yea they'd have to be different entities. or something.
Also wouldn't be lightmapped since lightmaps are in the bsp; but you can light a model and store the lightmap externally and put it in the shader with a decent skinning program; that's allot of steps to do for allot of models like accurate grass or trees. Unless you 'wing' it and use a few for this area, a few for that, etc.
It would be effective, however, but there's no 'generate-external-lightmaps-for-models application.
It could be done if the lightmaps were calculated, then the bsp stripped of the actual md3's converted brush surfaces. Don't ask me how it'd be done, that's something to ask ydnar. but with a system that can calculate lightmaps on md3's per md3 on something, i dunno that'd be tough to figure out how to specify the shader per md3 unless some external file was generated as well.
The final lod would be just an alpha fade on a flat poly. Placing entites like that in the world isn't tough to do, however it'd again need to be done in an external (non-bsp file) to keep compatability with the tools and q3.
no game uses lightmap'd alpha md3's in game. They 'wing' it or use dynamic light in close-quarter areas.
if you look at serious sam, they do it ok, but its weird with a sniper rifle. In ghost recon and others, they cover it up with mists and fogs.
It can be done tho, just when you snipe your fov would literally need to be locked down in a scope view, your ability to rotate while 'zoomed' slowed down, and your view-origin would move instead of your body (but since you'd never be facing your body its easier to set up rendering that way). if that makes any sense.
