New Modder, Wanting To Make Armor

[henryestanley14]

Hey guys, not sure if I should be posting this here or in the GECK modding forum, but I have messed with the GECK a decent amount in creating my own worldspaces, and adding nice touches to parts of NV I found lacking, but I haven't the slightest clue how to make myself a custom set of armor.

 

I don't mean custom as in new meshes or a completely fabricated outfit, I really just want to splice together a few of my favorite resources from outfits, (ulysses duster, with some shoulder armor over top) and maybe edit the mesh on his duster so it doesn't flair out so much.

 

How do I combine/recolor resources for things like that? Is it a feature in the GECK? Or another software. Do I need something like Photoshop if I intend to recolor a resource?

 

Thanks!

[madmongo]

Your options for retexturing are basically Photoshop, GIMP, and Paint.Net (this is not the Paint that comes with windows, but it is a free download). GIMP is probably the most popular among modders. Most modders don't use Photoshop because it's the only one on the list that isn't free. GIMP requires a plugin for dds files (or it did the last time I checked, it's been a while since I downloaded my copy). Paint.Net comes with dds support and doesn't need a plugin. No idea about Photoshop.

 

I personally find GIMP to be more powerful, but Paint.Net is easier to use and far more intuitive. Most modders prefer GIMP though.

 

You will need NifSkope to change the texture assigned to your meshes.

 

You can also use NifSkope to copy bits of outfits from one nif to another, but you are limited to copying entire mesh parts. For example, if you want the shoulders off of one particular type of armor, those shoulder meshes might be a separate piece inside the nif, in which case you can just copy them over, or they might be a part of the entire armor mesh. If they aren't separate, then NifSkope can't separate them.

 

NifSkope also can't modify meshes. If you want to separate pieces that are all one mesh in NifSkope or you want to edit the duster so that it doesn't flair out so much, you need a 3d modeling program. Your choices here are Blender or 3ds Max. Both require specific versions to work with Fallout New Vegas due to the nif import and export tools only working properly with certain versions. I use Blender, and it is the more popular program, again due to cost (Blender is free, the version of 3ds Max that works with FNV isn't). If you go the Blender route, you need version 2.49b.

 

There is a link to Blender 2.49b with all of the tools you'll need (NifSkope, etc) all packaged together in versions that all work together properly here (see the Programs and Tools section):

https://wiki.nexusmods.com/index.php/Getting_started_creating_mods_using_GECK

 

Blender has some quirks. For example, when you export your armor/clothing mesh it never sets the shader flags properly and you need to fix those in NifSkope. 3ds Max has similar quirks but since I don't use that program I don't know off the top of my head what those quirks are.

 

Once you have created your new nif meshes and dds textures, then you'll need to use the GECK to create the new armor in the game. Typically you'll just open something similar and give it a new ID, then change the nif assigned to it to point to your new nif, then save the new form. That way you will already have the proper body slots assigned and that sort of thing. But there is nothing stopping you from creating the new armor piece completely from scratch in the GECK, you'll just end up filling in every single bit of info in the form yourself instead of taking what was already there for an existing form.

Edited April 3, 2020 by madmongo

[dubiousintent]

That linked wiki article also has some sections directly addressing your project. See "Custom items", "Armor and Clothes", "Conversions", as well as tutorials and "tips" about the tools.

 

-Dubious-