Blender and Weapon Hardpoint Locations

[ArgonExplorer3579]

I just started to use blender and finally imported a ship. I used other programs to edit the models but nothing this complex. I looked at the forums and some FAQs and tried the set some settings in blender However ,I am still lost on how to view the existing weapon hardpoints (turrets, shields) on a model. I would like add additional turrets and shields to the existing model. What settings in blender do I need to use or a script I can use to view them? I would like to view them first so I do not overlap existing turrets or shields.

[aurumgallente]

You can't. Weapons, turrets, engines and shields are added by xml file, they are not parts of Blender scene. You can find it in "\extensions\mod_name\assets\units\size_s" whatever_ship.xml. For vanilla small ships look at "\assets\units\size_s". Also read this.

[Axeface]

Yeh they have to be added manually in the XML file. You can place dummy objects where you want things to go in blender to see the coords and write them into the xml file, but you will soon find there are lots of 'quirks'. Blender scale is different which for me always leads to hours upon hours of lost time trying to remember which component of my model need to be scaled up 100% and testing in-game, and also blenders axis are different to 3dsmax/X4 so you have to either rotate the model in the xml or in blender. Its really annoying. There is blender plugin here on the forums that I never got around to learning that allows you to place dummies and export them to an xml, blender drag and drop.

[Shuulo]

There is blender plugin here on the forums that I never got around to learning that allows you to place dummies and export them to an xml, blender drag and drop.

I suggest to learn it sooner rather than later, it helps me create ship component files from scratch with dozens of turrets, all shields, weapons, countermeasures and docks for mere 20-30 minutes.
Most complex thing i did till now with it is this, took me around an hour from having just a model with engines placed.

[aurumgallente]

Placing external modules except cockpit is the easiest part of modding. At least this is true for S and M ships.

[Axeface]

I suggest to learn it sooner rather than later, it helps me create ship component files from scratch with dozens of turrets, all shields, weapons, countermeasures and docks for mere 20-30 minutes.
Most complex thing i did till now with it is this, took me around an hour from having just a model with engines placed.

Good advice ;p Yeh im going to for the ship im currently making, doing xml stuff took up so much time on my last ship (and stress-inducing time).
Did you manage to figure out anything more about waypoints?

Placing external modules except cockpit is the easiest part of modding. At least this is true for S and M ships.

I guess its just different minds because for me the modeling just comes naturally. Xml is by far the hardest part in terms of stress and wasted time for me.

[aurumgallente]

Feel free to ask me about help with your XML files, I don't afraid of them. For me it was stressful to attempt to add 39 parts to one lod in Blender. Game crashed after 16 parts and if you'll try to separate some parts into some detail, they are visible ingame only when all parts of detail are on the screen. But now I found some ships where details are children of anim_main rather than children of root element. Unfortunately developers keep silence when I ask such questions.

My next challenge is to conquer rotators. They look doable because they are static models with <restriction type="rotation_x"/> in XML.

[ArgonExplorer3579]

Thanks for the information. I have not had much time lately to go into blender and try some of your suggestions. If I have any questions or problems , I will ask thanks so so much.