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Easy Ways to Import Source Filmmaker Models to Garry's Mod (WITHOUT Using Blender or a Similar 3D Modeling Program)
By Doctor Timbrwulf
So, you have these great models that were built for Source Filmmaker, and you want to use them in Garry's Mod, but you've checked the Workshop, and there is no GMod equivalent. How do you add the cool models from SFM to GMod?

Some guides exist where you need to use Blender, but in actuality, it's not that complicated! In this guide, I will show you how you can import most any model built for SFM into GMod without needing Blender.

Of course, there are caveats:
  • Since Source Filmmaker is for animation making, not for game playing, most models will be missing Lua scripts and any components to make it animate well in Garry's Mod - therefore, they can not be used properly as NPCs or Playermodels UNLESS they were built for both in mind. To add/modify animation properties, you will need to use Blender (a handy guide for that is linked at the end of this one).
  • High-poly models may cause Garry's Mod to lag excessively, or crash upon trying to load the models. Remember that Gmod is not optimized to handle models the same way Source Filmmaker does, so if you really want a model to work, you may need to use Blender to decrease the number of vertices.
  • Some posing may be broken if the appropriate properties are not set, or some files are missing that would allow for better posing. Therefore, posing eyes, faces, and some bones that you could normally pose in SFM may not be poseable in Gmod. If you need certain bones, or the ability to eye/face pose, modify the model with Blender.
  • Instead of appearing as a ragdoll, some models may appear as a prop. I recommend using the Animated Props and Physics for Effects tools for better functionality.

Now that we got that out of the way, let's begin!
   
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Created by
Doctor Timbrwulf
In-Game
Stardew Valley
Category: Characters, Modding or Configuration, Workshop
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
20 Jul, 2024 @ 11:21am
28 Jul, 2024 @ 8:10am
1,599 Unique Visitors
77 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
1a - Importing from Source Filmmaker's Workshop 
1b - Importing from the Internet 
2 - Importing to Garry's Mod 
Thank You for Reading This Guide! 
Comments
1a - Importing from Source Filmmaker's Workshop
First, download the Workshop addons from Source Filmmaker that you want to also copy to Garry's Mod.

Hot Tip! Make sure the addons you want don't already exist in the Garry's Mod Workshop. Check the authors' Workshop pages, or perform a search by name in the Gmod Workshop search bar.

To find out where the SFM Workshop files are stored, launch SFM. Load a map, or not - it doesn't matter. Right-click in the Animation Set menu and choose Create Animation Set for New Model.

After it loads all the Workshop files, navigate to the appropriate subfolder, or filter it out by typing its name in the "Filter" search bar. Note the full path of the model.

All models will be stored in $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/SourceFilmmaker/game/workshop/models, and their corresponding materials in $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/SourceFilmmaker/game/workshop/materials/models. Remember the base folders where your model and its materials are stored.
1b - Importing from the Internet
If you search the internet, you may find some pretty cool models that are not available on the Workshop. Download a model that you like and check its content.

Here are some places to get you started:
  • SFMLab[sfmlab.com] - Many models for Source Filmmaker that are not on the Workshop can be found here. If you need to see more, you can toggle the "Furry" switch to find anthros (like Sonic the Hedgehog characters). I recommend NOT toggling the NSFW switch - although you may have an easier time looking for models you can dress up, you will also run across some... erm, cringe. Unfortunately, SFMLab doesn't have better filtering to isolate SFW nude models apart from oversexualized ones, therefore if you must, proceed at your own risk. They also run Open3DLab and SmutBase (another site I'd avoid), but these models are not guaranteed to work in Garry's Mod or Source Filmmaker.
  • DeviantArt[www.deviantart.com] - Unfortunately, there isn't a centralized location for all Source Filmmaker models. Your best bet is to either do a web search, or search directly on DeviantArt, with words like "SFM", "Source Filmmaker", "model", and "addon". Check the description of the model for a download link (usually Google Drive or MEGA), but be careful when downloading from Deviants with newer accounts, or simply largely unknown Deviants, as you could be downloading viruses. Also stay away of any marked NSFW or 18+, unless... you know, that's your thing. 😬
  • GameBanana[gamebanana.com] - Not a whole lot of models that aren't already on the Workshop get ported here, but it's worth at least a look.

Double-Check Its Compatibility
This is where it can get time consuming - you need to make sure that every capital letter in a file or folder name is converted to lowercase. Garry's Mod, being older than Source Filmmaker, sometimes doesn't take too well to uppercase letters, despite having been updated to a more recent version of the Source game engine, and thus some things are case-sensitive. This is especially true on Linux, but that may not be the case on Windows. However, if your model ends up broken or missing, do this step.

