[LE] Knowledge Help with Model Conversion to Nif Pieces?

[Devaxus]

Ok so I have all the character models (and textures) I want to turn into armor mods, (i.e. obj & mtl files plus all the textures in .dds format)

 

but im not sure what to do in order to separate the armors from the models and turn them into individual .nif files. (i.e. helmet, gloves, boots, suit and of course the 1st person view for the armor as well).

 

and that is just the first step that I currently need help with at the moment.

 

Any tips or tutorials would be greatly appreciated.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Devaxus

[nayakri]

I've been trying to make my own objects some time ago - I gave up. The point is, you should start with importing similar nif into blender (or obj into blender), change it, remember about NifSkope variables all around the place, and then try to export it back into nif file properly.

Here you have some tutorials:

 

https://www.darkcreations.org/forums/topic/10525-blender-27-nif-exporter-tutorial/

https://beyondskyrim.org/exporting-blender-2-7-skyrim/

 

 

I wish you good luck - maybe you'll do what I was unable to.

Edited October 26, 2018 by nayakri

[FrankFamily]

If you want to make armor and you models in obj you are going to rig those models to skyrim skeleton, you need a 3d modelling program for that, blender for example.

[Devaxus]

If you want to make armor and you models in obj you are going to rig those models to skyrim skeleton, you need a 3d modelling program for that, blender for example.

 

I already have 3ds Max, Blender, Nifscope, TESVEdit, Both Creation Kits, Bethesda Archive Extractor, Outfit Studio etc. Im just mainly looking for tuts on how to break up the original model into parts specific to skyrim armors so that I can make sure im doing it correctly and also to make sure it they will actually work properly within the game.

[FrankFamily]

I say that because what you mention (splitting the model in different objects) is a super easy thing, you just detach them and export the separated objects to different nifs. The main hurdle when implementing an armor you got in obj is going to be skinning. All extensive tutorials about making armor for skyrim should cover that, I could give directions for 3dsmax if you need, though there are perhaps more tutorials using blender for this.

 

Since you mention you got 3dsmax I can explain how you'd split it in different objects:

>So, you have your model imported and selected, on the right you should have the tab with create, modify, hierarchy, etc. Go to modify.

>You should have "Editable mesh" or "Editable poly", doesn't matter.

>Go to selection, select element or polygon as needed to select the part you want to separate.

>Then go to edit geometry and detach, you now should have that in a separate object to export it later to a separate nif.

>Repeat for the other parts and give them appropriate names.

Edited October 26, 2018 by FrankFamily

[Devaxus]

I say that because what you mention (splitting the model in different objects) is a super easy thing, you just detach them and export the separated objects to different nifs. The main hurdle when implementing an armor you got in obj is going to be skinning. All extensive tutorials about making armor for skyrim should cover that, I could give directions for 3dsmax if you need, though there are perhaps more tutorials using blender for this.

 

Since you mention you got 3dsmax I can explain how you'd split it in different objects:

>So, you have your model imported and selected, on the right you should have the tab with create, modify, hierarchy, etc. Go to modify.

>You should have "Editable mesh" or "Editable poly", doesn't matter.

>Go to selection, select element or polygon as needed to select the part you want to separate.

>Then go to edit geometry and detach, you now should have that in a separate object to export it later to a separate nif.

>Repeat for the other parts and give them appropriate names.

 

 

When I import the obj do I check the box that says "import as Editable Poly" or just import it normally?

 

*update* nvm figured it out. OK so what do I do after I have them all separated?

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2018 by Devaxus

[FrankFamily]

Editable poly is good.

 

You have quite a lot more separation in there than boots, cuirass, etc. Unless those pieces use separate textures they should be a single object to reduce draw calls. You only need a different object if the item has to separate ingame (boots, helmet, etc) or uses different textures. Or if you need the pieces to use significantly different shader settings, like for example a golden piece and a steel piece need different specular color and cubemap to look good.

The less separation the easier skinning is though, something to consider. And the two last separation scenarios I've said can be solved by having a single object with different materials applied which your nif exporter probably separates on export, mine does. So, long story short I usually have 1 object per ingame item, boots, gloves, helmet and cuirasss.

