Lost the View Window in Max

[Nighthawk]

You can get the latest version of NifSkope HERE.

[Siegfried]

Thanks for the link I've downloaded it but do I want to obj import or export the weapon to get it into max?

[Zarf]

I almost allways have the Perspective viewport maximized. I'm good enough with moving things along an axis (In fact, I usually type it in just to be perfectly accurate) that I don't have to switch back and forth between different views. Whenever I do switch to another viewport, it's usully to select faces or vertices that line up.

In order to get an OBJ file in to 3DS Max, you will have to open the .NIF in NIFskope, right click on individual sections of the model, click "Mesh" and then "Export .OBJ".

Open up 3DS Max, go to File -> Import, and select the file you need. Make sure you have .OBJ or All Files listed in that dialouge.

[Siegfried]

Thansk Zarf. Got it converted into obj. and into max but whats the pivot point and how do I set one? Yeah, I know, I'm a helpless noob...

[gundalf]

The pivot point is the point of the object where all transforms (rotation, scale, translation) are relative to. To set it, activate the third tab ofthe right panel. Then select "Affect Pivot Only". A pivot item will appear in the viewports. Move it to where you want to and then deactivate "Affect Pivot Only".

[Zarf]

A "Pivot" is the center point of an object. If you rotate it, it will rotate around the pivot. If you move the pivot to the center of a model, it will rotate around the center. Move it to the side, and the rotation will look lopsided. VERY helpfull with making pistons, folding antennae, or whatever. Max assigns a pivot to each object automaticly. I'll upload some screenshots for you.

EDIT: Here we go. First off, this is what your OBJ importer thing should look like.



Now then. For your pivot: The pivot is exactly as Gundalf said. The centerpoint of an object, though not neccisarily the exact center of the mesh. You can change it. Here we see a piston looking thing, but the pivot is near the top.



Go to the Hierarchy menu, then click Affect Pivot Only.



As you can see here, the pivot is 40 units above the ground.



Moving it to 0 won't help. We want it in the middle of the end peice there, where the X is.



Convert it to an editable mesh (Edit Poly is superior, and available from the same right-click menu) and select the center vertice. Here, it is 10 units above 0, and 5.5 units on the X axis. That doesn't matter.



Simply Go back to Affect Pivot Only (Hit the Heirarchy menu again) and move the pivot up to 10.



It will now rotate along the center of that bulb at the end. VERY useful for hydraulics and stuff.

[Siegfried]

Thanks for all the help guys :goodjob: This morning I followed your instrucitons and set the pivot and everything up in max, I imported to Nifskope, then brought my 5 minute spear into Oblivion. It wouldn't appear in my character's hand when I told him to equip it, but I'm assuming thats because I gave it claymore collision data, but told the game to treat it as a longsword.

I think I'm going to create spears for each weapon set in the game now, and they'll be free to use to all Beyond Cyrodiil projects, of course someone will have to put textueres on them first