Easiest model format?

If you are going for a simple RTS, then use MD2. The good part about MD2s is that they are VERY simple, and there is a lot of support for them (a lot of programs can import/export MD2s).
The not so good part is that it''s kind of hard to attach an arbitray weapon to an arbitrary MD2, and you have to have different sets of animations for every action, so the freedom of action is limited.
But, in most of the RTSs, those limitations shouldn''t matter.

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Good call with the whole weapon thing there, hadn''t thought of that yet. I figure that as I make different units, they''ll have unique weapons anyway so I wouldn''t have to worry about that.

HOWEVER, if I did want to be able to do the whole weapon thing, what should I use?

MD3 models

They have "head", "body", and "legs" meshes. So each part can move independently of the other (walk north, shoot to east, look at west). They also have connection points for weapons, or whatever.

There''s tutorials on those at www.gametutorials.com

direct links:
loading at the bottom of the page
http://www.gametutorials.com/Tutorials/opengl/OpenGL_Pg4.htm

animation at the beginning of the page
http://www.gametutorials.com/Tutorials/opengl/OpenGL_Pg5.htm

"No lies of sugar can sweeten the sournes of reality"

}+TITANIUM+{ A.K.A. DXnewbie[onMIRC]

Alright guys, thanks for all your help I was planning on checking out md3 models if I couldn''t find anything else, but I guess that''s the way to go. Thanks again.

ok i have a few questions

1st: md3 models seem to be mesh animated right?
2nd: can i animate them with assigning their vertices to bones and export it as mesh animated then?
3rd: can i have more than 3 subgroups of the model

like head leg torso and then ammo pouches helmets and so on ?

if all that is possible ill use md3 as well

If I remember correctly, MD3s use the frame animation too, only that they have multiple body parts, that can be animated independently. But I might be wrong.

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