tjG3ftw436 Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I'm new to modding FNV and for my first mod I'm trying to add a custom AK-74. I have the DDS file that I'm going to use but, I have no idea how to use blender and the other programs. The GECK website's walk-through was no help at all because it is severely outdated and it said that I needed to have three separate DDS files, one for the bolt/hammer/trigger, clip and the gun but mine has all three in the same file. I also don't know how to make a .Nif file. Can anyone give me advice or post a link to a good tutorial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moraelin Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Actually, that tutorial is correct. A .nif file can contain more than one mesh. Especially everything with moving parts will necessarily contain different meshes for each part that can move independently of others. E.g., the bolt, trigger and hammer if that's visible for guns will always be separate parts, with separate meshes. BUT, and this is a big BUT, those different parts can use pieces of the same texture. Sorta like how, if you were making a suit, there's nothing to keep you from cutting the pants from the same cloth square as the coat. Even for Bethesda's guns, most are done like that. E.g., if you look at the mysterious magnum, everything, including the hammer, cylinder, and trigger, are different parts but are mapped to parts of the same texture. So basically it's still ok. You don't really need a new tutorial. You'll still need to make or texture as many parts as the AK-47 has, but there's nothing to stop you from assigning the same texture file to all those parts. That said, though, using a texture for a mesh usually only works if it's specifically made for that mesh. If you have a mesh made by someone for a gun, and a texture made by someone else for a different gun, I wouldn't bet on them working together at all. But if you're editing your own mesh, you can of course move the texture coordinates to match the texture you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidlallen Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 We may need to start further back. You have a graphics image (dds) of an AK-47. Is it set up to use as a texture for a 3D object or is it just a photograph? If it is just a photograph, chances are only an advanced 3D artist could put this in game. If it is already set up to use with a 3D object, which exact 3D object? Do you have the 3D model that goes with it? If not, as mentioned above chances are only an advanced 3D artist could take that dds and use it on some other 3D model. If you have both the dds and 3D model that goes with it, great. You need to convert the 3D model into nif, which is what FNV uses. Converting a model from one format to another and cleaning it up can be done by an intermediate 3D artist, or even a beginner if everything goes smoothly. Let us know more about your background and the project background and we can help more specifically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjG3ftw436 Posted May 9, 2011 Author Share Posted May 9, 2011 We may need to start further back. You have a graphics image (dds) of an AK-47. Is it set up to use as a texture for a 3D object or is it just a photograph? If it is just a photograph, chances are only an advanced 3D artist could put this in game. If it is already set up to use with a 3D object, which exact 3D object? Do you have the 3D model that goes with it? If not, as mentioned above chances are only an advanced 3D artist could take that dds and use it on some other 3D model. If you have both the dds and 3D model that goes with it, great. You need to convert the 3D model into nif, which is what FNV uses. Converting a model from one format to another and cleaning it up can be done by an intermediate 3D artist, or even a beginner if everything goes smoothly. Let us know more about your background and the project background and we can help more specifically. The files I have are from CoD 4 Modern Warfare. The DDS files are similar to the ones in Pickinthebango's STALKER port mod, the weapon is broken into parts. I have also have what I believe to be the 3D image as it is the image that the game uses for the HUD and it is in DDS format also. I know that I can't post this yet, I'm doing this as a private mod(please tell me if you know that this is also something illegal or something that will get me banned and I will discontinue the mod right away) until Infinity Ward e-mails me back on whether I have permission or not. So considering I have the DDS file that is broken into parts and a 3D image where do I go from here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidlallen Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 A dds file is a 2D graphic, it cannot contain any 3D information. A HUD is also 2D, so a HUD display graphic will not help for 3D. If you have a 3D model for the AK-47 in some format other than NIF, it may be possible to convert. Assuming you own COD4, you can use the files from the game for your own private mod, but you cannot post or upload the files. In this case there is no risk of getting banned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjG3ftw436 Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 A dds file is a 2D graphic, it cannot contain any 3D information. A HUD is also 2D, so a HUD display graphic will not help for 3D. If you have a 3D model for the AK-47 in some format other than NIF, it may be possible to convert. Assuming you own COD4, you can use the files from the game for your own private mod, but you cannot post or upload the files. In this case there is no risk of getting banned. Yes I do own the game. It appears that I can use a COD 4 modding tool to export models in a .obj format that blender can open, is there some way I can get this to work? Even if it can work there are 3 different kinds of the weapon high, medium and low these I think have to do with the how it looks because when I open the low one it is just a polygon shape of the gun while the high version is significantly detailed with the sights, trigger and everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidlallen Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I am not an authority on blender. In general it should be possible to open a file in blender and export it in nif. Please see the tutorials at fallout3nexus.com in the "mod talk" and "mod troubleshooting" pinned FAQ threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjG3ftw436 Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 I am not an authority on blender. In general it should be possible to open a file in blender and export it in nif. Please see the tutorials at fallout3nexus.com in the "mod talk" and "mod troubleshooting" pinned FAQ threads. Okay thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjG3ftw436 Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) *ignore double post Edited May 13, 2011 by tjG3ftw436 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjG3ftw436 Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 Ok so I have the DDS file and a 3D model of the USP .45. I switched weapons because this handgun had less files that I needed to sort through. I can open the model in Nifskope and it shows up exactly like it does in the game but it is colored black and turns white depending on what part I am looking at. When I save it as a .Nif it shows up as the white ! with a red box. Do I need to apply the texture using Nifskope or Blender? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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