First Aid for Developers

[mohr]

This is a great idea. Okay, I will dump into this post any links I can find, plus any notes of interest. I will update it as I go.

First, a general timeline/process I use and what programs are used. This is not meant to be a tutorial, just an example of my process to make a Freelancer model.

Programs I use and how I use them:

Maya - For modeling and texture mapping.

Photoshop - For converting textures to TARG and altering existing textures, haven't made my own yet.

MilkShape3D - Used in conjunction w/ three pluggins to do multiple things;

-CMP importer - Used to import Freelancer textures and models; the textures I use are primarily existing
Freelancer textures. The model that is imported I use for proportion comparison on my
models. (NOTE: Does not work on current version of MilkShape, I use 1.7.8)

-CMP exporter - Used to make the in game models.

-MAT exporter - Used to make the texture MATs for models.
I also do the final orientation and sizing in MilkShape with the help of HardCMP.

HardCMP - Allows the viewing of existing freelancer meshes, used by me to compare sizes.

Freelancer - The final test is in game, I just replace the MAT and CMP of an existing ship with the ones I
made (while changing the name of them) and get view the ship in the game. WARNING: This will
alter the game unless reversed, do not play online before correcting changes you make. This
can cause problems. I have not worked out adding hardpoints ar altering the game to fully test
a ship in game.


So, the important websites are already linked by Angel of Mercy. I will post link when I find them. If you have suggestion on improving my contribution to this thread PM me.

Mohr

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