ItsTheStain

Ethreon: Thanks for clearing that up! I'm pretty sure I've found the file I need; working on it now. montky: No idea what all you're talking about but it sounds cool! I just want this lamp to function like a typical vanilla workshop light -- I don't think I'm ready for the cooler stuff just yet.

Thanks for the reply! Could you clarify on what hkx file I'll need to add? Is it found in the Bethsoft Utilities Tool or another one? Alright, I've been looking at the workshop lights in NifSkope under the pretense of trying to "reverse engineer" them, and of these three lights (the hanging light bulb, the industrial wall light, and one of the high tech floor lamps) I've noticed the following: Each one has a BSBehaviorGraphExtraData Block. There's a utility in 3DS Max called BSBehaviorGraphData, so I'm guessing that's where it is created. Is this the hkx file you mentioned?On the industrial and high tech lights, the GlassGlow piece (the part of the light that is animated) is contained in its own NiNode (since its a separate object) with its BSTriShape block as well as a NiVisController.Within the BSTriShape block is a BSEffectShaderProperty and NiAlphaProperty block. Within the BSEffectShaderProperty block is a BSEffectShaderPropertyFloatController, within which is then a NiBlendFloatInterpolator and a BSEffectShaderProperty.Like This: -> BSTriShape ->-> BSEffectShaderProperty ->->-> BSEffectShaderPropertyFloatController ->->->-> NiBlendFloatInterpolator ->->->-> BSEffectShaderProperty ->-> NiAlphaProperty Within the NiVisController is a NiBlendBoolInterpolator and a reference back to the GlassGlow NiNode.So it's likely that the bulb is a BSEffectFX with an Alpha property.Another question: Under the Alpha section of this material editor, when I choose Standard or None for Blend Mode, the light bulb appears completely opaque regardless of what the Base value is. When I choose Additive and Multiplicative, the bulb turns slightly transparent and light/dark (respectively) and again cannot be affected by the Base Alpha value. Can anyone explain a reason for this? ->->->->

After having a relatively easy time creating an animated room divider for the workshop, I wanted my next piece to be a floor lamp; unfortunately, the animation for a light seems to be more complex. Not creating the actual light effects, but animating the texture of the light bulb so that it's consistent with the light it's meant to put out. (Here's an image of the whole piece, sans texture) http://i.imgur.com/7Z14dIO.png What I know so far: A typical workshop light (the hanging bulb, High Tech lights) is composed of a full mesh with the bulb included and a "false" light bulb over the in-mesh one that is scaled up to cover the original. It's on this larger light bulb that the actual animation takes place.The animation itself is of the material on the light bulb, from dark to light color and back againThere's no separate material made outside of 3DS Max, so whatever is done on the light is done directly in the Material Editor in the programThere are typically four animation states for a workshop light: UnpoweredOn, On, Off, UnpoweredOffWhat I'm trying to figure out: In the Material Editor, I think the material type that should be used is a BSEffectFX?What settings I should use for the material if it even is a BSEffectFX.What some of the settings even do. I don't understand the Alpha tab and Blend Mode settings although I feel that they are important.Should the light bulb have any Havok physics on it? Or could I just leave it without?Why are there UnpoweredOn/Off states for animation? I'm guessing they're necessary, since several lights have them.Here are my Material Settings. The only thing that the animation changes is the base color. http://i.imgur.com/WgdKJIR.png If anyone has any sort of advice to offer, I'd greatly appreciate it -- especially concerning the Material Settings.