Need 3D Modeling Advice/Help

[Biohazard186]

Simple question with what I'm sure will be a complex solution. I have Cinema 4D and I have no idea how to open Skyrim items/meshes/whathaveyou so I can practice working on them. What do? D:

 

 

Edit:

Probably a good idea to stick this in the first post instead of leaving it on page two. xP

 

I need to start completely over I think. I have no idea how to correctly use either C4D or 3DSMax to edit the model in a way that's usable. I managed to get my attempt into the game by switching the models in the CK but it was so broken I don't know how to describe it. >.<

 

So, starting from scratch. And it's my hope that someone will take pity on me and help me with the process. xD

My goal is to take the Dark Brotherhood cowl from this retexture mod, remove the hood portion so only the scarf-like part remains, and then use the resulting model and texture to replace the model and texture of the scarf item in this mod (view the author images to see exactly what item I'm looking to replace, unless more images are added it will be the second one in and fourth down).

 

I know this is do-able and I've got, at the very least, a very rudimentary idea of how it's done but I would like some help so I don't spend an eternity figuring it out.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Biohazard186

[niagra127]

I know nothing of Cinema 4D. But, get nifskope and open up the mesh files with it, click on the trishape data and you click on file and export as a .obj. Just about every modeling program can open that file-type

[Biohazard186]

Ha! Thank you. :D

[mahona]

only thing is tat there is no native support for the nif format for cinema 4D (great prog btw it's the only one I could use fairly easily) but from what I've read on teh interwebz the .obj file format has a major flaw when trying to export back into the nif filetype. ill post this for now and edit a link in when I can find the time (it's like 4am here >.<)

[ghosu]

Hello, i'm using C4D - check out my video tutorial in my sig, the 3rd part shows how to extract game objects to edit them. You can create pretty much everything using C4D, as already mentioned there is no NIF Plugin so if you want to create armor or new creatures you can create them with C4D but to get them into the game you have to export them to Max3Ds (expensive) or Blender (free) because you have to add a skeleton to the mesh...and the skeleton/bone data is only accessible using the NIF format, without a NIF import/export plugin you have to use the OBJ format, this type only saves the mesh/material but no skeleton/animation and such stuff.

[Biohazard186]

Hello, i'm using C4D - check out my video tutorial in my sig, the 3rd part shows how to extract game objects to edit them. You can create pretty much everything using C4D, as already mentioned there is no NIF Plugin so if you want to create armor or new creatures you can create them with C4D but to get them into the game you have to export them to Max3Ds (expensive) or Blender (free) because you have to add a skeleton to the mesh...and the skeleton/bone data is only accessible using the NIF format, without a NIF import/export plugin you have to use the OBJ format, this type only saves the mesh/material but no skeleton/animation and such stuff.

lol I've actually been looking at your videos for reference all night. xD

I've been going nuts all fricking night trying to find some way to import/export files to a .nif format using 3ds max 2012 but I can't find anything. Everything I find is either outdated or has such crappy documentation that I can't figure out how to use it. >:l

Please, where can I get a working NIF Plugin? All I want to do is modify one item of clothing but I can't figure out what I'm doing and it's driving me up the wall.

[ghosu]

 

http://niftools.sourceforge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3196#p21708

Edited March 3, 2012 by ghosu

[Biohazard186]

Thank you, thank you. That helps so much. > w<

[jasonxax]

I didn't want to start a new topic, since this one is about 3d software support for Skyri modding.

 

My question is:

 

I have Maya 2012 and I would like to make some armors for Skyrim (since there is a great lack of decent and realistic armors, everything is either a retexture, skimpy or anime themed). Since Maya does not support the .nif extension, what other software I should use? Is it possible to create models in Maya and then somehow to put them in-game? What do I need for that, Blender, Nifscope ?

[Biohazard186]

I didn't want to start a new topic, since this one is about 3d software support for Skyri modding.

 

My question is:

 

I have Maya 2012 and I would like to make some armors for Skyrim (since there is a great lack of decent and realistic armors, everything is either a retexture, skimpy or anime themed). Since Maya does not support the .nif extension, what other software I should use? Is it possible to create models in Maya and then somehow to put them in-game? What do I need for that, Blender, Nifscope ?

*Disclaimer: I have next to no clue what I'm doing.*

 

From what I understand, the NIF Plugin can be used with Blender. The only thing I know about Nifskope is what I've seen in youtube vids, and the only one I've seen (so far) was used to transfer a texture from one item to another.