Hi again, more newbie questions.

I've seen a lot of 3D models for sale on-line, can these character models be used as a player or are they just "stiffs"? It sure would cut down the time it takes to create characters/models. 2nd questions is, can you alter these models with a menu for the end user? For example can you change eye color, hair lenght, body type and so on?

Thanks again for all responses received in the past,

Noob65

A lot of models are vertex or bone animated, some are not. But all models that can be used in Gamestudio can be animated if they aren't.

You can also change character traits on a model, such as eyes, or hair by using multiple skins and multiple models all coded together. It would be difficult scripting but it could be done.

As long as you can transfer the model type to .mdl or something else MED recognizes you can skin, animate and alter the models however you want. Although the models you can buy on the internet varry by if they have a skin, or are animated and if they are in a foreign type that can't be translated into something MED can use (highly unlikely, if not impossible with the right tools) there is still a good chance you can use what they give you in WED, (don't quote me on that WED part though)

can someone list the different model types, and what program to use to convert them .mdl? I am interested in some 3rd party models as well, but not sure which one can be easily switched over to being used in MED or WED. If this is to much trouble, maybe some of you expert modelsers can list what programs you use to switch everything over smoothly? I am not an artists, and using 3rd person models would save me a huge amount of time.

Well, Jered, theres .SMD, .MD2, .MD3, .BOt, .MESH, .LWO, .3DS, . ASCII...

Theres an infinite (or close to it) number of model types. However, 3DGS can only use .MDL and .HMP. The signle best tool for conversion is Milkshape 3d, though you can often find pulgins to convert from one program to a more popular one then improt to med (i.e. a program that used .MESH will export to .3DS which MED can import)

... .MDX, .TMD, .NIF, .SKA, .X, .RIB, .DFX, .INC...

Thanks Towelie, AA, Trooper119,

Wow, why can't everyone just use an Universal format for this stuff. It would make everyone so much more productive. So Milkshape 3D is a good modelling program or is it just a conversion tool for all the different formats?

Noob65

Competitiveness. In the early days, you could only buy things that were compatible with one computer to make sure you bought all your products from that one company. This spread into software, so you'd have to stay loyal with the software. Now we have many different file formats, but the companys are smart enough to make software compatible with other formats. This way they can expand the flexibility of their product and gain more customers.

It sounds just like eveything else when it's something new. Thanks AA, so what it comes down to is a couple of different softwares are needed to get things done. At this point I've gathered A6Pro for engine (maybe C4 if it's faster), Milkshape3D for import/export feature and Maya for modelling characters.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or replacements?

Noob65