GEMSTONES in 3DS MAX 2012? Can't get colors to work

[Matth85]

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/5474/capturekyd.png

 

A shot taken from Nifskope. I simply deformed the normal ruby and got it working.

 

It's pretty much what I've allready said. However, if it is hard to understand I can write a more detailed how to for you.

[neon369]

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/5474/capturekyd.png

 

A shot taken from Nifskope. I simply deformed the normal ruby and got it working.

 

It's pretty much what I've allready said. However, if it is hard to understand I can write a more detailed how to for you.

 

if you could write a little guide that would be awesome. It would help me SO much.

[neon369]

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/5474/capturekyd.png

 

A shot taken from Nifskope. I simply deformed the normal ruby and got it working.

 

It's pretty much what I've allready said. However, if it is hard to understand I can write a more detailed how to for you.

 

Hey man, so I tried doing what you said but I really just can't get it to work.. I have literally no idea what I'm doing and it's driving me crazy! :|

[jet4571]

Read the tutorials, Ignore the weapon or armor specific sections of each and read where they are talking about copying from 1 nif to the other nif. that information is universal.

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/478312-tutorial-3ds-max-skinned-meshes-into-game/

Open the original non-edited mesh and your new edited mesh alongside each other. If you can't for some reason, just open each one as you need to.

Replacing the shader information with the original's:

 

This is important, otherwise your mesh probably won't appear at all. In your original, copy the branch of the BSLightingShaderProperty.

In your modified, delete the BSLightingShaderProperty branch, then paste the one copied. It won't be linked in correctly yet, so don't worry.

In the NiTriShape, find Property Link 1 (it's near the bottom) and input the node number of the pasted BSLightingShaderProperty.

 

Excellent tutorial here: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4092 explains many things about Nifskope. Includes information on the NiAlpha also has a step by step on copying the bsshader.

 

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Creating_an_armour_for_Skyrim._Part_2 section: Add materials and textures

[neon369]

Read the tutorials, Ignore the weapon or armor specific sections of each and read where they are talking about copying from 1 nif to the other nif. that information is universal.

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/478312-tutorial-3ds-max-skinned-meshes-into-game/

Open the original non-edited mesh and your new edited mesh alongside each other. If you can't for some reason, just open each one as you need to.

Replacing the shader information with the original's:

 

This is important, otherwise your mesh probably won't appear at all. In your original, copy the branch of the BSLightingShaderProperty.

In your modified, delete the BSLightingShaderProperty branch, then paste the one copied. It won't be linked in correctly yet, so don't worry.

In the NiTriShape, find Property Link 1 (it's near the bottom) and input the node number of the pasted BSLightingShaderProperty.

 

Excellent tutorial here: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4092 explains many things about Nifskope. Includes information on the NiAlpha also has a step by step on copying the bsshader.

 

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Creating_an_armour_for_Skyrim._Part_2 section: Add materials and textures

 

Thanks for that! I've read through all those but they haven't really helped me much. I'm basically trying to take a sword and replace the blade with a gemstone.

 

*The blade in the picture is a stretched version of a gemstone. But I can't for the life of me get the colors to work..

 

 

Any other advice?

Edited June 14, 2012 by neon369

[Matth85]

Okay, 1 way to do it, which is without changing too much, is simply:

 

1) Click on the gemTop mesh.

2) Click 1 step under, to the NiTriShapeData node.

3) Scroll down to "Vertex Color".

4) Change all the colors from white to red.

 

Otherwise you can change it all to become as similar to the Bethesda one as possible. This is actually quite fast, and can be used very flexible. However, it might seem overwhelming if you are not used to NifSkope.

I have added pictures to each step, for visual representation.

I'd only try this if the first method doesn't work out.

 

 

1) Import the file you want. I used Ruby.nif for my example. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/73664563.jpg/

 

2) Edit the mesh, but keep the old UVWs. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/812/51077468.jpg/

 

3) Export the mesh, nothing special here. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/91415321.jpg/

 

4) Open the old .nif file, and your new one. I opened Ruby.nif and had exported Ruby2.nif. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/857/96956637.jpg/

 

5) Go to your new nif, and click your RubyTop NiTrishape, then delete the BSLightningShaderProperty and NiAlpha. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/232/96575865.jpg/

 

6) Go to the original Ruby.nif and copy over the NiAlpha and BSLightningShaderProperty node.

 

7) Go to your new nif, click on the RubyTop NiTriShape and scroll down to "Properties". http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/580/16581760.jpg/

 

8) Add your NiAlphaProperty and BSLightningShaderProperty node to the properties by adding the numbers. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/95505605.jpg/

 

9) Do the same for the Bottom mesh. Note that there is no NiAlphaProperties node for that one. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/97687067.jpg/

 

10) Again, remember to scroll down and add the BSLightningShaderProperty as a property. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/265/75474679.jpg/

 

11) Delete the Scene Root by clicking on it, scrolling down to properties, and unlink your 2 NiTriShapes. Then CTRL + Delete the Scene Root. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/31145145.jpg/

 

12) Now right click the white area and go " Block - Insert - NiN... --> NiNode".

