MOD weapons?

I haven't seen compressed models used that I'm aware of, but I'd expect they should work just as well as the other two. Binary and text formats definitely work.

I've been having problems. I guess I need to use a different 3d software.

Well now I'm stuck for the moment. I've changed names refering to the new animation in the GC2TYPES file in DA directory, after backing it up of course. but whenever I test my new graphic the game crashes.
Any help?

I'm probably being an idiot again. I thought that the textures would be saved in the .x file by the program I created it with. Do I actually need to save the textures as a seperate image file but give it the same name as the .x file for it to work?

Textures will be separate png or dds files. They are not included within the .x file itself (or at least if that is possible, GC2 doesn't support it that I'm aware of).

You may want to export in text format and examine the .x manually to ensure it is properly formatted for the game. Not all .x exporters follow the specs properly.

Well now the game doesn't freeze but the weapon is invisible. The textures are not showing but it is acting like it's there. I couldn't find anything detailed about creating the weapon gfx in the mod article, is there another source to help silly people like me with this situation?

This seems to imply that you're actually using more than one texture file per model? IIRC the game only supports a single texture (plus glow map and normal map version of same) per model, so keep that in mind too. Also, if you want to make the part get painted with the racial colors in game, submaterial 0 will be painted the base color, 1 the trim color, and 2 the engine color. In order for coloriziation to work though, each object must have at least one poly of each submaterial.

I was just using one texture file for a weapon. I got rid of my .x file I made and just used the game's .x file but added my texture. It works now, (the texture part.) I've been using truespace, but I guess it doesn't export .x files the way Galciv2 wants them. Any ideas on a modeler that GalCiv2 likes and won't break my bank account?
There's no way I can afford 3ds studio or Maya.

The only one I'm aware of myself is 3dsm+Panda Exporter. You'd have to see if any other modders have positive experiences with other programs.

weapons animations are very tricky Honestly, you'd be better off using one of the "expensive" software suites to create them. I myself use Lightwave 3D, but Max and Maya will do. I can't really say for any other in regaurds to weapons anims.

Many many years ago, a lightweight version of Lightwave was used, called Inspire 3D. It's defunct now, but has been deemed freeware and open source by the software company that made it. It's old, it's equivalent to Lightwave 5.6 (current version is 9), but it should work for making animation setups, which is all you need for the weapons animations.

Finding the program may be hard, your best bet would be a torrent or P2P. And not only that, but you'll have to get a compatible direct x file export plugin. And i have no idea if inspire will work (tho i don't see why it wouldn't).

Thanks for all the helpful information.  

Stefan's Weapon FX Pack out now! Download

Any one mention GMAX? Works for me.