[LE] Trying to create item which can be equipped in hand

[davethepak]

I am trying to create an item (a small pouch) that can be equipped in either hand (prefer left, but don't care).

 

I am using the small coin purse nif for it (coinbagsmall.nif).

 

As far as I can tell only Lights (e.g. a torch), shields and weapons can be equipped in the hands.

 

Not sure what to make this (I will have a magic effect tied to it when equipped) - so it can be seen in the hand.

 

Any suggestions where to begin?

 

(I tried copying the torch, and using the coinbag nif file, but that does not show up in the hand....).

 

Thank you for any suggestions...

[IsharaMeradin]

You could possibly design it to be like the arrow and bolt quivers. Linked to a specific bone node (probably one in the hand or a finger) and translated so that it appears correctly.

[davethepak]

Wow, I have seen a lot of good answers over time from you, I almost feel honored to get a response from you.

 

Anyway, I think you are correct ...and I am trying to figure out how to do that.

I only know the basics of nifskope, some of the tutorials are either about textures, or other things...but going through them.

 

For my first test, I made it an equippable light source (it can glow a bit, that is fine) and put in the nif of a coin purse.

When I eqiup it, it is on the ground near my feet, so clearing I am missing something about how to get it into the player's hand.

 

I will keep poking at nifskope, thanks again for your thoughts.

[IsharaMeradin]

Just noticed that I uninstalled my copy of NifSkope, so cannot look at any meshes to give you any specifics.

 

But if you download my Aesthetic Bolt Quiver mod (you do not need to install it to your game, just download and extract somewhere). In fact all you really need to look at are the NIF files and you can get a copy of those from the patch file for Explosive Bolts Visualized if you do not want to download the larger main file. One is designed for the left hip and the other for the back. If you compare the two side by side (in separate instances of NifSkope) you can see how they are linked and positioned to their respective bone nodes (as that is, as far as I remember, the only difference between the two variants).

[Hanaisse]

I think the question that needs to be asked is what will the player (or NPC) do with the coin bag once it's in his hand?

 

As a guess there are several ways you can go with it.

 

- Create it as an animobject (like a tankard or loaf of bread), that way the player can actually grip it properly, but that would also require some kind of animation to go with it once its there, and some kind of trigger.

- Create it like a shield, would just need to be positioned properly, that way the player can walk around with it but not do much else. Though the players grip on it may be a little loose. (Btw, a torch is set up the same as a shield)

- Rig it and equip it like a pair of gauntlets, but that doesn't give any visual indication of "holding", it would just sit there.

[davethepak]

Thank you for the follow up.

 

I understand that concept that a node (does every vertex have a node, but not all nodes are on vertices?) can have functions, and that there is a node somewhere on an object that tells the game how to connect it to a node on the skeleton.

 

I am still trying to navigate and figure out where those are...so, your example will indeed help. The quivers look amazing, by the way.

 

Most of the nifskope tutorials are either way too simple (how to install, how to change a texture, etc.) or way to complex (merging static objects, or building in racemenu nodes, etc.). But I do want to learn this.

(I am trying to tie in an active magic effect and want the player to equip the item in a hand - as I don't want it to be passive like a ring, or use the already crowded power system).

 

thank you again for taking the time to respond, and the additional info.

 

I might have abandoned this project method, but learning nifskope I am sure is a good skill (eventually I want to learn to do my own animations).

 

Regards

[davethepak]

I think the question that needs to be asked is what will the player (or NPC) do with the coin bag once it's in his hand?

 

As a guess there are several ways you can go with it.

 

- Create it as an animobject (like a tankard or loaf of bread), that way the player can actually grip it properly, but that would also require some kind of animation to go with it once its there, and some kind of trigger.

- Create it like a shield, would just need to be positioned properly, that way the player can walk around with it but not do much else. Though the players grip on it may be a little loose. (Btw, a torch is set up the same as a shield)

- Rig it and equip it like a pair of gauntlets, but that doesn't give any visual indication of "holding", it would just sit there.

 

The player will just hold (equip it). Using it is optional.

Basically lore wise, I have an object that was a small bag (the starfrost from the dawnstar game, if anyone is curious) that I want to add to the game as a thane reward for dawnstar.

