is likely to cause system crashes or damage to your system!  Use at your own risk!

Installation
To use Modelook, follow these 3 easy steps:
1.  Download the proper version of GLUT and OpenGL or Mesa for your operating system and install these libraries as neccessary according to the instructions included with the libraries.
2.  Download the proper compressed (.hqx/.gz/.zip) version of Modelook for your operating system.
3.  Expand the Modelook program and included files to a directory of you choice.  You should end up with the following files in their own directory:
	Modelook executeable for your OS
	palette.lmp
	palette_MD2.lmp
	Readme.txt (this file)
4.  If you don't have any models (MDLs or MD2s) download some and put them somewhere accessible.
5.  Run Modelook and explore the various commands described on in the help screen and in the popup menus.

You will need the OpenGL or Mesa libraries in order for this program to work.  See the Modelook downloads page for details (http://members.xoom.com/sgilroy/download.html).  The latest version of Mesa for MacOS can be found at http://valerie.inf.elte.hu/~boga/Mesa.html.  Versions 3.0b5 or 3.0b6 of Mesa for MacOS may not work as well as 3.0b4, so I would recommend using 3.0b4 for now.


Using Modelook
IMPORTANT Note for users with 3Dfx Voodoo cards:  If you have a 3Dfx card and are using Modelook with 3Dfx Glide hardware accelleration enabled (by means of the correct OpenGL or Mesa libraries), Modelook will be running fullscreen, making it impossible to see your desktop or any other windows or applications.  The cursor and popup windows will not be visible, nor will any dialog boxes that are opened when you try to load a model, etc.  To switch between your 3Dfx card and your 2D card, and thus make it possible to see all of this 2D stuff, you will need to hit Ctrl-F9 (under MacOS) to switch back and forth between 3D and 2D.  This may only work under MacOS.

The interface is lacking in a big way.  Most of the commands are associated with keystrokes and are listed in the online help screen (the blue text displayed when you first start).  Essentially all of the commands (those listed in the help screen plus many more) are available via a popup menu that can be accessed by clicking the right mouse button (Control-Click under MacOS).  The commands which also have keyboard equivalents have the appropriate key listed next to the command in single quotes (such as: Next Model 'n').

Mouse Buttons:
Left: rotate the model or the camera (which ever is the current target)
Middle: translate (slide up, down, left, right) the target relative to the camera
Right: the popup menu with Texturing, Lighting, Materials, Models, and Skins commands

If you do not have a multi-button mouse, then consult the documentation that (hopefully) came with your platform's implementation of GLUT.  For MacOS, use Control-Click to simulate a right mouse click, and Option-Click to simulate a middle mouse click.

Know Problems and Limitations
 Red-Blue stereo does not work with 3Dfx Voodoo
 The interface for the options as well as camera control is lacking (especially the lighting stuff)
 Triangle remeshing is very slow.  I suggest you stay below 5 (or less depending on the model) for the threshold if you choose to try this feature.  Remeshing also has some buggs and will crash the program if triangles get too small or wierd.
 Certain models cannot be opened.  There is no support for animated skins or frame groups in MDL files.
 If the program runs out of memory or you look at it the wrong way, it may crash.

No waranty, explicit or implied.

Good luck,
Scott Gilroy
<mailto:sgilroy@bu.edu>

Current Modelook Web Page:
<http://members.xoom.com/sgilroy/>

Credits

Thanks to all those who made this program possible, especially:

id Software (they made Quake and Quake 2, don't ya know)

Brian Martin <brian@superlink.net> author of Meddle for information on MDL and MD2 files by means of Meddle source code and the Quake Specs.   The code for reading PCX skin files is based on his code.

Shammi <shammi@bu.edu> for his triangle remeshing code

Mikls Fazekas <boga@valerie.inf.elte.hu> for porting Mesa to MacOS and for all his help and support

Brian Paul for creating the Mesa 3D Graphics Library: http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~brianp/Mesa.html

David Bucciarelli <tech.hmw@plus.it> for providing Glide (3Dfx) support for Mesa and for some helpful example source code (notice my help screen...)

Conix Graphics for GLUT and OpenGL documentation: http://www.conix3d.com

Version History

Version 0.06a - 4/29/98
	- First release of Modelook

Version 0.07a - 5/3/98
	- no longer quits on unsucesful loading of a model
	- fixed a bug with adding custom frames (it always added frame 0 before)
	- added the ability to jump forward/backward by frame sequences (stand1->run1->attack1, etc)
	- added the option to change the way textures are applied (modulate or blend)
	- added MD2 support

Version 0.08a
	- made the help overlay easier to read
	- stopped prompting to load a model at startup
	- improved performance for displaying MD2 models (incompatible with remeshing)
	- added the ability to load up Quake 2 player models with weapon (not in Win32) and skins
	- added the ability to auto-load several skins at a time (not in Win32)
	- added an option to change the background color
	- now use an Explorer style file open dialog for opening files in the Windows version (like the mac version has)
	- added dialogs for specifying where to Save screenshot sequences and which directory to open a Quake 2 player from (MacOS and Win32)
	- replaced the cryptic material properties options with a list of materials (Rubby, Brass, etc.) to choose from
	- all (essentially all) can now be found in the popup menu
	- menu options that have keyboard equivalents now have the key listed next to the command