How can I place Hardpoints on Miodels with AC3D or Blender?

Just wonder how many times I have to edit this Thread till it get's to the Modding-Section?!
Sorry Stardock, but on the technical side your forum sucks! border=0 ALIGN="absmiddle">
Edit: Think after the 10th Edit it's finally here! New Record!
Stardock, you real have to improve your forum!!!

Anyway: If anyone can help me with my hardpoint - problem, please help!

Bumping your post because I want to know too, and because I want your models done so I can use them!

Edit: Could you change that to a link to imageshack or such, it makes it really hard to read the thread when it distorts everything.

@Morberis: Iam not user of imageshackr and there is not that much text, but i will see if I can samller the picture.

Well, if you belive itor not, the Post "disappeared" from the modding-section.
Dear Stardock: This Thread should be about resolving a problem with modding and not a fight to get it into the right section,...
So Edit Nr. 11!!!

But still: If youcan helo about my "Hardpoint -Problem" PLEASE help!

try to add a cube, make it invisible and name it dummy01, dummy02 etc.

Dont know if this will work, but I doubt the X-Format knows what dummies are so I dont think there is a special trick about them which only works with Max and going from the example Max-Model from Stardock the special ingame-functions of objects all seem to be related to the names they got.

Dude, have some consideration for dialup users, drag your picture into PhotoShop or IrfanView and halve the dimensions.

Or just link to the picture. I'll like that prospect because it breaks the forum at that size.

And try what Coplann said, or see if "AC3D" can make nodes and if it can then create nodes and name them per what Coplann said.

try to add a cube, make it invisible and name it dummy01, dummy02 etc.

Using Blender the dummy naming thing works for hardpoints, though I used an empty instead of a cube. Not sure how to adjust the orientation of the hardpoint, but it's probably something simple (i'm a complete beginner).

ya empty works I guess. didnt know there was something like that in Blender. just said cube because in Max dummies look like cubes.

The empty should work....basicially the game goes through and any 'frames' that dont contain vertex data (ie: they're just position and scale information) will be interperated as a hardpoint.

Also, as far as naming goes, thy don't even need to be called "Dummy"...any name can be used. However, if you name them with the following prefixes, they will be used in the following manner...

P0, P1, P2, ect: By naming the hardpoint with a P as the first letter, it becomes a "Propulsion" hardpoint (if the player auto-places an engine, it will attached to one of these hardpoints)

W0, W1, W2, ect: Same as above, only for weapons.

E0, E1, E2: these hardpoints will be hidden in-game, but during fleet battles engine exaust will eminate from these point.

Hope this helps!

 

thats some good information there Boogie. Gonna work with those on my next ship. Thanks!

First of all it is great that a member of Stardock has posted some help.

Well, I am not working myself so I hope he can work with it.

thanks to all of you!

maybe you have some other ideas that could help!

Also, as far as naming goes, thy don't even need to be called "Dummy"...

Empty didn't work to show the hardpoint without it being named Dummy when i tried it, but I could have done something wrong. Any news on Mormegil's tutorial?