3D ship modelling... Will 3DS Max ver. 7 work

from GalCiv2 Forums
My uncle just told me that he has 3D Studio Max. He's willing to teach me a thing or two about 3D modelling. Thing is, would version 7 work for making models for this game?
6,362 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hmm. Here is the panda .x exporter that they use: http://www.andytather.co.uk/Panda/directxmax.aspx for 3ds. I can't tell if it will work for version 7. It doesn't look like it but I may be wrong. Perhaps a conversion prog will work, but all the conversion progs I have looked at don't do the export png texture thing. Perhaps I am missing something. While you can surely make and texture ships in version 7, exporting may be a problem if the panda plugin does not work with 7.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for that link. I'm gonna try it out.

By the way, is it possible to upload some of the models already in the game back to 3DS max? I kinda like some of the design, but I want to tweak them a bit.

Also, it is possible to replace the core hulls? if So, which files are they?
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You can't import .x models directly into 3ds but with a converter prog you can change them into a format that can be imported (although you may lose texture info). Once you start tweeking them you will need to retexture them anyway because the original textures won't fit correctly. You can replace the core models. You just need to use the same names for the .x file and assosiated texture files such as each one's .png files and .dds files. The .dds files are not nessisary as they are just compressed textures but you can get a PS plugin that will make them. Some of the .png files are divided into regular textures and normal maps which are like depth information. Normal maps will have xxxN.png designations. You can find all the core models in GalCiv2\Gfx\Models. I am no expert but I would suggest waiting for mod folder functionality and documentation instead of replacing core models. Supposedly we will be able to simply drop our models and textures into the right mod folder and they will be available in game. Hopefully the documentation will be really good and it will make the whole ship making process easier when we understand their workflow.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
There is a sample ship in Max format here. http://library.galciv2.com/index.aspx?m=23 we will be posting a modleing guide soon as well.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
thanks
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The Panda exporter works for all versions 5 and up as I recall (it may work with 4 as well, but 4 won't load mormegil's smaple files for you to study).
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
how bout that blender program. Is it possible to make models in that?