3ds Max NIF Plug-in 0.2.11 Released

[Symon]

I don't often post in here, but thought this might be of interest.

http://niftools.sourceforge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1249

It's an experimental build, but the key bit might be:-
Introduce build for max 4.2

As well as 5,6,7 8 and 9!

[tommyboy]

Verryyy interesssting..

[wingzero2525]

it sounds like finally all the work i've done using max 8 wont be for nothing  :thumbup:

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Ooh!  This changes everything...

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and The Prat in the Hat

[Alphanaut]

Works fine for me. Haven't done any meshing with it as of yet, but just being able to open it up and look at the stuff in max 7 is just amazing!

[tommyboy]

I could be wrong, but I am not sure that this changes much at all.
Unless it exports in an FF/FFV3R format, with bips and animations, all its good for is importing geometry or exporting static meshes like objects.
I know for a fact that it wont import bipeds, so I am guessing it wont export them either.
Not to be the party pooper, I just thought it worth mentioning.
Nifskope actually offers more FF/FFV3R possibilities than the Max plugins at the moment, as far as I can tell.
Now, someone please tell me I'm wrong...... 

[lugaru]

Now, someone please tell me I'm wrong...... 

You are wrong!



... Now somebody please tell me I am right.

:wacko:

[The Pwime]

Now, someone please tell me I'm wrong...... 

You are wrong!



... Now somebody please tell me I am right.

:wacko:

You are rig...ah, forget it.  :P

[ow_tiobe_sb]

tommy's wrong...and right. ;)  He's right about the continuing obstacles to the importers/exporters with regard to animations and bipeds (although, in recent releases, the NIFTools folks have at least begun to teach 3ds max to identify bip parts as static bones (i.e. without animations) rather than regular geometries, IIRC).  tommy's wrong in that he overlooks the vast potential here for empowering the modding community by giving everyone the chance to mesh (static) custom content for FF anf FFvTTR with a little help from NIFSkope.  What's brand new to this release, you ask? Support for gmax 1.2, the free, stripped-down version of 3ds max.  :thumbup:

Imagine it: you're looking for that badarse, triple-bladed bastard sword for your barbarian character.  Where does it exist?  Who knows if any existing mesher to date has meshed such an item?  Now, you can do it with gmax: model it, UV map it, texture it, pack it up and export it (These NIFTools even covert Blinn shader materials to NetImmerse shader materials upon export!   ^_^).  Load your new NIF into NIFSkope, export it to Wavefront .OBJ, open your barbarian in NIFSkope, and reimport your sword .OBJ.  The rest is simply attaching the sword to the hand and voila: badarsity! :) 

Consider this also: no longer would NIFSkopers be completely dependent upon preexisting meshes.  Does mesher X forbid you from 'skoping his mesh bits?  No longer is this a problem: do it yourself. :)

I'm already writing the picture-guided tutorial...stay tuned...to another thread, yet to be posted, of course...of course...

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and The Prat in the Hat

[GogglesPizanno]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I always thought that the Plugins were like the holy grail for doing animations, or for people who already had and used 3D Studio Max but a version unsupported by the official ones.

For people who just wanted to do static objects, Nifskope along with ANY 3D application that could export in the .OBJ format was fine. Ive been playing around with static objects for a while now never having used 3D Studio at all. I started playing around with Blender, and then switched to using Art of Illusion (a free opens source Java based 3D Modeler) due to its simpler featureset and interface (cause I aint that smart).

So Static object modeling has technically been available for as long as you could import an OBJ into Nifskope.

I guess Im a little unclear about ow_tiobe_sb comments about these being a big deal for static modelling. Im not a 3D guy so I may be completely overlooking something obvious here. Though I do get the impression that UV texturing is easier in Gmax or 3D studio than in others....I suck at it regardless.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

Technically, you are correct about static meshing and Wavefront files.  As soon as NIFSkope made it possible to import Wavefront .OBJs, one could choose from a number of free .OBJ modeling programmes to modify FF and FFvTTR meshes.  In fact, Symon and I had been developing a tutorial for using another free programme, Wings3D (which can export to .OBJ), to get custom (static) content into FF and FFvTTR.  Then RL took over for both of us, and the project got shelved. :(

