Quick question about 3D modeling programs...

[ShadowGX]

Is Blender my only option or is it possibly to use ANY 3D modeling program? Blender doesn't make much sense to me, even after going through tutorials... I want to use a 3D home modeling program to make an Oblivion home because I know how to use it very well, but I'm concerned it will have compatibility issues.

 

Is it possible to use anything that saves in the Oblivion formats?

[doyl]

Hello, first sorry if it is incorrect English is not my native language.

 

As far as I know in a blender you can immediately save the file in oblivion format.

 

It is a nif. file but with him he has to go and DDS. file. it gives texture and color for your model, still is a bit complicated with dds. file, it necessarily to go whit a normal map to be properly displayed in the game.

Here you have two options as GIMP(free) or PhotoShop software for processing texture, and when you do all nif. and dds. file, that is where Nifscope come, nif. and dds. files join in Nifscope and get ready model that you can use TES to put your model in the game.

This is probably not the clearest explanation but if you have questions I will be happy to answer them, feel free to contact me on the Nexus forums. I'm bee happy to help you with all my modest knowledge. Doyl

[ShadowGX]

Thing is I wanna go outside of Blender, not be stuck using it, nor some other program you need to master before you can make something decent. D;

[SickleYield]

Short answer: nope.

 

Long answer: Oblivion uses the .nif file format, which no program exports by default. At present there are three programs for which NIF script import/export packages exist: Blender, Maya and 3ds Max. All are full modeling suites which you will have to spend time learning. Only Blender is free. The other two run from $200 to $300 last I checked, for a "student" version that can be used for noncommercial projects only (i.e. mods or other things you don't get money for).

 

There are ugly workarounds you can use in order to model or texture in another program, but you will still have to have one of the three in order to export working nifs.

[ShadowGX]

What might the "ugly workarounds" be? D; As long as eventually the file ends up as .nif from one of those 3 programs it'd be fine? So basically they'd have to be able to import the type of files the other program I want to use exports... Is that the ugly part? ;-; I'd honestly rather fight with that than go back to Blender. I can use it for importing/ exporting, but after that point I'm stuck. ^^' Not sure why, but it hurts my head...

[CorrodedSoul]

as 3d modeler, I understand what you say, BUT if what you want is success, I suggest you to go directly to blender.org and take the long route.

I'll not lie to you, blender seems confusing at first, but only takes some effort to learn it.

I'm in the learning process too, and I tell you, blender is the best choice.

 

now I think you have a point tho, means, if you really know how to make the import/export work from your app, go ahead. I keep using Rhinoceros as my default modeling app. But that will not stop me from learning blender. Hope you overcome that fear, and learn, because if we don't learn we're dead.

 

CorrodedSoul, over.

[ShadowGX]

I guess I gotta just sit down and take the time to learn it... Problem is finding the time.

[mcole254]

I guess I gotta just sit down and take the time to learn it... Problem is finding the time.

Honestly if you have another program you know how to use better use that as long as you can export in a common format (.obj .3ds ext) Then import into blender to make a nif file. Thats is what I do, makes making the object, uv mapping much easier for me. Best of luck either way.

 

Matt

[LHammonds]

As already said, you cannot really get around Blender on a shoe-string budget. There are some things you can do to take an OBJ file and import directly into an existing NIF file with NifSkope but your choices are extremely limited and often (as previously said) yield ugly results.

 

For example, if you are familiar with SketchUp (by Google), you can create structures with it. But you eventually have to import the Sketchup file into Blender and then create a collision model and UV Map for the object before you can export to NIF. But since you will have to use Blender anyway, it seems logical to just stick to learning Blender and do everything inside that tool. Once you learn how to use it, it's not all that bad.

 

You can create things like swords and shields in programs like MilkShape 3D, Wings 3D or Mod Tool but you still need to take the OBJ and import it into Blender to add a collision model and export to NIF format. There are ways to import the OBJ over an existing Sword or Shield but the collision model may be problematic and cause it to react odd in-game.

 

Other things that require rigging (like armor, clothing or creatures) cannot be exported to any other format than straight to NIF because all modeling formats will loose the rigging information. So the armor and models you see in the game were created (or at least rigged with) Blender or 3ds max.

 

LHammonds

[Zinglish]

I don't know about anyone else, but I use Blender for all my work...

 

It's definitely worth it to sit down and learn Blender, if you have the time that is.