Could use some help with body weight painting in Outfit Studio

[Crimsomrider]

In order to finally start on my planned mod to add some new types of accessories like holsters, necklaces, armbands, straps and weapons-on-back models, I need to use body weight paint.

 

However, whenever I try to apply a body weight paint onto the mesh, that body part becomes terribly disfigured. If anyone is willing to provide a few tips and pointers or even throw a guide, I'd welcome any help.

 

Here's what I do :

 

- I import a mesh and click on it in the Outfit Studio

- I then go into the Bone weights, highlight them all > right click > Delete From Selected Shapes (so that I can apply a new body weight)

- Now that the mesh no longer has any body weight, I apply a body weight paint to the area where I want that body weight.

 

For this example, I'm trying to put some body weight onto the knife holster that is strapped around the arm.

 

http://i.imgur.com/0Jq0kum.png

 

- Then I look over at the FemaleBody and check which body weight is the closest to the one I need

- Once I found it, in this case it being LArm_UpperFar_skin, I go back to the knife bone weighs and apply the paint

 

But once I do that, the arm of the female body becomes terribly disfigured in the Creation Kit viewer and the knife is floating 3 meters away from the original spot.

 

In order to start making some really cool mods, I need to learn how to properly use these. If anyone is up for throwing a few tips, please do. Anything can help.

Edited October 18, 2016 by crimsomrider

[DWooT]

I'm struggling with some of that myself. To start I would suggest using the "automatic" body weighting that OS provides. Select the sheath, Rt-Click & Copy Bone Weights. The tool will then try to do the work for you. I believe that you do not have to remove any bone weighting first to use the Copy Bone Weights.

 

I've had a little bit of success simply using that approach when moving holsters, pouches and such. I have found that long items such as barrels or swords will still bend when viewed in game. So don't know how to tweak that well enough yet. I've also found that the default radius for Copy Bone Weights isn't always enough. Stuff further from the body may need a bit of extra love. You'll find that out if you go to save and it warns about some points don't have weighting.

 

The easiest way to resolve when no weighting I have found is to disable textures so the masking for the unweighted area is easier to find. Then select the item with the problem. Remove mask. Re-do Copy Bone Weights with a larger radius. Or you can manually touch up the small areas yourself. But I've not had good luck doing it that way.

[Crimsomrider]

Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely try fiddling some more.

 

I actually learned a bit by doing it manually. Some areas are very easy to paint bone weights, like the items that are put on the head/face. I managed to make a visor by just painting the HEAD bone weight. I also read on some other forum that body parts that have joints are extremely tricky to do because of all the moving parts.

 

Anyway, I appreciate the reply. Any bit of info helps in the long run ^^

[Deleted477949User]

Import your reference mesh 1st. Then your new mesh. Use bone weight copy or copy selected weights to get your initial weights then clean them up with the paint brush. After that build skin partitions and export. I've found that breaking this routine or changing the order can lead to mess ups.

[Crimsomrider]

Thanks for the reply ^^

 

I actually started figuring out bone weights and finally started making my accessories mod. Thanks so much ^^

[DWooT]

Happy if I was able to help at all. Just trying to pay it forward of all the great help I've received from other mod authors.

 

If you have any special tips or tricks send me a PM and I'll try to get them into my ongoing Tutorial "Notes" mod located here: http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/18438/?

[Crimsomrider]

Happy if I was able to help at all. Just trying to pay it forward of all the great help I've received from other mod authors.

 

If you have any special tips or tricks send me a PM and I'll try to get them into my ongoing Tutorial "Notes" mod located here: http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/18438/?

 

I sent this to someone that asked me how it's done, but here's what I pretty much do :

 

- First you "Load a Reference" body through Outfit Studio

- Then you import the mesh you want to place onto the body

- You place the mesh onto the body and then right-click on it and "Copy Bone Weights"

- Then you go into the BONES tab and scroll through all the bones to see if your mesh has been painted.

- Find what bone is painted closest to the center of your mesh, then highlight each bone you don't need and right-click > delete from selected shapes.

 

*For example, for the knife on the shoulder, I just left the LARM_UPPERARM_SKIN and painted that fully red. I had other bone weights that were copied over, but you just need one. Otherwise, the mesh will bend along the arm.

 

- Then you just open the brush slider, turn the STRENGTH to maximum and paint over the entire mesh.

- Export the mesh with reference. Then load it up again and delete the body. Voila.

Edited October 25, 2016 by crimsomrider