3ds Max: Misc Items

Creating and importing Misc items

The mod I'm currently working on requires a couple of misc items. When I imported them I noted, that they won't move or fall - they will behave like static items, that you can pick up. The solution of this problem took me 5 days, reading all custom model tutorials I could find and some of luck.

The tools

• 3ds Max + NifTools plugin
• NifSkope
• The Elder Scrolls Construction Set

The standard procedure

I'm not going to explain how to model an object. If you wish to keep up, draw a box and clone it (be sure to make the clone a copy, not a reference or instance). Name one of the boxes whatever you like and the second "CollisionBox" or something like it. Select the first box, go to "Utilities" and collapse it. Collapsing an object makes it a clean editable mesh. "Click on Reset Xform" (reset any transforms) and collapse again. Select the second (collision) box. Collapse, Reset Xform, collapse again. Click on "UVW remove", check "Set gray" and click both buttons. This will remove any mapping from the object - a collision mesh does not need a texture, since it doesn't show in-game. Go to "Modifiers" tab and choose "bhkRigidBody" from the drop-down list.

bhkRigidBody modifier

This modifier is added by the nif tools plugin for 3ds max. It turns a standart mesh in a collision one. Its parameters are:

• Material: selects the material of the object. Ingame it affects the sound when walked on/hit with a weapon and whether arrows bounce off or stick in the object.
  
• Bounding Volume: selects the form of the collision. Typically "strips shape" or "packed strips shape".

/we will skip the optimize parameters/

• Layer: "Static" for static objects, "Clutter" for clutter and so on. Usually left "unidentified"

The standard procedure 2

After you've configured the "bhkRigidBody" modifier you should create a "bhkRigidBody" helper. Add in its list your collision mesh (using the "add" key) and select the material again. If you wish to export a static mesh, you're done. Hit "export" and jump to "getting the mesh in the game".

Making it move

If you wish to make your mesh move when grabbed with "z" you should change the following parameters:

• Mass: if the mass of an object is 0, it's unmovable
• Motion system: 4 (Box)
• Quality type: 3 (Debris)

Export the mesh and open it in NifSkope. Select the BSXFlags node and in the block details click the small flag icon. Make sure that "Collision enabled" is checked and also check "Animation enabled". Save the model and you're done.

Getting the mesh in the game

Open the Elder Scrolls Construction Set and load "Oblivion.esm". Go to WorldObjects->Static or Items->MiscItems, right click and choose "new". Type in an ID and whatever else is required and hit "Add NIF file". Open your exported model and click "OK". Open a cell and drag-and-drop your object there. Save your mod and test.