Collision

[pleasenoname]

I made an oval hut and in blender. Then I "selected all' and chose "Un wrap(projections)". I got a usable unwrap in the right side UV window, "selected all" in the right side UV window and chose a 512x512 ayleid stone texture image (that I had altered with gimp to be whiter and washed out). The image was layed out on the entire square of the UV map window. I exported the .niff and reopened it in nifscope and set the texture path to the folder that contained the ayleid stone dds and saved it in that folder. I linked a new static object in the CS to the NIF I had made that was in the mesh folder.

 

I then successfully tested the 3D object in the game. It was however much smaller than anticipated, having made it from scratch in blender. It was intended as a house, however it was the size of a bird house. I then resized it to be bigger. It has no collision data. The house is based on another culture's houses, that do not have doors, so the interior has to be enterable without a loading screen. I have not added a thatched roof yet, because I want to learn how to get it into the game in totality first.

 

Now I must learn how to put the collision data into the object.

Here is the tutorial that I am following: http://cs.elderscrolls.com/index.php/NifSkope:_Adding_Collision_Model

 

It speaks of low poly model and high poly model and then there is the file that Is cleared of all data except the collision data. The 3 files confuse me. What is the definition of low poly model or high poly model(what do I use for either) and the file cleared of all data except collision, is that one of them or its own thing?

[wetblanket]

Don't use that tutorial, it's out of date. Have a look here instead.

[pleasenoname]

Great I can do it right in blender, that's better.

 

I use Blender 2.49b with python scripts 2.6.2 and have not deviated from that because blender only works with python(2.6.2) in blender version 2.49b. Is there a specific blender version(or python version) necessary to perform the procedures outlined in the link?

 

Also, in regards to modding Skyrim(after I finish the oblivion model); are there differences in modding Skyrim? Can I have 2 different nifscope or blender versions usable on the same computer.

[wetblanket]

Blender 2.49b is the correct version for nif export. Some use the latest version for actual modelling and 2.49 just for export. I know nothing of Skyrim modding but you can have multiple blender installations, just install to different folders.

[pleasenoname]

I was able to get a red collision mesh exported by pulling up the script window picking mesh--hull and then "Box". My structure is shaped more like an oval vitamin though, so I tried the second more detailed method listed in the tutorial and it didn't work out quite right.

 

I opened the nif made with the more detailed method in nifscope. The geometry became missing or little dot of white that couldn't be zoomed in on and I zoomed way out and saw what looked like red collision lines, but it bent and deformed when I rotated it.

[wetblanket]

You are not limited to those premade shapes. Any object you create can be used for collision too. This is generally necessary for complex shapes in particular. For efficiency's sake (size of the final model) it should be an approximation and slightly larger. Depending on how detailed your main mesh is you can just copy it and use that. Try importing a vanilla mesh to see how Beth did it, something round like an Ayleid well would be appropriate.

[pleasenoname]

I resized my mesh. Was able to duplicate my mesh and turn the duplicate into a collision mesh.

I hadn't realized that they were 2 separate mesh. I then noticed the scale option on the blender NIF screen and scaled my NIF some more(to 26). I tested it in game and it worked. I realized that basement blocks need to be put in(like the Bethesda made houses), so that it looks more natural when sunk into the ground.

 

Blender can't export over/onto a previous export of the same name. If it does there may be a corrupted file. Also at the end of working on the collision mesh, the mode and object selection or de-selection must be at a certain state or the mesh will not export correctly. Also when re-naming the texture in nifscope to the filepath of the texture, if the altered filepath is not deselected after editing the changes will not be saved.

 

For some reason nifscope appears to have an option to put collision meshes into objects, but only convex collision, which is only good for solid objects. Convex collision seems to waste much memory, so I don't understand why it would even be used for solid objects.

 

Now I must learn how to smooth out the angular edges on the curve of my building. I was thinking of extruding my entire building to make it thicker, instead of its current paper thin model. However I was wondering if the extrusion of the whole unit would cause too many vertices and thus undue strain on graphics processors?

 

The Bethesda thatch roofs look like the correct type of roof for the building. Is there a way to copy geometry from one blender window to another?