Simplest way to get into custom texturing? I have some basic modeling knowledge

[fftfan]

I'm going to complete a PC custom build for Fallout 4/Skyrim SE and I'd really love to create mods to share with the community(mainly on Nexus but some also on consoles). It's been an off-and-on interest as I needed to understand PC hardware in order to be able to plan and budget a custom PC build. In the meantime it's hard to try creating anything as my current PC either doesn't run the games at an acceptable state or at all, which means I can't really get a play-through going or test anything. I don't think it'd be acceptable to try to release anything blind with absolutely zero testing.

 

But now I will complete the PC in May or June as all that are remaining to be purchased are the GPU, mobo and an SSD.

 

The big issue for me in terms of skills has been understanding the texturing workflow with new textures. I can do some texturing by combining different images as layers and adjusting the settings but this is still limited in what can be created and it often would mean you can't make the resulting texture blend well into Fallout 4. I'd like to do complex projects like a detailed custom outfit or weapon but I first want to start with something simple to be a 101 project. After that I can move onto harder projects and come back and improve the first one as I learn more.

 

 

The current first project I'm thinking of doing is the ninja headband from Naruto with customizable engravings and color options which can be changed in armor workbench. Some engraving options from both Naruto and Fallout 4/possibly also TES. The cloth material and metal forehead protector would ideally have realistic/semi realistic textures, as opposed to how they look in cell-shaded games like the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series.

 

Fallout 4 engravings:

 

Main choices:

• Minutemen
• Brotherhood of Steel
• Institute
• Railroad
• Gunners
• Raiders
• Enclave
• Operators/Disciples/The Pack

ETC: Nuka-Cola, Vault-Tec, Vault numbers like 111 / 88, NCR, Legion, Others like the UCO decal options

 

 

Naruto engravings:

 

Main choices:

• Konohagakure
• Sunagakure
• Kirigakure
• Iwagakure
• Otogakure
• Allied Shinobi Forces

ETC: Akatsuki, Hoshigakure, Getsugakure, Amegakure, Kusagakure, Mount MyÅboku, Takigakure, Uzushiogakure, Yugakure

 

 

 

 

Other potential modification options later on:

 

Color options: navy blue, black, red, purple, brown, dark green, white, gray

 

Different types of cloth material for the headbands, ranging from ragged types for scavengers/raiders to materials that fit well with faction outfits.

 

Different styles like these characters to name a few:

Kakashi Hatake, Gekko, Zabuza Momochi, Jiraiya

 

Wearing it on the arm, neck, belt

Metal protector only, like it's attached to clothing

Different fitting options for larger clothing or slimmer

 

I think the best option would be copying Guidion's Shirtless mods and have a Shirt/Outfit category on the headband that turns it into a layered outfit like this:

Konoha Armband (BOS Uniform)

that equips you with a version of BOS uniform with the armband added, already fitted to the outfit.

Others examples:

• Konoha Armband (Institute Black labcoat)
• BOS Armband (Science Scribe)
• Railroad Armband (Railroad Mk V)
• Minutemen Belt(Minutemen General)

With the customization you choose if you want lore friendly or if it doesn't matter. Logo, color and material customization are free though mods like lining, ballistic weave are not

 

more detail below

 

 

I don't know how adjustable the bone weighting system will be but I'd like a displacement setting for fitting it to various outfits with less or no clipping, either as full or metal protector only:

• Displacement 0 for Vaultsuit, Marine Wetsuit, BOS Uniform
• Displacement 1 for Road Leathers
• Displacement 9 for thick outfits like Traveling Leather Coat, Winter Jacket, Railroad armored coat
• Displacement 10 for it to be tied over the armor, like tying it over Sturdy/Heavy Combat Arm armor. Though I don't know if the bone weighting system would play well with this and it may not end up working well. Stuff like Robot Armor or Buttressed/Welded Raider armor will always have clipping.

Another option is adding it as a badge/armband modification option onto vanilla outfits like BOS Uniform, Minutemen outft, Synth Uniform, etc. But I don't want to create modding conflicts with mods like UCO, Legendary modifications, Freemaker, etc. Breaking these mods is a no-go. Perhaps the category could be added via script so it gets added but doesn't replace the existing setup. This would be set up in a second ESP that also contains this function, with the main not including it. Ideally the main version only adds modifications to the headband itself to avoid any modding conflicts.

 

 

 

About ports of the mod and the legal stuff

 

Part of the reasoning behind making this topic is verifying that this is indeed okay under the Nexus' rules. I believe it would fall under fair use as long as it's never sold or used for profit and I have observed mods featuring custom models/textures based on existing properties on Skyrim Nexus and Fallout 4 Nexus. If I am incorrect I will plan to do a different project instead as I'd like to be able to release this to get feedback to improve. I'd like to improve my skills so I can create more things with higher quality that I want and hopefully the community also wants.

 

To make it clear for Skyrim/TES VI versions:

I will not make available the combined Fallout 4 outfits like BOS uniform with armband into other games. No game assets being included. Only the headband itself which is to be made from scratch without using existing assets and separate modifications would be made for TES VI using its probably updated armor modification system. Skyrim doesn't have an armor modification system so it'll only get basic inclusion ie. Static headband/armbands with various configurations, probably only a few.

 

 

Readme will forbid porting the mod without permission and anybody with permission has to follow fair use. No selling of the mod, etc. Any relevant laws being broken=permission to share is revoked. Pretty much I'd like to do it myself unless it turned out one of the ace modders from here wanted to.

 

 

 

 

 

Programs I have:

Photoshop

GIMP 2

Zbrush

Blender 2.49b(will look into instead installing the more current version when I get new PC set up)