Creating armor/weapon with fire effect

[Hangman4358]

thank you so much

[Urwy]

Well, here it is! :D

I'll be using Nifskope 1.1.0-RC6 and BSA Browser for this tutorial.

And please bear with me, as this is my first tutorial ever...

Also, i didnt use any tags in this post, because ive got more images in here than im allowed to post :ohdear:

 

First off, well need the "Torch.nif" model to use as a template for our flaming sword.

By using a BSA browser or extractor we can open the "skyrim - Meshes.bsa" located in the install directory\skyrim\data folder.

The nif is located under the "Skyrim - meshes.bsa\meshes\weapons\torch\" path.

Extract the Torch.nif to anywhere you think is convenient.

http://i.imgur.com/Kb2Ep.jpg

 

Now, well also need a new model for our sword.

For this tutorial i'll be using the "Embercoil" model i made, to which i'd like to add a small flame in the pommel.

This model has already be converted to a nif file (which i wont be explaining as there are plenty of other tutorial that show you how to do that.)

 

step 1: preparing Nifskope

Open up the Torch.nif. You'll see something similar to this:

http://i.imgur.com/uCVAp.jpg

 

Next, press Ctrl+N while in nifskope to open up a second instance of Nifskope. This will make the job a lot easier, although its also possible to do in one instance of nifskope, albeit more time consuming.

 

Go to the new instance of nifskope you just started and open your sword-nif with it.

it'll show something like this:

http://i.imgur.com/HSozp.jpg

Step 2: removing excess stuff

In the Nifskope window with our torch, click the mesh of the torch in the 3d view.

Now rightclick it and go to block > Remove branch. (or press Ctrl+Del). This will remove the torch, but leave the flame emitter untouched.

I suggest you do the same for the "GlowAddmesh" located under the "Torchfire" branch. (Select the"GlowAddmesh" node, rightclick it and go to Block > Remove branch)

http://i.imgur.com/HuxMG.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/67BmW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9SqhU.jpg

 

Step 3: copying over the blade

Now we'll copy the model from or nifskope window with our new sword mesh by clicking the sword mesh, just like we just did with the torch. But instead of removing it, we'll rightclick it and go to Block > Copy branch.

http://i.imgur.com/cHmvG.jpg

 

Skip back to the torch-nifskope and rightclick the BSFadeNode at the very top of the Block list.

Select Block > Paste Branch (Ctrl+V)

You'll see the sword model appear in the 3d view.

If the weapon is made out of multiple Branches like mine, you'll have to repeat this step for every one of them.

http://i.imgur.com/IHfhD.jpg

 

Note: We'll also need to do this for the scabbard if the sword has one in the model. Same goes for two other Branches: the blood meshes.

Now these can be called anything from Edgeblood01 to Edgeblood08 or similar (im my case Edgeblood04 and Edgeblood03)

http://i.imgur.com/ABY3I.jpg

 

Copy-paste these like we did before with the sword model, but after every one you copy over you'll need to give the Blood-mesh the correct name, else the game wont recognise it as a bloodmesh (or scabbard).

To do this, leftclick the bloodmesh in the block list. You'll see the corresponding details appear in the Block details list at the bottom of the screen.

there you'll see a detail called "Name" with a value called "Torch". In on the left side of the "torch"-value you'll see a small icon which looks like the letters "TXT"

http://i.imgur.com/366Kt.jpg

 

Leftclick it and a new window will appear with a blank bar at the bottom. enter the Name the bloodmesh has in the sword-nif. (Edgeblood04 for my first one) then click OK. (Or SCB if its a scabbard)

http://i.imgur.com/NHtGV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rQvNc.jpg

 

Repeat this step for the other bloodmesh, and be sure to assign the correct value to its name in the block details.

 

Now all the names might have changed in the Block list. We'll need to set the correct names again.

http://i.imgur.com/vttJq.jpg

 

Click the sword-mesh and, again, go to the small "TXT" icon in its block details. This time, scroll down the list in the new window and select "Torch:0". Click OK.

http://i.imgur.com/ndHKp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DzMDc.jpg

Result:

http://i.imgur.com/CZZeo.jpg

 

Step 4: Finishing up the flames

So now we got a sword in here, as well as a flame emitter.

Now all we have to do is adjust the flame emitter so it sits exactly in the right spot.

You can do this by selecting the Branch called "Torchfire" in the block list.

And if you look at the block details and scroll them down a bit, you'll see properties called "Translation" and "Scale".

http://i.imgur.com/Du09O.jpg

Use these to set the flames to the correct scale for your application and position them in the right place.

http://i.imgur.com/Yerwh.jpg

 

Step 5: Wrapping up

Right now, you'll have to change a value in the "Shield" branch.

We can do this using the small "TXT" icon in the block details mentioned earlier.. Use this to set the String Data value to "WeaponSword" for swords, "Shield" for shield items, "WeaponDagger", "WeaponAxe" and "WeaponBack" for daggers, axes and 2 handed weapons respectively.

