Retexturing Problem

[zephyr4]

Hi guys,

I just started learning to retexture, and I've been using this tutorial: http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/GIMP:Retexturing_Oblivion at the TES CS Wiki. I've followed the directions step by step a million (yes, exaggerating slightly) times, and everything looks fine in GIMP and Nifskope, but as soon as I try to add it in the CS, I get an error message about a "model load error in meshes\armor\DArmor\m\Dhelmet_gnd.nif" file. If I click "Yes to all" and try to drop the helmet into a room, I get a big white diamond with an exclamation point in the middle, and if I click "No" it closes the CS. Also, I tried putting the helmet in a chest, but it makes the wearer's head invisible in game, and yes, I do have a normal map created and in the right folder as per the instructions in the tutorial.

 

My retexture just changes the coloring of the Daedric helmet. I've just followed the tutorial using a helmet instead of a blanket (which I also tried later and failed at equally). The Dhelmet_gnd.nif file is in the same folder as the other nif.

 

If you need more info, just let me know. I really appreciate anyone's help. Thanks again!

[David Brasher]

You have a missing mesh. Normally this is from incorrect file paths, and if you corrected the file paths in the CS, the problem would go away. The error message you are getting makes it sound like it is a bad mesh though. If that was the case, it might take someone who is a modeler to diagnose the problem with the mesh. Does this mesh work in its original mod? It is possible that it was broken before you ever touched it.

 

With armor and clothing items, there is both a wearable model and world model (ground model.) Actors wear the wearable model in first and third person, and the world model lays on the ground or elsewhere. You will need to get both models set up right for your item. The error message you get is concerning the ground model. But your wearable model is also bad because the white diamond appears when an actor is wearing it.

 

One thing you might try, is an experiment retexturing vanilla Oblivion armor. Make a simple and fast edit to a copy of vanilla Oblivion armor which you know was built by professionals and which works well in the game. Follow all the same procedures you did with the other armor. If everything works great, you will know it is not your fault and that there is some problem with the custom model you used in your first attempt. If the vanilla Oblivion armor does not work out, then you will know there is a problem with your procedure.

[zephyr4]

You have a missing mesh. Normally this is from incorrect file paths, and if you corrected the file paths in the CS, the problem would go away. The error message you are getting makes it sound like it is a bad mesh though. If that was the case, it might take someone who is a modeler to diagnose the problem with the mesh. Does this mesh work in its original mod? It is possible that it was broken before you ever touched it.

 

With armor and clothing items, there is both a wearable model and world model (ground model.) Actors wear the wearable model in first and third person, and the world model lays on the ground or elsewhere. You will need to get both models set up right for your item. The error message you get is concerning the ground model. But your wearable model is also bad because the white diamond appears when an actor is wearing it.

 

One thing you might try, is an experiment retexturing vanilla Oblivion armor. Make a simple and fast edit to a copy of vanilla Oblivion armor which you know was built by professionals and which works well in the game. Follow all the same procedures you did with the other armor. If everything works great, you will know it is not your fault and that there is some problem with the custom model you used in your first attempt. If the vanilla Oblivion armor does not work out, then you will know there is a problem with your procedure.

 

Thanks for getting back to me. The retexture I was working on is actually of vanilla Oblivion armor. It's the Daedric armor, and I also tried the process on a vanilla tapestry. Is there something I have to do to the ground model when I retexture other than have one? The tutorial didn't mention it other than to say what it was.

[David Brasher]

In Nifskope, you have to retexture both the wearable item Dhelmet.nif and the ground model Dhelmet_gnd.nif. So you will have to load two nif files in nifskope one after the other or in two separate windows.

 

What happened when you retextured the blanket? Did you get an error message or just a white diamond?

 

I suggest that you go back to the CS and verify that your texture paths are correct. That the custom item in the CS that you created actually has the file paths that refer to exactly where your new .nif is located in your directories.

[zephyr4]

In Nifskope, you have to retexture both the wearable item Dhelmet.nif and the ground model Dhelmet_gnd.nif. So you will have to load two nif files in nifskope one after the other or in two separate windows.

 

What happened when you retextured the blanket? Did you get an error message or just a white diamond?

 

I suggest that you go back to the CS and verify that your texture paths are correct. That the custom item in the CS that you created actually has the file paths that refer to exactly where your new .nif is located in your directories.

 

Thank you! I checked the texture paths again after I used Nifskope on the ground model and found an extra folder. o_O Guess I unpacked the BSA files inside another set of folders with the same names so now I just feel silly...Thanks again for all your help and patience!