[3DS] Civ4 NIf Exporter Opacity Tutorial

[Razorwing]

-WIKI-

-=Download Max Scenes=- for this tutorial.

It's a 7-zip archive. 7-zip is a freeware zip program which can be downloaded from 7-zip.org. It can achieve superior compression compared to any other zip program out there.

View Example Image

What you need for this tutorial:
- 3D Studio Max v8.0
- Civ4 Nif Exporter
- DXTBmp (maybe)
- NifSkope (and knowing how to set up texture paths in nifs through it)

In most cases these days, us 3D Studio Max modellers use gundalf's exporter, which is a very impressive and nifty tool. Before gundalf created his exporter, we had to use the Civilization IV NIF exporter instead. The Civ4 exporter is a very competent tool, with an amazing set of options... that have no bearing on Oblivion. It does have a few unique capabilities, however.

One of them is it's ability to export doublesided textures, which for instance means that if you're making a sheet of treated leather you only need to have polygons on one side and then they are automatically mirrored on the other - which can save you a bit of work as well as save you hundreds of faces in your budget without affecting the visuals. That effect is most useful, in the few specific cases where it's needed.

Another, much more common use of the Civ4 Nif Exporter over gundalf's exporter, is its ability to export transparant textures. The point of them is to give the illusion of complexity without adding to the poly count, and when used appropriately they can yield fantastic results. Bethesda use the method all the time. The leaves of a flower is one case where it's useful, frizzy edges on a rug (which is the example of this tutorial) is another.

Go ahead and open up the tutorial scene in 3D Studio Max. You'll see a top-down view of a rug, which uses textures from the Morrowind texture replacement mod "Morrowind Visual Pack". There are three textures in play; one for the center (Rug01.dds), one for the borders on the long ends (Rug03bd.dds), and one for the frizz on the short ends (RugBD01.dds). If you examine the latter texture you'll see it looks like it has pink paint on it. This is the way the texture's alpha layer looks - the one that creates the transparancy effect.

[blockquote]On a sidenote, if you would like to learn more about creating your own transparant textures, I'd like to recommend my old Morrowind Icon Guide. I wrote it years ago, for Morrowind modders in mind, on how to create icons for that game - but believe it or not, the same method works for creating transparant textures for use with Oblivion. All made possible by that little gem of a program, DXTBmp, which lets you create transparant DDS textures with a few easy clicks. It's especially handy for those of us - like me - who don't use Photoshop, though I imagine even Photoshop users would find the program has it's advantages.

The program, which is freeware and created by MWGraphics (no relation to Morrowind) can be downloaded from our database. Start by creating a texture where the part you want to be transparant is absolutely pitch black. Load it up in DXTBmp. Select "Alpha > Create Alpha Channel (Black)". If you get a popup, press Yes (some file formats, like tga I think, create defunct alpha channels by default, which the program replaces). Now the image is displayed in black and white on the small screen to the upper right. The visible part should be white, the invisible black. Now go to "Alpha > Apply Alpha to Image" and the black part will turn transparant grey in the main window. Lastly, go to "File -> Save as -> DDS Texture". The file format MUST be "DDS DXT1", otherwise it won't work. Presto, you're done.[/blockquote]

Right then. If you haven't already, open up the material editor in the tutorial scene and check out the middle material slot, "Tx_Rug_FrizzyEdge". Notice it has two maps set up. Usually when modelling Oblivion models you only set up the Diffuse map, since that's the only one that can be exported. In this case, when we want to export a transparant texture through the Civ4 Nif Exporter, we'll make use of the Opacity map slot too. As you can see, both the diffuse and opacity slot uses Image Alpha as the Alpha Source, *but*, the diffuse slot uses RGB Intensity as the Mono Channel Output whereas the opacity map uses Alpha as the Mono Channel Output. This is what makes it work.

Notice that in the material editor slot for Tx_Rug_FrizzyEdge there is a checkbox called "2-Sided"? If you check the box, you get to export the two-sided textures I mentioned above. It's not checked on this model because the player can never peek under the rug. If he could, he'd also notice it doesn't have an underside, so. No peeking. But if you're interested in doublesided textures I thought I'd mention it, since this is probably the only tutorial I'll write relating to the Civ4 Nif Exporter.

You might also notice that both the maps are rotated minus ninety degrees. This is just a technical solution I happened to choose when mapping the rug and doesn't have any bearing on the technique. You can control the mapping to different extents in two ways, either in the material editor or in the uvw mapping modifier on your model. The latter is usually best, but doing it in the material editor means you can for instance manipulate the maps on collapsed and/or attached meshes. That's not the case here, but... oh well, it doesn't matter *whistles innocently* Both ways can be exported.

