I know what you are going through.....just been climbing that learning curve myself!..
So... heres what worked for me
1) Modelling software. If you are happy to model in Max:
You can use the Max plugin to generate the ship ( I can't get the damn thing to work!!!) but it is still very much a work in progress. There are some aspects of ship construction it doesn't do. Also...I have seen some people getting errors when they come to edit the POF file to create all the other bits the ship needs. Modelview should open the POF OK.
2) Modelling in Truespace.
I have no real experience of this, but it seems to be:
a) Build ship
b) Save as truespace COB file
c) Import into Lithunwrap to UV map
d) Export from Lithunwrap as COB
e) Open up model in Truespace and set up model hierarchy
f) Use PCS ( POF constructor Suite ) to convert to a POF. This tool also allows you to set up the weapons and subsystems etc.
3) Modelling any other way! ( This is what I do... )
a) Build ship in Lightwave
b) UV map in Lightwave
c) Save model as LWO file
d) Convert LWO to COB using 3DExplorer
e) Import COB into free copy of Truespace 3.2
f) Set up hierarchy
g) Build using latest ( .42 ) version of PCS which supports SCP features in models.
Works well for me, but you do have to be a bit careful with your model. Forgetting to merge after booleans in LW can leave you with a screwed up model that gives errors when you try to convert in PCS. As can 'scraps' such as 2 point or 1 point polygons. Fortunately, LW has a tool that spots all these for you..as well as non-planar polys
You can just select those and triple them to avoid rendering errors in game
There are pro's and con's to all three ways of doing things. If you know Max and can use the plugin, that way would seem more natural. You do a lot less converting. I have tried Max and don't really like it as a tool.
Truespace is the tool that was ( so I understand ) used to create the original game models. As a result, the more established tools ( PCS and Modelview ) are geared towards it. It is probably a more stable conversion pipeline if you can get around OK in Truespace. I can't. I would have to 'unlearn' too much. There also seems to be some nasty limitations on the TS UVmapping tools. The ones on TS3.2 are hopeless! I suppose this is why people use Lithunwrap. It's quite a good tool, but lacks some of the mapping options available in Max etc. The free version is quite old, so it's possible the new 'payware' version has a lot more features.
Finally, my way invovles using a model tool you know well, coupled with a conversion process. You need to work a few test models through a pipeline like that to understand the pitfalls and find out what things the modeling software lets you do that the conversion process will choke on! In the case of Lightwave, it was just a question of careful cleaning up! Good practice anyway
As far as the mapping goes, IT is really a question of how you want to lay out model parts in UV space! You can place the UV map sections anywhere you like on the texture, depending on how you like to paint. The top one of your two examples has really optimised the usage of space to get as much texture usage as possible. This makes for a better finished product, but is HELL to paint! You can;'t easily work out what bits go where other than through trial and error. If you plan to paint the ship yourself and can keep track of the bits, then this is an efficient use of a texture map.
Mapping sample 2 uses larger chunks whih are more recognisable. There is a lot more wasted space, but it's probably easier for someone to paint that way. Again..it's a matter of personal taste!
If you are going to paint your own textures, lay out the UV maps in a way that makes sense to you. I try to avoid joins on a ships side etc. or anything that might stand out. Also avoid stretching textures too much....try to keep the amount of UV map proportional to the amount of ship surface. If, for example, you have a ship with wings, if the UV map for the wings was really shrunk down, it would lack detail compared to the fuselage, and really stand out badly. Careful planning is the key!
