Wanting to know how to mod various things in Skyrim

[katulobotomia]

I'm not completely new to computers and I've done just a bit programming in my days (just some basic stuff). I've also done some modelling and mapping for various games (not officially, just for own entertainment).

 

I was wondering how do people mod various things in Skyrim, what are the tools and web pages I need to know. I'd be interested in modifying a few spells at first, then doing some modelling and map editing with doing a few quests etc.

 

Point me in the right direction :)

[Hauntyou]

So far very little is possible to mod skyrim. Thats because the necessary modding tools are still unfinished.

So far Niftools (the scripts to import/export skyrims files into 3dsmax/maya/blender) are still in developement.

Also the SDK from bethesda is also not release yet.

 

But as far as I know there is the possibility to mod everything that is in relation to textures.

You can unpack the games bsa files and tweak them with gimp/photoshop. You can make various parts transparent to

get rid of certain armor parts. All textures are .dds file format wich gimp/photoshop need plugins for.

 

Working bsa unpackers are FOMM (fallout mod manager) and bsa-unpacker (but ive heard some versions have still trouble.

 

Also you can hexedit some of the .nif files (mesh file format in gamebryo engine) and try find mesh parts and delete them.

 

related links:

http://niftools.sourceforge.net/wiki/NifSkope (nif-file format dev page)

http://www.blender.org/ (open source 3D software with nif support)

http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36901 (FOMM)

http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~prewett/hexedit/ (HexEdit)

http://www.gimp.org/ (open source software to tweak textures with dds plugin)

http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/ (gimp dds plugin)

[katulobotomia]

So far very little is possible to mod skyrim. Thats because the necessary modding tools are still unfinished.

So far Niftools (the scripts to import/export skyrims files into 3dsmax/maya/blender) are still in developement.

Also the SDK from bethesda is also not release yet.

 

But as far as I know there is the possibility to mod everything that is in relation to textures.

You can unpack the games bsa files and tweak them with gimp/photoshop. You can make various parts transparent to

get rid of certain armor parts. All textures are .dds file format wich gimp/photoshop need plugins for.

 

Working bsa unpackers are FOMM (fallout mod manager) and bsa-unpacker (but ive heard some versions have still trouble.

 

Also you can hexedit some of the .nif files (mesh file format in gamebryo engine) and try find mesh parts and delete them.

 

related links:

http://niftools.sourceforge.net/wiki/NifSkope (nif-file format dev page)

http://www.blender.org/ (open source 3D software with nif support)

http://www.newvegasnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=36901 (FOMM)

http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~prewett/hexedit/ (HexEdit)

http://www.gimp.org/ (open source software to tweak textures with dds plugin)

http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/ (gimp dds plugin)

 

Sweet. Thank you for the reply. No wonder I haven't able to find the proper tools to start modding Skyrim :D Any idea when the official modding tools might be released?

[PaladinRider]

If you have experience with programming languages (java, python, C, etc) you should have little problem picking up the syntax of the CK. In the past, Bethesda games were very simplistic (sometimes aggravating!) scripting language.

 

If you want to research some scripting languages, check out http://geck.bethsoft.com/index.php/Category:Functions_%28GECK_1.1%29 These are the functions that were usable in New Vegas, no doubt Skyrim will be similar. Although rumors say Skyrim is using an overhauled scripting system so I could be wrong.

[Inferno986return]

If you have experience with programming languages (java, python, C, etc) you should have little problem picking up the syntax of the CK. In the past, Bethesda games were very simplistic (sometimes aggravating!) scripting language.

 

If you want to research some scripting languages, check out http://geck.bethsoft.com/index.php/Category:Functions_%28GECK_1.1%29 These are the functions that were usable in New Vegas, no doubt Skyrim will be similar. Although rumors say Skyrim is using an overhauled scripting system so I could be wrong.

 

OMG!!! You are the PaladinRider who created that awesome Run the Lucky 38 mod! Awesome!

 

Anyway, I am most certainly going to wait until the Skyrim: Creation Kit is released by Bethesda. Then I will start modding.

 

Editing textures in Photoshop doesn't suit me at all!

 

I would suggest that you do that too.

[PaladinRider]

Thanks :thumbsup: I always enjoy seeing people who like my work.

 

Yup editing textures is not my bag either.. I did manage to do put the Lucky 38 logo on the red suit and waitress uniform though. If you've got the modding bug, it wouldn't hurt to mess around with the New Vegas GECK. It shouldn't be that much different than Skyrim's Creation Kit - and it might be a while before we can get our hands on it. :confused:

[AElflaed]

I'm actually wishing to edit textures in photoshop, I'm quite adept at it. I got the dds conversion down, using dds converter 2.. my question is I assume the skyrim textures are in "*.steamapps\common\skyrim\Data\Skyrim - Textures.bsa", how do I unpack .bsa files to get at the dds files?

[PaladinRider]

I'm actually wishing to edit textures in photoshop, I'm quite adept at it. I got the dds conversion down, using dds converter 2.. my question is I assume the skyrim textures are in "*.steamapps\common\skyrim\Data\Skyrim - Textures.bsa", how do I unpack .bsa files to get at the dds files?

 

I believe that Fallout New Vega's FOMM is capable of unpacking Skyrim's BSA archives.

 

EDIT: Linky

Edited November 17, 2011 by PaladinRider

[HiddenRanger]

Can someone tell me how to make textures transparent to remove them from the game like was mentioned above. I tried but im just getting an extremely bright white texture instead of transparency in the game

[AElflaed]

Thank you very much PaladinRider! I will give that a try. =)