Keep in mind that the Civ4 Exporter can't export collision, meaning you should only use it on models that don't need it. Rugs don't, for instance, because the player can't pick them up and since they lie flat on the floor it doesn't look odd at all that he walks inside them, since it's not very obvious in-game. Plants are another example, assuming you don't mind that the player can't pick ingredients from them, seeing as the player can walk into Bethesda's plants as well. Which is a good thing, because you don't want players getting stuck on carrots or walking on strawberry bushes.

If you haven't used the Civ4 Exporter before you may be unaware of the fact that it doesn't export texture paths correctly. You need to open your nif in NifSkope and set them up manually. The textures I use are usually in a folder called "ST" in the "textures" folder, so I paste
textures\ST\
to the right of the flowers.

You're free to use my rug mesh if you like, if you credit me.


The old article:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Razorwing's Civ4 NIf Exporter Opacity Tutorial
-----------------------------------------------------------
>ESF Thread
>w4o thread
>PS thread
>CI & HD Thread
Emma's Forum thread
>Planet ElderScrolls thread [size=1](wish I had time to bother with their crazed bbcode... but I don't)
>TES Source forums

DISCLAIMER: I don't see myself as an expert on this subject and with this tutorial I'm not aspiring to show you the possibly best way to do this - just the way I do it myself, and which I've found works.

Download example files
(55kb 7-zip archive)

What you'll need for this tutorial:
- "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" + "TES Construction Set", obviously
- "3D Studio Max v8.0"
- "Paint Shop Pro 7.04" or later
- "DDS Converter", by Yannick 'Bluehair' Leon
- The Civ4 NIF Exporter plugin for 3D Studio Max

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STEP ONE
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The first step is to find which texture you want to use. Google Imagesearch is a really good resource. You'll want an image that is as crisp and clear as possible (the larger the better). If you can, scan something - that's both a good way to be absolutely sure you own the copyright as well as getting it the way you want it. Anyway, that's not the focus of this tutorial so I'll move on assuming you have a nice texture to work with.

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STEP TWO
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It might be good to mention that your texture has to be sized to a power of 2 for it to show up at all. Powers of 2 are: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096 etc (you probably don't want to go higher than 2048 or you might hog too much video memory when playing, but test it out and see). In fact I don't think you would even be able to convert it to .dds if it's not sized to a power of 2. If you have a picture you want to use and it's, say, 224x116 large, you shouldn't resize the whole picture to 128x64 just because of that... instead, go to "Image > Canvas Size" and set it to the nearest power of 2 that won't force you to resize the image downward. It doesn't really matter where the image is on the canvas, since you'll control that through the mapping in 3D Studio Max.

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STEP THREE
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Now that you have your texture, fill in the parts of it that you would like transparant with the color #FF00FF (bright pink). It really has to be that exact color. You can either set the #FF00FF color as the background and then use the magic wand to select the areas and then press DEL when you're satisfied. Or you could use Flood Fill from the start. Which of those are easiest depends on the texture.

This corresponds with how the tutorial file "Razorwings_CIV4_NIF_Exporter_Opacity_Tutorial_TextureExample01.psd" is set up.

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STEP FOUR
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Now comes the tricky part (at least for me it is). You'll want to separate this image to two layers, save the pink layer to the alpha channel, and move the alpha channel layer to the bottom of the stack.

What I did was that I:
? selected all the pink (using the magic wand)
? then "Selections > Invert"
? "Selections > Promote to Layer"
? "Selections > Save to Alpha Channel" (just click ok, doesn't matter what you name it I think)
? Now, in the "Layers" menu, select the other layer at the bottom of the drop-down list (which isn't a layer yet)
? "Layers > Promote to Layer"
? "Layers > Arrange > Bring to Top"
? And now your layer stack should look like in 'Razorwings_CIV4_NIF_Exporter_Opacity_Tutorial_proper_layer_stack.jpg'. The important thing is that the 'Promoted Selection' layer is at the bottom
? Right, now save your image as a "Photoshop (*.psd)" file. This is how the tutorial file 'Razorwings_CIV4_NIF_Exporter_Opacity_Tutorial_TextureExample02.psd' is set up.

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STEP FIVE
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Fire up "DDS Converter" and locate the .psd file you saved, and export it with the default options.
Generating mipmaps is a really good idea, it makes your texure more efficient when viewed from afar.
Corresponding with this step is "Razorwings_CIV4_NIF_Exporter_Opacity_Tutorial_TextureExample02.dds".

