Mip mapping

What is it and how/why do you do it? Ive seen it briefly disussed in the art tools documentation but i need a better description.
It has something to do with the skin but what? and will it make my poor gnoll's texture better?

short answer no!
but i can tell you about mipmapping
ok, mipmapping is making small versions of the original texture. So to make a mpimap you would make the texture 1/4 of the original size - 1/2 h and 1/2 w.
There are levels of mipmapping, usually 3 at the most. Each level is 1/4 the size of the one before.

The point you ask? well if the model for some reason in the game is shrunk and is now really small - the original texture may not fit properly / look wasted, so by making smaller version of it, the small version of the model will still have a good looking texture.

Im pretty sure im right, if im wrong someone plz tell me.

Mipmap is important if you use a high detailed skin on a small surface. Example would be the apc of Nod I once did:

http://www.wc3sear.ch/cookie/BlurApc.jpg

after mipmapping:

http://www.wc3sear.ch/cookie/Apc02.jpg

Notice how it blurs into yellow crap if the camera is not directly viewed on it. You will notice the blur too with mipmapping, but its less noticable (second picture). Basically Doomsberg is correct, but it also happens if the plane /surface is not directly viewed against the camera.

Mipmapping is only needed if the yellow blur distortions appears in the previewer at different LoD's.

To make a mipmap: use the skin, scale it down at width and height with 50% (so its 1/4 the size), sharpen then save as *_mip1.tga. Repeat this step at 25%, 12.5% etc
Continue untill the yellow blur in previewer is totally gone. Usually you should hit *_mip4.tga etc

The annoying yellow blur also tends to occur with me when using very small textures over areas larger then they probably should be. Rather unfortunate when you're trying to save space by using a tiny texture.

Would that be why the skin on my model blurs when i press page up/down?

Also how do i get the mip maping onto a model? import in 3ds max?

Seems ok to me, only do it when you get stuff like yellow shit, usually if you use a existing skin/blp they are already mipmapped so that isnt quite needed