However, there are several distinct advantages to being able to use a free programme based on 3ds max with the NIFTools exporters.  First, being able to export directly to NIF saves time and makes many of the extant 3ds max meshing tutorials (including the "Art Processes Documentation" released by IG) for FF directly relevant to gmax meshing (e.g. UV mapping, etc.).  Do you want a simple crate to put in your mod's warehouse with no glow or refl textures?  You can now have it game-ready in minutes with gmax.  Second, the NIFTools exporters for gmax may even make custom FX meshing possible, because the animations would be included in the NIF without the need for circumventing the biped and external keyframes import/export problems.  Third, a great number of the modifiers available in 3ds max (e.g. parametric, UV coordinates, selection, etc.) are also available in gmax, making complex modeling operations possible in a few clicks of the mouse.

The disadvantages with a plugin whose first public offering has only recently occurred include limitations to the material shading, maxscript functionality (gmax developers removed several functions from maxscript when releasing gmaxscript)--which means none of the macroscripts from IG (Character Export/Tool, Level Layout Tool, and Library Tool) work properly in gmax--and no support for biped animations.  For instance, I have yet to circumvent the need to use NIFSkope to add refl and glow textures to a NIF exported from gmax.  Interestingly, a NIF modified in NIFSkope to add refl and glow textures to it, once reimported to gmax, retains all of these textures and automatically assigns them to a Blinn shader with diffuse colour (base), glossiness (refl), and self-illumination (glow) maps.

Yes, there is a potential learning curve problem to gmax just as there clearly is for 3ds max (and, I might add, Blender, which has its own NIF importers/exporters), but I hope that a new tutorial will help introduce the intrepid to a new means of making FF and FFvTTR precisely what they would like it to be.  For too long exact control over the look and composition of meshes, including those items that players take for granted (e.g. scenery, throwable objects, bits linked to bipeds, etc.) was left in the laps of experts and those lucky enough to afford particular versions of 3ds max (that is, until NIFTools).  There will always be experts, but I feel that there is more than enough room for dabblers and amateurs who would like to try their hand at FF meshing on a limited basis.  Let's call it the spirit of égalité that drives me to bring feasible, cost-free meshing methods to the community. :)

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and The Prat in the Hat

[Revenant]

Second, the NIFTools exporters for gmax may even make custom FX meshing possible, because the animations would be included in the NIF without the need for circumventing the biped and external keyframes import/export problems. 
ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and The Prat in the Hat

Hmm.. this is very interesting to me... Some of the FX nifs in FFvs3R are not very NifSkope-friendly.  But there are a few awesome things to work with.   I'm looking at you, Blackjack Grapple...

[ow_tiobe_sb]

I should add that gmax does not seem to support particle systems, so the type of FX created or edited in gmax would be limited.  On the other hand, it does have a track view, which can be handy with animations.  The programme can import FX NIFs successfully and will animate them to the best of its ability (particle emitters aside), so there is a start. :)

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and You Know the Rest

[Podmark]

This intrigues Mark. He shall keep an eye on this.

[Symon]

In fact, Symon and I had been developing a tutorial for using another free programme, Wings3D (which can export to .OBJ), to get custom (static) content into FF and FFvTTR.  Then RL took over for both of us, and the project got shelved. :(

It would be nice for this to finally see the light of day.

Actually I'd love the time for another boundary pushing project of mine, the Shadow.

Not the notorious cruiser, but the actual animated beasty, courtesy of Lightwave, Nifskope and some graft with the soldier ant keyframes.

[Valandar]

My big question as a semi-retired mesher is:

Can it do beams? IOW, can it IMPORT Beams and such and let us see how they did them?

Or is that something else that has been cracked since I've been away (meshing completely new Beam FX that is)

[Previsionary]

as far as I know...any fx with particles lose some, or most, of their data including the animations...atleast that's what happened from my old tests. I can do simple beams fine (as that's never been a problem) and some simple ifl animations, but beyond that...nada.

[Revenant]

I've been trying to hex parts onto Blackjack's grapple hook projectile.  First to make it into a snake, and then to try it as a lasso...

it's been a bother, but I did manage to hex the whirlwind FX, particles and all, onto a mesh for my Red Tornado hex.  It took a few tries though.  I have no idea how particles or exporters work in Max so it was all trial and error... anyway, back to topic...