File directory(In my case) is here.

D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\workshop\content\281990\2838228491\gfx\models\ships


For example, if you want to change the SA_01 Corvette ship model with existing one(From Normandy to Corvette),

1. Open the sa_01 folder and open _sa_01_ships_entities.asset file.(Notepad ++ recommended)

2. Ctrl+F to find Corvette codes easily.

3. You can find the Normandy codes.(sa_01_normandy_frame_mesh). Just change it into "sa_01_corvette_frame_mesh". Simple!


If you want to revive Escort Carrier models and share with existing Battle Cruiser models,


1. Open the sa_01 folder and open _sa_01_captainx3_entities_Battlecruiser.asset(Of course Notepad)

2. You can see "Frame, Bow, Mid, Stern" code collection. And Frame has "sa_01_battlecruiser_frame_mesh" and all Bow, Mid, Stern section has "empty_mesh" code. By this code, ALL Battlecruiser type ships would shown as "sa_01_battlecruiser_frame_mesh", cuz empty_mesh is just empty invisible model.

3. So, if you want to make ship model changeable, set Frame codes as "empty_mesh" and select one of the ship section codes(Bow, Mid, Stern), and change "empty_mesh" to "sa_01_battlecruiser_frame_mesh" and "sa_01_lightcarrier_frame_mesh".
3-1. Sounds really similar, right? Yup. Corvette codes explained right just before.

4. Problem is: you would never know which code is connected in which type in game! That means, you want to change the "Battleship spitfire type model", but in game, it changed the "Battleship Artillery type model"!

What should I do? Maybe there would be easy way, but~ in my case, BRUTE FORCE! XD


If you want to change ship models from root.


Well that's really ugly. You have to model your ship's 3D model(with some dds file for ship painting) and convert it into Stellaris-friendly!

But once you made it, then what's left is just adjustments of the code... from "_sa_01_ships_meshes.gfx".

Maybe I can explain about the work that has already done by CaptainX3(Code changed from existing Science Ship model to Tempest from ME:Andromeda).

1. Make model, convert it, and merge into mod folder.(gfx\models\ships\sa_01) Name it whatever you want. In this case, Tempest.

2. Open the "_sa_01_ships_meshes.gfx", and find science ship.

3. Adjust file route from "gfx/models/ships/sa_01/sa_01_science_alt.mesh" to "gfx/models/ships/sa_01/Tempest.mesh"

4. That's it! "sa_01_science_frame_mesh" code now shows the Tempest.


Of course, you can add orbital station models if you have it. In this case, habitat. Brand-new codes, right?

1. Well you should find out main codes from Stellaris files. AND prep 3D mesh files!

2. Find out which code effects the orbital habitat in vanilla entities(For example, _humanoid_01_ships_entities.asset. Phase 1 effected by humanoid_01_orbital_station_mesh)

3. Then find the codes in ships_meshes.gfx(For example, You can find 'humanoid_01_orbital_station_mesh' code in '_humanoid_01_ships_meshes.gfx' file.)

4. Copy and paste it, from "humanoid_01_ship_meshes.gfx" to "sa_01_ship_meshes.gfx"and adjust the file route from gfx/models/ships/humanoid_01/humanoid_01_orbital_station.mesh to gfx/models/ships/sa_01/(File name).
4-1. Or, just total name adjustments for separation with other models.

5. Also Copy and paste it habitat phases from humanoid01 entities to sa01 entities. And adjust the pdxmesh codes from result of 4 or 4-1.

Note: In this case(humanoid_01), orbital habitat shares with space port models. So I recommend 4-1. And sa_01 uses military station codes as Space Port Station(NSC2 issue I presume, CaptainX3 is lead dev of NSC2)


And that's it! Not good at explain, hope this would helpful.