Creating new creatures

[SimplyOhSo]

For my next mod I want bring back Albino Radscorpions from Fallout 3, but I don't know how to create a new creature and apply unique textures (and models) to it in the Geck. Can anybody explain how to do it?

[irswat]

think you need other tools like blender/3dsmax, nifscope, some other stuff.

[SimplyOhSo]

I know how to make them, I just don't know to put them into the Geck.

[dubiousintent]

Pretty sure it's the same basic process as adding any other "custom item" to the game. Please see the "Custom items" and "Spawning modded items" sections of the wiki "Getting started creating mods using GECK" article.

 

-Dubious-

[madmongo]

A radscorpion would just be a retexture. What you are going to want to do is export all of the meshes related to the radscorpion (everything in \meshes\creatures\radscorpion) into your own custom directory, and do something similar for the textures. Let's assume you are using \meshes\creatures\albinoscorpion (you can of course change the names to match your real directory names). Edit your custom texture using GIMP or Paint.Net or Photoshop or any other texture editor that can handle dds files and save it with a new name. Then go into NifSkope and edit radscorpion.nif so that it will use your new texture, and save it as something unique like albinoscorpion.nif.

 

Since this is just a retexture, the easiest thing to do is copy the existing radscorpion creature in the GECK and modify it. So open up one of the radsorpion under the creatures section of the GECK like CrRadscorpion2Large and select the ModelList tab. Change the skeleton to the skeleton in your new directory. Now your custom nif should show up along with the standard radscorpion nifs. Uncheck radscorpion.nif (if it's still checked) and check your new albinoradscorpion.nif, and change the ID for the creature from CrRadscorpion2Large to something like AlbinoRadscorpion or whatever you want to call it, and hit ok to save it. You can edit the stats or traits or anything else in there that you like if you want too, of course.

 

If you want to make a custom model in Blender that uses the same skeleton as an existing creature, the procedure is basically the same, except that you have to know how to create meshes in Blender and parent them to skeletons. You'll end up with a custom nif that will already have a custom texture that you applied to it in Blender when you created the model, and the idea is basically the same. Export the meshes and textures of the creature whose skeleton you are using, then edit that creature to use your new nif (and you nif will tell it to use the new textures), and save it with a new ID.

 

If you want to make a new creature from scratch, that's beyond my abilities. I don't know how to do custom animations yet.

Edited April 17, 2017 by madmongo

[SimplyOhSo]

Thank you for the help madmongo, I gave you a kudo.

[irswat]

as far as animations go, I'm not sure if the file format is the same for new vegas, but zartar made this for skyrim:

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/38376/?

for a sample he created a attack-jump animation using already existing animations.

[dubiousintent]

Interesting. According to this video, FNV uses the "Havok Animation" licensed engine. So, while Skyrim uses the "Creation" engine and FNV still uses the "Gamebryo" engine, the use of a third-party animation engine might make the "Havok Animation" tools for Skyim compatible with the FNV. The "hkxcmd" tool (linked below) indicates the Skyrim format is not compatible on the binary level, but can be converted to XML and FNV "KF" animation formats. According to Wikipedia on the Creation Engine page:

• 
  

  Havok Behavior is a flexible animation tool that allows the developers to blend animations together in a few clicks. This means that animations like walking and running can be blended together seamlessly to make the animations look much more realistic. This important addition enabled Bethesda to improve character animations in their games.

So, while it is not certain, it would seem worth experimenting with the Skyrim versions of the following (taken from the SBO page) IF you are serious about getting into animation behavior:
* [http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/38376/? Skyrim Behavior Organizer by Zartar] (Note this cannot be ported without permission).
* Free version of the Havok Behavior Tool 6.6.0 (this is the only way to get any documentation on behavior).
* Basic tutorials (useful for explaining the basics of how behavior works).
* hkxcmd (you WILL need this to convert the behavior files to XML). Enables converting Havok animation from the Skyrim-compatible binary format to the Havok XML format or to the Gamebryo KF animation format. (Note this cannot be ported without permission).
* Condense Behavior (great tool that condenses the files and has other features my tool doesn't). (Note this cannot be ported without permission).

- Dubious-

Edited April 17, 2017 by dubiousintent

[mindboggles]

If you want to make completely new custom creatures for FO3 and FONV forget about Havok animation there is no mechanic there in the game for it, you have Havok physics but NO Havok animation. Also you wouldn't want Havok animation in NV anyway it adds a lot more complexity to creature animation creation and implemenation.

 

NV uses Gamebryo and even though I really need to update this cause somethings aren't right and other parts need updating you can look through my tutorial if you're really interested. http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/60497/

 

I'd take the time update it but I'm busy making a crap tonne of new creatures for The Frontier.

[SimplyOhSo]

Alright cool i'm about to check it all out, thank you guys and good luck with your project mindboggles