Making New Models

[Rangerwithabigiron]

I've never made a mod for a bethesda game before yesterday, haven't made any mods since GTA3.

I have an actual weapon that I want to make a FO4 mod of.

I've been making 3D models for many years, I like sketchup, but far as I can tell there's no way to export a .nif file directly from it.

I need either a way to do that, or a reliable way to convert from either .skp or .stl file, and make small alterations, to make sure the models sit properly in whatever setting they're placed in.

 

I've tried Blender before, COULD NOT MAKE A SPHERE. So I will not be touching that again...

Edited May 28, 2016 by Rangerwithabigiron

[JuJooGuppy]

Unfortunately bud, the only way to convert to .NIF is going to be through 3ds MAX, either the official plugin or the unofficial plugin. People have gotten some meshes into the game via outfit studio (Don't know the process, sorry) but even that route will recquire a different format than the ones you listed (.skp / .stl).

If you don't have access to those tools and can't purcahse 3ds max or something similiar, you could always ask someone in the community to convert your model if you get it into a better format. Might find someone willing.

[MasterMagnus]

I've found a viable path using these tools.

Blender 2.75a with latest Gamebryo .nif exporter. Elrich.exe (Beth tool in the FO4/Tools folder). NifSkope 2. BAE.exe extractor.

 

BAE.exe extract source.nif

NifSkope open source.nif Export source.obj

Blender open source.obj (edit or replace geometry) export new.nif

Elrich open new.nif export newadjusted.nif

NifSkope (2 windows) open newadjusted.nif and source.nif, Copy new geometry and paste over source geometry. Make sure every setting and hierarchy is the same as original in NifSkope.

Save newfinal.nif

 

To get the Blender export to work this info is critical:

http://www.darkcreations.org/forums/topic/10525-blender-27-nif-exporter-tutorial/

 

Beth's Elrich.exe tool converts the Skyrim style (version numbered) .nif into a FO4 style .nif, or more accurately it gets you closer. There is still much work in NifSkope to be done, but it works in-game.

 

I hear Outfit Studio works as well (as a bridge between Blender and Game), haven't tried that myself.

[radiumskull]

 

I've tried Blender before, COULD NOT MAKE A SPHERE. So I will not be touching that again...

 

Add objects to a Blender scene with Shift-A, then Mesh > UV Sphere from the pop-up menu. Just FYI. ;)

[Rangerwithabigiron]

I've found a viable path using these tools.

Blender 2.75a with latest Gamebryo .nif exporter. Elrich.exe (Beth tool in the FO4/Tools folder). NifSkope 2. BAE.exe extractor.

 

BAE.exe extract source.nif

NifSkope open source.nif Export source.obj

Blender open source.obj (edit or replace geometry) export new.nif

Elrich open new.nif export newadjusted.nif

NifSkope (2 windows) open newadjusted.nif and source.nif, Copy new geometry and paste over source geometry. Make sure every setting and hierarchy is the same as original in NifSkope.

Save newfinal.nif

 

To get the Blender export to work this info is critical:

http://www.darkcreations.org/forums/topic/10525-blender-27-nif-exporter-tutorial/

 

Beth's Elrich.exe tool converts the Skyrim style (version numbered) .nif into a FO4 style .nif, or more accurately it gets you closer. There is still much work in NifSkope to be done, but it works in-game.

 

I hear Outfit Studio works as well (as a bridge between Blender and Game), haven't tried that myself.

*Weary Sigh* So I guess I won't be doing that. Shame. Well I guess people will have to go without "Spike" unless one of you wants to make a Sketchup extension that exports .nif files.

Thanks anyway.

[BlahBlahDEEBlahBlah]

If you don't have access to those tools and can't purcahse 3ds max or something similiar

You can download 3ds max from their website free as a ""student"", as I did because ""I am a student"" (for almost 4 decades?).

<,<

>,>

 

I neither suggest nor condone lying (fact: they do not require verification), just simply stating that it is available to students if a ""student"" wants it. ;-)

 

Just a note: If the process seems overly long and tedious, no matter what you use, that's because it is. It's a workaround, like most everything that happens here, and it's not straightforward always...it's what makes it "modding". No offense meant, I'm just saying it is what it is.

[Rangerwithabigiron]

Just a note: If the process seems overly long and tedious, no matter what you use, that's because it is. It's a workaround, like most everything that happens here, and it's not straightforward always...it's what makes it "modding". No offense meant, I'm just saying it is what it is.

 

 

 

Still, the .nif format isn't exactly 'new' so I'm kinda baffled that nobody's made a simpler way to convert/produce them.

I got Blender, I can make a sphere now. But I tried to import an .stl file from my adventures in 3D printing, just to see.

All I ever got was a dot, and no way to make it display anything other than that dot.

And when I tried to export it to an .nif, I got a perfect .nif of that dot.

I just find it so bizarre that a community as large and skilled as the "Let's play around with Bethesda's stuff" group, hasn't come up with a better way.

[dazzerfong]

Stuff you made from Sketchup aren't suitable generally. In addition to the very high vert counts, you'll also need to generate a UV map and (optionally) create a hi-res version so that you can make some normal maps from it.

 

It's complicated right now because Bethesda hasn't released any tools for exporting until now. So, while I'll assume people are decoding it, we've been left in the dark for a long time. Nothing bizzare. Each .nif is actually substantially different from the previous generation: FO3/FNV's .nif is not compatible with Skyrim, and Skyrim is not compatible with FO4.

[Rangerwithabigiron]

Well that explains it I guess.

Still seems an unnecessary pain in the ass.

I'd like something with the (apparent) output functionality of Blender, with the logical and un-cluttered interface of Sketchup.

I feel like the lack thereof is a cruel joke. Like everyone's keeping it from me or something...

Oh well.

[dazzerfong]

Well that explains it I guess.

Still seems an unnecessary pain in the ass.

I'd like something with the (apparent) output functionality of Blender, with the logical and un-cluttered interface of Sketchup.

I feel like the lack thereof is a cruel joke. Like everyone's keeping it from me or something...

Oh well.

 

It is necessary because there's no other way around it. Sketchup is by definition simple to use (unless you go Pro) because it was designed to be. Push-pull works great until you actually need to define vertices. Not to mention, the .nif format has a lot of other oddities that don't directly translate over easily.