Difference between revisions of "Blender/Custom Creature"
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==Introduction== | |||
To begin I want to say that this process is not for the faint of heart. Creating a creature from scratch probably takes 2-3 times as long as simply rerigging a creature to a vanilla skeleton and retexturing it. However, with that approach you don't have any control over how the creature moves, and it obviously limits creature shape. What if you want a creature with four arms or two heads? Or something that rolls around on the floor? There's simply nothing comparable in total control. And actually making a creature from scratch is very rewarding in my experience. It also brings us one step closer to Bethesda's quality of creatures. | To begin I want to say that this process is not for the faint of heart. Creating a creature from scratch probably takes 2-3 times as long as simply rerigging a creature to a vanilla skeleton and retexturing it. However, with that approach you don't have any control over how the creature moves, and it obviously limits creature shape. What if you want a creature with four arms or two heads? Or something that rolls around on the floor? There's simply nothing comparable in total control. And actually making a creature from scratch is very rewarding in my experience. It also brings us one step closer to Bethesda's quality of creatures. | ||
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 | ||
==Required Tools:== | |||
An image editing program such as GIMP/Photoshop etc. (for mesh creation) | * Blender: with the .nif plugins | ||
* NifSkope | |||
* An image editing program such as GIMP/Photoshop etc. (for mesh creation) | |||
==Creating the mesh== | |||
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 | 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 [[Blender/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. | ||
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==Adding the Armature (skeleton)== | |||
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! | ||
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==Rigging== | |||
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. | ||
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==Creating the skeleton.nif== | |||
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. | ||
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==Creating Animations== | |||
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. | ||
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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! | ||
==CS work== | |||
This subject has already been covered in adequate detail in the Custom Creature Creation tutorial in the CS Wiki located here: | This subject has already been covered in adequate detail in the Custom Creature Creation tutorial in the CS Wiki located here: | ||
* [[Blender/Creature_Meshes_101]] | |||
Please refer to its 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 its 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. | ||
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Also, here are a couple useful links for AI and Combat Styles: | Also, here are a couple useful links for AI and Combat Styles: | ||
* [[Combat Style]] | |||
* [[Basic NPC Creation Tutorial]] | |||
Your perilous journey is almost at an end! Open the CS without any mods loaded and create a new creature. Add your skeleton.nif. Press OK and Save your mod. Now reopen the creature and go to modellist. Choose your model (and pray). Click full preview (and pray). Test out your animations (and pray). Now just give him some simple AI and a combat style, maybe a few spells and some equipment and you're all set! | Your perilous journey is almost at an end! Open the CS without any mods loaded and create a new creature. Add your skeleton.nif. Press OK and Save your mod. Now reopen the creature and go to modellist. Choose your model (and pray). Click full preview (and pray). Test out your animations (and pray). Now just give him some simple AI and a combat style, maybe a few spells and some equipment and you're all set! | ||