 

I wanted it to be a bit powerful, so making it a passive like a ring or amulet would be too much. I could grant a power if the item is in inventory (by doing on container change event attached to the item) but I honestly feel the "power" metaphor is way to overused already. So, I was thinking makint it an equipable item - thus it takes up a hand slot, but has a strong effect.

So, I started trying to modify a torch (as it takes up the left hand, and is held upright, as opposed to shields, which are held at the side - I also did not want to take up a shield slot).

 

I have some clever ideas on doing things, but a lot of gaps in knowledge (like on making nif's fit in your hand, or doing my own animations) as I am self taught on scripting and the CK (have a coding background, so papyrus is not hard - the esoteric and poorly documented CK is the challange...).

 

You mention "rigging" things - and I am attempting to learn nifskope, but it is slow going. I get the concepts, but the devil is in the details as they say (like still trying to figure out how to add a bone node or some reference to tell it to be in the hand).

 

thank you for your comment, it does confirm I am (sort of) going in the right direction.

Edited December 8, 2019 by davethepak

[carbondz2010]

if you want to be equipped as sword,

 

1. Open Outfit Studio.
2. Find any weapon like sword, in Skyrim - Meshes0.bsa with BSA Explorer.
3. Drag the weapon (ex. sword) to Outfit Studio.
4. Drag your pouch .nif to Outfit Studio with the weapon (ex. sword).
5. Select your pouch on the right panel of Outfit Studio.
6. Use move object tool.
7. Move the pouch in the correct position of weapon sword pomel.
8. Delete the sword by select on right panel of Outfit Studio.
9. Click File export to NIF.
10. Choose name and then done.
11. Now you can add the NIF to ck with make a new weapon, just duplicate any sword on ck.

here i made a sample for you, btw i am not trying it yet

https://www95.zippyshare.com/v/HZTDI5MF/file.html

Edited December 8, 2019 by carbondz2010

[davethepak]

if you want to be equipped as sword,

 

1. Open Outfit Studio.
2. Find any weapon like sword, in Skyrim - Meshes0.bsa with BSA Explorer.
3. Drag the weapon (ex. sword) to Outfit Studio.
4. Drag your pouch .nif to Outfit Studio with the weapon (ex. sword).
5. Select your pouch on the right panel of Outfit Studio.
6. Use move object tool.
7. Move the pouch in the correct position of weapon sword pomel.
8. Delete the sword by select on right panel of Outfit Studio.
9. Click File export to NIF.
10. Choose name and then done.
11. Now you can add the NIF to ck with make a new weapon, just duplicate any sword on ck.

here i made a sample for you, btw i am not trying it yet

https://www95.zippyshare.com/v/HZTDI5MF/file.html

Wow, thank you very much for the details and the sample file!

 

I had taken the advice and tried it using a torch, and between this and the example with the sword, I think I can get it to work.

 

While I had used outfit studio before, I had no idea I could do something like this with it.

 

 

Big thank you to everyone who had posted - it really helped me get where I needed to go!

[carbondz2010]

yeah

 

 

if you want to be equipped as sword,

 

1. Open Outfit Studio.
2. Find any weapon like sword, in Skyrim - Meshes0.bsa with BSA Explorer.
3. Drag the weapon (ex. sword) to Outfit Studio.
4. Drag your pouch .nif to Outfit Studio with the weapon (ex. sword).
5. Select your pouch on the right panel of Outfit Studio.
6. Use move object tool.
7. Move the pouch in the correct position of weapon sword pomel.
8. Delete the sword by select on right panel of Outfit Studio.
9. Click File export to NIF.
10. Choose name and then done.
11. Now you can add the NIF to ck with make a new weapon, just duplicate any sword on ck.

here i made a sample for you, btw i am not trying it yet

https://www95.zippyshare.com/v/HZTDI5MF/file.html

Wow, thank you very much for the details and the sample file!

 

I had taken the advice and tried it using a torch, and between this and the example with the sword, I think I can get it to work.

 

While I had used outfit studio before, I had no idea I could do something like this with it.

 

 

Big thank you to everyone who had posted - it really helped me get where I needed to go!

 

 

YW. yeah glad to help