[SKY] Making a Bucket Helmet

[Matthew_Kaine]

I was talking to some folks on the shoutbox about my little experiment, but I was told I'd get better answers if I posted on here. Basically all I'm trying to do is put a bucket on an NPC's head and have it stay there. I thought placing it on his head manually and giving him a waiting AI package would be enough for it to stick until I found him, but sadly the bucket would always be on the ground before I came in contact with the NPC. I then decided to make a helmet using the bucket mesh. However, using NifSkope to add a bucket on top of an already-existed helmet mesh doesn't seem to go over well in the CK; it crashes in response to me choosing the file for a world mesh. Is there a better way of doing this? Why doesn't the CK like my mesh? How do you recommend making a bucket into a helmet? Thanks for any help I receive. Cookies shall be given for good helpers.

[Hanaisse]

Mashing rigged meshes in Nifskope does not go over well. Typically the objects are incompatible.

The fact the bucket won't stay on the head is because of the collision havoc on static objects.

What you'll need to do is import the bucket into a 3D modeling program (blender or 3DS) and rig it properly.

[Arion]

My suggestion would be to extract the bucket you want to use from the archives, rename it and add it to the armor section. Use an existing helmet and edit it and point it to your next renamed bucket.nif file and have your NPC wear it as part of his armor.

PS make sure you also rename the helmet that you are editing are that piece will be changed throughout the game.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Arion

[Arion]

There's a link to a mod in this thread at BGS forums with what you are asking about.

http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1374632-mod-request-todd-howard-with-bucket-on-his-head/

[Matthew_Kaine]

Haha, that's actually what made me think to try it! I've been able to use your method to get it working, but the bucket isn't positioned where it needs to be; it's on his feet instead of his head. I know this is due to the mesh being rendered too low, and I know how to move it up, but the only way I can be certain of the correct height is by using an existing helmet mesh as a base. And whenever I try to merge the two together, the CK crashes.

Hanaisse sadly appears to be correct; the Creation Kit really doesn't seem to like combined meshes in NifSkope. Is getting a 3D program and learning all of that stuff really necessary for something so simple? I used to merge meshes all the time in NifSkope when I was doing stuff for Oblivion. What changed?

[Arion]

I know nothing about modling and adjusting and mashing stuff with nifscope.... Was just an idea that I thought would work. And then I remembered the Todd Mod. You'd need more advanced people than me to help with this.

[Hanaisse]

What changed?

Everything? The game engine, the mesh properties, more complex skeletons... Skyrim is definitely more complex than Oblivion is.

[Matthew_Kaine]

Point taken. Are you familiar with Blender, Hanaisse? I'd love someone to walk me through the process; I've never tried using something like Blender before.

[Hanaisse]

Yup, I could walk you through it but it's an intense process for beginners. (If some day you want to learn check out the modeling class in the Oblivion Enclave section)

Probably easier if I rigged it for you, but I don't have access to Skyrim meshes. If you sent me a bucket and a male head I could.

[Matthew_Kaine]

Fair enough; I just wanted to see whether I could do it on my own without it being too complex. I suppose I'll scratch off making armor out of clutter until I time when I feel like delving into modeling. Thanks for the help, though! :cookie4u:

On a side note, is combining things in NifSkope useless now for Skyrim stuff? Let's say that instead of a bucket, I have a piece of a different helmet. If I use NifSkope to combine the two meshes together, will there still be an incompatibility and cause the CK to crash? If so, are the people that make mash-up armors for Skyrim all using 3d programs?

[Hanaisse]

Ooo,

One day we'll get you there. As for the mashup's, I can't answer for sure. I would still expect oddities but have never tested.

[InsanitySorrow]

As long as the models have the same bones you should be able to mix things up, might need to do some tweaking afterwards to stop the CK/Game from complaining.