Retexturing artist just starting out

[Gethesmain]

I have photoshop, and a Mac. I am saving for a new PC to join the online community, but as it stands, I'm stagnant. But I have got an artistic nature and an inclining to do some retexturing of some armours and weapons. Basically, what I want to know is, the texture files themselves (the image of the stretched out picture that is placed on the armour/weapon) Can I get ahold of these, recolour them in Photoshop,and then post them for them to be placed on the intended item?

 

Is this to vague to understand?

[ShaunzyBombzy]

I use photoshop for retexturing and recoloring. All you need to do is google ".dds photoshop extension" and it will let you edit them.

 

Then, you will probably need the BSA Unpacker---available on the nexus--to find the files. This tool will allow you to extract the files.

 

Here is my step by step:

 

1: Run BSA unpacker

 

2: Open the Meshes file first. Change the organization to Folder Name.

 

3: Find the MESH of what you want to recolor.

 

4: Extract. I have a folder on my desktop that I call "Edit Folder". When I feel the urge to say, recolor ebony armor, I would make a folder in my Edit folder called, say, "Ebony Blue files". (Just for organization.)

 

5: Go into the BSA browser again, this time find the texture of what you want to recolor.

 

6: Find it and extract it. These should be .dds files. With aforementioned extension, you can open them in photoshop.

 

7: BSA unpacker again, go into Textures and find Menus/Icons, and find the icon for your armor.

 

8: after all the components are extracted--for example, a cuirass will have <cuirass>.nif, <Cuiras_gnd>.nif, <Cuirass>.dds, and then another dds for the icon--then begin to organize further

 

9: Rename all the files whatever you want. For instance, Blue Ebony. This would mean you would change the file names to:

 

BlueEbonyCuirass.nif <--(This is the file as it will appear on the character)

BlueEbonyCuirass_gnd.nif <--(This is the file as it will appear on the ground)

BlueEbonyCuirass.dds <--(This is the texture of the armor itself)

BlueEbonyCuirass_N.dds <--(This is the normalmap texture)

 

There will be one more BlueEbonyCuirass.dds, and that will be the icon. Keep it somewhere that you will remember it is an icon. You could even put BlueEbonyCuirassIcon.dds

 

10. Put it all in the right spots. The Nif, and _gnd.nif will go in a folder we will call "Blue Ebony". This filepath will be Oblivion/Data/Meshes/armor/Blue Ebony.

 

Then, put the textures--the .dds files--in Oblivion/Data/Textures/Armor/Blue Ebon.

 

Then of course, put the one icon file in the Textures/Menus/Icons/Armor/Blue Ebony.

 

11. At this point, the armor is identical to whatever counterpart it is. Now it is time to color it. Open the .dds of the armor in photoshop.

 

12. Color to your heart's delight

 

13. save the changes, and open the nif of the armor in NifSkope

 

14. Apply the textures by clicking the purple flowers under the body parts, etc, and save the nif.

 

15. Open in TES construction set, go to armor, make new, you probably know the drill.

 

16. Put it somewhere, or directly in the Player inventory, and save it. Then launch oblivion and enjoy!

 

 

A little complex on paper, but it takes only about five minutes to do.

 

Hope that helps!