Modelling

Modelling basics

What modelling program(s) do the community use? See #Programs.

Which one do you recommend? It depends on which program do you get used to the best. You may try as many as you can, so you could see which one better fits your preferences. Some say TrueSpace is simple but sometimes annoying. What is sure you will need it to set the hierarchy using this program.

What does a FreeSpace model consist of?
Your FreeSpace model must have one main body, which is basically the ship itself, other subobjects must be turrets or radar dishes. Your model must consist of at least two subobjects, which must be grouped together. If your model consists of only one subobject, you can add a local light and group the two.
A turret and a radar dish has to grouped together, too. See #Default Hierarchy.

Default Hierarchy

One-part turret

A one-part turret is basically only one subobject, with a local light grouped to the turret mesh. The local light is the point where the weapon projectile will appear when the turret fires, so set it to an ideal place.
http://freespaceserver.cjb.net/topace/wiki/turrethrc.jpg

Multi-part turret

Multi-part turrets are hard to do for the first sight, but in realty, you won't find it difficult if you follow each step exactly and precisely. First, draw the turret, with the barrels. Set everything into its prefered condition, then set the angle of the turret base, then move it to the bottom of the turret base. Then do the same with all the barrels(set the axes' position to the bottom of each barrel). Only after you have set all the axes to the appropriate position, you can glue the parts, accordingly to the image.
http://freespaceserver.cjb.net/topace/wiki/mparthrc.jpg

Radar dish

Radar Dishes are rotating sub-models on large capital ships which will permanently rotate unless the subsystem is destroyed. They are one of Freespace's many eye-candy features.

Level of Distance (LOD)

Level of Distance (or Detail) models are progressively lower polygon versions of the same model which are used at increasing distances. This mean that when a model is only a tiny 'dot' in the background, the game engine is only rendering a few polygons for it instead of trying to compute values for the highest-detail model every frame. LOD levels are created during the modelling stage alongside the main model and converted into the Freespace 2 .POF format files by programs such as Pof Construction Suite. A Ship does not have to have LODS, however, not having them can cause a performance hit. especially for larger ships. It is sometimes useful just to work with getting the main model working in game before adding these. http://freespaceserver.cjb.net/topace/wiki/lodhrc.jpg

Debris

Debris are part of the .pof file and are created along with the main model. They consist, as the name suggests, of the remains of the ship which will fly out from the explosion when that ship is destroyed. Debris, like LODS, are not essential to making the ship perform correctly in game, but are an effective form of eye-candy.

Programs

Caligari TrueSpace
3D Studio Max
GMax
Rhino 3D
Blender