Mesh Editing Help

[LongRaider]

Note: Sorry for the multiple threads on this topic but when one question gets answered 10 more appear.

 

So I am attempting to create a custom weapon mesh for use in Fallout: New Vegas. I have many questions I would like to ask but first I want to give a little bit of background information.

 

The only 3D Modeling program I am used to is Blender and the only version I am comfortable with is the most current, 2.63a, because I was taught the basics and school and am teaching myself the rest. Now my comfort with 2.63a is a problem because it is unable to directly import .nif files. In order to work around this, I would open the mesh in NifSkope and export it as a .obj file then import it into Blender.

 

However, I have read that supposedly the switch from .nif to .obj and back to .nif may force me to remove and add some aspects of the mesh. I have also heard that supposedly because the F:NV game engine uses .nif files, it is better to directly edit the meshes as a .nif. Thus comes my first question; Is this true or is my current tactic a viable and appropriate one?

 

On a more Blender associated note, I have another question. Is there anyway to get the vanilla weapon mesh in Blender along WITH its vanilla texture? Is there an option similar to NifSkope's "Resource Files" that quickly identifies and puts the texture onto the mesh? Or must I do that manually?

 

Lastly, I have a much broader range of questions to ask all of the modders out there. When YOU want to modify a weapon mesh, how do you go about doing it? Do you simply use Blender 2.49 and the associated NifTools to import and modify the mesh? Or do you do all the work in NifSkope? Basically I want to know what works best for you or what y'all prefer. If anyone reading this cares to do so, I would greatly appreciate a step-by-step procedure from an experienced modder so I can try and learn from them.

 

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated by a modding noob who just needs a place to start.

:)

[wetblanket]

I'm not experienced enough to give good advice but do keep checking this thread - the pro's will see it and reply eventually.

[dazzerfong]

1. Just install 2.49b in a different location, and open your .blend files with it to export it as a .nif.

2. Yes: extract all the weapon textures from the .bsa, and when you import, the textures are located automatically.

3. How I do it (for weapons and statics only).

 

a. Import into 2.49b.

b. Edit with 2.63.

c. Export with 2.49b as another mesh (ie. it doesn't replace the original mesh)

d. Use NifSkope to copy exported mesh's NiTriStripsData to the respective original mesh's NiTriStripsData to replace it without breaking anything.

[LongRaider]

1. Just install 2.49b in a different location, and open your .blend files with it to export it as a .nif.

2. Yes: extract all the weapon textures from the .bsa, and when you import, the textures are located automatically.

3. How I do it (for weapons and statics only).

 

a. Import into 2.49b.

b. Edit with 2.63.

c. Export with 2.49b as another mesh (ie. it doesn't replace the original mesh)

d. Use NifSkope to copy exported mesh's NiTriStripsData to the respective original mesh's NiTriStripsData to replace it without breaking anything.

 

First, thank you very much Dazzerfong for the answer. Do I need any NifTools or the Python programming for 2.49b? And do I need to put the extracted textures in any particular place? Because I have the extracted textures in a folder on my desktop but they still don't show up on the gun, only the whitish material.

 

Once again, thank you for the help.