New to modding

[steelcryo]

I know there are a lot of tutorials and stuff out there that will teach me how to mod oblivion, I've already started learning how to use the tes construction stuff but i basically would LOVE if someone could post me a link to tutorials for things outside of that.

 

This includes anything that will help me learn how to create skin/textures, create models, create npc's, create animations. Basically anything you could need to make a fully independent mod.

 

Now I know someone will point out i can find these things else where but the main trouble i have is knowing which ones give me good advice and which ones are easy to follow ect.

 

So if someone could post me ones they have found extremely helpful (and preferably in an order of use such as one that will teach me how to create a skin then a model then animating it) I would much appreciate it.

 

The main reason for this is because i have never modded a game like this before and have absoloutely 0 experience with something like this so i would like to get some base experience and perhaps in future have a go at modding skyrim :P

 

Oh and adult tutorials aren't a problem for me, if they teach me how to do something then by all means share the link (but please don't skip over a good tutorial for a not so good one just because it is adult :P)

Edited September 12, 2011 by steelcryo

[crippknottick]

Slow down, Tiger. First, you'll need to learn how to use the construction set with confidence. But if you insist on learning new departments let's start with something simple, like re-texturing.

 

Grab Oblivion Mod Manager if you don't already have it. http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2097

 

Open the OBMM. In the "Utilities" button menu select "BSA Browser". Browse to your "\Oblivion\Data\" folder and open up the "Oblivion - Textures - Compressed.bsa" file. Extract everything into a folder somewhere else other than your Oblivion installation folder. Do the same to the "Oblivion - Meshes.bsa" file.

 

Next, grab a program called NifSkope. http://niftools.sourceforge.net/wiki/NifSkope

 

Install NifSkope, then browse to the folder where you extracted the meshes. Open up some meshes in NifSkope. Branching off the tree view find the entry, "NiSourceTexture". Note where the texture is located.

 

Now browse to the texture the model uses and open it with GIMP, Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop or whatever program you use that can edit .DDS files. Plugin filters are available free from here. http://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

 

Edit your texture, save, then see how it looks on the model in NifSkope. You can also assign new textures by editing the NiSourceTexture entry manually. Now copy the model with it's new texture, (be sure the name of the model and texture don't match default file names), into the appropriate folders in the "Oblivion\Data\" folder.

 

Fire up the construction set and pick your 'new' model for an armor, weapon or whatever it is you edited. Voila, you just learned how to re-texture.

 

Up next, scripting!

[steelcryo]

Excellent :D I like how simple and easy that was to read. (Whilst I've not actually tried it so i don't know if im gonna get lost yet, it looks how i usually prefer to read things).

 

It's 2:45am here so I'll have a try at this in the morning but thankyou for that :)

 

The reason I ask for it all at once is because:

 

a) It's easy to have everything already in one place than learning one bit, then asking/searching for the next and

 

b) I get distracted quite easily sometimes and it would be nice to have multiple things to work on when i get frustrated with another bit (After looking at the construction editor for a day or two, i can tell that even though i can use the basics easily enough, its going to get quite frustrating at time :P)

 

But thankyou again :D

[crippknottick]

Here is a simple scripting tutorial. This will help you get the hang of scripting, which is where all the magic happens in mods.

 

Open the Construction Set. Load just the "Oblivion.esm" file.

 

Open the "Gameplay" menu on top of the application. Next, select "Edit Scripts".

 

In the Script Editor window open the "Script" menu atop and select "New".

 

Always start with a script name. The function for this is: scn

 

Let's call this script, "Hello World". So the first line of your script will read:

scn HelloWorld

 

OK, there is now a name. You'll notice there is a drop down list to the upper right portion of the Script Editor window. This determines the script type. The types are: Object, Quest & Magic Effect. You'll be using the default Object type.

 

Now what we want this quest to do is to display a message on the top-left of the screen that says "Hello World!" after 60 seconds. But first we'll have to declare some things called variables. Our variables will be Timer (for keeping track of time passed), and DoneOnce (for keeping track of how many times we execute our "Hello World!" message. Your code will now look like this:

scn HelloWorld

short DoneOnce
float Timer

 

Since we want this event to happen during game play we will want to begin our scripting in GameMode. Your code will now look like this:

scn HelloWorld

short DoneOnce
float Timer

Begin GameMode

 

Alright, good. Now let's create a timer that counts to 60. In an Object script type the script runs pretty much always, all the time. So this makes it ideal for counting seconds that have passed by. To start the timer's 'ticking' or counting, we will add 1 second passed to our Timer variable every time the script is run which is pretty much every second. ALL SCRIPTS READ FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, REMEMBER THIS! Add this code to your script:

scn HelloWorld

short DoneOnce
float Timer

Begin GameMode

set Timer to Timer + GetSecondsPassed

 

Great! Now we can code in the stopping point of the timer, or the 60 seconds mark. DoneOnce is just a variable (we could of called pepperoni pizza, it doesn't matter what it is called) which will allow us to restrict the usage of the messaging code. We will code to that when Timer reaches 60 seconds, AND GetOnce is equal to only 0 (zero) the message code will display. Your code will look like this:

scn HelloWorld

short DoneOnce
float Timer

Begin GameMode

set Timer to Timer + GetSecondsPassed

if Timer >= 60 && DoneOnce == 0
message, "Hello World!"
set DoneOnce to 1
endif

end

 

Once DoneOnce is set to 1 the 60 seconds trigger no longer works and our block ends with an "EndIf" and our script ends with an "End".

 

Save your script, add it to the Player in the NPC editor, save your plugin, activate your plugin, then try it out. :)

Edited September 12, 2011 by crippknottick

[steelcryo]

My brains going to break soon. I can feel it :P

[Deleted1848331User]

If you want to learn modelling, Blender is a good way to go. 3DMax is also one, but it's not exactly free. The tutorial on all the commands and such can be found in the Blender Noob-to-Pro wikibook.

 

Have fun :P I can probably make a tutorial for you on a simple sword, although it may take a bit.

 

EDIT: Finished the first part of making the sword. I think it turned out well. Oh, and it's very detailed... 100 pictures showing how I did stuff. Technically 101 pictures, if you count the part about saving.

Edited September 13, 2011 by Guest

[steelcryo]

that would be very useful and much appreciated :D