I’ve done all my modeling in Gmax then export the model without UV maps to .3DS. Then I do all skinning and hardpoints in Milkshape.

After I mod the ship into the game I see what is ‘wrong’ with the ship. Because the CMP exporter almost always has problems with orientations on the models I’ve done unless it’s almost a box in shape. Then I use the UTF editor to fix any orientation problems and tweak hardpoint placements if I don’t like where something is at once I see the stuff mounted in game.

It’s the 5th time I’ve modded a ship, so the process is pretty streamlined for me now. However, I’m not sure if you know this, but if you click on ‘windows’ then ‘texture coordinate editor’ you can adjust the map of your textures. For some reason Milkshape has the maps at a very tiny point and somethings ‘looks’ like you didn’t add a texture. you pick a perspective you want , say from top, if you are skining the top portion of your object then click ‘remap’. From there you can adjust the mesh outline of your object over the texture until you are happy with it.

This is my 4th model, an Alpha Fighter from Robotech http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/WNxAcidstorm/screen34.jpg This wasn’t an exact representation of the textures of the original design, but I wanted to do my own skins. That was my first custom texture job. They are rather simplistic cuz I’m not so handy with paint shop pro, but I’m working on it.

I’ve only been doing this for about a month and learned from a tutorial. And I used .TGA guess I’m still in the stone age… or rather the tutorial was written years ago and didn’t mention much of anything in DDS format. Guess I’ll have to mess around with that and see if the textures look any better using that format.

EDIT: oh yeah, forgot to mention I did some tweaking to 3 of the hardpoints on the top of the ship. Hidden in the ‘missle pods’ are cluster rockets and they do not pivot when the mouse is moved. So when I fire missles it looks like it’s launching right out of the pods.http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/WNxAcidstorm/screen30.jpg

I’m also using an older version of Milkshape because the plugins I have for the exporters make the newer versions crash for some reason. I’m using 1.7.0. I guess I could use a newer version to do the modeling in then open it up for exporting the the older program… but not sure if the older one would read the data the same. I’m pretty sure it would, so I might have to take a look into that as well… if it has any advantage that is.