First, get the clear picture of what you want from the ships.

Are they huge on armor or shields, slow or fast, dangerous in small or great numbers, use many abilities across many or few ships, use few abilities across many or few ships, etc...

What weapon systems do they use?  https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/387547/page/1/#2680679

Write up some info about the various frigs and cruisers, then capitals using above info: some weaponry info, abilities, etc... that could be done up in entity files later.

Second, draw up some kind of tech tree layout -I use excel to block things out and draw arrows to link.

Civilian: 3 blocks revolving around Culture/Space Travel + some civilian modules, Planet access + improvements, resources + maybe trade/refinery.

Military: 3 blocks: ships + abilities, defenses, weapons

Fleet: use an existing race as base and custom stringinfo names/descriptions

Defense: 1 block for all things starbases and perhaps your tactical stuff

Third, look over the reference files and how ships, modules, research are put together if you don't know already.  Figure out which areas are a total mystery to you and recruit people to fill those areas.  If you don't know what you know, how can you ask for others to help in them?

Get this kind of stuff written up in your main post to show you've got ideas, what stuff you can do, what stuff you need help with, and good luck.  An interesting story or blurb is just that until you start working on it.  At least get some foundation material out then figure out how to make it all work.

I figured out the excel thing on my own, but I don't think that nanites themselves can actually do research, even though they are mini computers... So the tech tree will be almost nothing, or not much of one.

In reply to first, I know they will have no shields but a very fast hull repair rate (They're nanites, they can repair stuff.).  I also know that they will mostly focus on non-energy attacks (i. e. projectile, such as autocannon).

I just need models and some coding help.  It annoys me that the ref files were taken down because I was using them to code and that is how I figured out how to do the coding for my mod, because the ref files are in english.  My CAPITALSHIP_DARKNESSCARRIER is actually the Darknesses' one and only capship, its original name was CAPITALSHIP_PHASECARRIER, but, yeah...

I will note that I had literally no experience with coding or anything of that nature until I started changing the coding in other people's mods because I wanted to cheat by getting something unfairly early that wasn't attainable until late game.  I also do not have access to a modeling program, so...

Then I'll try to see if I can make the mod work with default stuff, and then work on changing the models and things to the final version.

Then there is also the fact that I still have to develop the Darkness campaign, which will be easier (hopefully) with Gal Forge 4.

I will note I have something to show for my work, It's on wincustomize, under Darkness Mod.

How would nanites do trade, or refine resources anyway?

By the way, thanks for the help.  It's exam week at my school, and so I won't have any time to work on the mod anyway.  I'll get work done over Christmas break, though.

imperatorpavel, there is MY reference files thread that has the latest reference files sets for EACH of the sins & expansions, and also my utilities pack which has my textbin gui that I use to make the ref files.

harpo

MyFist0 owes me a favor   and I think I can get him to at least convert this model for Sins (maybe with some please sauce he'll consider texturing it).  It's my final version of the Viri capital ship (the single-ship race).  If you want, I'm happy to see if I can get them to complete it and you're free to use it.

Thoumsin doesn't owe me any favors but I did want to ask if he might be interested in making three dynamic particle effect rotations of it (simple elements).  If he would, that would make it epically awesome).  I'm even willing to pay a bribe.  What's your price Mr. Thoumsin? (No cash! I can't afford the Euro conversion as I am in the poor US economy)

Thanks Thoumsin--I'll look there. 

My issue with the modeling is that I am having a horrible time with programs working properly in my OS.  Particle Forge won't work, the XSI tool bugs, etc., etc.

I can however play with particle/mesh text settings so I will start experimenting.

Lol...and I said, "bribe", not "bride".

Bad Sinperium...

Not asking me about how to get PF to work.

BAD

I faintly remember you asking about it and then saying something about having fixed it...

If you want me to help you get PF to work, I can most certainly assist you.

I think the Sins and Entrenchment are good ideas as a lot of younger Steam players may have those when they are on-sale--though I thought I read that Trinity is the future for sales now besides Rebellion.  Some people like Entrenchment more.

No one followed up much the first time I asked Yes--I apparently killed a thread) and I had it appearing to work, but it didn't display the effects properly and saved files were broken as I later learned.

I had a working version on my old Win 32 but had never used it.  My Win 7 seems to hate Sins tools.  3D Object Converter just broke on me for no reason as an example.  The XSI tool bugs and crashes, my Nvidia plug-in for Photoshop doesn't get the alpha channels right, the mesh reizer doesn't work for me, etc., etc.

I actually have very little modeling to do on what I am putting together.  The cargo-objective box (done--thanks again Lavo) and this model.  That's all I have at the moment. I do have models for particle effect add-ons for my custom strike craft but haven't planned to add them as they are pretty minor cosmetics.  One blown up planet is the other thing I may add.

Turns out I came up with a final version of the above model I like much better and would have loved to rotate it just because it incorporates two genuine optical illusions.  I also wanted a unique exhaust trail but I think I may have a particle effect almost usable for  that.

But yeah, start me on repairing PF.  I would like to fix that.

Ok, thank you for your opinion, Simperium.  I was going to make an Original sins version and an Entrenchment version, but I decided to ask before I made it, because I didn't want to waste my time making them if I didn't need to.

I'll eventually finish this.

Not that I know of.