[LiveWire]

Personaly, i much prefer AC3D over milkShape 3D, much faster, and easyer. you could try using ac3d for modeling, and milkShape for animating(if you download the AC3D plugin pack, it support milkShape 3D file Impoting/Exporting), Have you looked at the CharaterFX animation tool link in my post ubove? CharaterFX is a great program, (and cheaper than milkShape 3D) you might want to look into that.

Yes it is possible to animate models in openGL using your own 3d animating tool but this would take a while to write, have to be fairly user frendly, and would need a good understanding of matrix math. ill give you a simple idea of hows its done(forgive if im being to basic)

First a model, as you know, is made up of an array of 3d vertexs(points),
To animate the model you have to move/rotate its vertexs along a set path. you can do this by asigning each vertex to a matrix(commonly nown as a bone) that you create in you animation tool,
there can be several diferent matrixs(bones) in a model(one for the left arm, one for the head, one for the right leg, ect...).
the models vertexs will always be transformed by its matrix, therefor, when you rotate the matrix, you rotate the vertexs assigned to it.
In you animation tool you make Key Frames(different set locations/rotations of each matrix in the model) you can then smothly animate(move/rotate) each matrix to its next keyframe state

youd want your animation tool have features somthing like this:

-Open AC3D files
-Create and Edit Bones(modifyed matrixs, with kids/parents, name, and reference of vertexs)
-Be able to select each vertex/group of vertexs, and assign it to a bone
-Create KeyFrames out of the bones
-Save the KeyFrames, into a seperate file

youd want your game to:

-Load AC3D files, and Load your Animation tools files(keyframes, ect..)
-smoothly animate your models vertexs, form one keyframe to the next

thats a very basic overview of the way it works, again sorry if i have been to basic(you said you where very very new to this)

if you need any more help, please ask.
thanks

Philip