Cyber's NifSkope Thread

[SickAlice]

Odd. The model looked fine. What needs to be done then is 1.) The texture coordinates need to be manually moved to line up where they're supposed to and/or 2.) if the vertices on the model are welded the model will have to be broken into parts, remapped then put back together. I'll get on that by tonight.

*Nvmd, just looked at it now. I'm sort of boggled. This is the same green shell I sent you:


Image one is from CTool after I stuck the model in a nif and set the texture (greenshell.dds). Picture two is from a 3d model program with the texture assigned as is. Picture three is the wiremap over the texture. I'm not sure whats happened, nor how you arrived at that wiremap (did you remap it somehow? Look at the wire on mine, it's the same as yours and I didn't change anything from how I sent it).

[Cyber Burn]

I'm not sure whats happened, nor how you arrived at that wiremap (did you remap it somehow? Look at the wire on mine, it's the same as yours and I didn't change anything from how I sent it).

No re-mapping was done. I did a straight import of the (Obj.) File into the (Nif.) File. I've actually had this issue occur with quite a few of my Skopes that I've imported (Obj.) Files into. I've always ended up dropping the Skope and starting over from scratch, and when I do, I find a different (Obj.) File to use.

I can't say that it's the (Obj.) Files not playing nice with the Base Meshes, because I've had both good and bad results using the same Meshes. I can't say that it's an FF1/FFvt3R issue, because I've had both good and bad results using Meshes from each Game. I can't say that it's "How" I'm doing this, because I've done it the same way for each Skope/FX.

I'll keep trying to find some way to make these work, I'm not concerned about not eventually being able to get the results I want, but I am curious as to what's causing this.

[SickAlice]

Weird. So did I. I used Nifskope version 0.9.1. though. I found in particular any newer version with a black background has bugs in the importer (wrong assignments, puts a hard drive exploit in the nif). Though I stuck it on male_basic. For FFVTTR FX I generally have to use the newer version of Nifskope. My method is to usually import it into a nif (any) using an old version, save it, open that and the FX file for use in a newer version and copy the piece over then adjust it from there.

[Cyber Burn]

I just downloaded NifSkope Version 0.9.1. I'll see if I have any better luck with this. Thanks SA.

[Cyber Burn]

You rock SA! Using this version of NifSkope seemed to do the trick. It's a little awkward to navigate, but as long as it works, I'm good. 

[SickAlice]

Welcome. It's a little awkward using two versions together at first but you get used to it. I found that version in particular was able to things others couldn't, likewise can't do things newer ones can (The old one won't handle FX/particle emitters at all and usually not unconverted meshes).

[Cyber Burn]

Wow, almost 6 Months to the Day since I've posted in this thread. Hopefully, that won't keep happening.

Anyway, I'm working on a Skope that has been on my "To Do" List pretty much forever. I've been working on it for a couple of days, on and off. Unfortunately, I've hit a snag with a vanishing Mesh piece. If you look at the Skope dead on in CTool2 or in-game (FFvt3R), the piece vanishes, but if you look at it from straight above or below, then it appears. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should be looking for? On a side note, the piece works fine in NifSkope. I appreciate any advice you guys could throw my way.

[hoss20]

Is it an alpha'd piece or in close proximity to a piece that is alpha'd?

[Cyber Burn]

No, I'm using WireMaps for all the Textures.

[hoss20]

Go ahead and send it my way. I'll see if there's anything another set of eyes can discover.

[Cyber Burn]

You rock! Thank you.

You have mail!   

[SickAlice]

I usually scrap both the node and mesh when it comes to that. More for the " legacy " thing and not tainting future meshes. I used to run into the problem a lot. I'd be grateful if you post any results/solutions here. Some fixes I applied before:

- Changing the Alpha channel value: Usually dropping the value from 200 to something like 127-139 resolves it. Not actually sure about the technical reasons for that.
- Adding a Stencil mask. Not often but enough a piece isn't being drawn/rendered from every side. The Stencil property resolves this by wrapping the texture from all angles.

[Cyber Burn]

I usually scrap both the node and mesh when it comes to that. More for the " legacy " thing and not tainting future meshes. I used to run into the problem a lot. I'd be grateful if you post any results/solutions here. Some fixes I applied before:

- Changing the Alpha channel value: Usually dropping the value from 200 to something like 127-139 resolves it. Not actually sure about the technical reasons for that.
- Adding a Stencil mask. Not often but enough a piece isn't being drawn/rendered from every side. The Stencil property resolves this by wrapping the texture from all angles.

