Keyframes swapping from one mesh to another.

[Jimaras8]

So let's say i have classic_iceman by ink and i would like to transfer his animations and replace those of iceman_classic by AA. How can i do that? Is it easy? I have zero knowledge in nifskope but with a step by step tutorial i think i can do it.

[Cyber Burn]

Depending on what you want to do, a basic Body Swap may work for you. If so, that won't be difficult at all. Are you trying to replace all of the Animations, or just certain ones?

[Jimaras8]

I want all the animations of classic_iceman to go to iceman_classic by AA. Can i do that with body swap?

[Cyber Burn]

Sorry Jim, I thought I had responded to this already. Just drop the Body from AA's Iceman into the other one. Here's a Tutorial that was written by Podmark that should help you out:



1.) First open the SPIDER-MAN Mesh in NifSkope.

2.) Then go to "File", and then to "New Window".

3.) In that new window, open the Mesh with the body that you want, in this case: MALE_FULLMASK_TM.

4.) In the viewer, click on the body. On the side pane where it lists all the parts of the Mesh, the body's "NiTriShape" will be highlighted.

5.) Click one above the "NiTriShape", usually it will be called MALE_BASIC.

6.) Right click on it, go to "Block", and then to "Copy Branch".

7.) Return to the original window with the SPIDER-MAN Mesh. Click on its body. Look two nodes up from the body's "NiTriShape". By this I mean the enclosing nodes, so each of the two will be indented left from the "NiTriShape".

Normally this will be "NiNode 0": The "Scene Root".

8.) Right Click that node, go to "Block", then to "Paste Branch". The new body should appear and you can then hide or delete the original.

[Jimaras8]

Nope, i couldn't do it. The bodies didn't swap. I took the nitrishape from iceman_aa and i tried to paste it into the classic_iceman and nothing changed. In the instructions you say two nodes up from nittrishape normally being scene root however in the classic iceman the scene root was the first node and nitrishape being 4 or 5 nodes below. Should i search for the scene root or whichever the second node from nitshape is? Also the classic inceman has additional nif files called head.nif and 1character.nif in addition to character and kf nifs. Don't know if i helped cb but bottom line is i couldn't do it.

[AfghanAnt]

Nope, i couldn't do it. The bodies didn't swap. I took the nitrishape from iceman_aa and i tried to paste it into the classic_iceman and nothing changed. In the instructions you say two nodes up from nittrishape normally being scene root however in the classic iceman the scene root was the first node and nitrishape being 4 or 5 nodes below. Should i search for the scene root or whichever the second node from nitshape is? Also the classic inceman has additional nif files called head.nif and 1character.nif in addition to character and kf nifs. Don't know if i helped cb but bottom line is i couldn't do it.

Who is Classic_Iceman by? Ink? I just opened up Ink's Classic Icemand and my own and didn't have a problem.

Also what animations do you want? I just looked at both in Character Tool and the animations are pretty similar.

[Jimaras8]

AA what i am trying to do is sort of update Benton's iceman with your mesh, that's why i need the exact same animations between too meshes. So the powers in the hero files won't be messed up. Same animations, same powers, just a different mesh. Yes the animations are pretty similar yet in key powers they differ especially in the contacts. So, if i get it straight i copy the branch from the nitrishape node from your mesh AA and i paste it into ink's scene root node? Or to whichever node is two places above nitrishape?

[AfghanAnt]

AA what i am trying to do is sort of update Benton's iceman with your mesh, that's why i need the exact same animations between too meshes. So the powers in the hero files won't be messed up. Same animations, same powers, just a different mesh. Yes the animations are pretty similar yet in key powers they differ especially in the contacts. So, if i get it straight i copy the branch from the nitrishape node from your mesh AA and i paste it into ink's scene root node? Or to whichever node is two places above nitrishape?

AH! That makes sense. I didn't have any problems with copy and pasting into Ink's mesh but I know you can't just paste the scene root node - too many different pieces.

[Cyber Burn]

Nope, i couldn't do it. The bodies didn't swap. I took the nitrishape from iceman_aa and i tried to paste it into the classic_iceman and nothing changed. In the instructions you say two nodes up from nittrishape normally being scene root however in the classic iceman the scene root was the first node and nitrishape being 4 or 5 nodes below. Should i search for the scene root or whichever the second node from nitshape is? Also the classic inceman has additional nif files called head.nif and 1character.nif in addition to character and kf nifs. Don't know if i helped cb but bottom line is i couldn't do it.

If you have the Character.Nif open in NifSkope, click on the actual Mesh's body. That should be the "NiTriShape". One line above that should be the "NiNode" for the "Male_Basic" part of the Mesh, that is what you are going to want to copy.

If you still need help, feel free to let me know, I'd be glad to help.

[Jimaras8]

Ok, CB but the problem remains that i don't know where to paste the node. I take AA's iceman male_basic by the way that is below the nitrishape not above in this case and i want to transfer it to the ink iceman. Where do i paste the branch?

[AfghanAnt]

Ok, CB but the problem remains that i don't know where to paste the node. I take AA's iceman male_basic by the way that is below the nitrishape not above in this case and i want to transfer it to the ink iceman. Where do i paste the branch?

Scene Root.

[SickAlice]

Here's some easy tips for figuring out where nodes go when you feel stuck.

1. Change the view to see the directory tree.
Older versions (grey background) it's View > Block List Options > Hierachy
Newer versions (black background) it's View > Block List > Show Blocks in Tree



This lays out where nodes should go. Clicking on a piece will open up the directory tree and show you where it's attached. When copying to another mesh if you want the same movements as the former copy it to same place in the new mesh that it was in the old one.

2. Keep the bone song in mind. " Knee bone connected to the...". You know the one. When copying the bipeds themselves it's pretty easy to figure things out using that system. So if you copying the left hand node from one mesh it's going to be pasted to the left forearm of the other. Note, when you past the bipeds any bipeds attached to them will automatically come with.

3. Often you'll click on a piece and it will be underneath several node names in the tree. To find out which it is attached to open the Block Details dialogue box (View > Block Details)



You may have to guess a little to find the right one, but if you open up the Children section of any node anything that's attached to that node will be listed. Using this will come in handy especially for things that are attached to fingers as it can be hard to figure out which finger the piece is actually supposed to be on (umpteen Lantern rings made me acquainted with this, claws as well).

Hope any of this helps.

[hoss20]

A few things:
   1. Make sure that you are copying the entire male_basic node from AA's mesh and not just the NiTriShape node.
   2. Right click on the Scene Root of the classic_Ink mesh and paste the male_basic node there.
   3. Now, right click on the x_male_basic node of the classic_Iceman mesh and hide it, so that only AA's mesh is showing

Even if everything went smoothly the first time you did this, you may not have seen a difference because the meshes are essentially the same. The one big difference that AA's skin relies on is that his mesh is alpha enabled, while Ink's is not. With this being said, make sure that you bring over the skin from AA's mesh, which I imagine is the main reason that you want to use it. Because the meshes are practically identical, if you don't bring over AA's skin, then everything will look like no change was made due to the original skin still being there.

I hope all of this makes sense. I can see where Step 7 from the above tutorial can be confusing as it unnecessarily mentions finding the NiTriShape on the destination mesh. All you need to do is paste the mesh (male_basic, in this case) underneath the Scene Root. The only reason you would bother clicking on the piece you want to replace on the new mesh is to double check what tree it is located under. Most core meshes (male-basic, female-basic, male_heavy, etc.) are going to be under the Scene Root.