Difference between revisions of "Blender/Custom Shield"
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You need: | You need: | ||
Some sort of | Some sort of BSA unpacker, but if you're modding, you hopefully have one. If not, check out the Wiki's page [[BSA Files|here]]. | ||
Blender - as of this writing the latest version is 2.42a. I recommend a few tutorials to get used to its unusual interface before you try to do this one. I'm going to assume you know how to navigate among Blender's windows and buttons, because it's complex and I don't have three weeks to write a step-by-step for it here. | Blender - as of this writing the latest version is 2.42a. I recommend a few tutorials to get used to its unusual interface before you try to do this one. I'm going to assume you know how to navigate among Blender's windows and buttons, because it's complex and I don't have three weeks to write a step-by-step for it here. | ||
Get it | Get it [http://www.blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html here]. | ||
Blender tutorials: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro | Blender tutorials: [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro Noob to Pro] | ||
NifSkope - a powerful mesh-editing program whose interface is, er, a little less difficult than Blender's. | NifSkope - a powerful mesh-editing program whose interface is, er, a little less difficult than Blender's. | ||
Get it | Get it [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157&package_id=170735 here] | ||
The Blender NIF Scripts from Sourceforge - these allow you to import and export .nif files from Blender, which is necessary for your new mesh. | The Blender NIF Scripts from Sourceforge - these allow you to import and export .nif files from Blender, which is necessary for your new mesh. | ||
Get it | Get it [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157 here] | ||
You'll also need an image editing program such as Photoshop or my favorite, the GIMP, but I won't be showing you how to make a custom texture in this tutorial. | You'll also need an image editing program such as Photoshop or my favorite, the GIMP, but I won't be showing you how to make a custom texture in this tutorial. | ||
=='''Important Preliminaries: Configuring the NIF Scripts'''== | =='''Important Preliminaries: Configuring the NIF Scripts'''== | ||
Be sure to configure your NIF Scripts to version 20.0.0.4. You can do this by clicking on the little python emblem in the main menu to take you to the scripts screen. Then click on scripts - system - import/export. This should allow you to choose your .nif import or export scripts from a dropdown menu. Make sure it says .nif version 20.0.0.4 and size 10. (I've heard people say 1, but 10 is what works for me. If your meshes seem too big or small when exported, this is the setting you change.) | Be sure to configure your NIF Scripts to version 20.0.0.4. You can do this by clicking on the little python emblem in the main menu to take you to the scripts screen. Then click on scripts - system - import/export. This should allow you to choose your .nif import or export scripts from a dropdown menu. Make sure it says .nif version 20.0.0.4 and size 10. (I've heard people say 1, but 10 is what works for me. If your meshes seem too big or small when exported, this is the setting you change.) | ||
==Important Preliminaries: Get Python 2.4 AND 2.5 For Later Versions== | |||
I've learned since I wrote the above that for best use of the NIF scripts with later versions of Blender, you need to install BOTH Python 2.5 and 2.4. The first one is for the latest Blender versions (up to 2.43, at least) and the second one is for the NIF scripts. | |||
=='''Starting from Scratch: Choosing your Collision Boxes'''== | =='''Starting from Scratch: Choosing your Collision Boxes'''== | ||
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Okay, now export. File - export - netimmerse/gamebryo. Choose the folder you want your shield to go into - let's say data files\meshes\armor\mynewshield.nif. | Okay, now export. File - export - netimmerse/gamebryo. Choose the folder you want your shield to go into - let's say data files\meshes\armor\mynewshield.nif. | ||
Open up your nif with NifSkope. It may look odd if you started from a game mesh, since it will have the original texture on it still, but that's not what we're worried about right now. | Open up your nif with NifSkope. It may look odd if you started from a game mesh, since it will have the original texture on it still, but that's not what we're worried about right now. | ||
