Clothing modding help

[NikitaDarkstar]

First of all, I'm a modding newbie who doesn't really know what she's doing yet, so sorry if this is obvious. Anyway, on to what brought me here!

 

I'm trying to mod some existing clothes, cause I was getting tired of seeing them all ripped and torn. I've covered up the holes in the texture and edited the alpha channel accordingly, but I still have a "ghost" of the hole when I load it up in game (but now it looks like a dent rather than a hole). What's causing this, how do I fix it, and what software do I need to do it?

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/NikitaDarkstar/2016-01-04_00019_zpspoaqxq0h.png

[Guest deleted2588518]

This is more than likely actually part of the mesh. You would need a program like 3dMax or Blender to edit the mesh. However, I don't know if they can be altered yet since they are in a new format from say, Skyrim or FONV.

Basically, you need a plug-in from a 3d modeling program to edit the mesh, then export that mesh into a format readable by the game.

 

At least, this is how it used to work.

[NikitaDarkstar]

I suspected that might be the case, but I was hoping I was missing something obvious (especially something I can do in photoshop without having to learn a whole new piece of software).

 

So assuming this is the case (if not, and someone else knows what's going on please let me know? :p) does anyone have a tutorial or something on how to export the mesh? Cause even if I can't import it yet I'd like to start practicing. Also, would it be possible to put it in the game if it's as a replacement file and not a stand-alone item, since that would just be a case of swapping one file for another? Or do we lack the tools to actually be able to save meshes in a format the game can read?

[TeamBacon]

I doubt it is part of the mesh, though without seeing how light reacts to it I can't say for sure. But usually details like that which are not going to effect the silhouette of the mesh are done with the normal map and not with physical geometry.

 

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Normal_map

 

It seems that Fallout 4 uses a different format for normal maps than previous Bethesda games, so I don't have specific info on that yet, but I'm sure somebody around here does.

[prensa]

NikitaDarkstar - Hello!

"but I still have a "ghost" of the hole when I load it up in game (but now it looks like a dent rather than a hole). What's causing this, how do I fix it, and what software do I need to do it?"

Well I don't have Fallout 4 so I can't look at the item you are editing but going by your picture & previous experience from past games I'd guess the Normal map could be causing the problem.

The Normal map sets the appearance of depth to the texture & "fake" alpha formed holes probably have sunken areas to them to help sell the look of the hole's edges.

If you modify the main textrure to remove the holes but not the Normal map you'd still see the depth the Normal map adds, especially when it catches the light.

Have you adjusted the Normal map to match your new main texture?

Normal maps in previous games have the same name as the main texture but end in _n.

In previous games _n textures also had black & white Alpha textures saved with them to control specularity of the texture (the amount of shine it has), this will also have an effect on the final appearance.

 

The Normal map can be viewed & edited to remove the holes the same way you edited the main texture, just remember to save it with the alpha layer if it had one.

As I say I don't own Fallout 4 & don't know what changes there may be to how things work so it may not apply.

Hope this helps!

Prensa

 

EDIT: Looks like TeamBacon beat me to posting. :D

Edited January 5, 2016 by prensa

[NikitaDarkstar]

Thanks guys! I bet the normal map is the issue, cause the guide I was following said I only had to worry about the files ending with _d thus I didn't even extract the _n ones (granted it was just a quick guide to retexturing and using the BAE). So now when that little mystery is solved I can go back to tinkering with this and seeing what I can do.

 

Thanks for the quick and thorough replies gang, you rock! :)

[Guest deleted2588518]

I doubt it is part of the mesh, though without seeing how light reacts to it I can't say for sure. But usually details like that which are not going to effect the silhouette of the mesh are done with the normal map and not with physical geometry.

 

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Normal_map

 

It seems that Fallout 4 uses a different format for normal maps than previous Bethesda games, so I don't have specific info on that yet, but I'm sure somebody around here does.

 

This is true, I had completely forgotten about normals. (working too hard lately)

 

A normal map (like a bump map) can make it look like it has 3d properties in-engine without there being a physical hole.

[NikitaDarkstar]

So just a quick update, I found the normal maps and edited them, and they were what was causing it. Pretty sure you guys knew that already, but if some other newbie stumbles over this and has the same issue that's what was causing it. :) Thanks again guys.