Generating a texture file from Nifscope/3D model?

[MarkusTay]

A long time ago I looked into this when I tried modding in Cityskylines, and it seemed fairly complex at that time. My 'skills' (for lack of a better word LOL) have improved (or rather, at least my knowledge-base), to the point I think I would better understand how textures are applied to a model.

 

So here's the (noob) deal - I look at the a texture file for any mesh, and I sit here and wonder how the hell it knows what to put where? How is the 'base' texture file generated? I'm good with GIMP (and PS, but I don't have that anymore), so actually doing the 'art' is no problem for me - I just need to know how one goes about it generating that 'roadmap' (I believe I was using Blender back then, and although I had some success with the modeling, I gave up by the time I was ready to apply the textures).

 

If you just want to point me to some good tutorials (video or otherwise) that would be fine.

 

Thanks in advance - I'd really like to be able to contribute to this community at some point, but the learning-curve is pretty steep.

[AGreatWeight]

Sounds like you're referring to UV mapping.

Some of these will help you get familiar with the fundamental basics of generating UV maps from your meshes

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=UV+MAPPING+IN+BLENDER

- in Blender, you can save a transparent .png file of your UV, which you can then use when creating your textures in Photoshop/Gimp etc.

[MarkusTay]

Very cool - thank you. I recall watching a LOT of Blender how-to videos back in the day, but there aren't nearly as many for Nifskope, which is what I am using now. I suppose I may as well get Blender too, since I am already familiar with it.

 

Yup - the UV map - that's the term I forgot. My bad. thanks again.

 

Cheers

[MarkusTay]

Sounds like you're referring to UV mapping.

Some of these will help you get familiar with the fundamental basics of generating UV maps from your meshes

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=UV+MAPPING+IN+BLENDER

- in Blender, you can save a transparent .png file of your UV, which you can then use when creating your textures in Photoshop/Gimp etc.

This can't be done from Nifskope?

 

Trying to help someone fix an old mod, and one of the UV maps is just a blank sheet of black, so I have nothing to go by on that one.

 

EDIT: Nvmd - I just found elsewhere that I can't. That's incredibly inconvenient. if you have to use Blender regardless, whats the point of even having Nifskope?

[MarkusTay]

Okay, I can't open a Nif file in Blender, and i can't do a UV map in Nifskope, so I have decided that modding is actually impossible and none of you really exist.

 

Frustration level: 1000

[Perraine]

You can open .nif files in Blender with the correct Blender version, and the .nif plugin (a google search will help you find them) However you can also use Outfit Studio and "export" .nif files as .obj files to make them easier to import/export from any version of Blender. Once you've finished editing, you can use Outfit Studio again to convert them back into .nif files.

 

Nifskope definetly does allow for exporting and basic editing of UV maps, however it cannot "generate" new UV maps.

 

Nifskope is handy for 'testing' meshes and textures to see if they should work in the game, it can also be used to mix n match various .nif parts, and it can be used for basic header modifications such as adding NiAlphaProprty etc. It has a shader renderer that is "similar" to the FO4 one, so you can get 'some' idea of what textures will look like in game, but obviously it doesn't have the full range of lighting options that the game engine does, so you may need to make some 'tweaks'.