 

13) Scroll down and under "num Children" add 2, then add the Bottom mesh (RubyBottom) as the children.http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/93614046.jpg/

 

14) Right Click the white area and go "Block --> Insert --> Bethesda --> BSOrderedNode"

 

15) Under Children of the BSOrderedNode add the RubyTop and the NiNode with the Ruby Bottom. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/88/24634174.jpg/

 

16) Right Click and add a BhkCollisionObject ( Block --> Insert --> Havok --> bhkCollisionObject)

 

17) Copy over the bhkRigidBody from the bhkCollisionObject of the original file. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/507/84794121.jpg/

 

18) Click on the bhkCollisionObject, and add your BsFadeNode as the Target, and your copied bhkRIgidBody as the body.

 

19) Click on your BSFadeNode, add your bhkCollisionObject ad the Collision, and set the BSOrderedNode as the children. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/820/72083136.jpg/

 

20) Copy over the 2 other files BSinMarker and BSXFlags under the BSFadeNode. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/215/32981744.jpg/

 

21) Click on the RubyTop, go down 1 notch to the NiTriShapeData and scroll down to "Vertex Coloring". http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/407/94462117.jpg/

 

22) Change all the vertex color from white to whatever color you want. I choose red. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/71441854.jpg/

 

23) Done! http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5103/donea.png

 

 

 

P.S. Does anybody know if there is an easier way to change the vertex colors? So far I manualy changed about 100 verts. That takes a long time >.<

 

Cheers,

Matth

Edited June 14, 2012 by Matth85

[neon369]

Okay, 1 way to do it, which is without changing too much, is simply:

 

1) Click on the gemTop mesh.

2) Click 1 step under, to the NiTriShapeData node.

3) Scroll down to "Vertex Color".

4) Change all the colors from white to red.

 

Otherwise you can change it all to become as similar to the Bethesda one as possible. This is actually quite fast, and can be used very flexible. However, it might seem overwhelming if you are not used to NifSkope.

I have added pictures to each step, for visual representation.

I'd only try this if the first method doesn't work out.

 

 

1) Import the file you want. I used Ruby.nif for my example. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/73664563.jpg/

 

2) Edit the mesh, but keep the old UVWs. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/812/51077468.jpg/

 

3) Export the mesh, nothing special here. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/91415321.jpg/

 

4) Open the old .nif file, and your new one. I opened Ruby.nif and had exported Ruby2.nif. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/857/96956637.jpg/

 

5) Go to your new nif, and click your RubyTop NiTrishape, then delete the BSLightningShaderProperty and NiAlpha. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/232/96575865.jpg/

 

6) Go to the original Ruby.nif and copy over the NiAlpha and BSLightningShaderProperty node.

 

7) Go to your new nif, click on the RubyTop NiTriShape and scroll down to "Properties". http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/580/16581760.jpg/

 

8) Add your NiAlphaProperty and BSLightningShaderProperty node to the properties by adding the numbers. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/95505605.jpg/

 

9) Do the same for the Bottom mesh. Note that there is no NiAlphaProperties node for that one. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/97687067.jpg/

 

10) Again, remember to scroll down and add the BSLightningShaderProperty as a property. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/265/75474679.jpg/

 

11) Delete the Scene Root by clicking on it, scrolling down to properties, and unlink your 2 NiTriShapes. Then CTRL + Delete the Scene Root. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/31145145.jpg/

 

12) Now right click the white area and go " Block - Insert - NiN... --> NiNode".

 

13) Scroll down and under "num Children" add 2, then add the Bottom mesh (RubyBottom) as the children.http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/93614046.jpg/

 

14) Right Click the white area and go "Block --> Insert --> Bethesda --> BSOrderedNode"

 

15) Under Children of the BSOrderedNode add the RubyTop and the NiNode with the Ruby Bottom. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/88/24634174.jpg/

 

16) Right Click and add a BhkCollisionObject ( Block --> Insert --> Havok --> bhkCollisionObject)

 

17) Copy over the bhkRigidBody from the bhkCollisionObject of the original file. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/507/84794121.jpg/

 

18) Click on the bhkCollisionObject, and add your BsFadeNode as the Target, and your copied bhkRIgidBody as the body.

 

19) Click on your BSFadeNode, add your bhkCollisionObject ad the Collision, and set the BSOrderedNode as the children. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/820/72083136.jpg/

 

20) Copy over the 2 other files BSinMarker and BSXFlags under the BSFadeNode. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/215/32981744.jpg/

 

21) Click on the RubyTop, go down 1 notch to the NiTriShapeData and scroll down to "Vertex Coloring". http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/407/94462117.jpg/

 

22) Change all the vertex color from white to whatever color you want. I choose red. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/71441854.jpg/

 

23) Done! http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5103/donea.png

 

 

 

P.S. Does anybody know if there is an easier way to change the vertex colors? So far I manualy changed about 100 verts. That takes a long time >.<

 

Cheers,

Matth

 

MAN! THANK YOU FOR THIS! I'm going to try it right away. You've made everything so clear and easy to follow. You're the best.

[jet4571]

copy a bsshaderproperty and an Nialphaproperty from a gemstone nif into your weapon nif. you should have 3 Nittrishapes, 1 is the hilt and 2 blades if you actually used a gemstone for the model. you will need to copy the properties for both the nitrishapes in the gemstones and have them used for the respected parts in your blade and a bsshader from another weapon for the hilt. If you are using vanilla textures then thats it you wont need to change anything in the properties. Make sure the properties that are in the gems nitrishape are in the blades nitrishape they were supposed to be to. If you have the inner nitrishape bsshader being used by the outer blade it will look like the inner gemstone on the outside with no color or transparency. Do each one 1 at a time.

 

If the texture is odd shaped like 256x512 it will not show in nifskope, it will be white. the game uses odd texture sizes though.