[REL] Training Manual: 3D Object/Texture Creation for Fallout3

[miax]

Fallout3 Community,

 

I have been working for some weeks on a tutorial for 3D modeling, based on Artisten's and Echonite's video tutorials on modeling, texture sets and the conversion process for Fallout3. After using their tutorials to learn the basics of modeling and textures, I felt grateful and compelled to create a documented version - based on the same concepts and tools, but in Doc and PDF formats.

 

Most of the material comes from Artisten's Video Tutorial; "

", which provided me many great insights into how the process works. As I got further into the tutorial, and upon realizing how important Texture Sets are to modeling for Fallout3, I added a section on them - material that I learned from Echonite's Video Tutorial on

. This tutorial is designed to compliment thier live video work.

 

I tried to gear this tutorial for the beginner, and will largely be boring to advanced modders who know how to manipulate NifSkope like an old pro. However for modders who don't know how to create 3D models, textures, normal maps, glow maps, materials, collision, texture sets and the basic workings of NifSkope - this tutorial may be for you.

 

The document was created in PDF and Word for Windows formats, and is big - really big at 110 pages in total length, broken out across chapters on FOMM, GIMP, Blender, NifSkope and the GECK. In Word for Windows format the doucment is 36 Megabytes in size, while in PDF its 17 Megs. I used the same format that my GECK Manual on Audio Holotapes was created with in trying to keep a consistent format - the users seemed to like that one so I stuck with it.

 

Below is the table of contents from the document, which was designed as a flow from start (extracting an Ashtray with FOMM) and taking a new modeler through the entire process end-to-end. However users can simply jump into whichever Chapter interests you, for example to learn about Normal Maps, Texture Sets or Collision meshes:

 

2. Using the Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM)

2.1 Extracting Models with FOMM

2.2 Extracting Textures with FOMM

2.3 Adding your Mod to FOMM and Fallout3

 

3. Creating Textures with GIMP

3.1 GIMP Setup and Plug-ins

3.2 Understanding Textures for Models

3.3 Texture Directories and Nomenclature

3.4 Creating Textures for 3D Models

3.5 Scaling Textures to Size

3.6 Creating Normal Maps

3.7 Creating Glow Maps

3.8 Creating Environment Maps

 

4. Creating 3D Models with Blender

4.1 Blender Setup and Plug-ins

4.2 Model/Mesh Directory Structures

4.3 Basic Model Creation

4.4 Importing Models from Fallout3

4.5 Creating a Collision Mesh

4.6 Working with UV Maps

4.6.1 How UV Maps Work

4.6.2 Preparing Blender for UV Mapping

4.6.3 Methods of Creating UV Maps

4.6.4 Creating A Basic UV Map

4.6.5 Creating Textures from UV Maps

 

5. Converting 3D Models with Blender

5.1 Working with Materials

5.2 Exporting Models in NIF format

 

6. Converting 3D Models with NifSkope

6.1 Why NifSkope?

6.2 NifSkope Setup and Plug-ins

6.3 Preparing NifSkope

6.4 Model Conversion

6.5 UV and Normal Map Conversion

6.6 Glow Map Conversion

6.7 Collision Conversion

 

7. Adding Models and Textures to the GECK

7.1 GECK Setup and Installation

7.2 Creating a Mod File

7.3 Adding 3D Models into the GECK

7.4 Adding Texture Sets into the GECK

7.5 Adding Texture Sets to Models

7.6 Adding Objects to the Fallout3 World

 

8. Results and Credits

 

I am 100% certain that there will be some bugs in the document, and I would Greatly appreciate a PM here on the forums if you find some. I am not an expert modeler, but I can say that I have used this same process dozens of times now in building models for my own mod. It is a fact that there are many different tools and methods to build 3D Models, textures and using NifSkope to convert them into a Fallout3-friendly format - and there may be easier ways to accomplish some of the parts of this process. I will do all I can to keep it updated and current with the times, and again would greatly appreciate all feedback.

 

The Link on Nexus to the Tutorial can be found HERE.

 

Cheers,

 

Miax

[jackpack]

thanx :thumbsup:

[SickleYield]

Excellent reference work! Now if only we can get the newbies to read it instead of starting a thousand threads asking for instructions...

[bekru]

thanks!

[duckdude]

Adding textures into the geck/game.....AWSOOOOOOOME!!!!!!

 

Was the only thing i really are having a hard time figuring out.

 

Finaly a guide that might snwear all my questions, will be alot less of me spaming new threads then ;)

[BadPenney]

Kudos. Very kind of you to provide this information to other users in a collected, offline form. I plan on checking out the FOMM section straightaway for some questions I have.

[miax]

Thanks everyone. :)

 

If you find errors or problems in the doc, please point them out to me and I'll get a correction spun ASAP.

 

With this done I plan to start a new character and build him up for Broken Steel! (R&R time in the Wasteland). ;)

 

Cheers,

 

M

[iSSARO]

Thank You. This is a god send. Like post #5 I too was having problems getting textures to work properly. This saved me a lot of headaches.

[jsnider193]

Great thanx for the addin with this work ... well needed here. Oh and it is nicely crafted also.

[neunen]

kudos to you!