Difference between revisions of "Blender/Custom Creature"

So sit down, read a little at a time, and don't get dissuaded too easily. I've created a creature following this tutorial and included it as an example as well as my .blend files at various points in the process. They are located at: http://www.mediafire.com/?e5hs2azsvtf

So sit down, read a little at a time, and don't get dissuaded too easily. I've created a creature following this tutorial and included it as an example as well as my .blend files at various points in the process. They are located at: http://www.mediafire.com/?e5hs2azsvtf

I'm not going to describe in depth the process of creating a mesh from scratch. There are already good tutorials on this process. If you need help I'd recommend going to either http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro or http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index...er/Custom_Sword. However, I do have a few tips. First, keep a watch on your poly count. You probably don't want to go over 7-8k verts per creature unless it will be alone in your dungeon. For comparison, a flame atronach is 5.3k verts. Second, please keep in mind that a mesh can only bend during animations on a line between faces. Therefore, you will need some added detail around arm sockets, etc. Also, at least to start I recommend creating your creature out of only one object, not multiple objects, as this will make rigging simpler later.

I'm not going to describe in depth the process of creating a mesh from scratch. There are already good tutorials on this process. If you need help I'd recommend going to either http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro or http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index...er/Custom_Sword. However, I do have a few tips. First, keep a watch on your poly count. You probably don't want to go over 7-8k verts per creature unless it will be alone in your dungeon. For comparison, a flame atronach is 5.3k verts. Second, please keep in mind that a mesh can only bend during animations on a line between faces. Therefore, you will need some added detail around arm sockets, etc. Also, at least to start I recommend creating your creature out of only one object, not multiple objects, as this will make rigging simpler later.

Once you are done creating your mesh switch to object mode. SAVE.

Once you are done creating your mesh switch to object mode. SAVE.

Now it's time to create an armature. An armature is similar to a skeleton for humans in that it controls how the mesh (flesh) moves. To begin we want to make sure that our first bone is in the correct position. Go to front view (Num1) and press shift->c. Now your cursor is at 0/0/0. Press space->add->Armature and lclick. That is your first bone!  

Now it's time to create an armature. An armature is similar to a skeleton for humans in that it controls how the mesh (flesh) moves. To begin we want to make sure that our first bone is in the correct position. Go to front view (Num1) and press shift->c. Now your cursor is at 0/0/0. Press space->add->Armature and lclick. That is your first bone!  

Start in object mode. First select your mesh, then shift->select your armature. Ctrl->p, make parent to armature->name groups. Now you are ready for the fun stuff. Basically your rigging tells oblivion which vertices to move with which bones, and how much each bone pulls on a vertex that is controlled by more than one bone.  

Start in object mode. First select your mesh, then shift->select your armature. Ctrl->p, make parent to armature->name groups. Now you are ready for the fun stuff. Basically your rigging tells oblivion which vertices to move with which bones, and how much each bone pulls on a vertex that is controlled by more than one bone.  

This is a good time to think about going back and doing something simple like UV mapping your mesh. Your mesh is for the most part ready to export now, but from here it can get frustrating. But first export your .nif choosing Geometry Only and Creature. If for some reason when you open this creature the skeleton has NiTransformControllers for each bone then you will need to delete them, then flatten the skeleton branch and your creature mesh should be ready to go!  

This is a good time to think about going back and doing something simple like UV mapping your mesh. Your mesh is for the most part ready to export now, but from here it can get frustrating. But first export your .nif choosing Geometry Only and Creature. If for some reason when you open this creature the skeleton has NiTransformControllers for each bone then you will need to delete them, then flatten the skeleton branch and your creature mesh should be ready to go!  

Open your meshwork file from before if it isn't open and immediately resave it as skeletoncapsules. Do not save over your meshwork file, you will need to use it later.

Open your meshwork file from before if it isn't open and immediately resave it as skeletoncapsules. Do not save over your meshwork file, you will need to use it later.

The last thing that we may have to fix is the BSBound Box. If it isn't immediately under the scene root then you need to move it up to the scene root. Also, you may have to adjust its size since it isn't a box any more. Heh. WHEH! Save that sucker and get ready for animations! http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh130/kilzaja/BSBound.jpg

The last thing that we may have to fix is the BSBound Box. If it isn't immediately under the scene root then you need to move it up to the scene root. Also, you may have to adjust its size since it isn't a box any more. Heh. WHEH! Save that sucker and get ready for animations! http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh130/kilzaja/BSBound.jpg

Back in Blender load your meshwork file and save it as animationready or something like that. Just don't save over meshwork. Select your armature and go to pose mode. Now push ctrl->LEFT. This is the ideal view for animations I've found. Set End to 46. It will vary by animation but 45 is a good base I've found. Now with your mouse in the 3d view area press a to select all bones (and go to wireframe with z). press i->locrot. Change the top right window to text editor. Create a new text file titled "Anim". In the Anim text buffer type "1/Start". This is the best setup we can make for animations so resave as animation ready.

Back in Blender load your meshwork file and save it as animationready or something like that. Just don't save over meshwork. Select your armature and go to pose mode. Now push ctrl->LEFT. This is the ideal view for animations I've found. Set End to 46. It will vary by animation but 45 is a good base I've found. Now with your mouse in the 3d view area press a to select all bones (and go to wireframe with z). press i->locrot. Change the top right window to text editor. Create a new text file titled "Anim". In the Anim text buffer type "1/Start". This is the best setup we can make for animations so resave as animation ready.

Now go back and create the other animations. Once you have them it's time to move on to setting up your creature in the CS. But first set up the folder structure for your creature in the Oblivion/Data directory. Your mesh, skeleton, and animations go in the Data/Creatures/Yourfolder and the textures go in textures/creatures/yourfolder. Make sure the NiTexturingProperty's path is correct!

Now go back and create the other animations. Once you have them it's time to move on to setting up your creature in the CS. But first set up the folder structure for your creature in the Oblivion/Data directory. Your mesh, skeleton, and animations go in the Data/Creatures/Yourfolder and the textures go in textures/creatures/yourfolder. Make sure the NiTexturingProperty's path is correct!

Please refer to it's CS Work: make a quickie mod section for the exact procedure. But I've also abridged the steps just to make sure this tutorial is somewhat complete.

Please refer to it's CS Work: make a quickie mod section for the exact procedure. But I've also abridged the steps just to make sure this tutorial is somewhat complete.