what programs to use for .nif to blender back to .nif

[cosmat]

I've done a bit of searching about the topic but i wanted to make sure i had it right or if there was a better way to do it. What i'm trying to do is take an existing .nif from someone elses mod, import it to blender where i can modify the mesh and then export it back out and convert it back to a .nif. I've already done a bit of experimenting but i'm having trouble with i think the armature in Blender or maybe the import/export process is messed up. So from my understanding this is what i will need:

 

1) nifscope

2) BAE

3) FO4edit

4) bodyslide outfit studio

 

I've also read that there is a plugin for blender 2.49 that allows me to import a .nif directly into Blender without using outfit studio or nifscope to convert it to a .FBX. Blender 2.49 to just import/export and 2.75 is what i'll use to modify the mesh. But after installing all the software for that method i cant even get a .NIF into Blender 2.49.

 

I've made several attempts already but none of them used BAE or the Blender 2.49 w/ plugins. I just used outfit studio to export the .nif to .fbx and i modified that .fbx in Blender and exported it as an .FBX and used outfit studio again to convert it back to a .nif. But somewhere along the line it gets messed up and i dont know where. So trying to figure out what programs i need and maybe to see how everyone else does it (thats if they also have to do some 3d mesh work).

[EmissaryOfWind]

You need to open the nif you created with Nifskope and replace the BSLightingShaderProperty with that of a vanilla nif. Best way to do this is to open both your nif and the original in nifskope, copy your mesh (Trishape) over to the original, copy the BSLightingShaderProperty of the original, and associate it with your mesh (in the BSProperty field, type the number of your BSLightingShaderProperty, delete the original TriShape. You'll need to add your TriShape to the children nodes of the node [0], change the texture and material paths if you're using a different texture, then save as > whatever you want, and you should have a nif that's working in game. Check Nightasy's tutorial on YouTube (channel is Brainpoof), he covers this.

[cosmat]

That part of the process i understand but its the stuff before that which is what i need help with. The actual exporting of the .NIF to .FBX, modifying it in Blender and then exporting it back out as a .FBX and then importing that .FBX back to a .NIF using outfit studio. Then after that i would do all the stuff that you mentioned. I'll check out the channel that you mentioned and see if it goes over the import/export part. When i do it i think that the weights are getting messed up. Because when i first open the .FBX in Blender the mesh is all warped/twisted.

[EmissaryOfWind]

Oh yeah, there's a bone fix script for Maya, I don't know about Blender but you can get Maya for free if you sign up as a student.

[cosmat]

Oh yeah, there's a bone fix script for Maya, I don't know about Blender but you can get Maya for free if you sign up as a student.

 

hehe i actually just now posted a question on one of his videos about that bone fix script. Is that Maya student signup thing a trial phase or will i always be able to use it for free in case i decide to make another mod a few months from now? I was thinking that i could sign up for free, import the body and outfit as .FBX and then do the bone fix and then export them. From there it should be fine to open in Blender.

[EmissaryOfWind]

It's three years, and I think it's renewable.

[cosmat]

Ohh a few small things i forgot to ask about though. I know that i need to copy my trishapes over from my .nif into another .nif and then delete that other .nifs trishapes and then move that other .nifs lightingshaderproperty info over to mine. But here is what i was unsure of:

 

1) my .nif has 5 trishapes...does that mean i have to find another .nif with exactly 5 trishapes as well? and replace that other nifs trishapes with mine 1-for-1? or for that other .nif can i use one that has like say 6 or 7 trishapes? and then i'll replace 5 of them with mine and remove the extra trishape branches that i dont replace? or for that other .nif can i just use one that has 1 trishape? and make 4 duplicate trishapes and then replace those 5 with my trishapes?

 

2) in addition to BSlightingshaderproperty i see another entry under the trishape named BSSkin::Instance. For that other .nif i delete the other .nifs trishape and replace it with mine. I put the other nifs lightingshader and put it under my trishape. What about the BSSkin::Instance? do i move that under my trishape too? and then change its information in the block list (target, bone data, num bones, bones, unknown bones, unknown) or do i delete it?

 

You say that Brain Poof covered that on a tutorial? i see he has a bunch of Maya related stuff but i only see one related to nifscope and its to get nifscope set up. Is there another one that i'm missing that goes more in depth on what i mentioned in #1 and #2 above?

[EmissaryOfWind]

I'm not super sure, I'm a beginner myself so I only know the basics ^^"

[cosmat]

OK no big deal, i found two other nifs that i can transfer my info to its just that one of them has 4 trishapes and the other has 6. I could look around for one that has 5 but i was just wondering for my own info if that mattered or not. Do you know if i have to go through each BStextureshaderproperty manually to edit all the info in its block section? or do i just move it so that its under my trishape and thats it?

[EmissaryOfWind]

I'm not sure what you're asking, you have to link it to the Trishape yes but that's not that much info to manually edit :/