 

Next you'd do skinning/weighting, i.e. assigning influences of the different bones to the vertices so the armor moves ingame following animations. Then assign body partitions which is a quick thing and then export.

Since you are using 3dsmax I could recommend the tutorials on this channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/NightasyTutorials/videos

From what I recall it covers, skinning, partitions, exporting and so on that you will need. Also weight slider if you want to add that, or fit the armor for female body, etc.

 

Before all that though, pose doesn't seem to match skyrim's skeleton pose, that's fairly easy to correct. When you import the skeleton following the tutorials above you'd notice it doesn't match, and therefore if you try to skin wrap to a vanilla vanilla to have a starting point it's not going to go well. Particulary hands are not in that stiff pose in vanilla and arm angle is a bit more relaxed I'd say. So, you'd activate autokey (below right) and move the timeline to a 100, then rotate bones as needed so that it fits the pose of your armor, disable autokey. Check that moving the slider animates the skeleton back and forth from the original pose to yours. Skin it in your pose. Once done just animate that back to skyrim's pose which if is the skin is good will also move the armor. (This could help visualize it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnu7TbmBZos, it's essentially that but with bones instead of teapots)

Not sure how clear all of that is, the subject of skinning is big to explain written, the youtube tutorials are probably more helpful than me. If you have any question or hurdle along the way, do ask.

Edited October 26, 2018 by FrankFamily

[Devaxus]

Editable poly is good.

 

You have quite a lot more separation in there than boots, cuirass, etc. Unless those pieces use separate textures they should be a single object to reduce draw calls. You only need a different object if the item has to separate ingame (boots, helmet, etc) or uses different textures. Or if you need the pieces to use significantly different shader settings, like for example a golden piece and a steel piece need different specular color and cubemap to look good.

The less separation the easier skinning is though, something to consider. And the two last separation scenarios I've said can be solved by having a single object with different materials applied which your nif exporter probably separates on export, mine does. So, long story short I usually have 1 object per ingame item, boots, gloves, helmet and cuirasss.

 

Next you'd do skinning/weighting, i.e. assigning influences of the different bones to the vertices so the armor moves ingame following animations. Then assign body partitions which is a quick thing and then export.

Since you are using 3dsmax I could recommend the tutorials on this channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/NightasyTutorials/videos

From what I recall it covers, skinning, partitions, exporting and so on that you will need. Also weight slider if you want to add that, or fit the armor for female body, etc.

 

Before all that though, pose doesn't seem to match skyrim's skeleton pose, that's fairly easy to correct. When you import the skeleton following the tutorials above you'd notice it doesn't match, particulary hands are not in that stiff pose in vanilla and arm angle is a bit more relaxed I'd say. So, you'd activate autokey (below right) and move the timeline to a 100, then rotate bones as needed so that it fits the pose of your armor, disable autokey. Check that moving the slider animates the skeleton back and forth from the original pose to yours. Skin it in your pose. Once done just animate that back to skyrim's pose which is the skin is good will also move the armor.

Not sure how clear all of that is, the subject of skinning is big to explain written, the youtube tutorials are probably more helpful than me. If you have any question or hurdle along the way, do ask.

 

 

Yeah once I did the select element thing in the edit mesh, i just highlighted the sections and clicked detach and that's what it gave me. is there a way to merge them into a single mesh?

 

Also which of his videos should I start with at this point?

Edited October 26, 2018 by Devaxus

[FrankFamily]

This one seems to cover the whole attaching, detaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azaDlQBjGt8

 

Going quickly over the titles, If not at 1 perhaps 6 for export, 9 and 10 could help since you might have to move stuff around to fit the body to a degree, particulary at wrists neck and ankles. The ones about nifskope definitely. 7 is important, bsdismemberment is the partitions. Skinning seems to be mainly covered in 12 and 50-54.

Edited October 26, 2018 by FrankFamily

[FrankFamily]

This two are also useful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L40qoiuUXL4&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6481ZYCzkI