BBs Buckler Help

[buzzbomb]

So I decided that my mostly nude, pretty young lady assassin-warrior simply shouldn't have to sneak around killing the evil baddy guys with a big ugly shield on her arm. Yet I wanted her delicate skin to be suitably protected from the completely unjustified harmful intentions of all those bandits, brigands, monsters (and occasional guards -- Oopsseey).

 

So I vowed to make her a buckler shield that would stay neatly folded along her forearm, and unfold into a relatively useful shield-like object whenever she has the overpowering urge to block some incoming form of nastiness.

 

Thus was BBs Buckler born! Unfortunately for the lovely lady (and all you other fine lasses and gents out there) I have hit upon a snag during the creation process.

 

I have made the high poly model. It needs texturing, but I'm happy with it. I made the low poly model and uv unwrapped it so I could bake the normal map. (Which I haven't done, but I'm reasonably confident of success).

 

However, it is here that I got stuck. If the exported uv map is of the low poly model, and the normal map is going to give the low poly the topographic detail of the high poly model, how do I texture the low poly uv map to match the detail in the high poly model normal map?

 

In my infinite kindness and wisdom I have decreed that an image shall be placed upon this website and its location shall be thus:

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/imageshare/image.php?id=79879

 

I know it's a noob question, and believe me, I've watched enough tutorials that if the aforementioned young lady friend were real, she'd be strangling me about now. However I seem to have missed, and cannot find the answer to this very simple question.

 

So if anyone cares to answer, please do so. I, my lovely lady friend Alira, and all the rest of humanity will be greatly appreciated and your fame shall no doubt live until the end of all time. Or not.

[K00L]

Well I unfortunately have almost no skills in modding, except basic texturing and of course using the construction set lol. I just read your other post and this is already looking very very good. I hope you find someone who can help you soon!

Good luck! :biggrin:

[buzzbomb]

Thanks Kool. It's encouraging to know that I'm not the only one who likes the idea, and the way it's shaping up. I should probably mention as well, that I'm using 3ds max and photoshop, you know, for all you modders out there who are knocking down the doors just to get in line and help... ;)

[buzzbomb]

Alas, I am unable to find a suitably dumbed down explanation of which maps I need to use in order to texture my model as though I had some clue as to what I was doing. All those tutorials seem to be bouncing soundly off that plate of unobtanium in my skull.

 

Not to be dissuaded from my goal, I bravely struck forth into the wilderness and blazed my own path, boldly linking and (sort of) joining and (somewhat) creating the great workflow between Max and Photoshop.

 

The current result, with texture and normal map on the low poly model, can be seen here:

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/imageshare/image.php?id=80185

 

Both the texturing and the model still have work yet to be done, but I believe now is the time to attempt to take BBs Mechanical Buckler from the smoking ruin of my workshop, and give it life in the world of Oblivion! (Mostly because I've no clue at all what it's going to look like in-game. I expect I'll be back in Max to fix a bunch of other stuff before long.)

 

To my many, many wellwishers I say Thank you! and wish me luck on this, the next stage of my epic journey into Modding Land.

[Gethesmain]

would it be possible to make it small (the size of a dinnerplate) and have it attach to the forearm? perhaps on the ring slot?

 

Not just because that'd be an awesome watch (ha) but there is not even one actual buckler in the game yet. Not even a small shield.