UV maps not working for .nif

[Vatueil]

Yes! It is working! I am not understating when I say I am elated that I have finally got the result. I remember dreaming of making custom weapons whilst playing Oblivion (and possibly Morrowind, that was a long time ago), but could never realise my visions due to never gaining enough technical skill with GIMP and Blender.

I feel like a total idiot for wasting your time, KettleWitch. The issue was with the diffuse .dds. The normal and specular .dds were fine, but the diffuse had become translated, leaving only that strange, red hexagon in its place. I sorted it out, and it works fine. For some reason, I didn't suspect the .dds files. I have a feeling it might be because I drew up the normal .dds and everything was fine, and so I extrapolated the other two textures had no issues. Although, I suspect that the advice you gave me was necessary, because I hadn't quite attuned NifSkope to the correct settings. I am so grateful for your help.

 

Here are some screenshots:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w209/XodeAtPhotobucket/2013-07-30_00003_zps73b14013.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w209/XodeAtPhotobucket/2013-07-30_00004_zps7775b7d3.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w209/XodeAtPhotobucket/2013-07-30_00005_zps09fae68e.jpg

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w209/XodeAtPhotobucket/2013-07-30_00006_zpse4506afa.jpg

 

It's pretty shabby looking, and I haven't sorted out the speculars yet, but I am delighted with the way it looks.

[KettleWitch]

Delighted for you mate and it don't look shabby at all, way better then the first models I did!

 

Worst case scenario my ramblings may help out someone else :)

 

For what it's worth really consider downloading Xnormal (Free)

 

http://www.xnormal.net/

 

and using a low and high polly to generate your normal maps. Even if your high polly is just a crazy subdivided low polly your normals will come out much better.

 

Nothing wrong with generating normals from diffuse but high polly bake is the next step up from where you are now, go for it.

 

Remember. Specular is an alpha channel in the normal. You put it there yourself (for Skyrim)

 

_em.dds

 

_m.dds

 

are environment maps. Get your diffuse, greyscale it (like I say add contrast) and use them with cube maps. I've only just kinda figured all this out so that's why I'm pushing it.

 

anyway feel free to drop a PM if you get stuck dude, I'm usually around.

[Vatueil]

Currently, I'm using CrazyBump to make my normal and specular maps. I will try out your high-poly technique next time I make a weapon, which should be fairly soon.

 

Also, I did as you said. Set specular map to be the alpha channel for the normal map. Took the diffuse map, grayscaled, bumped up the contrast a bit, and gave it the _m.dds suffix. I didn't notice a huge difference, but I think there may have been one. The normals are largely responsible for making it look aesthetically pleasing, I think.

 

All I need now is a use for it. Currently, it has the stats of an Iron Dagger with slightly increased speed. I always imagined in the hands of a amateur, independent assassin from some sprawling city. I got the concept after playing Dishonored, in fact.

[KettleWitch]

Then it has to be a Riften Special :)

 

Add it to vendor lists for Riften?

 

Before you finalise the specular into the normal experiment with adding contrast to it as well. You should see an increase in fine detail. (flip the y in normal map after you have added specular)

 

Diffuse with no alpha =DTX1

 

Diffuse with Alpha=DTX5

 

Normal with specular as alpha channel (skyrim) = DTX5

 

Environment map=DTX1

 

Normal maps are where it's at my man. The etchings and wood texture on my new axe are all just added to the normal map for that detail. Didn't texture a thing to get it :)

 

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/images/272139/?

 

If you go the high polly bake route you get definition like my last axe.

 

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/38636//?

 

That one doesn't even have a cube/environment map because I didn't know what they did at the time and cheated!

 

And yes, that was shameless advertising :)

[Vatueil]

The Poacher's Axe is awesome! I was staring at it for ages before I realised it bore the image of a stag.

[KettleWitch]

I've had peeps asking why I made a mod of a snail on a stick so the fact you can see the stag is a bonus :)

 

Seriously though dude it's a hell of a lot of work and learning but you can get there. Put in the hours and the rewards do start to come (I've quit more then once but there's some good peeps on the Nexus who have kept me going)

 

Looking forward to seeing what you else you come up with Vatueil :)

[chicky540]

hey KettleWitch, just got here by a comment of yours on standalone09s kings sword. i bookmarked this page, once i added some more stuff to my orcish weaponry mod ( i more play like "orc-gear-tetris" :blush: ) and got a day of time on a weekend ill use this post here to increase my skills and improve my stuff, so thx for helping (me) out :laugh:

 

though i have to confess, i know im a bloody newbie when it comes to modding... but even if you develop your designs from existing stuff, dreaming of a pimped up battlaxe, mace or blade for months, then one day checking first tutorials in the web, trying, and failing, try again, fail, try again, fail, getting pxxxed off, then one week later try again, fail, try again and so on... and suddenly that lousy piece of junk is in the game, even if you had to rip away the blood and lightning maps until you learn more about that stuff... NOW THAT IS AWESOME!! :cool: :laugh:

Edited October 16, 2013 by chicky540

[KettleWitch]

Hey Chicky, glad my ramblings may be a little help :)

 

I'm still a newbie myself when you get down to it so don't take anything I said as gospel, just some stuff that helped me move forward.

 

And yeah, there's nothing in the world like seeing your all work load up in game and not cause a CTD. Makes all the tears and punching walls worth while :)