[spyderrock48]

So i have all these various models of ships and things sitting around, and i have no idea what im supposed to do with them? help?

[Rodo]

You want to convert them for use in FS right?

What 3d app do you use to create them?

[spyderrock48]

Google sketchup pro 7 xD , i can export to .3ds files.

[Rodo]

well basic things to keep in mind when making a model for FS:

-mesh should not have overlapping faces.
-all faces should have normals sticking outwards.
-meshes must be completely closed (when possible, if not then care to leave no seams open).

From this source it seems that GSUpro is able to export to collada (.dae) format, this is quite good for you because with that format you can load the model directly from .dae format into .pof (which is FS2's format).

I'm not an expert in this, maybe someone else can help you out, but you'll need PCS2 to convert from dae to pof, I followed this wiki entry to set up my PCS2:
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Blender_to_POF_Conversions

It's a blender to pof tut, the first entry is a mini tut on how to set up a PCS2 installment.
The others are just general and particular pointers on how to set up a mesh correctly when exporting to dae and then to pof, it might help you reading it.

Ask away anything you don't get, I would recommend trying to export something simple, like a cube first just to test how it works, then proceed to use more complex models... at least that's how I do it.

[spyderrock48]

haha well even if i get them in the correct format, im not sure what to do with them lol

[esarai]

Well, once you've got the model textured and gunned, go into pcs, turn it into a POF, and then put it on a media hosting site like Mediafire, Filesmelt or Rapidshare.  Once that's done, put some shiny screenshots of it in action in a release thread (or A Celebration of FreeSpace, if you're lazy like me), and then wait as the praise, scorn and downloads acquire target and home in.

[spyderrock48]

well i really dont know how to do anything but make the model lol

[Rodo]

Never mind, just make the mesh + uv + textures and ask for someone to do the pof for you, there are plenty of poffers around.
If you don't know how to texture or uv, then your model might get stuck, it's a fact that in this community there are only a few that can do those things actually and they are all probably busy with personal projects.

[spyderrock48]

well im trying to learn how to UVmap, i know how to use gimp fairly well, and can do some basic texture stuff for my ships, if i can get a UV map to work with and figure out how to actually get my texture on teh uv map ( all ive made is some custom tileable textures so far ) then im good, but UVmapping is hard lol

[Mobius]

Have you checked the tutorials, spyder?

[Vengence]

UV mapping isn't so hard.... depending on the program. Just laying it all out, render the UV layout and save it, put it in a photoshop like program and set the black and white layout to be 'screen' and color under it. Least that is what I do.

[spyderrock48]

ive looked but am uterly confounded lol