Difference between revisions of "NifSkope: Adding Collision Model"

The purpose of this article is to give a step by step guide to the [[Finessing Physics#Better Collision Modelling|Better Collision Modelling]] method described in [[Finessing Physics]] tutorial. The goal of the process is to create a simple model properly interacting with its environment.

*A BSA unpacker, for example [[BSA Commander]], [[BSA Unpacker]],or [[TES4BSA]] to unpack NIF files.

*Export these models in NIF or OBJ format.

**See [[NIF Importers and Exporters]] for import and export plugins.

**See [http://www.niftools.org/wiki/index.php/NifSkope/Mesh_import_export NifTools.org: Mesh import export] for OBJ exporting help.

*Switch back to the cleaned NIF (which was ''arstatue01.nif''). Right-click on '''0 NiNode''' and choose '''Block -> Paste Branch'''. NifSkope will probably argue about NIF versions, choose '''Continue'''. The high-poly model's NiTriShape, which contains geometry, texture, material data, is pasted in now.

*Double-click on the '''Value''' of '''Num Children''' attribute in the '''Block Details''' window. This number controls how many child objects the NiNode has. Set it to 1. Expand '''Children'''. The list of the NiNode's children is not updated automatically, it still contains six references. The five Children with ''None'' value were the NiTriShapes you have removed, the sixth is the NiTriShape you have just pasted.

*Expand '''Children''', and set its child's '''Value''' to the refernce number of your NiTriShape ('''6'''). The high-poly model's NiTriShape is linked correctly to the NiNode now.

Select '''4 bhkNiTriStripsShape''' block. Double-click on the '''Value''' of the '''Material''' property (currently '''HAV_MAT_STONE'''). You get a drop-down list of available materials. This list with some explanation is available as tooltip (hold your mouse over the '''Type''' field of the Material property). Choose the material from the dropdown list, or enter the appropriate number which can be found [http://niftools.sourceforge.net/docsys/index.php?mode=list&table=attr&block_id=383&version=335544325 here] as well. This setting controls the hit sound, step sound, and arrow penetrability of the surface.

Select the '''5 bhkRigidBodyT''' block. Interesting properties are marked with red dots on the picture. A list of the available properties is [http://niftools.sourceforge.net/docsys/index.php?mode=list&table=attr&block_id=317&version=335544325 here]

*The '''layer''' settings control the mesh color in '''CS''', wheather the activator icon shows up when the player is close enough, wheather it behaves like a harvestable object like plants (no collision, but the activator icon shows up), and arrow penetrability. The list of layers with some explanation is also available as tooltip.

Further information about the NIF format and NifSkope can be found at [http://www.niftools.org NifTools.org]. Information about Nif format/Havok system is [http://www.niftools.org/wiki/index.php/Category:NIF_Format here].