Sabertooth Teeth: Placement Issues

[exanimis]

I don't yet know how to rig the teeth to the head bone but I have tried making similar changes to other races all with the same outcome. Once again I have fallen by the wayside of an uphill and rocky path all I can do is pick myself up, brush off the dust and continue climbing. I will figure this out but it would be so much quicker with a few hints.

[Stampede]

I don't yet know how to rig the teeth to the head bone but I have tried making similar changes to other races all with the same outcome. Once again I have fallen by the wayside of an uphill and rocky path all I can do is pick myself up, brush off the dust and continue climbing. I will figure this out but it would be so much quicker with a few hints.

 

Maybe this article by LHammonds would help?

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/articles/article.php?id=113

 

It's for custom helmets...BUT it does have a section on assigning models to the head bone.

[SickleYield]

I can't speak for everybody else, but the reason I'm reluctant and/or slow to answer this type of question is that 1. There are no easy, short answers and 2. Answers tend to result in more questions. It's not personal, it's just that Blender is complicated and so questions about it do not often have simple answers.

 

But in answer to the question:

 

1. You will need to import a rigged head such as the headhuman.nif (or preferably the Khajiit head if that's what these will go with) into Blender. DELETE THE SKELETON FIRST THING. EVERYONE IGNORES THIS PART OF THE TUTORIALS BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

 

2. Reposition your teeth where you want them to be.

 

3. Select your teeth in object mode. Go down to the edit buttons and look for the box that says "vertex groups." It should currently be empty. Choose "new" and name the new group "Bip01 Head" just as written (you can look at the Khajiiti head for the exact spelling if I'm giving it wrong).

 

4. Switch to edit mode. You should still be able to see the vert groups down below. Select all your verts on the teeth (a key).

 

5. Down in the vert weight box, it should already be set to 1.00. Press the "assign" button.

Your teeth are now rigged to the head bone.

 

6. Go back to object mode and make sure the teeth are selected.

 

7. Import the skeleton.nif, choosing the "import skeleton only and parent to selected" option. I use the one from meshes/characters/_male.

 

8. Select the skeleton, press ctrl+a, and export again. The teeth should go with it.

 

I know I already said this, but it bears repeating - always playtest as well as checking the CS as it is more apt to show visual errors on rigged head items.

[exanimis]

Thank you Stampede and SickleYield I am going to put your information to the test today. Saying that Blender is a complicated program is the understatement of the year. lol. Answers just leading to more questions has been my curse every since I first downloaded the CS not to mention blender, gimp, nifskope etc. etc. Blender however is not a program where you can learn from your mistakes.

 

I appreciate that you have taken the time to help me figure this out, maybe someday I can repay the favor.

[exanimis]

OK I'm still trying to figure out the teeth but I have spent most of the last two days going through tutorials and taking notes on Blender. Today I decided to open the program and apply what I've learned. This is my very first work in Blender and it was a learning experience. Unfortunately I closed blender without saving it and it is now lost. I am glad I took this screenshot.

 

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o108/crossbones59/BlendHelp/1stSculpt.jpg

 

I have a long way to go before I am creating the items and creatures I want in the Pellucidar mod but I am determined to learn and to finish this mod

 

considering that just a few days ago it took me six hours just to lengthen two teeth, I think I've learned a lot.

[SickleYield]

Yep, that's a pretty good learning curve - nice creature, too. ;)

 

It took me months in Blender before I ever got a working item in the game. The workaround was much longer back then (2+ years ago).

[exanimis]

Yep, that's a pretty good learning curve - nice creature, too. ;)

 

It took me months in Blender before I ever got a working item in the game. The workaround was much longer back then (2+ years ago).

Thanks again SickleYield. It may be months before I can get anything into the game as well. I've learned how to sculpt but that's about it. I still need to figure out those other four million buttons in Blender. I made a simple object and tried to get it into the CS as a statue but it was invisible, I still have a long way to go.

[Stampede]

Yep, that's a pretty good learning curve - nice creature, too. ;)

 

It took me months in Blender before I ever got a working item in the game. The workaround was much longer back then (2+ years ago).

Thanks again SickleYield. It may be months before I can get anything into the game as well. I've learned how to sculpt but that's about it. I still need to figure out those other four million buttons in Blender. I made a simple object and tried to get it into the CS as a statue but it was invisible, I still have a long way to go.

 

Nice work Exanimis. I am at the same level as you (actually I think you have surpassed me.) I find your progress very inspiring.

[exanimis]

Thank you Stampede, that's quite the compliment. I am a very determined person when I set my mind to something and I work very hard to learn what I need. I do have troubles though so it isn't easy, Most of my troubles come from script and quest writing but I'll eventually figure that out as well. Unlike most of the people here, I have a lot of time on my hands so I spend a lot of time reading tutorials. I have been sculpting with polymer clay for years so it wasn't that much of a step as far as the forming of the head. I still need to learn how to put things into the game and I need to learn collisions and weights. I also have to figure out gimp and nifskope so that I can texture some things.

 

I'll stop now before I sound like a complete braggart but Pellucidar is going to be different.

[exanimis]

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o108/crossbones59/BlendHelp/troll.jpg

 

and why can't I edit them in blender? I've noticed them on other models like the Ogre's clothes as well.