as the 3d engine will be further down the road than the actual game i was thinking of useing flc animation files for combat, this is the format used for civ 3. i can make these easily enough and i have no doubt a fair few others who come here can as well, so what do you think?

I was wanting to start with these kind of formats a year ago.. But i didn't made time for it. But i think that i can do it. I just need to get learn and practice a lot.

there easy enough mate, you can get the tools from any civ site, although you`ll want a 3d programme like poser or max to do the ships in.

Screwing around with 3DSMax 6, i found it can export FLC files, kewl little animation files, although 2.5 secs of ani @ 640x480 256bit is 600k. I dont know how to make them into files for games, but ill have a look in some of the Civ sites. Which after discovering my mate owned, i am now playing a bit, and its excelent.

Hello,
I'm fine with flc animation files for combat, but out of curiosity, a 3d engine for combat will at some point be used and included in the final release, right?
-Jega

ya but ti`s further down the road than the rest of the game, so we thought this would make a nice alternative till it`s ready.