[OBLIVION/3DS] Custom models using .obj & NifSkope

[Razorwing]

A tutorial written by 'EdgeOfForever' on April 10th 2006, which originally appeared on ESF.

[blockquote]Alright, so the method is a little whacky, but it's a lot better than nothing. I don't take credit for this method, it's just the only way I know how to at this point.

First put your textures in your oblivion directory.... like data/textures. Remember the alpha of the color map is your transparency (don't need this probably) and the alpha of your normal map is your spec map. Save the normal map out as "myweapon"_n.dds. I found dxt 3 worked well.

NOTE: If saving as a DDS says too many channels to export, click on your layer and go to layers>flatten image. This will turn your layer back into a background layer and allow you to save.

IMPORTANT: At least for 3ds max, you need to flip your textures vertically! This goes for normal maps too. Otherwise they will be flipped and funky in game.
FOR BLENDER USERS:

(From Darknel)

"What I hadn't found before in Blender - and I hope this helps others - is the object > transform parameters panel (hotkey N). This lets you set the location on the access precisely. Previously I was just trying to manouevre it as an approximation."

On a side note, I would recommend exporting as triangles and include vertex normals (Though I am not too sure about whether or not you should, but it seems like a good idea)

Here's a screenshot of the options tab - I used wavefront obj, videoscape will not work. To clarify, there are two kinds of OBJ files- pick the right one.

[GALLY]post22025_blender.jpg[/GALLY]

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1. Export your mesh in whatever 3d program as an OBJ. Here's a screenshot of the settings you should use:

[GALLY]post22025_settings.jpg[/GALLY]

(Thanks to Saiz)

The import options are polygons and texture coords. Try triangles if polygons gives you trouble. It might also help to have the mesh pre triangulated...that is, don't export an editable poly, export a mesh.

2. Open a similar type of weapon in nifskope (like a claymore if you made a two handed sword). Click on the mesh. One of the rows on the bottom list should be highlighted. Right click it, go to mesh, import obj. Now your mesh should show up. If it isn't placed in roughly the same spot as the old weapon is you need to reposition your weapon in your 3d program and export again. It needs to be near 0,0,0 and in max it needs to be laying flat down.

3. (In Nifskope) Now search for a little flower in the bottom list with a directory listed. Replace the last name (like silverclaymore) with the name of your dds.

Save your nif file in your oblivion directory, like data/meshes/weapons/myweapon. DO NOT PUT IN THE ENTIRE PATH NAME, such as C:/....etc. You should only have to edit the weapon name. (Thanks to CB Mattes for pointing this out)

Now go into the CS, load a cell, and drop it in. Test Havok (Havok simulation under the world tab). If it's banging around, you have collision data! Whoohoo. Make sure the textures are right, the placement is right, and you should be good. Beware, if you made the weapon way too big the collision data will be funky and it;ll fall through the floor.

I'm guessing you can use this method for other things...I will probably release some fist fighter's gauntlets sometime soon, so I'll be able to confirm this then.

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ADDITIONALLY:
(From RedFeather1975)

"ThrottleKitty helped me to add transparency to models today.

In Nifscope open the .nif and right click on the NiTriShape in the menu.
Then choose Node>Attach Property. Set it to add NiAlphaProperty.
Now expand the NiTriShape tree to show NiAlphaProperty and right click that and choose Flags.

Activate 'Enable Testing' and set Alpha Test Function to 'Always'.
Now save the .nif

Now your texture maps' alpha channel controls transparency. If you leave it white, it's opaque. If you darken an area, then the area on that model becomes more transparent in-game.

You can alter clothes using this. Like making a sleeved shirt a sleevless shirt!"
Here's my custom weapon...

[GALLY]post22025_ScreenShot7.jpg[/GALLY]

I am pretty sure my normals were inverted, so that is something I need to fix. Sorry if this was quick, but it's late. I'll get more specific and whatnot if people need more information.[/blockquote]

[trexilence]

(Post Deleted)

[Razorwing]

Ooh, it's NOT my tutorial :O

It was written by EdgeOfForever, and personally I've had no success with this technique. I don't doubt that it works for those who know how to pull it off, it's just not working for me.

[trexilence]

Ahwell, thanks for the reply, anyway! I'm slowly figuring out how to put my own Blender made models into Oblviion, so I'll probably get there one day. At the moment I'm able to put my models into TESIV, but still having trouble with the textures. (They won't load at all.)



Any thoughts on how I can get textures to load?

- Trexilence

[Razorwing]

If it's a "proper" NIF file, i.e. exported by Bethesda, you could use a program like NifSkope to change the textures, but I bet you already knew that.

Other than that the only way I can think of is to do like me, bake the textures into the NIFs by exporting them with the Civ4 exporter for Max. Those kind of NIF files won't open with NifSkope, at least not the ones I tested, so it's hard to edit texture locations in them if exported without baked-in textures. I've tried a few things but ultimately I settled on the "Civ4 with baked-in textures" technique because it's easy, stable, and works - to some extent.

[trexilence]

Good idea, I might try it if their are no other alteratives, but do you need to have 3DS Max to be able to use this CivIV Exporter?

-Trexilence

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by trexilence
Good idea, I might try it if their are no other alteratives, but do you need to have 3DS Max to be able to use this CivIV Exporter?

-Trexilence

Oh yeah, you do
3D Studio Max v6, v7 or v8 works. There's a trial of v8.0 that can be downloaded from autodesk.com. Once you've downloaded it, PM me and I'll show you a trick. :brew:

But you can set things up in for instance Blender and export the .obj and .mtl, then import the same into Max, and just use it for the final export phase. Quick warning though, imported .obj models become dwarfed and need to be sized up a couple thousand percent before they get a proper size. If you get the hang of creating box primitives, which is one of the easiest things one can possibly do, you can draw out a box in the universe and set it's height, width and breadth to a good number and then use it for size reference when you scale the imported model. 128 points equal NPC height, so 64 would reach an NPCs waist, 32 his knee or underarm, etc.

[trexilence]

Thanks for all your help Razorwing, I may try the 3DSMax Plug-in, to check whether it is better than the method I have discovered works just now... (It's pretty much EdgeOfForever's, with my own tweaks.)

1. I created my mesh in Blender.
2. I created a UV template for it (also in Blender), and exported it as a Wavefront .obj file.
3. Opened another .nif file in NifSkope, imported my own .obj.
4. Changed the texture link to my own.



The problem is that this method seems to work as often as not, and I can't get shadows to work. Also, I apologize for not trying your method, but I didn't like the personal information I had to disclose to get that 30 day trial of 3DSMax. I'll search around the internet for another link, but until then, I'm going to try and improve the method I've found that works.

- Trexilence

[Razorwing]

And thankyou for sharing your research into that method.

Originally posted by trexilence
Also, I apologize for not trying your method, but I didn't like the personal information I had to disclose to get that 30 day trial of 3DSMax. I'll search around the internet for another link, but until then, I'm going to try and improve the method I've found that works.

- Trexilence

This form? All that's needed is your email adress, the rest of the information can be spoofed easily. They'll never know who's behind your IP without going through the police, which is impossible, since you're not doing anything illegal by downloading a trial.

[Siegfried]

Here's a thread about it on Planet Elder Scrolls, not sure if there's anyting there that hasn't been already said, but here's the link anyway http://www.forumplanet.com/planeteldersc...id=1876565