Merge Two .NIFs in NifSkope?

[HerrBaron]

Hey folks,

 

I have a need to combine two .NIF files; basically, an architectural structure (tent) and a door for that tent, both of which have been exported from FO3's .BSA's. The long and the skinny of this is that I really don't want to spend months learning Blender just for this; I'm a software engineer for a living, not a designer. I have tried, however, to combine the two .nifs in NifSkope. NifSkope didn't complain a bit, but when I try to load the resultant .nif into GECK, it simply CTD's. I've searched for documentation of any sort on how to do this, and have simply had no luck. The CTD simply must be caused by something I'm doing wrong, but I have no clue what that is. I freely admit my ignorance. GECK is telling me it's missing a diffuse map and a normal map, but the names of each are null, so I don't know what to fix.

 

 

Can anyone here tell me what I need to do to correctly combine these two .nifs such that it's accessible and usable by GECK?

 

Many thanks in advance!

HerrBaron

[SpeedyB64]

Adding the model from one nif into the other is fairly simple (for me anyway :P )

 

What you do is:

 

Step 1

select a NiTriStrips, right click and go to Block-> Copy Branch, then select the root node (BSFadeNode, at the top) and go to Block-> Paste Branch.

 

You should then have a second NiTriStrips.

 

Step 2

 

Expand your new NiTriStrips, inside there should be a NiTriStripsData block, go to your other mesh (the one you want to add to this one) and select the NiTriStripsData from the NiTriStrips you want. Select Block-> Copy (NOT copy branch) then select the NiTriStripsData you want to replace (the one in the destination nif) and right click and go to Block-> Paste Over.

 

You should then have the mesh in the nif

 

Step 3

In your NiTriStrips select the BSShaderPPLightingProperty block and expand it, select the BSShaderTextureSet block and in the Block details window (make sure its enabled in the view menu) select and expand textures, click the flower symbol and pick your textures (make sure the paths are correct once you pick your textures it should be something like this: textures\architecture\megaton\MetalScrapShingles04.dds)

 

 

I hope that helps. :thumbsup:

[HerrBaron]

Adding the model from one nif into the other is fairly simple (for me anyway :P )

 

What you do is:

 

Step 1

select a NiTriStrips, right click and go to Block-> Copy Branch, then select the root node (BSFadeNode, at the top) and go to Block-> Paste Branch.

 

You should then have a second NiTriStrips.

 

Step 2

 

Expand your new NiTriStrips, inside there should be a NiTriStripsData block, go to your other mesh (the one you want to add to this one) and select the NiTriStripsData from the NiTriStrips you want. Select Block-> Copy (NOT copy branch) then select the NiTriStripsData you want to replace (the one in the destination nif) and right click and go to Block-> Paste Over.

 

You should then have the mesh in the nif

 

Step 3

In your NiTriStrips select the BSShaderPPLightingProperty block and expand it, select the BSShaderTextureSet block and in the Block details window (make sure its enabled in the view menu) select and expand textures, click the flower symbol and pick your textures (make sure the paths are correct once you pick your textures it should be something like this: textures\architecture\megaton\MetalScrapShingles04.dds)

 

 

I hope that helps. :thumbsup:

 

Thank you, Speedy; I'll give this a shot. I was simply grabbing the NiNode branch from the source and pasting it under the root BSFadeNode in the destination..

 

Best,

HerrBaron

[HerrBaron]

Hi Speedy,

 

Just thought I'd report back that in spite of your detailed instructions above, I get the same result; a CTD in the GECK. Have no idea what's going on here.

 

I'll figure it out. Thanks for trying!

HerrBaron

[AmplSi]

Hello. I have both a similar problem, and a possible solution for yours, if you are still encountering that issue. The solution would be, in my case, to make sure that the new TriStrips is not named the same thing as the original - NifSkope likes to rename things when copying.
My specific problem does not directly deal with Fallout 3, but as far as NifSkope goes it is the same principle. I am trying to combine armor pieces in NifSkope for a Skyrim mod - a thieves guild cuirass with the greaves and pauldrons of daedric armor. This results in the CK crashing (not sure if CK handles Nifs differently than FO3 GECK). I have tried renaming, copying entire BSFadeNodes, and deleting parent skeleton nodes, none of which changed the outcome. Any help would be appreciated, and I hope I have been of at least some help with the issue above.