mesh/texture and other general problems

[gregcoll]

First, I would like to thank all modders for their hard work. I have just started making some mesh/texture modifications and, while I have had success (seemingly?) with some simple ones, the more advanced ones are giving me problems. I am just now learning how to use 3DS Max and can alter mesh and textures/maps and can do the simple things like animate, etc but haven't gotten heavily into it yet. I have used Blender for several years (I am not an 'expert' but am fairly proficient) and have made some fairly complex renderings with riggings, constraints, etc.

 

As I said, I have had some success. I changed some simple meshes (for practice) by following a guide. I used NifSkope, 3DS Max and Blender. They were all rigged and so involved skeletons, skin instances, etc. However, I am currently trying to modify a mesh made for the CBBE body that the guide can't handle. I might be wrong (and frequently am) but it seems that it would be easier to simply modify a mesh that already has the right instance assignments than to make a whole new mod. For one thing, I can't import a .nif file with the CBBE body into Blender (I am using the recommended 2.49 version) because the texture is incompatible (maybe more issues but the loading process stops there). I can alter the .nif mesh in 3DS but as soon as I start modifying the mesh (on a copied practice file, of course) I get a warning of a skin instance and that problems might occur. They are right. As soon as I click yes (I don't even have to make any changes), all of the bones lose their affiliations. They are still there but can't be seen anymore. I can export and swap the altered mesh data into the original .nif file with NifSkope. A peculiar thing is that the original mesh is below the grid but the altered mesh is above the grid. There might be a problem when I rename the new trishape with the original name (the original name is 'Scene Root [0]')

 

I can open the new .nif file in 3DS and it looks right. When I replace the original file with the new file it causes the mesh to be invisible in-game, which is nice with a CBBE body, but not what I was looking for. Another peculiar thing is that I can't export a mesh from 3DS without a skeleton. That is, I can import a .nif without the skeleton and then immediately try to export it but get an 'unspecified error'.

 

Also, while I am listing problems, I can't open the texture .dds files. I have tried NirfanView and Gimp2 with the applicable plugins but I can't get them to open. Do I need to import/export the files with another program to condition them so that they can be opened/modified?

 

What I really need is to go through an in-depth tutorial but I have only been able to find elementary guides that basically tell me what I already know (if that). My problems are due to the fact that I don't know how all of these things work together to make a working file. It's like I am building a circuit and load a counter with data and clock it with a rising edge when the component requires clocking with a falling edge and so I get corrupt data. If I learn how the counter works and how to properly apply my inputs then the circuit will work.

 

I would really like to know these things (and should), but I can't find a source for the information. I know that someone knows because they have created complex mods, such as with CBBE body, but I don't know where they got their information. As I said above, I am currently trying to modify a mesh in an existing mod but what I would really like is to know how to do this. I appreciate all information, but Please don't tell me that 'there's tons of this stuff online, just Google it' unless you can direct me to a particular site because I have spent a bit of time looking...and looking...and looking...and looking...

 

Thanks again.

[GrumpGamey91]

First, I would like to thank all modders for their hard work. I have just started making some mesh/texture modifications and, while I have had success (seemingly?) with some simple ones, the more advanced ones are giving me problems. I am just now learning how to use 3DS Max and can alter mesh and textures/maps and can do the simple things like animate, etc but haven't gotten heavily into it yet. I have used Blender for several years (I am not an 'expert' but am fairly proficient) and have made some fairly complex renderings with riggings, constraints, etc.

 

As I said, I have had some success. I changed some simple meshes (for practice) by following a guide. I used NifSkope, 3DS Max and Blender. They were all rigged and so involved skeletons, skin instances, etc. However, I am currently trying to modify a mesh made for the CBBE body that the guide can't handle. I might be wrong (and frequently am) but it seems that it would be easier to simply modify a mesh that already has the right instance assignments than to make a whole new mod. For one thing, I can't import a .nif file with the CBBE body into Blender (I am using the recommended 2.49 version) because the texture is incompatible (maybe more issues but the loading process stops there). I can alter the .nif mesh in 3DS but as soon as I start modifying the mesh (on a copied practice file, of course) I get a warning of a skin instance and that problems might occur. They are right. As soon as I click yes (I don't even have to make any changes), all of the bones lose their affiliations. They are still there but can't be seen anymore. I can export and swap the altered mesh data into the original .nif file with NifSkope. A peculiar thing is that the original mesh is below the grid but the altered mesh is above the grid. There might be a problem when I rename the new trishape with the original name (the original name is 'Scene Root [0]')

 

I can open the new .nif file in 3DS and it looks right. When I replace the original file with the new file it causes the mesh to be invisible in-game, which is nice with a CBBE body, but not what I was looking for. Another peculiar thing is that I can't export a mesh from 3DS without a skeleton. That is, I can import a .nif without the skeleton and then immediately try to export it but get an 'unspecified error'.

 

Also, while I am listing problems, I can't open the texture .dds files. I have tried NirfanView and Gimp2 with the applicable plugins but I can't get them to open. Do I need to import/export the files with another program to condition them so that they can be opened/modified?

