I'm looking for a way to do this, the only *decent* tutorial I've come across: http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article2079.asp doesn't compile (its trying to instantiate an abstract class). [Edited by - chillypacman on May 7, 2007 10:28:00 PM]

I'd suggest working with the DirectX Samples. The Skinned Mesh sample is a good place to start. The function you want to read about is D3DXLoadMeshHierarchyFromX. It's a lot more complicated than that but if you learn by example like I do rip apart that sample until you understand the concepts. Reading the SDK helps too as it explains key concepts.

Also remember DirectX isn't as direct to the point as its name implies. :) A 'Frame' is a bone in a skeletal hierarchy and the mesh is stored in a MeshContainer in the frame. Skinned meshes store a single mesh in the base frame. Animations are contained and played back in 'Sets' and can be loaded, blended, played and modified using the ID3DXAnimationController interface.

Personally I'm wrestling with my own demons with the .x format. Good luck!

I did look at the directx samples but they looked pretty complex...