Programs used to model Freelancer Ships

[Jackelsano]

Just a little question here, what would you normally use to model ships for Freelancer? I do have some experience in 3D modelling and have made a few ships, ill post pictures of them a bit later, I am actually trying to work on a massive project that involves re-modelling most of Freelancers models to give it a fresh new feel. Most work is going on the ships, Jump-gates, Trade-Lanes and some new station looks..

Also, is there a way to edit or find the model files for editing in the Freelancer directory some how?

Cheers guys..

[Zsoca]

I use Cinema 4D for modelling and Photoshop CS3 and C4D for texturing. Milkshape sucks so I use it only to export/import models to the needed files.

[minustri]

I use Lightwave 3D for modeling and texturing (FL textures imported in Lightwave via plug-in), and Mlikshape for .sur files and for converting models to FL file format (.lwo <---> .cmp/.3db). I have pretty much all models (ships, stations, asteroids, props, planet scenes, etc. except characters) converted to Lightwave format (.lwo). Models in FL are .cmp and .3db files, so look for them.

Cheers

[Jackelsano]

Yeah there was a tutorial for making ships for Freelancer, but I had to use Milkshape 3D and find all these codex's for formats, so that was annoying. Just a question, will 3DS Max or Maya work for this certain thing? Because I need to study these 2 programs before I go to a Multimedia college and do my Games Design course.

Oh yeah, I heard GMax could make these models as well so here's one I made, its the Proteus Light Fighter.

http://img253.imageshack.us/i/proteus2.jpg/

Sorry about the picture and the angle of the model, just so you know it's based on a Y wing shape and has hardpoints for 3 main guns and a mine hardpoint.

[minustri]

You can model/texture in Max and Maya but you will need Milkshape, because that program have plugins that can export files to FL file format (.cmp, .3db, .sur). Google will help you find export/iimport Max and Maya files for Milkshape.


Cheers

[Jackelsano]

Hmmm. Ok that's cool, but do I only have to use Milkshape for exports and imports? I hate using it for modelling, its completely useless in modelling

[minustri]

Yes and yes, completely useless for modeling.

Cheers

[Hash]

All my models are made with MS3D. Maybe it's not as powerfull as the other tools, but it works perfectly.
It has 3db, cmp, and mat importers and exporters plugins wich I think are the best done. But they still got errors.
The cmp exporter for MS3D scales down the model 100 times (no matter what you type on "scale up/down" option). So size up the model 100x before exporting to cmp.
Also beware of hardpoints, there's another bug in last version of the exporter and "Y" axis is inverted (positive when it should be negative and vice-versa).
The mat exporter doesn't export ambience, glow or any other effects. You gotta add them manualy editing the mat file.

I only need MS3D with its plugins and MSPaintbrush to model.
Then a UTF editor, plus a Hardpoint editor.

[Zsoca]

but it works perfectly.

Well, actually importing CMP is a pain for me...milk allways freezes, crashes and s*** like that  :D  :D When I want something to import I have my fingers on the good old CTRL+ALT+DEL  :D  :D