Difference between revisions of "3ds Max/NifSkope: Custom Weapons"

'''This method is superior to importing OBJs in Nifskope because importing OBJs will result in incorrect smoothing groups and lighting.  This means your weapons will have little to no specular information, generally dark textures, and wonky normal maps.  Many weapons have been released in mods like this, thus stifling their potential.  These lengthly steps do pay off if you're looking to produce quality content.'''

Check this part of the Wiki on how to use it.

[http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/BSA_Unpacker_Tutorial Tutorial]

Civilization 4 NIF Exporter plugin (version 7 is compatible with version 8 of 3ds max)

[https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157 Nifskope]

This tutorial assumes you are aiming to make a 2 handed sword.  Other weapon types are possible with this method (with the possible exception with bows), but require a bit more tweaking.  I personally use 3ds max 8.  I will also assume you are using Photoshop when I talk about texturing.

Step 1:  Obtain/Create your mesh in your 3d program.  You will need to UV map it as well, then place textures on it.  Oblivion supports color maps, specular maps, and normal maps (there are more, but they are not used by most meshes).  There are many, many tutorials on these subjects online- google the subject if you don’t know how it well.   

However, I will mention this- if you are familiar with bump maps, grayscale images that represent height on a texture, it is fairly easy to convert these into a normal map.  Using the aforementioned normal map filter, accessible in Photoshop via Filters>Nvida Tools>Normal Map Filter, you can turn a grayscale image in Photoshop into an RGB normal map.  Explaining normal maps themselves is another matter- again, google it if the concept confuses you or you are unfamiliar with it.

Step 2:  Export your textures as .dds files.  DDS stands for direct draw surface, a file type many games use.  You can export as dds from photoshop after installing the dds plugin, as referred to above.  To do so, just click Save as>dds

I personally save as DXT 3 Explicit Alpha.  I had no need to fiddle with all the options, just make sure “create mipmap” is enabled.

Step 3:Put your textures in your oblivion directory.... C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data\textures\weapons.  If you have yet to make a weapon you will probably have to make some of these folders yourself.  A word of warning: DO NOT INCLUDE UNDERSCORES IN THE NAME OF YOUR WEAPON, WITH ONE EXCEPTION.  This exception is the normal map, which should be “myweapon”_n.dds.  Both textures should be in the same directory.

Make a new shader (blinn) and only assign it a diffuse map. Go to export>Civ4 (NIF). Make sure to check original images. Here are screenshots of the material editor and exporter...

Step 5: Nifskope.

Load up Nifskope.  Load the file you just exported.  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A TEXTURE BLOCK ALREADY IN THE FILE- this block will have a purple flower within it, which is clearly visible.  IF NOT, YOU EXPORTED WRONG.  Copy the NiTriStrip branch by clicking your mesh in the viewport, then right clicking the block that becomes highlighted and going to block>copy branch.  Now load a default weapon from the game- like a claymore - in the same instance of Nifskope (A new window doesn't work for me).   

Paste your branch.  (Right click any block, block>paste branch).   

Now, go to NiNode near the top.  Expand children.  Expand Indicies.  Change the number under value to the number of the block you just pasted.   

Click the old mesh in the viewport, go to the block highlighted, right click, block>remove.

 

 

Save the file in your meshes directory, such as C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Oblivion\Data\meshes\weapons, and go into the CS and place it.  You can place it by right clicking under weapons and choosing new. Remember to give it health, make it a 2 handed sword (or whatever), speed, reach, damage, and weight.  And of course assign it the NIF you just made.  Load up a cell, drag drop your weapon in, and run a Havok sim (world>run havoc sim).  Save your new plugin and test it out.

FOR BLENDER USERS:

[http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=149157 Nifskope Scripts]

REMEMBER TO CHANGE THE SCALE TO 1.

Step 1:  Export from your 3d program as an OBJ.  Disable everything but texture coords and smoothing groups.   

Step 5: Hit F5. Look for the tab on top of the bottom right menu…click map input.  Choose the UV tab.

[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v665/EdgeOfForever/blenderuv.jpg Screenshot]

Step 7: Export as NIF format.  If you get the UV coord error, you did not perform step 5 correctly.  Open it in nifskope.  If you can view your mesh and have a texture node in the file, you did everything right.  Proceed as Max users would (Step 5).

If at this point something went wrong- don't be surprised.  By the length of the s

My thanks go out to the Nifskope team and everyone on the forums that has contributed various tidbits on the forums, whether it be those who contributed some great ideas or minor revisions.