New and cazy moods

No sweat, it's a common misconception about Lightwave. And not just reguarding EoC. There are several other space games that use the old Lightwave 5.6 format, including Klingon Academy. (Oh if only I'd know that at the time!) I've made numerous posts about this subject in many forums (including ours here), but eventually they just get lost in the shuffle.

btw - Vali, if you're interested in making models with software other than Lightwave, check out my homepage. All of the EoC models there were made in 3dsMax (which is just a high-powered version of Discreet's Gmax, which is free!) and then converted and texture mapped in Lightwave.

*edit*
What the heck! How did this thread get into the Star Wars Mod Forums? Soup, did you move this? You might want to move this thread a few floors down, into the regular 3D Modelling forum.

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Sorry for the confusion lads!

No prob. Thank goodness we have forums to have confusion in.

See Vali, I told you it would be back soon. Soup takes pretty good care of us.

Anyway. . .
Vali, my email address is in my signature. Feel free to contact me if you need help with anything. As for building your ship model; sorry, but all my modeling time is devoted to finishing the models for the Star Wars mod. Now that the holidays are over, I have to really get in gear and get them finished. But perhaps afterward I can help you with it. If you want, you can send me those pics you mentioned of the ship and I can give you an idea of what kind of challenge you're in for. But I suggest building a few simple practice ships first. Both to learn 3D modeling, and to learn EoC modding. Neither is particularly difficult.

If you secure a copy of Lightwave (which would be the best idea, try ebay), I recently posted a link to a good site for learning to model spaceships with it. It's good for beginners. But if you want to use a free program instead (a lot more work to build EoC models); I would suggest Gmax, since it's designed for making game models; or Maya PLE, which is a full fledged (but limited) modeling and animation package. Both are free.

mailto:second_chance@cox.net
The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
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What about 3D Studio Max 6?[?]?
Will this be good enough and compatible with EoC and Lightwave 6.5?
I have given you the plan.
Tell me what do you think. []

btw- Yes,
I haven’t seen any 3d artist in my life. All my friends get bored rely fast. I think I’m the only one ho doesn’t say
“I’ve no idea!� and drops it dead.[xx(]


Vali

Check out the sticky thread in this forum for details how to get a model into EoC from programs other than lightwave. The short version is - the file converter wants a file with textures arranged in a way that only LightWave can do properly. But, if you make a model in another program, it's possible to get it into Lightwave and fix it so the converter can work.

Yes, 3dsMax will work fine. I use Max 3.1 myself. But I want to remind you, Gmax is free. It's from the same company and is built from the same basic program as 3dsMax. But 3dsMax is a full blown (and extraordinarily expensive) 3D modeling, texturing, animation, rendering and post-production package designed to produce 3D for video. Gmax is simply a slimmed-down version that kept only the tools necessary for game model creation and export (this includes texturing and animation). So you might want to try it first, to see if this is something you want to invest your time in. But any program that will export a file type that can be imported into Lightwave is fine. One of the most common file types to use is .3ds, and this is the one that I use. And I wrote the tutorial andrewas mentioned with Max in mind. Although it is still useful for any other program.

You asked about compatability with Lightwave 6.5. Is this what you are planning to use? That will work. Any version other than 6.0 is ok, but 5.6 is the best if you can find it. Remember, that's 5.6, not 6.5. I had trouble remembering the numbers myself back in the early days.

3D modeling isn't terribly hard, but it does benefit greatly from some dedication. If your friends get bored and drop it because they can't make an awsome 3D model right away, then they weren't meant to be doing 3D art. Digital art is an artform like any other. And doing it makes you an artist. But it requires practice, patience and, above all, production. You have to keep making new things and showing them off for feedback, no matter how crappy you think they are. In time, you'll learn to wield the tools properly and create master works. It sounds to me like your friends are exactly the same as my friends. They think that 3D art software is some kind of magical "Create Art" button that will do all the work for them. But the truth is these programs are just tools, like pencils and paintbrushes and clay-sculpting thingies. They don't do anything by themselves. They need to be wielded by people who want to create art, and are willing to put in the work required. The point is; just stick with it. I've seen too many new artists, with real talent, waste it and quit because they couldn't make exactly what they wanted right away.

btw - The web is literally overflowing with tutorials for every 3D package out there. So you should have no trouble getting started. I'll also be here if you need any help. And Shane seems to be a whiz with the ins and outs of Lightwave. I'm sure he'll be glad advise you too.

mailto:second_chance@cox.net
The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
cartoons.sev.com.au/index.php?catid=4
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