1st step in 3d creation

You could either find a graphics API (such as openGL or DirectX) then create a MD2 loader, or you could use an existing 3d engine (such as ogre) which will handle model loading and drawing for you.

To use the API, first you will need to learn OpenGL pretty well. Then, assuming you know basic file IO, you would use the specification for the MD2 format to create a system that parses the MD2 file and loads / draws it.

Yeah I'm reading this now:
http://tfc.duke.free.fr/old/models/md2.htm

My goal eventually is just to have some 3D characters walking around on 2D maps, kind of like the old Final Fantasy 7 game where the towns were 2D but the characters were 3D. I wonder if I really need something like ogre or if I could just write it all myself?

I don't really know much yet.

Quote:

My goal eventually is just to have some 3D characters walking around on 2D maps, kind of like the old Final Fantasy 7 game where the towns were 2D but the characters were 3D. I wonder if I really need something like ogre or if I could just write it all myself?

Some basic terrain rendering will not be the problem, but you need to be fit with linear algebra. Eventually implementing a bone animation system (md5) is really not trivial.

Best to get the ogre engine, some tutorials and start to get a existing demo running. From there on try to modify the demo.

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Ashaman

I'm not doing any 3D terrain. The world is 2D png's, it plays like SNES Zelda. I only want to import 3D characters.