I've actually never messed with a Stencil Mask before, but after looking at the piece in question, this could be a possibility. If I'm seeing things correctly, then there may not be a back to the Mesh Piece in question.

[Cyber Burn]

Wow, it gets longer and longer between the times that I utilize this thread. Kind of embarrassing, actually. But, while I'm here, I do have a question.

For as long as I've been a part of the Community, I've always been told that the Textures needed to be a Square shape of a certain Dimension (128x128, 256x256, 512x512, Etc.), and that's what I've always done, Skins looked like the Picture below.



But then RandomDays began importing files from other sources, and the sizes of the Textures were different (512x256, 256x128, Etc,). But for some reason, these worked as well.



But the problem lies when trying to create new Wire Maps for these odd sized Textures, since NifSkope only wants to create Square Maps. So this leaves me with 2 questions:

1.) Is there a way to create a Rectangular Wire Map with NifSkope?

2.) Is there something located in the NIF File that tells you what Dimensions the attached Texture should be, and is there any way to change it with NifSkope?

[detourne_me]

I'm not sure about any exporting settings for texture maps, but what you could do is export a square map, and then resize the texture and put it in the bottom half of the texture file.  kind of a cheap hack, but it would probably work.  Heck, you could even alpha enable another model and map it to the top half of the square, too.  Maybe make it both a camel rider and a horse rider on the same mesh.

[Cyber Burn]

Yeah, what I'm currently doing, is exporting a Standard 512x512 Wire Map for the individual pieces I need, then I look at the Skin that came with the NIF File, and then re-size the Wire Map for each Mesh piece to Match the size of the Skin. If I use those Mesh pieces in a Skope, I try to keep similar sizes together when I condense the Mapping. It works, but I was just wondering why it works, when, like I said, we've always been told that the TGA/DDS Files needed to be specific dimensions. So my main question is, is there something in the NIF File that dictates the dimensions of the Texture File?

[SickAlice]

Late to the party but if you ever need send me the 3d model itself and I'll make a quick wiremap with MS.

[Cyber Burn]

Late to the party but if you ever need send me the 3d model itself and I'll make a quick wiremap with MS.

That'd be awesome SA, thank you!

Something that I'm hoping will be useful for our Modders (Assuming I fully finish them):

A new "Thug with Gun":


A "Thug with Knife":


And a new "Male_Civilian":


Each will have at least 3 Skins (Hopefully more though). I haven't made Portraits for these guys yet though, do Thugs and Civilians need them? If so I'll make those as well. I have a couple of others in the works, but these are what I have that are close to being finished.

Benton: Are there any specific Thug Types (Sizes or Weapons) that you might need for any future Mods? I could add them to the List.

[spydermann93]

Perhaps a assault rifle or something? A thug's gotta defend himself from all these loonies in spandex, amirite?

But I'm liking what you have so far, Cyber. I love that you tackle minions.  FF desperately need them.

[Cyber Burn]

Perhaps a assault rifle or something? A thug's gotta defend himself from all these loonies in spandex, amirite?

But I'm liking what you have so far, Cyber. I love that you tackle minions.  FF desperately need them.

You read my mind. I've got some heavier Weapons lined up as well.    Cannonfodder is always fun to test new Skopes on, but I figured something like this could be more useful in the long run.

[Cyber Burn]

Thug #5



Still needs a few more Skins though.

[spydermann93]

Well, I can definitely say that he is carrying "heavy weapons"

[Cyber Burn]

Yeah, besides making some Generic Thugs for Modders, I'm also trying to import more Weapons into FFvt3R. I'm hoping this will give potential Skopers the nudge they need to give Skoping a try.

[detourne_me]

Yeah those are pretty cool! I could see them being used as Apokalyptian weapons being smuggled b Intergang. Or some HammerTech or Aim weaponry that makes it to the streets.

[Cyber Burn]

Yeah those are pretty cool! I could see them being used as Apokalyptian weapons being smuggled b Intergang. Or some HammerTech or Aim weaponry that makes it to the streets.

I'm also doing the same thing for the Hydra guys you hooked me up with. Personally, I'm just having some fun with this whole concept right now. 

[crosspotts1.0]

can some one send me a link wiki dosent have it any more

[Cyber Burn]

Welcome aboard Crosspotts, which Link would you like?

[BentonGrey]

Awesome!  You can never have too many thugs!

[Incredible Bulk]

Good looking thugs

[OrWolvie1]

Awesome job on those thugs, CB! Like Benton said, one can never have too many thugs. Now, if we had more soldiers, police, vehicles and weapons, then I'd be in heaven!