I would like to know what the importance of separating sections of a creature's body into parts is when it comes to Morrowind. Looking at the original Nix-Hound model Bethesda seperated it's legs from its torso and it's feet from its legs using different elements. Is this a must when making new creatures for MW or is it just something done to help with keeping things a bit more orderly and divided? If I simply left the body one complete segment would it affect anything?

I thought that they were maybe sectioning it off at every joint but looking at it that way doesn't make sense, mainly because they skipped separating the mesh by major obvious joints like the elbows and knees on the Nix-Hound.

I ask because I'm wanting to know how I should section off the body parts of my new Nix-Hound model so that it can be animated correctly. (Screenshots below)


http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii35/Wolvman92/Morrowind/?action=view¤t=Nix-HoundComparisonFront.png

http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii35/Wolvman92/Morrowind/?action=view¤t=Nix-HoundComparisonSide.png


Also, why are some of Bethesda's creatures' body parts separated by using only elements and others separated by using completely new objects with new names?

Thanks in advance for any help on the topic.