I want to make armor mods!(but how?)

[Dragonflarcos]

Hi guys, I got inspired by hotshotters standalone armors which are really awesome(vagabond armor,warchief armor hedge knight etc.)

So I wanted to get into modding myself to make my own standalone armors but I have no idea how i should start or which programs i should use.

I already did retexturing in game like SuperSmashBrosBrawl or League of legends so I'm not a total beginner.

II appreciate all your help greetings from Switzerland

Dragonflarcos~

 

PS: Sry If there's already a thread like this I'd be glad if you send me the link.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Dragonflarcos

[ghosu]

Hello

 

The rough process:

 

1. Modeling

2. Texturing

3. Create nif file

4. Game import

 

You need several programs:

 

1. 3D Editor: Blender (free), 3DsMax, Cinema4D, Maya

2. 3D Sculpting/Painting software: Mudbox, zBrush, Sculptris (free)

2b. Image Editor: Photoshop, Gimp (free) + DDS plugins

3. Nifskope (free), (FO3 Archive Utility (free))

4. Creation Kit (free)

 

FO3Archive Utility: To extract original game files like models or textures, can use them as reference material, meshes are saved in NIF containers and textures are saved as DDS, all game files are stored in BSA archives in ...Skyrim\data\Skyrim - Meshes.bsa , Skyrim - Textures bsa and so on, needs JAVA runtime as well to work correctly.

 

Nvidia DDS plugin: To open/save texture files, there are plugins for Gimp and Photoshop

 

NifSkope: A tool to open/edit NIF containers, the version has to be compatible to Skyrim's nif format, i'm still using version 1.0.0-rc4, -rc6 works as well.

 

 

Rough overview:

 

You can create most objects like weapons, static stuff, decoration items and whatever with any 3D Editor you want but armor and body parts are attached/weighted to bones/skeleton to stay in position when the character is moving.

 

This information is directly stored in the NIF container so if you want to do something like this or animations you need a NIF import/export plugin for your 3D Editor as well, atm there are plugins for Blender, 3DsMax and Maya available. Maybe you should start with a weapon 'cause it's a bit easier...

 

Most armor parts use several nif files / each part...NAME_0.nif and NAME_1.nif, (0= skinny, 1=fat) some parts like gloves use a 1stpersonNAME.nif as well (to be visible in 1st person) and a world model (GND or GO.nif) like a folded shirt in a shelve, and of course male/female/beast versions.

 

You may check out my weapon creation tutorial just for an overview to get an idea 'bout the process, you find download links to free tools and trial version in the video description as well...there are tutorials around for armor like:

 

Blender:

Part 1 - Part 2

 

3DsMax:

Check out his channel for more stuff...

 

And when it comes to textures, DDS files:

.dds = diffuse map, the colored texture

_n.dds = normal map, adds 3D details to a low polygon model, in it's alpha channel is the specular map (greyscale version of your texture, black = darker, white = brighter)

_m.dds = greyscale version as well, similar to the specualr map, some kind of metal reflection map

 

Some files use similar maps with different names, the body normal maps are name _msn.dds, there are maps for subdermal details as well and so on...

 

greetings

Edited May 6, 2012 by ghosu

[Dragonflarcos]

Wow thanks a lot for taking the time to answer me :)

So, let the work begin..;)

[patobek]

This is all like learning to ride a bike, once you'll learn you will never forget it ;) Edited May 6, 2012 by patobek

[Deleted4240918User]

Hello

 

The rough process:

 

1. Modeling

2. Texturing

3. Create nif file

4. Game import

 

 

 

I currently interested in creating and texturing a "real" hawk with zbrush. My idea is to first model it, then import it into 3ds max to add bones, rig them to the model, and then create flying animations. Then after that's done, import it into nifskope and do the required steps to import into Skyrim.

 

Is the process correct or am I mistaken??? :ohdear:

[Stemin]

 

You need several programs:

 

1. 3D Editor: Blender (free), 3DsMax, Cinema4D, Maya

2. 3D Sculpting/Painting software: Mudbox, zBrush, Sculptris (free)

2b. Image Editor: Photoshop, Gimp (free) + DDS plugins

3. Nifskope (free), (FO3 Archive Utility (free))

4. Creation Kit (free)

 

 

So do you have to have a "3D Sculpting/Painting software" ? Or can you get by with photoshop? I'm confused by your use of 2 and 2b, and without ever having used a 3d sculpting software I can only imagine it has the advantage of showing you just how the textures attach? Whenever I've seen texture files, they usually consist of flat images that are attached to the rendered 3d object. These images could easily be edited with a photoshop type program. But I'm speaking from an uneducated point of view and I don't know if it really works that way?

[jet4571]

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/522532-skyrim-tutorials/

 

Start there.

[ghosu]

@ 3UK: You have to check out animation tutorials...these things can become a bit complicated ;)

 

@ Stemin: Of course you can use only an image editor but such tools have advantages as well...you can paint directly on the model and save the whole thing as an image afterwards. If you only edit the texture in Gimp or PS you have to create an excellent UV map (is responsible for the order/position of each part in the image, with a bad UV map all parts are mixed up, like the head plate of a helmet divided into 5 parts all over the image, each part different size/rotation so you can even draw a straight line over the whole helmet) of your model, otherwise it is pretty hard to paint the whole thing - with programs like zBrush or Mudbox you can just draw a line over the whole helmet and the whole thing is directly transfered to the texture. So you can even work with a bad or average UV map...it's good as well that you see each edit/change immediately, for me the whole process is muuuch easier.

 

Example:

 

 

 

Left side is the automated UV map i've got from my model...no chance to paint that in an image editor, in this case i sorted it out 'cause it need a clean one for this model but i often work with messed up ones.

 

http://666kb.com/i/c3l2vs6ujdpadg3ya.png

 

 

 

Another thing is the normal map (for 3D details, height and so on). With an image editor you can only fake it, it calculates the 3D effect using the contrast of the flat image. With zBrush or Mudbox you can load your low polygon model, subdivide it up to a few million polygons and sculpt all details in 3D...afterwards you create a normal map from the high polygon model and put it on your low polygon model. Pure 3D editors give you this feature as well but specialized tools offer many more features and options.

 

Example:

 

 

http://666kb.com/i/c3klbhentdad48aen.jpg

http://666kb.com/i/c3kl3npmql9w4m6jz.jpg

 

This is ONLY the normal map, no texture...now imagine you would only use a metal texture as base. The faked normal map would look flat 'cause it would generate it from a flat metal texture, you have to paint all these details. With Mudbox i can simply sculpt the details and save as normal map, much faster.

 

 

 

greetings

Edited May 7, 2012 by ghosu

[ResolveThatChord]

Yep, you've been given a rough outline of how this all works. Now my advice is to put your ideas for custom armour and animations to one side for the moment, and just follow some tutorials to get comfortable with the basics. Start with a weapon. Weapons are far easier because they require no vertex weighting, which is something that requires a lot of tweaking and testing and bug fixing. Animations are a whole 'nother can of worms.

 

If you can design, model, UV unwrap, and export a weapon to a .obj file, then you can follow this tutorial to get it into Skyrim.

 

Let me just stress that this is all very difficult the first time, an if you try to run before you walk, you'll only be shooting yourself in the foot.