Slick's cavern

[slick]

Hello, new to the forums. I would to help create some under ground scenary using 3d studio max. I've created some map for UT2004 using max and was wanting to create some underground areas for this mod. I have studio 9 but am having some issues in creating meshes for Oblivion. If I could get that setup and working I would like to create some underground areas for the team.

[Zurke]

Hello Slick and Welcome to Silgrad Tower

You sound knowledgeable in the workings. I don't do models myself but others here do. Actually some of the team are quite good so I am sure you will find what you need in answers soon.

In the mean time look about at the tutorials or Q&A maybe they will help.

Welcome aboard!

[nick_op]

You'll need the NifTools 3ds Max plugin to be able to export to .nif format.

You'll also want NifSkope for the post export work that needs to be done getting models to work in game.

I'd recommend checking out the tutorials in the modelling section of the CS Wiki for details on how the export process works and what is needed post export. There are also tutorials on these forums.

You can check out the Visual Development board for a list of models that need creating for the mod. You might also want to check out some of the Beyond Cyrodiil projects hosted on these forums, as they are all in need of models.

Hope that helps.

[slick]

Well I got Max 9. I installed max-9-plugins-3.1.2. I got the latest NifSkope. I followed these steps

Using Collision Creation in Version 2.10 of Niftools

Collision Creation in Version 2.10 of Niftools
but I'm not seeing what is on the pics.
I read somewhere that NifSkope creates the collisions without having to create the "bhkCollisionObject" tree.
I also installed the CivizationIV for 3d max but keep getting CivilzationIVMaxplugin.dlu not working error.

[nick_op]

Originally posted by slick
I also installed the CivizationIV for 3d max but keep getting CivilzationIVMaxplugin.dlu not working error.

The Civ IV plugin only works for Max 6-8.

[slick]

Ok got rid of the Civ stuff. So
1. I create box
2. I collapse box.
3. I remove UVW Remove
4. Export as nif with attached settings.

Import in NifSkope 1.0.17 (4329)
I can import but no sure how to create teh collision part.

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by slick
Ok got rid of the Civ stuff. So
1. I create box
2. I collapse box.
3. I remove UVW Remove
4. Export as nif with attached settings.

Import in NifSkope 1.0.17 (4329)
I can import but no sure how to create the collision part.

Hi Slick, and welcome to Silgrad Tower

The tutorial you linked to is rather old and not really up to date with the changes in the new versions of the Max exporter. I use 3D Studio Max v8, so I can't be of much direct help.

But the jist of making a collision mesh these days is to make a lowpoly version of your model. You don't need to remove uvw because that information is ignored when you export collision. After you've created the collision model, add an bhkRigidBody modifier to it. Set the bounding volume to Packed Strips Shape, and set the material to the surface your visible model has (it controls sound- and graphics effects when interacting with it). You can tick the Enable Optimize checkbox to be sure it's as efficient as it should be.

Then add a bhkRigidBody helper object by going to the Create panel, Helpers tab, and select NifTools in the drop-down list. Click the bhkRigidBody button, then click anywhere in the viewport. With the helper selected, go to the Modify panel. On the parameters rollout, click the Add button. With the Add button depressed, press H on your keyboard and select your collision mesh from the list. Then position the helper object at origin.

That should basically be it. If you want more than one material in the same nif it's a bit trickier, but if you make the individual collision meshes I or someone else here would be happy to combine them.

I would suggest unticking Flatten Hierarchy and Collapse Transforms on the export dialog box.

[slick]

Originally posted by Razorwing
Then add a bhkRigidBody helper object by going to the Create panel, Helpers tab, and select NifTools in the drop-down list. Click the bhkRigidBody button, then click anywhere in the viewport. With the helper selected, go to the Modify panel. On the parameters rollout, click the Add button. With the Add button depressed, press H on your keyboard and select your collision mesh from the list. Then position the helper object at origin.

I'm not seeing the NifTools in the Helper area. I do have bhkRigidBodyModifier in the Modify tab though.

Also, I was wondering if someone could make a simple cavern wall collision tutorial video I could watch. I have the cavern made in 3d max just can't figure out how to create collision off my large cavern.

[Razorwing]

Originally posted by slick
I'm not seeing the NifTools in the Helper area. I do have bhkRigidBodyModifier in the Modify tab though.

It should be there. I would have explained where it is more closely, but I posted the video you requested in the other thread. It shows me adding the helper, so perhaps you'll find it in your program after viewing it.

I do have another video that also shows me adding the helper (though in that video I'm making box collision which these days is pretty much outdated.)

Originally posted by slick
Also, I was wondering if someone could make a simple caveren wall collision tutorial video I could watch. I have the cavern made in 3d max just can't figure out how to create collision off my large cavern.

I'm uploading the clip to youtube now. I also uploaded a lower-quality version of it to rapidshare if you want to check it out quickly. It's kinda hard to make out what's going on in the low-quality clip, but perhaps you can make sense of it anyway. Otherwise just hang on for a bit until the youtube clip is up.

The video shows how I created a planar mesh and made it bob and weave via a noise modifier, to make a quick-and-dirty version of a cave wall. I then copied it, removed the modifiers and simplified it, and gave it collision info through the modifier and finally hooked it up to the helper object.

(On a corny sidenote my desktop shows a photograph of the island I grew up on, taken in early January -09 when I was down there visiting my folks)


Edit: Here it is.

[slick]

Thanks that really helped out a lot.
Question.
1. What is the Grid and Snap Settings.Home Grid settings.
2. What is the size of a person (grid size)?
3. Why not Convert to Mesh on any of the meshes? I noticed that you never convert anything.