[MISC] Getting Blender installed

[BrettM]

So, I was finally convinced to start getting my feet wet with 3d stuff beyond NifSkope. I downloaded the latest versions of Python (3.3.2), Blender (2.68a), and PyFFI (2.2.2). I installed them in that order. I then tried to install Nif Scripts 2.5.9.77b0815. It tells me that I need to install Blender first, and helpfully started a download of 2.49b.

 

Is there a solution to this other than waiting for a newer version of Nif Scripts or installing downlevel versions of all the other stuff? I really kind of hate to install programs that are so far downlevel.

 

Is it possible to work with Skyrim nifs without Nif Scripts, or is it just too difficult or tedious to do the conversion steps manually?

Edited September 17, 2013 by BrettM

[Hanaisse]

No, you need the downlevel versions. They are the only versions currently compatible with making Oblivion or Skyrim nifs.

 

Everything you need is listed here.

 

If you insist on being stubborn ( ) and using the latest version of Blender, you'll be adding some extra steps to your process; make the mesh in Blender 2.6, save it as .blend file, re-open it in Blender 2.49, fix things that are not compatible, export it. But, you still need Blender 2.49, so why not use it.

[InsanitySorrow]

make the mesh in Blender 2.6, save it as .blend file, re-open it in Blender 2.49, fix things that are not compatible, export it. But, you still need Blender 2.49, so why not use it.

That's pretty much impossible with the latest version of Blender, you can open the file in older versions but the content doesn't display properly, best to stick with just the one version for all work.

[BrettM]

Thanks, people. The downlevel versions are all installed, in recommended order, and Nif Script installation went through. Now to see if I can make it work. Off to Insanity's tutorial!

[cccirno]

Hello here.

I'm just going to learn Blender, but it seems that most of the guides on it for the latest version. In this regard, I want to ask whether you can do this:

 

from http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?307705-Looking-for-Blender-2-49b-tutorials&highlight=skyrim

Finding tutorial for the good old 2.49b is hard but something that could be interesting for you is to still get the latest version of Blender.
Then you do your modelling work in it to benefit to all the new tools and addons that help and speed up the process, and then get all the easy to find tutorials available.

Then once you're finished with the modelling, save that model with "Legacy Mesh Format" enabled and you should be able to load it without problems in 2.49b
Once in 2.49b, be sure to disable "Do Composite" and "Do Sequence" that for some reason are automatically enabled if you load a 2.5/2.6 blend into 2.49b

This way you can then benefit from the 2.49b exporter that unfortunately does not exist in current version.

 

[BrettM]

I don't know if those details are correct, as I haven't tried it. But I do know that InsanitySorrow and others have suggested working in a later version of Blender, using 2.49b just for the import and export of the .nif. It can't hurt to try, since you'll still have 2.49b to work with even if the experiment fails.