Now go to file - new window. Remember the original mesh you chose for its collision boxes? The one that still has those boxes, because it's the original version that you did NOT save over with a new one? Load that in the new window. Find the nitristrips node for the actual shield itself - when you click on it it will be highlighted in the main window. Right click - block - remove branch. Now it is gone but its collision shapes (the bhkconvexvertices node) are still there. | Now go to file - new window. Remember the original mesh you chose for its collision boxes? The one that still has those boxes, because it's the original version that you did NOT save over with a new one? Load that in the new window. Find the nitristrips node for the actual shield itself - when you click on it it will be highlighted in the main window. Right click - block - remove branch. Now it is gone but its collision shapes (the bhkconvexvertices node) are still there. | ||
Go back to your new shield. Click on the node for your shield's nitrishape. Now right click - mesh - smooth normals, then right click - mesh - strippify | Go back to your new shield. Click on the node for your shield's nitrishape. Now right click - mesh - smooth normals, then right click - mesh - strippify. | ||
Now you're ready to copy your mesh into the old one. Right click again (it should be a nitristrips now, since you strippified it) and click block - copy branch. Switch back to the old mesh's window and right click on the node that says 'scene root.' Now block - paste branch. Your shield should appear in the window | Now you're ready to copy your mesh into the old one. Right click again (it should be a nitristrips now, since you strippified it) and click block - copy branch. Switch back to the old mesh's window and right click on the node that says 'scene root.' Now block - paste branch. Your shield should appear in the window. | ||
Now save the nif under the name of your shield (do NOT save it as the name of the old one). Make sure it's in the directory where you want it to be. | Now save the nif under the name of your shield (do NOT save it as the name of the old one). Make sure it's in the directory where you want it to be. | ||
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Now you see a list of all the armor sets in the game. You can click on one set, say "Glass" or "Daedric," in the left-hand pane and it will show you all the pieces in just that set in the right-hand one. | Now you see a list of all the armor sets in the game. You can click on one set, say "Glass" or "Daedric," in the left-hand pane and it will show you all the pieces in just that set in the right-hand one. | ||
Choose a shield that has the kind of stats you want. Glass and Daedric are very popular because they are the best light and heavy armor in the game. Don't choose one that says "arena" anywhere in the ID, because those have scripts on them that you don't want to mess with. Double click the shield of your choice to bring up its information. Click on the name of the nif (say, glass/shield.nif). A little window will pop up with the data directory in it. Click through until you find your own new shield mesh. Click on that and click "OK". Your shield mesh name should now appear in the window. You'll need to do the same with a new icon, which you can learn to make here: [[http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/ | Choose a shield that has the kind of stats you want. Glass and Daedric are very popular because they are the best light and heavy armor in the game. Don't choose one that says "arena" anywhere in the ID, because those have scripts on them that you don't want to mess with. Double click the shield of your choice to bring up its information. Click on the name of the nif (say, glass/shield.nif). A little window will pop up with the data directory in it. Click through until you find your own new shield mesh. Click on that and click "OK". Your shield mesh name should now appear in the window. You'll need to do the same with a new icon, which you can learn to make here: [[http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Better_Icons_The_Easy_Way_With_GIMP SickleYield's Easy Icon Tutorial]] | ||
Now this part is very important. You need to change the ID of the new shield, not just the name. The ID is above the name and looks something like "WeaponGlassLongsword" or "GlasShield". You must change this to a new ID such as "Mynewshield," or you will replace every glass shield in the game with yours. Be sure and give it a unique name, too, so that everyone knows what an amazing shield you've made. | Now this part is very important. You need to change the ID of the new shield, not just the name. The ID is above the name and looks something like "WeaponGlassLongsword" or "GlasShield". You must change this to a new ID such as "Mynewshield," or you will replace every glass shield in the game with yours. Be sure and give it a unique name, too, so that everyone knows what an amazing shield you've made. | ||
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Good luck, and have fun! | Good luck, and have fun! | ||
[[Category:Modeling Tutorials]] | |||
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