How do you stretch a mesh?

[RealmEleven]

I've just started on my journey to learn a little about 3d modelling. I want to start with something really simple - like stretching part of an existing mesh.

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What I have in mind is to take a simple mesh, like the fine steel longsword mesh, and shorten the blade by 16.667% to match that of the equivalent arming blade (at 83.333% of the length of the long blade) - without changing any other dimensions. Altering the scale of all three dimensions in Nifscope is easy enough - but that just resizes the whole model. What I'd like to do is select part of the model and shorten that part along only one dimension.

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Can anyone tell me how to proceed using Nifscope or Blender?

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Thanks in Advance...

[Keirgarth]

Not sure about how to do that, but you will want to edit the hitbox on the item when you are done unless you are still planning on the same combat reach with the weapon.

[Lanceor]

In Nifskope, it's possible to scale the mesh in one dimension only. Right-click on the part that you want to scale, select Mesh > Scale Vertices. The collision isn't updated though, so for statics it's not plug n play, but for weapons, the reach is controlled by the weapon reach stat in the CS anyway.

[RealmEleven]

In Nifskope, it's possible to scale the mesh in one dimension only. Right-click on the part that you want to scale, select Mesh > Scale Vertices. The collision isn't updated though, so for statics it's not plug n play, but for weapons, the reach is controlled by the weapon reach stat in the CS anyway.

 

Thank you very much. That worked well.

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Is there a way to attach another model (e.g. from another nif file) as a child or parent node in the current model? If I wanted to put that flawless sapphire (meshes\clutter\gems\sapphireflawless.nif) in the pommel - how would I go about it?

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Thanks in advance...

[jamochawoke]

You'd have to do that in a 3D modelling program I'm pretty sure.

[JDFan]

You'd have to do that in a 3D modelling program I'm pretty sure.

 

While it might be easier doing it in a 3d modeling program it can be done in NIfskope as well

 

Just open the sword model in nifskope

now open a 2nd instance of Nifskope ( File - New Window) and load the gem into it

 

IN the 2nd window go to the Nitristrip of the sapphire - right click and Block - copy branch

Click into the 1st instance highlight the 0 ninode and right click - Block -paste branch (this adds the sapphire to the model parented to the main node)

Adjust the position\scale of the gem using the Transition\Rotation\ and Scale lines in the Block Details of the Nitristrip of the GEM as needed to get it in place (this takes some practice to get positioned exactly where you want which is where using a 3d modeling program is sometimes easier since you can use the mouse to position it instead of using numbers on the various axis but is not too difficult) - Once you get it where you want go to the Nitristrip and do a Transform - Apply to finalize the changes and save the NIF ( I did not do this yet in the Pic so you could see the numbers I used for the current size\position of the gem in the pommel ! - though your needs may be different since you are resizing the sword mesh so may need to adjust those numbers it will give you a starting reference)

 

Like This :

 

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/AddGem.jpg

Edited November 5, 2011 by JDFan

[RealmEleven]

Thank you very much. That went surprisingly well. I've attached some pictures to give a comparison of long, arming, and short-sword lengths - and the gem sticks nicely on the "very fine" variation of the arming sword depicted in the middle.

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http://realmeleven.net/ShortArmingAndLongSword.gif

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After trying the shortening method, I went back to the original proportions by rescaling with NiNode.Scale property (for the overall object I presumed?) It yielded the desired effect in the equipped item, but the scabbard and loose item rendering remained unaltered - so I went back to individually rescaling each of the component meshes (as suggested for stretching an item), except I did so in all three dimensions to preserve proportions.

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And yes, I did have to relocate the gem but, thankfully, adjusting those cartesian coordinates is much more precise than my hands wobbling all over the place with the mouse. Although I am taking a look at Blender, much of its functionality is not exactly obvious to my eyes. Maybe what I need for Blender is a good how-to manual with a focus on the Elder Scrolls Construction Set and the GECK, but I am yet to come across something quite like this.

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http://realmeleven.net/LongArmingAndShortSwordComparison.gif

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Thanks again for all your help. It allowed me to obtain the intended result (shown in the pictures).

[EDIT]Replace attached picture with correspnding inline element[/EDIT]

Edited November 8, 2011 by RealmEleven

[RealmEleven]

And with the magic of a little retexturing (not forgetting the *_G.dds and *_N.dds files to go in the same directory as the *.dds file) - and a repetition of the procedures kindly outlined by Lanceor and JDFan:

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http://realmeleven.net/Peridot.gif

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et presto!

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The pommel sapphire becomes a peridot.

[EDIT]Replace attached picture with correspnding inline element[/EDIT]

Edited November 8, 2011 by RealmEleven

[JDFan]

Nice job !

 

You might also want to learn how to adjust the collision shape of the weapon so that it will properly fit your new model so Here is a quick guide for doing that :

 

Open the sword NIF (I'll be using the fine steel sword for the node numbering for reference !)

At the top go to Render option and ensure that Draw Havok is checked ( so you see the havok in the render window)

Expand the collision branch tree ( 8 bhkCollisionObject Tree) so that you get down to the 4 and 5 bhkCapsuleShape branches

Highlight 4 bhkCapsuleShape in the Block List and then go to the Block Details Window and you'll see the settings for the capsule shape as shown in this pic :

 

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/Nifskope01.jpg

 

To adjust that shape you need a bit of explanation on the settings so here we go :

 

Material is the type of material the sword is currently set to Metal

 

Radius is the Radius of the capsule shape

 

Unknown 8bytes -- Not sure but does not need changing !)

 

First Point --- XYZ of the bottom point of the capsule ( change these by double clicking near the X to open for editing and entering the coords you want it placed at)

 

Radius 1 -- Radius of the capsule at the first point coords (change to enlarge shrink the radius of the collision shape at the lower end) NOTE : making this larger than the Radius Listed in RADIUS will not show properly so to make it larger must first change the Radius above !)

 

Second Point -- XYZ coord of the upper end of the capsule ( change these by double clicking to open for editing and entering the coords you want it placed at)

 

Radius 2 -- Radius of the capsule at that second point

 

So to make the capsule smaller and shorter like your new sword edit the second point Y coord to a value less than the current 9.2313 like perhaps 6.0 to start (the render window updates once you accept the value ) and then adjust again as needed. Once you get the first and second points where you want then adjust the radius as needed and repeat the process on the second Capsule ( the cross bar collision shape) when done save the updated NIF and you have a new model with the correct size havok !)

 

It takes a bit of playing to get the feel for it but is pretty simple after doing it once or twice ! IF you need any assistance or have addditional questions just post them or PM me.

Edited November 6, 2011 by JDFan

[RealmEleven]

Thank you very much for the instruction - I followed your advice with my arming swords and tightened up those collision capsules just in case they caused any unexpected weirdness in the game.

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Actually, that collision issue was bugging me just a little bit. Moreover, I went slightly bananas with the shortening/stretching method and converted copies of the cnHall01a and cnHall01b models to half-length models - at least visually as shown below:

http://realmeleven.net/ShortTunnel.gif

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They seem to work well in the game but there is still a havok surface (in red) which, as far as I can tell, remains full length - so I had to be careful when using these to resolve some of the half-length misalignments that occur sometimes.

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Is it possible to rescale a havok surface like the one in red (to match the white texture surface that was shortened by 50%)? I'm also wondering if there is a way to skew or shear a model in a given plane or dimension?

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Thanks in advance...

 

[EDIT]Replace attached picture with correspnding inline element[/EDIT]

Edited November 8, 2011 by RealmEleven