My first mod: Mesh/Texture error when loaded

[Atten]

OK so I have attempted my first mesh edit... Basically I removed some things from a hair mesh that I didn't like using Blender.

 

I edited the mesh to a point where I was ready to see what it looked like in game. So I used the GECK to add a new hair option using the new mesh file and the same texture file that the edited file used. I added the option to a single sex/race combo for testing and saved the mod as an .esp.

 

I used FOMM to launch the new mod and the option now exists in the character creation screen to change the hair style. BUT I get the huge red exclamation point error centered on my head indicating that there is an error with either the texture or the mesh.

 

I don't think there would be anything wrong with the mesh, but I don't know for sure. What I did was convert a .nif file (that I knew worked for sure) to a .3ds file, delete some panels, and then reconvert it to .nif and load it into the GECK.

 

Both files are placed into the appropriate folders: data/meshes/characters/hair/xxx.nif and data/textures/characters/hair/xxx.dds

 

Yet one or both of them isn't loading. As the title says, this is the first modification to Fallout that I've tried to make myself. I know there is tons of info out there for beginners. I have tried to find all the answers for myself but I just don't know what could be causing this problem. I'm sure that I'm just overlooking something minor but I can't put a finger on what that is.

 

Any help is appreciated.

[prensa]

Atten - Hello!

 

"BUT I get the huge red exclamation point error centered on my head indicating that there is an error with either the texture or the mesh."

 

Big exclamation is a missing mesh, if your paths to the mesh are definitely correct, have you made sure the NiTriStrip/NiTriShape of the modified hair is named properly?

 

Hair models come with two mesh parts, one is the hair model & the other is the special hair model for when a hat is worn (normally matted down or tucked away so it does not clip).

 

In order for the game to know which is which they have to be named correctly, for the normal hair it's:

 

NoHat

 

For the under the hat version it's:

 

Hat

 

When you exported from Blender it's possible the names got changed, open your model up in Nifskope & check. If they have been changed you can easily rename them by left clicking on the NiTriStrip/NiTriShape & in the Block details below click on the Txt next to Name - String.

 

There's a good guide to setting up hair for Fallout 3 here:

 

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Porting_hairs_to_Fallout

 

Don't forget to make .egm files for your new hair (allows hair to be shaped to various sized heads, that's covered in the above mentioned guide here:

 

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Porting_hairs_to_Fallout#Create_an_egm_file

 

That requires a special mod tool, The Conformulator by scanti, the link in that guide is out of date the new link is here:

 

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/mods/9360/?

 

Don't worry that it's in Oblivion mods, it works for Fallout 3. I use The Conformulator all the time for hats.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Prensa

Edited December 5, 2014 by prensa