JDFan

Strange -- wonder why they split it up this way -- could see it if the one model was using a different type of collision (or no collision) or one was a lower resolution if it was not being viewed up close or without effects like the blood effects etc. but when they both seem to be the same not sure what the reasoning would be. Can the same NIf file be used for both or does that cause problems in game ? (I've been setting them up using the corresponding original but wonder if there is the need to repeat everything a second time with the copy\paste if you could just use the same Nif file.) - Time for some testing I guess.

HAve you tested yet to determine which model is used for various times (ie. inventory model, third person view, first person view, world model, etc. ) -- Was wondering since it might mean that only one of the models needs the Blood nodes added if the second version is never used for things that would need the blood spatter showing !

Well - hopefully they'll get the exporters for both MAX and Blender working fully so we don't have to use it for long but the community has always been [retty good at figurng out a way to work around it till that happens !

Glad to see you got it working -- Still wonder what the difference in the Blender's obj and .3ds format is that makes the difference but at least there is a solution available !

So you were able to get the blood working correctly using the .3ds format then ?

Forgot to mention One thing that I also did which was to move each copy of the mesh just slightly (One I moved .01 X an .01Y and the other -.01X and-.01Y ) SO that there were not 3 meshes all in the exact position -- Not sure if that might be what caused the Crash on your but it might be possible (I know it can cause anomolies when rendering duplicated meshes that you accidentally Cloned and did not notice so might be worth a test !! ( I actually reversed the process when creating my NIF because I had the sword in 3 separate Tristrips to begin with (was made for OB at first and wanted the blade a bit shiny so had it separated ) and that was causing me problems as the game kept changing the other 2 parts to different txt entries (ie. Inv , BSX, PRn) when saving the NIF -- Another thing to test would be making sure the DATA node you are pasting matches the part you are connecting to (ie. IIRC the blood nodes are Trishapes so be sure you are not pasting from a tristrip (not sure if that would make a difference) If you want to E-mail me a copy of your obj for the model ( JDFanning(at)SbcGlobal.net )you want to use for the blood spatter (or even that and the full model and I'll try getting it working on my end since I can load it into MAX and export as a NIf for you to test the procedure and make sure that works for you (to narrow down the cause) - then I'll send back a prepaste NIf with the data set for copy\pasting and a working copy for comparison and testing -- Also perhaps import from OBJ to a third Model to get the Data into a NIF and copy paste just the DATA afterwards into the blood node would be worth a try !

3rd person would be the weapon NIf and 1st person would be the 1stperson weapon NIf (ie. for the DwarvenGreatsword model the 3rd person NIf would be Dwarvengreatsword.NIF and the static would use 1stpersondwarvengreatsword.nif ) @IS -- THanks for the assist got it all working in game now (including the blood spatter ) - Now just need to set it up for upgrading and smithing ! In Game Screenie Compilation --- Charles --- best method i have found for getting the blood decals working is to make a separate model of the part you want the spattr to show up on (ie. on my Celtic Claymore I used just the blade -- export that as a NIF ( I use MAX ) then open 2 instances of NIfskope one with your blood mesh (the part you just exported) and one with a vanilla weapon that has the blood shader. (OR the Nif you are using already for your new weapon (do not delete the blood nodes when creating it from the vanilla Nif as IS explained in this tutorial as you will be replacing the mesh Data with your new data) Then in your new model go into the NItrishape tree and find the Nitrishape Data node (this node contains the vertices of your model) - right click and Block -Copy branch ---- then go to the vanilla weapon NIF and right click on the bottom of the Block List (do not highlight a node) - and do a Block - Paste Branch (this pastes your new blood mesh data into the NIF Now to hook it up go to the Nitrishape of the Edge Blood and click to highlight -- THen in the Block Details Find the Data Line (Just below the Collision Object line ) -- double click to open to edit and enter the node number for the NitrishapeData you just pasted (this swaps out the old Data for your new mesh Data) -- Repeat for the EdgeBlood01 Nitrishape - then delete the 2 old NitrishapeData nodes that you replaced and save the NIF You should now have a working blood decal mesh on your weapon

Thanks -- hadn't found the static models yet -- so that should help !!

IS -- Have you figured out how to make a new weapon and import it into game instead of using it as a replacement for an existing weapon ? Figured it would be easy once the CK was released but so far I haven't got it working so was wondering if you'd had any luck !

RTC -- did you test it in game ? -- I tried adding skinning to the extra parts and exporting but the Nif in game causes a CTD (might be because it does not have a normal map texture in the download files) but did not have time to test more. For adjusting to various heads it would need an .egm file generated but the problem is in order to generate the .egm file the model would have to be a single Tristrip (shape) inside the Nif instead of the numerous strips. So in order to really get it working as a hood it would need to have all of the pices attached to each other and the UVmapping would have to be adjusted so it can use a single UVMap and texture and then be run through the Conformulator to create an .egm file.

As Windmill Tilter mentioned Bows and Arrows are probably some of the more complex items to get in game and it takes awhile to figure out some of the settings etc. ( which is probably why you see so many swords and other weapons added but very few Bows and arrows) - I can remember spending countless hours examining a NIfs the first time I was helping someone get a new bow animation to work in game. Also WT --- look forward to seeing the tutorials you come up with for the modeling classes !

Would be best to position them if you can -- that way whoever does it for you will know where you want them placed -- which hood is it that you are attaching them to (some are easy to work with ( attached to just a single bone ie. head) others are a bit harder (attached to several bones ie. Head, neck, left clavicle, right clavicle, etc. ) - If it is just attached to the head then it is a fairly simple process to weight all the vertices 100% to the head -- If there are several bones it gets a bit more complicated and you'll need someone with more experience to blend the weights correctly. Best bet would be to make the Nif with the items added and positioned and upload to a share site and post a link here (or in a request thread) so someone could download it and give it a try.

Thanks for the Pics MEO - the game is looking better all the time !! For anyone that hasn't preordered yet and is interested Newegg has a 72 hour sale going for the Preorder for $47.99 shipped with these codes : PC Coupon code : EMCKBJH96 Xbox 360 : EMCKBJH98 PS3 : EMCKBJH97 60 Hours left on the sale currently

Looks Like WT beat me to the details but just in case you are having problems -- HERE is a working copy of your new quiver -- I copy\pasted the pieces into the Steel Arrow Quiver and deleted the pieces from the original along with the extra arrow - updated the various arrays (number of children etc. to get it working properly with the one less arrow displayed) adjusted the positioning of the arrows a bit (had to adjust on the Y axis so the lined up properly in the quiver and fit the existing collision shapes. Tested in game and it did not work !! --- went back and looked at the Nif and notivced the equipped arrow had the NiStripsData Consistency Flag set to Static instead of CT_Mutable -- changed that resaved and retested and now all works properly. ( This may be why your original was not equipping properly in the original ) AS WT mentioned if you have further questions just post them here and I'll try and explain in more detail (If WT doesn't get there first ! )

Yeah the Niftools team for Blender seems to be making more progress than Max (which currently is miising a team, IIRC someone has started working on the Max tools again so perhaps we will get some updates soon but at least there are ways to get it working.

Would need to take a look at the NIf but most likely has something to do with the arrow:0 which is the arrow that is equipped from inside the NIF or the collision property settings attached to it.

Import the Nif back into Max and convert it to a editable mesh - from the Modifier List select BhkRigidBodyModifier and add it then go to the parameters and set them for the item ( ie. Material Metal,Glass,etc.) - check Enable Optimize - select Packed Strip Shape - ( or whichever applies for that model) - set Subshape Properties Layer (ie. Static, Clutter,Weapon) - Click on Clone Mesh and it will add the collision to the model --- Export as a Nif (be sure that export collision is checked in the export settings -- With My version of MAX that will get you a working collision shape but I then need to copy\paste that collision branch from that exported Nif into the original Nif ( Not sure if it works correctly for other versions without the need for the copy\paste but I've gotten used to doing it that way !

Using Max 8 this is the method I would use : 1. Save the image you want as a .jpg 2. select the front viewport and press Alt-B (this is to set the background image as your .jpg.) - click the Files button and locate your .jpg image 3. Maximize the front Viewport (Alt-W) 4. on the creation panel - click Shapes - Line 5. On the Creation Panel > Creation Method rollout set both Initial Type and Drag Type to Smooth 6. trace the outline of the shape pressing the mouse button as needed to follow the contour (each click will add a vertex and add polys to the model so be careful how many times you click !) 7. When you get around to the starting point click again at the first vertices and select yes from the close spline prompt box that appears 8. Right Click on the Spline and select Convert to Editable Mesh and select element 9. Click on the mesh and go to the Extrude panel and extrude as much as you want for the thickness (you now have your shape created !) 10. In the Modifier List - select Multi Res and reduce the resolution to cut down othe number of polys to an amount that you want it to use ( creating in this method tends to use a lot of polys so using a multi res modifier to reduce the number can reduce the poly count significantly without changing the model much (just reduce using the percentages and select a percent that keeps the model shape but cuts the number of polys. 11. UV Map and add a texture and export to Nif Result would be something like this --

Can also check my One Stop Armor Mod -- has various armors in different poses with bases but the bases can be removed since they are seperate tristrips in the NIF --- If you need a specific pose with a specific armor let me know and I can put something together for you as well.

Makes sense - Thanks for the info.

I've done the same a few times before I figured out how to change them - sometimes it is easier to just manipulate the position of the model or copy\pasting the Tristrips into a different model that already moves the way you want but it always drove me crazy not being able to figure out where the movement was so had to play around with settings and look at different Nifs until I finally saw what was being done differently in the various ones. Here's a nice little chart that helps when converting Radians to degrees that makes entering the numbers a bit easier also.

A bit of a late reply but you might see it ! The open and close sequences have the XYZ rotations set (in this instance it is a Z rotation so is listed under the Block List look at the NiControllerManager - Nicontrollersequence (Open and Close) - NiTransformInterpolator - NiTransformData Line (highlight it) and then under the Block Details expand XYZ Rotations - and the third line XYZ Rotations will control the rotation on the Z axis then under the Keys for that you change the Value (this is listed in Radians (90 degrees = 1.5708 radians) so changing the value will change the degrees it opens at that Time in the animation -- so currently it opens slightly more than 90 degrees at 1.6667 time then moves back a bit by 1.833 seconds and finally finishes at exactly 90 degrees in 2 seconds. So to make it swing the opposite direction you would place a - sign in front of each of the three values listed under the keys and it will swing the opposite direction on the z axis (or reset them to 0 and enter those values on the X or Y axis keys to make it swing around a different Axis !

The Bounding Radius being set to 0 does sound like it could be the problem (would also explain why some people have the problem and others do not since some systems are more strict when it comes to divide by zero errors - same as the divide by zero caused by bows with a reach of zero causing CTDs for some people but not others !!) --- When I create a light I make it using an old light and adjust as needed instead of creating a new one which might be why I had no CTD the first time placing the NIF which would also be another work around to get it working just like the search and replace does since that would also set the bbounding radius to non zero. Glad to see it is working now ! Also just a side note --- the Nifs do not seem to need the attach light node ( I tested making a light that used the Ham.nif ) and it worked fine without any attach light node added to the Nif