I've made a model for an engine... now how do I get it in to the game?

[Vectura]

I made it with the dimensions of 0.625 m wide (for the very small things). It is an inline monopropellant engine. I have not textured it yet, although I will do it at some point. Made in Blender. Every tutorial I could find related to the old folder structure.

Screenshot:

Edit: One of my first serious 3d modelling projects!

Edit2: I am also sort of planning a few small inline monopropellant tanks to go with it.

Edit3: Actually, I want to do more than that. I have compiled a list of lots of little parts I will model for use in probes. I will probably see if anyone wants to do the mod joint with me. But not yet. I was thinking of doing stuff line a series of electric propellers for example to use on no-oxygen atmospheric bodies.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Vectura

[CaptainKipard]

Have you had a look at the sticky with a huge list of tutorials in the development section?

[NathanKell]

Neat!

Bout all I can do is move this to the appropriate forum, where you're more likely to get help. As Cpt. Kipard says, there are tutorials in this forum (Modeling and Texturing) and in its parent forum, Addon Development.

[Vectura]

Ah, thanks! I never thought to look on the forum itself...

[astropapi1]

Aha! I just finished modeling a (very basic) monoprop engine, which kinda looks like the inline 0.625m rockomax. I see that we're on the same tracks. Next step is texturing the damn thing, which should be easy, but I've got no experience on that.

[Vectura]

Next step is texturing the damn thing, which should be easy, but I've got no experience on that.

He. I am not alone then If I really get my mod going then it will all sorts of small size parts, like engines, fuel tanks, small landing gear, and more.

[NecroBones]

Definitely look at people's tutorials. There are a few really good youtube tutorials put together by some of the folks here, and that certainly worked for me. You'll want to export your model from Blender in one of the exportable formats (I've had good luck with Collada/DAE, but OBJ has worked well too when for some reason the DAE file wouldn't import).

For most parts, you can do the simple thing in Unity with part-tools like the tutorials explain. With engines, you'll have to add a thrustTransform that points the right way. If you want the engine to gimbal, you'll need to make the engine bell a separate mesh and make it a child of the thrustTransform object. If you want to have a discardable fairing, like the stock engines, it will also need to be a separate mesh, and get tagged with "Icon_Hidden" so it doesn't appear in the VAB's menus. All of these details are in some of the links from that mega-links-post.

[Vectura]

Thanks! By discardable fairings, do you mean the bits around an engine above a decoupler?

[NecroBones]

Yep, the shroud that sticks to the decoupler.

[NecroBones]

Oh, one more thing-- when you're ready to start importing it into Unity... go to their archive downloads, and get version 4.2.2. Apparently any newer version than that, and you won't be able to animate engine glow.