Creating your own mods

[slainia]

Woo thanks guys. That's what I've been trying to figure out for ages.

Couldn't figure out what tutorial - or even program - l needed to look at. Will have to check out nifscope, id' love to be able to add treasures to the game. What about the dds files? ie the inventory and message images? Is that something i'll figure out once I look at nifscope?

Ty sooo much.

[ghosu]

.dds files = texture format...you need an image editor like Photoshop or Gimp and the Nvidia DDS plugin to open/edit/save .dds files.

There are several versions/maps of a texture:

 

name.dds = diffuse map, the texture itself

_n.dds = normal map, used to transport 3D details from a high polygon model to a low polygon version

in the normal map's alpha channel is the specular map that defines the items brightness (black= dark, white=bright)

_m.dds = some kind of "metal reflection map" or glow map, same color sheme as the specular map

...

...

...

 

And Nifskope is not THAT easy to handle...it's not like opening the tool, load a model and understand the whole thing at once ;)

Edited October 26, 2012 by ghosu

[slainia]

I see that, actually... I might be a bit...too unskilled to do what i wanted. :( just researching getting to the files themselves and found out - if i'm understanding this right - that l need FOMM...

 

TBH all I really want is more small treasures, but creating files like this takes time, and l know most of the people who make resource packs are pretty busy...was hoping it was something i could do myself if it was simple enough. crap. (still reading,b ut very confused.)

[ghosu]

If you want to create own 3D models => 3D Editor (3DsMax,Blender,C4D,Maya) + Nifskope, optional texturing/sculpting software (Mudbox,zBrush,Sculptris)

if you want to create own textures => image editor (Photoshop,Gimp) + .dds plugin, optional texturing/sculpting software

if you want to create quests, landscapes, houses, companions, "small treasures" using existing items => Creation Kit

 

FOMM or FO3 Archive Utility are used to extract the original game files (3d models,textures,sounds...) from Skyrim's archives (.bsa files in Skyrim\data)

[slainia]

iv'e tried to do it via ck but the objects don't have the options (or files needed) to be inventory-enabled. (don't know if that's the right term for it, but it's the only one l can come up with that says what l need it to.) l want to make stuff the player has to find and steal. Ideally, it'd be using vanilla files etc so there's no chance of missing meshes or textures, but i'll take whatever l can get. What i'm personally interested in doing is placing these types of items, + misc clutter items, around skyrims npc houses. Problem is, i'm running out of viable treasures.

 

Edit. didn't mean to hijack the thread...lol.

 

Hopefully the op has better luck than I have.

Edited October 26, 2012 by slainia

[chaospearl]

Hmm, what's an example of a static item you wanted to make inventory-able? I'm looking for the form ID so I can find it in the CK, not just "you know that cool gold statue of the god that's in some shrine." I'm curious now too, I might give it a whirl just to see how it's done.

[chaospearl]

 

 

 

 

 

(whistles cheerfully)

[slainia]

OH my god. Can l use those? that's awesome! Sorry I didn't see the thread... um.

other examples?

Mini (nice) spriggan. theres a horsemans statue I'd like, but can't remember the id for it. I have to go out atm, but if you still want ids for hugs let me know...

More things like that'd be awesome too actually. hehehe.

How hard was what you did? l looked at nifskope the other day, but it left me so confused it wasn't funny. i'd need very....very... specific instructions to figure it out since i've never used it for anything. /bonk

Ty so much for trying that!

[chaospearl]

The throne wasn't too difficult. I basically just opened the mesh in NifSkope, removed the bit that makes it into sittable furniture, and scaled it waaaaay down in size. Then in the CK I copied a basket form and gave it the new throne mesh. I'll type up better instructions in a bit, incoming Weather is making my hands hurt like hell.

 

Not sure how easy the spriggan would be, since that's not only a live creature, it's got those leaf swirly animation things. I might be able to shrink down a copy of the wooden spriggan, the brown thing you get when they're dead, but I'm not sure it's possible to get a mini spriggan complete with green swirling leaf effect.

 

Huh, I wonder if I could just shrink a vanilla spriggan creature, set it friendly, and remove the AI to stop it from wandering off. I dunno. It might work. But you definitely wouldn't be able to pick it up and carry it in your inventory.

[slainia]

I'd actually be happy with a spriggan "carving," tbh. Would fit in with the idea that someone in skyrim made it. :) Frankly, I'm thrilled at what you did with the throne. Kind of discouraged with my mod atm - getting reports that the mesh/texture files are missing when people download it, but l don't know how to fix that. /:

Anyway, I hope you can take pain meds or something. A friend of mine has really bad arthritis, and half the time I want to cry for her when she's in so much pain. :( Take it easy, no overdoing it!