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I just finished making an object, a whole map to be precise, in blender 2.49 and now theres some things i need to know:

1. Do i need to add some sort of joints?
2. Do i need to group the meshes in some way?
3. Is is advisable to have it all in one chunk or should i split it into pieces?
4. Anything else?

The whole lot is made out of the default box, apart from one little thing thats made from a plane i just spawned. I have done no texturing yet. Its 750 faces.

Before you do anything, you need to apply a texture - even if it's just a quick scratch texture.

If you've made a map in XSI, it's wise to split it up into several meshes. Prop meshes require no hierarchy or special work other than a single parent null ("dummyroot") under which the polymesh is oriented.

Okay, so split into sections, each one with dummyroot in the middle, apply some textures, heard it needs uv mapping.

Do i need any collision geometry?

Surma wrote:each one with dummyroot in the middle

You want a dummyroot at the origin, not necessarily in the middle.

Surma wrote:Do i need any collision geometry?

It depends (on what you're using to export it and the shape of your model). VisualMunge automatically generates collision geometry if your model doesn't have it. With more complex collision you may find errors and may feel that you need to make your own collision. If you're using MshEx, you can't make collision primitives, you can only make a single collision mesh.

Test it without making collision first, though, to get a baseline.

I use Blender 2.49

If you're not using XSI Foundation, you can't make collision primitives - "Test it without making collision first, though, to get a baseline" still stands here.

Okay, model not showing up in viewer (doesnt even load it seems).

I think the uv map is the issue. Heres what i have done:
I have unwrapped and applied my texture and it shows up on the model, but i dont know if i have "created" an uv map or whatever. I was told in a video guide to create a material and link it to the uv map. I dont know if i have managed to create a material cause it seemed like one already existed and i cant find a create button. And i have no idea if i have "linked" my mesh with the uv and/or the material or whatever. I have a joint named dummyroot so that should be working.

Surma wrote:Okay, model not showing up in viewer (doesnt even load it seems).

I don't know what "viewer" you're talking about, but the only really relevant benchmark for a successful model is whether it shows up in-game.

I can't give you Blender-specific help as I've never used Blender before.

mshviewer, i need it to export from wrl to msh.

Surma, make sure you hit Texface button in the lower window, this makes the game read your material and then the texture I guess.
It worked for me.
(It's under the materials window)

I have done so, several times.

in that case, keep in mind that the texface button is an on/off toggle (though I assume that's evident by the way it turns a darker shade when you press it, and returns to the former shade when you press it again)
I added a post to the blender topic, and also I'd like to mention that I haven't seen anything in Blender that is exactly like XSI's Dummy Root, or that works the same, anyway, and for this reason I don't think it's possible to create lowrez meshes or collision geometry using Blender. (as is mentioned in other places, it also isn't possible to create animated objects, or anything that needs firepoints or attachpoints, such as weapons...from what I can see, Blender just doesn't have the same hierarchy with its file structure. I've experimented with creating a null and naming it dummy root and making it a parent of the object and lights and whatnot else, setting up the structure to mimic how it is in XSI, but all that does is make the object disappear. Not too promising. But fortunately, it exports models despite not having a "dummy root"...it just uses position 0,0,0 as the origin, so in other words, move your objects to the middle of the work area before exporting them.
If someone has more insight regarding the data structure similarities and differences between XSI and Blender, please let me know!