Help with weapon moding/modeling

Check a starbase entity for the fireConstraintType. I don't know if it can be attached to a researchsubject, however. My instinct says no.

As far as I know, it's not possible to open existing meshes in XSI, but someone made a plugin at some point to import them into 3dsmax. It was really old (for the beta even, I think), but it probably still works.

well, that is viewed in 3ds max, only problem all the tutorials on editing null points and whatnot are for XSI, i have no clue how to use 3ds max, and thats only a trial version. as for the fireconstrainttype the starbase uses a starbase specific one, since the starbase has a special file layout with upgrades and all you cant use the same constraint type due to not having upgrades for ships in the same way. its a pitty really. in the end you would have to do a second or 3rd mesh and link it to the cap ship, when research is met, and have it as a 0 anti matter ability which is really not what i want but at this point i cant really say much.

You lost me on this one. You can do mesh changes linked to research (not just upgrades). But I'm not sure what you're trying to say here!

But yeah, I know the starbases have their own file structure and their upgrades are different from research, that's why I said I doubt that you can link it to research. As a general rule of thumb, if it doesn't exist in the game it isn't possible to do

And for the 3dsmax > XSI, my understanding is you basically have to import the 3dsmax model into XSI, then do all the nulls and such following the tutorial. But, this is out of my league so I can't help you much here.

ill use reference to clairify, since were all new to this essentially.

NumSoundsFor:ONSELECTED 3
SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASECOLONY_ONSELECTED_0"
SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASECOLONY_ONSELECTED_1"
SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASECOLONY_ONSELECTED_2"
NumSoundsFor:ONSTARTPHASEJUMP 1
SoundID "CAPITALSHIP_PHASECOLONY_ONSTARTPHASEJUMP_0"
MeshNameInfoCount 1
MeshNameInfo
    meshName "CapitalShip_PhaseColony"
    criteriaType "None"
meshNameIncreasedEffectName ""
meshNameDecreasedEffectName ""
ExhaustParticleSystemName "Exhaust_PhaseColony"
ExplosionName "CapitalShip0"
CommandPoints
    StartValue 1.200000
    ValueIncreasePerLevel 0.250000
weaponCooldownDecreasePerc
    StartValue 0.000000
    ValueIncreasePerLevel 0.020000
weaponDamageIncreasePerc
    StartValue 0.000000
    ValueIncreasePerLevel 0.060000
HyperspaceChargingSoundID "HYPERSPACE_CHARGEUP"
HyperspaceTravelSoundID "HYPERSPACE_TRAVEL"
EngineSoundID "ENGINE_PHASECAPITALSHIP"
formationRank 2
minShadow 0.000000
maxShadow 0.500000

that highlighted line can have several diffrent meshes that are dependent on research. (for a cap ship)

MeshNameInfoCount 4
MeshNameInfo
    meshName "PlanetModule_TechOrbitalGaussDefense"
    criteriaType "None"
MeshNameInfo
    meshName "PlanetModule_TechOrbitalGaussDefenseMissiles"
    criteriaType "Research"
    prerequisites
        NumResearchPrerequisites 1
        ResearchPrerequisite
            Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_ABILITYACCESS_GAUSSDEFENSEMISSILEBURST"
            Level 1
MeshNameInfo
    meshName "PlanetModule_TechOrbitalGaussDefenseRailGun"
    criteriaType "Research"
    prerequisites
        NumResearchPrerequisites 1
        ResearchPrerequisite
            Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_ABILITYACCESS_GAUSSDEFENSERAILGUN"
            Level 1
MeshNameInfo
    meshName "PlanetModule_TechOrbitalGaussDefenseMissilesAndRailGun"
    criteriaType "Research"
    prerequisites
        NumResearchPrerequisites 2
        ResearchPrerequisite
            Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_ABILITYACCESS_GAUSSDEFENSEMISSILEBURST"
            Level 1
        ResearchPrerequisite
            Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_ABILITYACCESS_GAUSSDEFENSERAILGUN"
            Level 1
meshNameIncreasedEffectName "GaussGetupgrade"
meshNameDecreasedEffectName "Gaussloseupgrade"

is an example of the tec guss gun, only one problem, these dont "enable" weapons like i want, that just bolt on extra abilitys that fire from the given "mesh" as for the last two lines, still got no idea what they mean.

Weapon
    WeaponType "Missile"
    damageEnums
        AttackType "CAPITALSHIP"
        DamageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"
        DamageApplyType "BACKLOADED"
        DamageType "PHYSICAL"
        WeaponClassType "MISSILE"
    DamagePerBank:FRONT 300.000000
    DamagePerBank:BACK 300.000000
    DamagePerBank:LEFT 300.000000
    DamagePerBank:RIGHT 300.000000
    Range 10500.000000
    PreBuffCooldownTime 10.000000
    CanFireAtFighter FALSE
    SynchronizedTargeting FALSE
    PointStaggerDelay 0.080000
    TravelSpeed 1000.000000
    Duration 0.000000
    fireConstraintType "StarBaseUpgradeLevel"
    requiredStarBaseWeaponLevel 2
    WeaponEffects
        weaponType "Missile"
        burstCount 2
        burstDelay 0.600000
        muzzleEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalMissileHeavy_Muzzle"
        muzzleSoundMinRespawnTime 0.500000
        muzzleSounds
            soundCount 3
            sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALMISSILEHEAVY_MUZZLE"
            sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALMISSILEHEAVY_MUZZLE_ALT1"
            sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALMISSILEHEAVY_MUZZLE_ALT2"
        hitEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalMissileHeavy_Hit"
        hitHullEffectSounds
            soundCount 1
            sound "WEAPONIMPACT_MISSILEHEAVY_HITGENERIC"
        hitShieldsEffectSounds
            soundCount 1
            sound "WEAPONIMPACT_MISSILEHEAVY_HITGENERIC"
        missileTravelEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalMissileHeavy_Travel"
        missileStartTurningDistance 250.000000
        missileSlowTurnRate 0.708997
        missileMaxSlowTurnTime 6.000000

references a file for the starbase, more specifically, the StarBaseUpgradeTechWeapons.entity file. as you said it is not research and thus would probly not work on any other file than the starbase. but this is a beta and you can hope something changes in later releases.  Another thing that would be nice is if you could make "ships" that are essentialy like the starbase is, just able to phase.

Check the TEC's hangar defense actually, now that I think of it. I'm pretty sure it adds an actual weapon, not an ability, when you do the research. I completely forgot about it! I understand what you're trying to do now.

ah, thanks for the tip, ill do so. your a life saver, i think i can work around this thanks a bunch.

Did you want to unlock capital ship weapons through their level-ups, or something? Because if the hangar defense thing is what I think it is, that would be the only thing missing. It would be kinda neat to have the ability to do that, though.

nah, havent started tinkering with it yet, but what i was thinking of is having a modular aproach and having the missile launchers fire when upgraded, biggest problem i face now is getting a decent mesh and someone who can model the actual upgrade on the ship.  although i might try an ability later on, but i dont plan on tinkering with it today. i also plan on tinkering with the idea of "building" capital ships like star bases but i probly wont go far with that due to the limitations of starbases themselves (1 per well, cant phase)

well, as far as just researching weapon systems go, this works. same thing for researching "squadrons" of fighters. and if you really want to have fun you can "upgrade" your ship via research if you ahve a mesh to replace it. all in all, entrenchment is like a wetdream as far as posibilities go compared to the original. so much more potential.

Yep! It's great. 

we are attempting to do similar things, could you guys look here:

https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/344153/page/2