I can only tell you how to add helmets and comm. equipment to the people (comm. parts I'm still working with). Also about seeing them before trial and error, use HardCMP. If you load the 3db up with that, change the x = to 10, then swith it to hard layer or what ever it is called (you'll see wha I mean if you use it), then you will see what the prob looks like. Note that most of the times the prop is upside down to you have to rotate it to see is correctly, and do not save the file after you change the x coordinance or it will screw it up.

To add a helmet to a person, add this line to costumes.ini after the person that you want to wair the helmet:

Accessory = (what ever the helmets name is)


Here is an example using my favorite helmet for trent:

[Costume
nickname = trent
head = pi_pirate5_head
body = pl_trent_body
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
accessory = comm_rh_alaric

I am still trying to find out what else you can use as a prop, such as making it so you can hold guns. That is all I knwo so yah...

EDIT: I forgot to tell you that under the props folder, all hats and neuralnets can be added and seen the same as above.

Edited by - alfa_astrix on 6/29/2005 12:41:33 PM

bodyparts.ini has the props entries in it.
these are pretty self explanatory,for each entry there are two hardpoint descriptions. one is the prop hardpoint you want to use(most props only have one,but some like the guns have two)and the other is the body hardpoint you want to attach it to.
so for an example of how you would add one of the pistols you see in the storyline:

[Accessory
nickname = Mk1_Laser_pistol_right
mesh = characters\props\prop_gun_laser_1.3db
hardpoint = hpRightConnect_Gun
body_hardpoint = HpRightConnect

you can also add new hardpoints to bodies' parts in UTF to allow all sorts of cyborg equipment or clothing accessories like a gun holster or a sling hardpoint for a rifle to attach to. my old procedure to get a valid 3db with the now out of date exporter was to extract the vmeshref and then delete its parent .3db node,create a VMeshPart node and import the vmeshref to a new vmeshref node there.now with the new exporter you can save a lot of time and effort by exporting as cockpit(.3db format)

Accessories collage courtesy of Duncan_10158
flaccessory4it

Edited by - Cold_Void on 6/29/2005 1:15:20 PM

Edit - Linked pic as it is too large and is causing scrolling and long delays in loading.

Edited by - Finalday on 6/30/2005 4:54:54 AM

thx@all of you (two) who answered my question...

@void: is there any reference in the normal gamedata on how those SP only props are used?

Edited by - blaXXer on 6/29/2005 1:32:09 PM

a quick addendum as i'm passing through : for SP you'll need to update some thn files as i recall or the props disappear in cutscenes

Some of them disspear in some cutscenes. For example, if you make trent hold someting and in the cutscene he holds a gun or the artifact then whatever you made him hold will dissapear.

Some things (hats, sunglasses) seem to stay until you close & reopen the game.

The accessories are not stored in the save game so you'll have to open up your save, add the accessory and then save the .fl file and open it in freelancer. Your accessory will be visible until you close freelancer.

I have yet to find a way around this.

You can download the "Freelancer Head Accessory Collection" at:
http://www.lancersreactor.com/t/download/download.asp?id=232

Aldebaran's custom NPC tutorial by Aldebaran28 which includes detailed instructions for making props.One thing I will mention in addition to what Aldebaran has written,you need to rename your materials if you're editing .dfm files.The way to do this is to open the Multilevel node in UTF for your file,open each mesh node and change each subgroup's material_name node to match your renamed material library reference.This is the only way to create new hands that won't 'clone' themselves(i.e when you enter a bar suddenly the hand you created turns back into its original texture or the hand it was skinned from turns the same color as it.)