This has to correspond with the weapontype you assign to it in the CK.

Setting this wrong could cause your item to hover between your characters feet and now be able to draw it, because this is the actual node that determines the items sheathed position on the body by connecting this node to a similarly named node on the character skeleton.

So no matching nodes = funny stuff :)

 

Now you'll have a nif-file with a flame emitter along with your sword! Save it somewhere in the Skyrim\Data folder and set it up using the CK.

 

Edit:

Expanded step 5, since i forgot the part about renaming the sheath-node correctly.

Edited May 12, 2012 by Urwy

[Wizard36]

Just like to say a very nice guide,thankyou for taking the time to provide so much detail :thumbsup:

 

i have one question,does this also work for armor.

[Hangman4358]

cool, thanks. Once i get home i will follow this.

 

Also, like wizard asked. it would be cool to apply this to armor, does it work the same way?

 

Also, another questions:

Why copy the sword to the torch nif and not the torch nif to the sword? Is there a reason for this because it would seem from just looking at this that it would be faster to just copy the fire over to the sword instead of copying all the different sword parts over.

[Urwy]

  On 5/11/2012 at 8:22 PM, Wizard36 said:

Just like to say a very nice guide,thankyou for taking the time to provide so much detail :thumbsup:

 

i have one question,does this also work for armor.

 

 

  On 5/11/2012 at 8:33 PM, Hangman4358 said:

cool, thanks. Once i get home i will follow this.

 

Also, like wizard asked. it would be cool to apply this to armor, does it work the same way?

 

Also, another questions:

Why copy the sword to the torch nif and not the torch nif to the sword? Is there a reason for this because it would seem from just looking at this that it would be faster to just copy the fire over to the sword instead of copying all the different sword parts over.

 

Not sure if this works on armor too... I suppose so, but ive never really tried it.

 

And the reason your moving the sword to the torch and not the other way around is that the flame emitter has TONS of nodes more than the sword, so you'll have to rename less nodes :)

a preview of all the nodes you'd have to rename if you moved the torch to the sword's nif :

http://i.imgur.com/QVB0E.png

 

;)

[Wizard36]

lol best to stick with the way you have described :yucky:

 

once again thanks for all the info,a big help to people who would like to create something new.

 

if by any chance you could find that it does work with armor,could you provide it for us,but in the mean time i will be having a crack at doing both weapons and armor. :dance:

[Hangman4358]

ok, I did everything like you said. and when i save the file it gives me a window that says "link points to wrong block type". but if I go to the CK and set it up the thing works fine in the game. Should I worry about this?

 

So there is no way to copy the branch and keep the names intact? damn.

[Urwy]

  On 5/12/2012 at 12:33 AM, Hangman4358 said:

ok, I did everything like you said. and when i save the file it gives me a window that says "link points to wrong block type". but if I go to the CK and set it up the thing works fine in the game. Should I worry about this?

 

So there is no way to copy the branch and keep the names intact? damn.

 

Nah, i get that message all the time... i just stopped paying attention to it :P Never gave me any trouble :)

 

But there is something i forgot to mention in the guide;

 

When youre at step 5, you'll have to change a value in the "Shield" branch.

We can do this using the small "TXT" icon in the block details mentioned earlier.. Use this to set the String Data value to "WeaponSword" for swords, "Shield" for shield items, "WeaponDagger", "WeaponAxe" and "WeaponBack" for daggers, axes and 2 handed weapons respectively.

This has to correspond with the weapontype you assign to it in the CK.

Setting this wrong could cause your item to hover between your characters feet and now be able to draw it, because this is the actual node that determines the items sheathed position on the body by commecting this node to a similarly named node on the character skeleton.

So no matching nodes = funny stuff :)

[Hangman4358]

Yeah i figures the shield thing out pretty quick when i loaded ingame and i was using the xword as a shield and swinging an empty hand HAHA.

 

Good to know the error is ok.

 

As for Armor. I tried doing this with a helmet. Since it has the fewest pieces to copy over. It worked fine in the CK but when I loaded up ingame it did not work. Very strange. But i think i might have done something wrong to begin with. I will try again and let you know. But with all the renaming it looks like doing it for a piece of armor is going to be horribly time consuming because you have to do it for both the _0 and _1 and for male and female and for helmets for the orc argonian and khashit _0 and _1

[Wizard36]

  Quote

As for Armor. I tried doing this with a helmet. Since it has the fewest pieces to copy over. It worked fine in the CK but when I loaded up ingame it did not work. Very strange. But i think i might have done something wrong to begin with. I will try again and let you know. But with all the renaming it looks like doing it for a piece of armor is going to be horribly time consuming because you have to do it for both the _0 and _1 and for male and female and for helmets for the orc argonian and khashit _0 and _1

 

thanks for the heads up man,hope your project turns out fine