Hi. My friend is doing a custom player model for Quake 3, and there are problems that arise.
Workflow was like this: making model and animations in Blender, then export with md3 exporter plugin, then add “tags” with Npherno’s md3 compiler, also additional stuff like animations config text file with needed frames data and skins.
However, problems appear. If preview model in MM3D (misfit/maverick) without tags, animation works for torso/legs, but head stays untouched. If save model with tags through npherno compiler and see how it looks in both MM3D and Quake3… Well, first, body parts become far apart from each other. Also, animations getting messed up too.
Would provide more specific details if needed. So… anyone still remembers/knows/has experience and can advice and help? 
Yeah, I’d be also very greatful if somebody share any info or tutorials of how to convert players to Q3 engine, can’t find almost any info about that(excpet links for exporters to *.md3)
I don’t know what Npherno’s md3 compiler does but tags are animated each frame so you probably want to add tags to animations before converting skeletal model to three separate (vertex animated) MD3 models for a player. If you added unanimated tags (i.e., same position for all frames) then the head would not move and tags/torso would not stay connected.
From what I’ve read it’s possible to create, animate, and export MD3 tags in Blender using neumond’s MD3 exporter. Using “Empty” objects of type “Arrows” as child of a bone for MD3 tags but must bake actions before exporting (whatever that means). Though Blender breaks exporters about every other release so you may need to use the older Blender 2.7.2 version it lists as compatible.
It’s possible to export Quake 3 players using Maverick Model 3D, which is documented here. (Full disclosure I am the maintainer of this program.) If you want to add tags to animated MD3 models using MM3D, it would need to be with a skeletal model before converting to MD3. Unfortunately there is currently no good way to import skeletal models into Maverick from Blender (limited to MM3D and MS3D formats).
Thanks for advice.
My friend was using Blender 2.8.x, so neumond md3 exporter didn’t work and he had to use md3 exporter from duke4net forums, maybe that exporter is problematic. We managed to offset tag positions in npherno for first frames, but in all other animation frames body parts go separated and distorted. Will investigate more and hopefully find workarounds.
In addition to what zturtleman said, one can find useful this very old tutorial http://web.archive.org/web/20050211040925/http://www.4thdimented.com/dimented_tutorialQuake3_1.htm in 7 pages it is; while some stuff from it will not help, overall it still has many usefull info as it shows all steps of model creation.
I’m in your spot right now, IwazaruK7. I wanted to make this a summer project and found this as the most recent discussion of the topic. I’m trying to make a super simple model just to see if the duke4net exporter can even export the empties as tags.
Maybe I can try out the maverick 3D as another way to check before loading it up on quake 3 itself.