 

What I really need is to go through an in-depth tutorial but I have only been able to find elementary guides that basically tell me what I already know (if that). My problems are due to the fact that I don't know how all of these things work together to make a working file. It's like I am building a circuit and load a counter with data and clock it with a rising edge when the component requires clocking with a falling edge and so I get corrupt data. If I learn how the counter works and how to properly apply my inputs then the circuit will work.

 

I would really like to know these things (and should), but I can't find a source for the information. I know that someone knows because they have created complex mods, such as with CBBE body, but I don't know where they got their information. As I said above, I am currently trying to modify a mesh in an existing mod but what I would really like is to know how to do this. I appreciate all information, but Please don't tell me that 'there's tons of this stuff online, just Google it' unless you can direct me to a particular site because I have spent a bit of time looking...and looking...and looking...and looking...

 

Thanks again.

There's one file on Nexus that contains a Blender file you could perhaps use as a starting point - Slooty Vault Jumpsuit Suit

 

I think most modders have given up on using the blender .NIF import/export scripts that aren't maintained and instead use the .FBX format to import/export using Outfit Studio as the intermediary to create the .NIF file.

 

Workflow looks a bit like: Export from Blender in .FBX, import into Outfit Studio, export from Outfit Studio into .NIF format and vice versa.

[gregcoll]

 

First, I would like to thank all modders for their hard work. I have just started making some mesh/texture modifications and, while I have had success (seemingly?) with some simple ones, the more advanced ones are giving me problems. I am just now learning how to use 3DS Max and can alter mesh and textures/maps and can do the simple things like animate, etc but haven't gotten heavily into it yet. I have used Blender for several years (I am not an 'expert' but am fairly proficient) and have made some fairly complex renderings with riggings, constraints, etc.

 

As I said, I have had some success. I changed some simple meshes (for practice) by following a guide. I used NifSkope, 3DS Max and Blender. They were all rigged and so involved skeletons, skin instances, etc. However, I am currently trying to modify a mesh made for the CBBE body that the guide can't handle. I might be wrong (and frequently am) but it seems that it would be easier to simply modify a mesh that already has the right instance assignments than to make a whole new mod. For one thing, I can't import a .nif file with the CBBE body into Blender (I am using the recommended 2.49 version) because the texture is incompatible (maybe more issues but the loading process stops there). I can alter the .nif mesh in 3DS but as soon as I start modifying the mesh (on a copied practice file, of course) I get a warning of a skin instance and that problems might occur. They are right. As soon as I click yes (I don't even have to make any changes), all of the bones lose their affiliations. They are still there but can't be seen anymore. I can export and swap the altered mesh data into the original .nif file with NifSkope. A peculiar thing is that the original mesh is below the grid but the altered mesh is above the grid. There might be a problem when I rename the new trishape with the original name (the original name is 'Scene Root [0]')

 

I can open the new .nif file in 3DS and it looks right. When I replace the original file with the new file it causes the mesh to be invisible in-game, which is nice with a CBBE body, but not what I was looking for. Another peculiar thing is that I can't export a mesh from 3DS without a skeleton. That is, I can import a .nif without the skeleton and then immediately try to export it but get an 'unspecified error'.

 

Also, while I am listing problems, I can't open the texture .dds files. I have tried NirfanView and Gimp2 with the applicable plugins but I can't get them to open. Do I need to import/export the files with another program to condition them so that they can be opened/modified?

 

What I really need is to go through an in-depth tutorial but I have only been able to find elementary guides that basically tell me what I already know (if that). My problems are due to the fact that I don't know how all of these things work together to make a working file. It's like I am building a circuit and load a counter with data and clock it with a rising edge when the component requires clocking with a falling edge and so I get corrupt data. If I learn how the counter works and how to properly apply my inputs then the circuit will work.

 

I would really like to know these things (and should), but I can't find a source for the information. I know that someone knows because they have created complex mods, such as with CBBE body, but I don't know where they got their information. As I said above, I am currently trying to modify a mesh in an existing mod but what I would really like is to know how to do this. I appreciate all information, but Please don't tell me that 'there's tons of this stuff online, just Google it' unless you can direct me to a particular site because I have spent a bit of time looking...and looking...and looking...and looking...

 

Thanks again.

There's one file on Nexus that contains a Blender file you could perhaps use as a starting point - Slooty Vault Jumpsuit Suit

 

I think most modders have given up on using the blender .NIF import/export scripts that aren't maintained and instead use the .FBX format to import/export using Outfit Studio as the intermediary to create the .NIF file.

 

Workflow looks a bit like: Export from Blender in .FBX, import into Outfit Studio, export from Outfit Studio into .NIF format and vice versa.

 

Hey, thanks for the information. I will give it a try. As I said, I learned to alter mesh in 3DS but I just love Blender. I donate a little every time I download it. I do see some advantages in other areas with 3DS so I will continue playing with it. I need to practice making mods so that I can get a handle on all the components. Thanks again.