Modeling/Skinning an Armor to be worn by player

[SimpolJawsh]

I'm making a full-body armor to be worn by a female character. I am modeling the armor around femaleupperbody.nif.

 

Also, I am making the waist narrower than the base body's - Is that a problem? I'm under the impression that the armor will replace the body/ use the animations. A narrower waist doesn't seem like it would conflict with the animations too much. Or am I completely mistaken? Keep in mind the only skin that might be shown is the area around the neck.

 

For the helmet, am I supposed to rig it to a bone or something? And if so, which? None of the tutorials I've read have mentioned headgear.

 

Disclaimer- I've done some skinning and have been modeling in blender for quite some time so I would appreciate it if you would keep your warnings about me understanding what I'm getting into to yourselves. I would just like some help from the modding community. Thanks.

 

I guess I can show you guys the helmet rendered in Blender to help my case lol. This image isn't the finished helmet, but it's close enough.

 

The other image is just the base helmet without the visor or tubes and it is a clutter item.

 

I hope you guys can help me get a firmer understanding. Thank you.

 

EDIT: Slight problem lol. The helmet is sideways and backwards when equipped. Any ideas on how to fix this? - updated with picture

[SimpolJawsh]

Soo... I put it in the game again as headgear as just a model and textures: no rigging or anything like that. Just the helmet. When I put it on it is tilted 90 degrees to the left and is displaced about 6 feet to left aswell. Any suggestions?

[SimpolJawsh]

I guess there is no simple fix or suggestions?

[Quetzlsacatanango]

You can go to the character menu and choose "Update FaceGen Model Compatibility". This usually works for vanilla headgear but I don't know about custom helmets. I don't think it would affect the 6 foot away problem either. Sweet helmet though!

[SimpolJawsh]

Well, I just adjusted it's position and rotation in blender based on how it looked in the geck and I managed to maneuver it over the head, but I don't know how much of a "real" solution that is... Here is a screen of what it looks like in-game now.

 

For some reason the visor and tubes(which are the same mesh) are lit up from behind. and creates a weird effect. Any suggestions for any of my problems would be appreciated. Thanks.

[SpeedyB64]

If the lighting is backwards there is a problem with your normals and the way lighting is set up on them.

 

There are a couple ways that I know of to fix this, You can reset X form (I use 3ds max so it will be different in blender, probably named differently, but it should have a similar tool)

 

Or you can open it up in Nifskope and try rightclicking on the mesh and going to mesh-> face normals

[Ghogiel]

firstly you are a hero for modelling that , looks good :)

I've been so close to starting on samus like 5 times :P yours is quite reminicent

 

Your solution is ridiculous! what you need to do to place a helmet exaclty on the head correctly with no fuss. Max user here, so I may use some max speak. but nothing that isn't easily translatable, and I'll use my limited blender speak where possible.

 

import the male head/body and skeleton nif into your blend file- even if it is going to be for a female in the end.

model your helmet, and place it exactly how you wish it to sit on the head in game.

reset your transforms once completed

align the meshes pivot/center to match the bip01 head bone transfroms and rotations.

move helmet to 0 xyz

export to nif

open in nifskope

add a nistringextradata to the nif, change value in string data to Bip01 Head, change value in name to Prn.

setup shaders, texture paths, mat, alpha, whatever else

make an egm with the conformulator

in geck set up the helmet, make an esp.

under character tab hit Update Facegen Model Availability

test in the modelviewer, if it doesn't crash, smile and test in game

 

some Blender users have mentioned to me that they have issues exporting correct pivots and translations. but I am fairly certain user error is always involved in their complaints- never has high level artist mentioned this to me. more experienced users can export animations which rely on correct transforms to work right. So Im confidant this will all work out.

 

anyway about the visor. what speedy said. But as you mentioned the visor part of the same shape as the helmet and trying out flip normals in nifskope will probably solve you problem with the visor, but invert the helmet. you've already make a error if you have to do anything like that in nifskope imo, and the best solution is to fix before export.

iirc there should be a apply transfoms button in blender. its the equivelent to reset xform in max. you may have to hand flip the faces of the visor object in blender though. should be 2 clicks.

 

Also in the second picture in your first post, I think I see screwed up lighting along the UV seem, right down the middle of the mesh. I think the hdr obscures it in your last post. I made a little tut describing this old issue and how to fix, it is based in max but the principal is the same, and should be easy to find the blender solution. http://www.fallout3nexus.com/articles/article.php?id=198

hope that helps! post back your results.

[SimpolJawsh]

Wow thanks a lot. I will try these suggestions. :thanks:

 

Sorry to say this, but I decided to scrap the suit and just make my own armor using what I had already completed so far, "heavily inspired" by Samus' light suit.

[SimpolJawsh]

Sorry, but I'm not quite sure what you mean by these

 

align the meshes pivot/center to match the bip01 head bone transfroms and rotations.

move helmet to 0 xyz

[Ghogiel]

all objects have a pivot center. most commonly it is centered at the coordinates that are at the middle of the object it self. But can be placed anywhere in world space. not just translations but rotations too. the pivot point is the point in space at which all transforms, move, rotate and scale are centered on.

After you match your helmets pivot to the bip01 head bone, move the helmet to these coords- 0x 0y 0z.

 

the helmet is attached to the head bone in game, the 2 ways of doing this are by skinning it to a bone.

or using a special string data node(Prn) in the nif, which will attach the helmet to the actor at the bip01 head bone. the difference is that the skinned mesh can have blended weights between boneds so it could deform when animated, if wanted, but obviously is slightly larger in file size. and its translation in object space is where it sits on the head- the same as in the scene/blend file. the Prn will be 0xyz in object space. Prn attached meshes are linked to the bone at the point of 0xyz. same with all weapons, backpacks, anything really. 0xyz is where it is attached to the bone. which is why handles on weapons are at 0xyz. ect

 

all we have done set the pivot point to match the bone we want, and now that pivot will be moved to 0xyz. which is where we want.

 

you need to learn everything you can about pivots/centers . it is essential for modelling and animation. I'm fairly certain you have messed with your meshes pivots just by looking at your mesh, it is involved in mirroring both your mesh and Uvs, which you have done.

 

edit: I'll als note, skinning a helmet will probably bypass the whole sideways helmet buisiness.