Stitching different models together?

[geKo_]

I am kind of new to modeling; I need to chop up the vilager model and give it some different bone animations. I will need to make a different model for each different weapon type in my game.
2H sword = villager model with arthas' bone animations
dual wield = villager with fire panda's bone animations
bow = villager with archer bone animations
etc......
I need to know what programs, other than mago's, I will need to do something like this, and how I would do this with those programs.

 

[expresso]

BlizzImporter has an animation transfer option. I haven't used it personally though.

As the importer states, it requires 3ds max 5. Dunno about any other animation transfer options out there.

 

[Rao Dao Zao]

http://www.oinkerwinkle.com

 

[expresso]

Oh of course. Well that's what I get for being such a closed-minded 3DS 5 user =D

I wonder if for your peasant project you wouldn't want to just make a single model and use triggers in your map for each item type? But then you'd have to do a lot of dope sheet work and trigger work, but then if you customized your hero further you would just have 1 mesh to worry about, you know?