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STEP SIX
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Open up 3D Studio Max and the material editor and start a new material. Use the default Blinn shader, it's easier to work with than the CivilizationIV shader when it comes to opacity. The easiest is probably to open the tutorial file "Razorwings_CIV4_NIF_Exporter_Opacity_Tutorial_maxscene.max".

In case you're using a different version of Max I'll try to explain it, and have included the picture "Razorwings_CIV4_NIF_Exporter_Opacity_Tutorial_maxrender.jpg" so you can quickly see how the max scene looks.

Set up your DDS texture in both the Diffuse and Opacity slots.
? The Diffuse slot should have the default settings;
Mono Channel Output = RGB Intensity
RGB Channel Output = RGB
Alpha Source = Image Alpha

? The Opacity slot on the other hand should have:
Mono Channel Output = Alpha
RGB Channel Output = RGB
Alpha Source = Image Alpha

If you've done everything right up until now and set it up correctly in Max, the material will display with opacity in the render viewport.

Right then. Export your model as a NIF using the CivilizationIV exporter (and make sure to bake the textures into the NIF, otherwise it won't work). Place it somewhere in the "Oblivion\Meshes" folder. If you don't have a "Meshes" folder, create one. It's a good idea to create a subdir in "Meshes" and gather all your NIFs in one place.

Feel free to check out the included .esp + NIF in the CS to see how this example turned out in-game. Just doubleclick the interior cell "aaaaaaRazorwingsTutorialCell" to see the transparant thingimajig.

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STEP SEVEN
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And... you're done. All that's left to do is to go into the TES Construction Set, add a new entry in an appropriate list, supply an ID and search for your NIF.

I hope this tutorial has been informative to those who want to experiment with opacity and the Civ4 exporter. It's a tutorial I would have liked to have read myself, so, chances are someone else out there might benefit. Feel free to distribute it however you wish as long as it's apparant that I wrote it.

Happy modelling : D

/Razorwing 2006-04-13
razorwing@silgrad.com
www.silgrad.com[/size]

[Razorwing]

ARRRGH... been trying for hours now and I just can't stop the pink color from the alpha layer bleeding over into the color layer. X(

I attached a screenie to show what the effect looks like, as well as texture reference files in case someone wants to check.

I don't get what I'm doing wrong. How come the opacity setup worked on the fireflower, comberry bush, etc but refuse to work on the dandelion? I tried every concievable way I could think of to stop it from bleeding, but it just didn't work. Neither do I know where the problem comes from in the process - whether it's in PSP, or with the DDS converter, or the 3D Studio Max settings... but my gut tells me the problem is with the original texture rather than the convertor or Max since I've gotten it to work before, but I wouldn't swear by it. The opacity on the old textures from Morrowind Visual Pack work perfectly by the way, so I must be doing something wrong ...but what that is, I just don't know.

[Zarf]

Try it with different, premade maps. Maybe you have an export issue or something. I took a look at the maps, and the most common cause of this is not present. Usually, when somebody gets this stuff it's because they used the blur tool and it began to blend into the pink.

Surely your exporter is blending colors at some point.

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by Zarf
Try it with different, premade maps. Maybe you have an export issue or something. I took a look at the maps, and the most common cause of this is not present. Usually, when somebody gets this stuff it's because they used the blur tool and it began to blend into the pink.

Surely your exporter is blending colors at some point.

Ha ha ha HAA! Thankyou very much Zarf, your post helped me focus on that area of the process - and it turns out you were completely right. Problem solved (and screenie attached).

When I got back into working with DDS textures recently I had a memory in the back of my mind that I used to use two programs back in the day when I was modding for TES3 and created transparant DDS icons. I wrote a tutorial about it back then (link), which your post made me think about. I thought to myself, "Hmm, back then I didn't have any problems with transparancies, maybe what I knew then would work for the new game as well?"

Reading my tutorial again I was reminded that it was *DXTBmp* I used... not Bluehair's "DDS Converter" ! I downloaded DXTBmp, fired up the program and followed my old notes, and sure enough - it works perfectly for TES4 as well, and the pink smear is nowhere to be seen. To hell with "DDS Converter"

Thanks again! Now I'm going to fix all the models I've added + set up the ones I kept in the wings.

[Zarf]

Hehe. I'm glad we got this one sorted out.

So. Keep that in mind, if you are getting pink edges around your models, make sure your DDS converter isn't bluring maps.

[Siegfried]

This guy says he got new armor into the game using Civ4 and Nifskope http://www.elderscrolls.com/forums/index...pic=399275

[Zarf]

Looks legit to me! Maybe he would be so kind as to send us the .Max file he used so we can get to making armor.

[Razorwing]

I'm attaching a little reminder to myself: