[LE] Nifskope Help

[Greenston]

Hi guys,

 

I wanted to make a quick mod for myself where my character wears a barrel on his back as a backpack.

I used a backpack-mod from the nexus and combined the meshes from that mod with the standard static barrel mesh from Skyrim.

Then I deleted the old backpack model so the barrel was the only mesh left and was in the correct position.

 

Next, I created all the necessary files in the CK like an armor ad-don, etc.

 

It shows up in game, and the model shows in the menu, textured and all, but it doesn't show on my character.

The enchantments work and everything, but there is just no model on my character.

 

I presume it has something to do with the "NiSkinInstance" node or the "NPC spine" node in Nifksope, which the barrel doesn't have.

 

Can someone please point me in the right direction, I've been researching this for a while now...

 

I never made any armor for Skyrim, this would be the first...

 

Thanks in advance.

 

KR,

 

Greenston

[luvadea]

try haar follower and see how he did this...just google haar follower, I think it is on Tumblr.This follower is wearing a mini brewery on his back...

[Hanaisse]

You need to rig and weight paint the barrel, just like it was armor. This cannot be done in NifSkope it needs to be done in a 3D modeling tool such as Blender or 3DS Max. Outfit Studio will also work.

Edited November 2, 2019 by Hanaisse

[Greenston]

Hey, thx for the replies.

 

I'll give it a shot in outfit studio.

 

thx

[Greenston]

So I gave the Outfit Studio try, and i got the model to show up on my character.

 

I used this guide for those that would be interested: https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/5827987-rigging-brand-new-armours-in-outfit-studio-–-help/

 

But now I have another problem, the model is in the right position but it just floats behind me and while it rotates with the character, it doesn't "stick" to my back as a backpack should.

I tried comparing it to other backpack mods, comparing bones, and checked if the partitions numbers are the same as in the ones I assigned in the Creation Kit, but it still doesn't work.

 

Any help is welcome, thank you.

 

EDIT: I found a post that said I needed to check "Skinned" under Shader Flags in NifSkope, but that just turns my model invisible again in game. It's quite an old post too, so maybe smth changed?

Edited November 2, 2019 by Greenston

[Pineappletree]

Short answer: The NPC Spine bone is the wrong one to skin a backpack to. Take a look at this picture of the female XP32 skeleton:

 

 

 

 

You see that thin dark grey line with the X in the middle there? That's where the NPC Spine bone sits. It's basically part of the pelvis and when you bind your barrel to it the barrel will not move and rotate with the upper body.

 

For a backpack, which is usually connected to a person's shoulders, try skinning the barrel to the uppermost spine bone NPC Spine2. (And only that bone, since a barrel is rigid and not supposed to bend and flex like a full spine made from multiple bones does.)

 

If you also need the long answer, explaining what all this skeleton and bone and skinning business is about in the first place, just say the word.

Edited November 2, 2019 by Pineappletree

[Greenston]

Hey there,

 

I actually did use the NPC Spine2 already, since that what the one I saw used in other BackPack mod.

But it doesn't work for me... That's why I suspect it has smth to do with Nifskope.

 

I would add a picture of my Nifskope, but I don't know how. :p

[Hanaisse]

Posting your nif file would help people help you. :)

[Pineappletree]

I actually did use the NPC Spine2 already, since that what the one I saw used in other BackPack mod.

In that case it would be helpful if you could further specify what you meant when you said the barrel rotates but "doesn't "sitck" to my back as a backpack should".

 

Do you mean you want the barrel to not be rigid but distort to follow the spine of the character like a "soft" backpack (or piece of clothing) might do?

 

And / or what Hanaiise said...

Edited November 2, 2019 by Pineappletree

[Greenston]

How do I post a .nif file on this forum, cause I'd gladly share it.

 

And no, I don't want the backpack to distort at all. Imagine it sitting in the correct position on the character, but only rotating around the Z-axis. The only degree of movement it has is around the Z-axis.

So when my character jumps, or crouches, the barrel changes height and rotates the direction in which my character is facing, but it doesn't move local X or Y. It doesn't "stick". I don't know how else to describe it. :D

I guess it sorta "floats" like a 3rd person camera would do.