Is the texturing file for lights declared as such by the X model?

And if so... does it have the necessary ***_L.png trailing suffix?

(Presuming a normal map file isn't necessary for that model, btw)

By default, any & all valid structures (as in the models themselves) have three distinctive material slots; Hull-Trim-Engine. After these layers have been dropped on the meshes, the texturing process picks up the UV mapped files group again with three distinctive principles;

1) the general main texture which must have a transparency layer to let the underneath Hull/Trim colors show through.

2) An almost identical file (proportional and with corresponding location of 'graphics' features) which contains the Lights or/and some supplemental artifacts spreads above #1.

3) The normal map filter file (purpled flat layer without transparency) that projects the illusion of depth in 3d shadow formats indirectly to the whole surface produced by #1 & #2 above.

Conclusion... maybe it's the file names or the X model isn't saved properly with the necessary path or the files weren't present IN the "working" folder when you saved the Model.

Glad i could be of help!

(PS; That spherical ship is really nice, btw... as it reminds me of SD's own Terror Star somehow!!)

Now here's a job for the daring and patient - i gather you were able to figure out HOW to add any hardpoints in a correctly symetrical fashion. Cuz, overhere i don't have the very costly 3dStudioMax or any other freeware or reasonably priced stuff that could do it too.

And sadly, my PolyTrans trial period is over when i could simply resize about five simple structures and delete a few extra Hardpoints.

Although, i could make a "new" HP with gMax that i find much more easier to work with... have a look;

Too bad none of these can be used to create X-Com:Apocalypse models of the reddishly futuristic vehicles though.

Are you offering me to insert some HPs on "custom" models i would provide?

Cuz, i haven't had any luck on finding these rare & old Alias/Wavefront obj files anywhere except for a small eMail from Drew Northcott (an original dev of graphics at Mythos that contributed some work on the entire Apocalypse vehicles and Alien UFO-Saucers) which stated that the backup DAT tapes most probably went missing when Microprose collapsed. He suggested trying to reach Greg Shill too but he's nowhere to be found either - yet!

Right now, i'm forced to use regular GC2 structures and mimic the general shapes of any X-Com ships but i'm not exactly satisfied with some of the results i obtained. The only solution would be to create all of these 3d models (possibly from scratch) by refering to UfoPedia pcx images and a few small pck files (proprietary format of Mythos) converted to pngs. I have all of that stuff already and if you ask i might send it all to you.

I will give some links later right here for you to determine the exact amount of work necessary should you decide to help me out with this modeling attempt at multiple Hulls and tricky components; one of which i was able to patch up somehow -- the egg shell shaped Engine Intakes.

In the meantime, and if you are really serious, thanks a lot in advance!

***LINKS;

1) The whole concept thread here... where in reply #5 and #36 i once gave Foxthree & AFRonin some important places to consult to get a proper grasp of the entire modeling tasks they should expect; https://forums.galciv2.com/172808/page/2

2) The initial basic images i gave to AFRonin for him to create a set of three ships with Stock GC2 structures; Avenger, Barracuda & Retaliator. In reply #14 of this thread; https://forums.galciv2.com/313557

That's the essential.

Yep... certainly -- follow the second link provided above & give a simple try with the Annihilator which is basicly a gathering of general parts from all the rest of Apocalypse reddishly futuristic fleet of vehicles.

At first, i was planning to split "everything" in small modular structures... but my 3d Modeling software trials expired & the free gMax can't make a compatible and valid directX (as per GC requirements) without some tricky acrobatics into conversion which actually fail 95% of the time.

I could fix a temporary and resizable "Egg shell" a few months ago (the four shiny engine Intakes at the front of Annihilator & others) by modifying the z'y' planes of a flat circular panel (the round Logo S99 structure, in fact)... but that process only gave me a single hardpoint (impossible to move, sadly) to attach it on default structures.

The problem is more about the exact shapes of the "blacky" windshields on any of these cockpits -- no matter how hard i try, there's nothing in the available GC stuff that can mimic the smooth angles and "bubbly" effect.

The trick, i believe, will be to decide where the HPs should be dropped on a final model for such vehicles -- but, let's see first what kinda mesh you can pull off for ONE ship, and then we'll discuss more extensive development for other ships; the fleet of Alien-UFOs for UFO:Defense are in fact terribly simple for being a bunch a rectangular type of "lego" assemblies. Basicly, the (already available) isometric tiles set would make any modeling attempts a LOT easier, including texturing since i already have those pngs ready.

Lemme know when you're done and if you need anything else - just ask! (We might as well *transfer* any further discussion about to the proper X-Worlds thread; https://forums.galciv2.com/172808, if you don't mind... easier to follow).

And, thanks in advance; you'll surely receive a whole 50% of the credits for X-Worlds FINAL version, count on me.