So, if you find something like...
HumanBody.mdl
...you need to rename it to...
humanbody.mdl

Hot Tip! Be careful not to rename anything, besides replacing uppercase with lowercase, as this could break the model. Even if there are obvious misspellings, foreign words, etc., leave those things as they are - it's better to have improperly-named files and a working model rather than fixing the names and risk breaking something.
2 - Importing to Garry's Mod
Create a folder with the name of the model somewhere outside of game files. Then, make a structure like so and copy the folders as follows:
/(Name of model, in lowercase) /materials/models (Copy your model's folder from $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/SourceFilmmaker/game/workshop/materials/models into here) /models (Copy your model's folder from $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/SourceFilmmaker/game/workshop/models into here)

Now, you can do one of the following:
  • Copy both the materials and models folders and paste directly into $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/GarrysMod/garrysmod.
  • Copy the folder named after your model and put it in $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/GarrysMod/garrysmod/addons.
  • Drag the folder named after your model onto $STEAMFOLDER$/steamapps/common/GarrysMod/bin/gmad.exe, and then copy the resulting .gma file and paste it in the addons folder.
Thank You for Reading This Guide!
If you enjoyed this guide, give it a thumbs-up! If not... well, do what you must. Make sure to favorite this guide for easy referencing later.

If you absolutely have to fix the models you import from Source Filmmaker (more flexible posing, NPC/Playermodel conversion, etc.), then I recommend this guide from Frosty Dr. that should be quite easy, with the most basic Blender knowledge required. It's actually not super difficult to understand.

God bless you all, and happy modelling! 😎💖🙏🏻
43 Comments
< >
crashosaurus OwO 8 Apr @ 8:07am 
ok..
Doctor Timbrwulf  [author] 8 Apr @ 1:30am 
@crashosaurus If renaming the texture files (as described in Section 1b) didn't help, you might need Blender. I don't make models for either program currently, so IDK.
crashosaurus OwO 6 Apr @ 5:18pm 
hey! i finally ported the model ! the only problem is this: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3459581611 the textures are broken. do you know how to fix this? its the last step!
SamUrai|^._.^| 9 Mar @ 10:12am 
So I was doing it through crowbar and suddenly I get an error message like "Too many flexible controllers" maximum 96, how do I fix it?
Doctor Timbrwulf  [author] 28 Jan @ 8:36pm 
@idiot 3 - You already shared that link. Please stop.

@Lamenters - If physics were built for the model in SFM, then I would assume you can carry over those physics into Gmod. If no physics file exists, or the physics file uses an exotic form of physics (i.e. relies on an addon only made for SFM), then I would recommend processing the model through Blender to get a proper physics file. As for the bones, if they're well-defined and use a common bone-naming scheme, then it should carry over without issues. Always check the messages for errors to see if it "just works" well enough for posing. Finally, you can use whatever posing tool you want, but consider the previous conditions first.
Lamenters 26 Jan @ 11:41pm 
Hi there nice guide but do I still need to make physics for the characters? Because I've done something pretty similar in gmod before and models without physics always lose all the weight paint or bones, making them a unposable prop only. If I use the effect to physics, will it keeps the bones? And in that case should I use ragmover to pose my model instead since it does not have detailed physics?
Doctor Timbrwulf  [author] 23 Jan @ 6:46pm 
@idiot 3 - Great, another form of RickRoll. Thanks for sharing a video of some guy I've never heard of! 👍🏻
Here's a random link from my web browser. Enjoy! 🤷🏻‍♂️ https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/Steam_Deck_Screwdriver
Doctor Timbrwulf  [author] 22 Jan @ 7:14pm 
If the developer left coding in for making it a Gmod NPC or Playermodel, then it should adopt that also, but if it's not there, it won't automatically convert to such. Regardless, it will always import as a ragdoll first.

Again, this is not a perfect one-to-one conversion, and many things may break porting models this way, but it is the simplest way. If you want missing bones, NPC capabilities, etc., you WILL need a properly-made model tailored for Gmod - either get Blender and do it yourself or have someone you know do it for you.
PiXyUNT 22 Jan @ 3:40pm 
Hello!,will it be a player model,a npc or a ragdoll?
Doctor Timbrwulf  [author] 10 Dec, 2024 @ 9:17pm 
@SquigglesMcgiggles I assume so. I honestly haven't tried, but IIRC there are guides for that, as well.