How to make custom handheld item models (weapons, shields, etc.)

[Windcatcher]

This tutorial assumes that you're using an external program to make weapon models and want to use OpenZone to export them. With this method, you can export just about anything: weapons, shields, handheld mugs, PoK books, player houses, or anything else you can imagine. The tutorial is written assuming that you're exporting a weapon and that you're using OpenZone 6.6.

To make weapon models this way, you need to take the following steps:

1. Make sure that your model has the (0,0,0) origin point where it will be held.

2. Make sure that your weapon is oriented so that the outward direction (away from the person holding it) is along the X axis, and that the Z axis is the up direction.

3. Export your weapon/shield/wand/etc. model to a .3DS file (version 3 if your program asks).

4. Put all of the textures your model uses into OpenZone's /library/textures subfolder.

5. Start OpenZone and leave it at an empty zone.

6. In OpenZone, click File...Import...3D Studio MAX (.3DS) into the mesh library. It's critical to import directly into the mesh library like this since it will preserve the (0,0,0) origin point. When prompted for a mesh name, put in a name that your item database will use, e.g. IT1000, IT1001, etc.

7. Click File...Properties.

8. In the zone properties popup, where it says "Extra included meshes", select the weapon models you imported and click "Add". Once you have added all of the models that you want to export to your file, click Ok.

9. Click File...Export...Export zone objects to .S3D. You will be prompted for a name to enter: you should enter the name WITHOUT THE EXTENSION, e.g. "gequip8" (without the double quotes, of course). The models will all be exported.

10. This would be a good time to save your empty zone with File...Save, since it will also save the list of models you added. This way if you want to add another model and re-export, you won't have to add everything all over again.