Maya -> nifskope import problem

[amazingmao]

Help everyone, I just started attempting to import meshes into Skyrim using Maya.
The CK part is easy, but I'm having trouble exporting the mesh into nifskope.


So I imported an existing bow mesh + skeleton into Maya, created a new mesh and copied over the skin data from the original bow.
Here's what it looks like in Maya:


I've got all meshes combined, vertices merged, it's all 1 mesh when I export.

Exported as OBJ and opened in Blender:


Everything still looks okay, still 1 mesh and all.
However, when I export from Blender out as 3ds file, then imported into nifskope, only part of the mesh shows up!


I've been wrecking my brain trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with the process.
I've tried all kinds of variations of the import/export process but as far as I can tell, nifskope seem to love seperating any meshes that isn't physically connected and only keep only random piece.

Does anyone have any input?

[Vioxsis]

Your pipeline is very, errrr yeah, And its hard to tell what is wrong by just the pictures you posted.

You should post the exported obj and the exported nif so people can get a better idea of what's going on.

 

As for what i think you should do, well get 3ds max it has niftool plugins  so you can export and import nifs.

I'm assuming you know how to use maya for modeling, rigging and just in general. So making the jump to max should be easier then to Blender.

 

But your pipeline is needlessly over complicated.

[amazingmao]

Loverslab won't allow me to attach my obj or 3ds files, only the nif files with the missing pieces.

I rar'ed the obj+3ds and it seem to let me upload now, so the files are in the rar.

 

The reason from the over complicated mess was because when I dump the obj straight to nifskope, all the UV information is all messed up, apparently nifskope hates obj? And since I have Maya 2016, the bonus tools are not yet available, and 3ds export is part of the bonus tools.

I've tried the niftranslator for Maya downloaded from Skyrim Nexus, but I can't make heads or tails of it and there's absolutely no tutorial anywhere for it.

 

I'm going to try to find a copy of 3ds Max, though I wonder if it's at all possible to just do my modelling in Maya, export to 3ds max and just skip nifskope?

strawbow.nif

bow.rar

[Vioxsis]

Both the obj and 3ds have no skindata for me. But that nif is weird, in nifskope it looks just like your pic only lying along the y axis.

And when i imported it into max it was standing along the z axis and 100% intact well 200% really as there was a duplicate.

 

The skinning of it was completely messed up.

 

 

Though i can't see the skinning in the obj/3ds my guess is it was destroyed on one of the jumps, probably the last one blender >3ds> nifskope.

 

If you can get max (2012 is probably the best version for skyrim modding (im using 2014)) you can cut one of the jumps and make the other better (autodesk > autodesk).

But you will still have to edit the nif in nifskope (there seems to be no escaping that) but exporting and editing a nif is better then using a file as a go between.

[amazingmao]

Ah the skin data, that made sense.
I finally found a copy of 3ds max and tried to load the niftool for it, only to discover it won't work because my copy is 2015.

Since you said that you're using 2014 I'm assuming niftool supports up to 2014 3ds max?

well...to the torrent sites I guess. I just ran out of student friends with extra 3d package licences, let alone licences for old versions...

 

(Also, is it at all possible to export the skin data from 3ds max/maya to nifskope without the use of niftool?)

 

Thanks for your patience, I promise when I get this figured out I'll use this knowledge for good!

[Vioxsis]

Yes these are the niftools im using for 2014 http://tesrenewal.com/forums/tools-and-coding/nif-importexport-plugin-for-3dsmax-2013

 

 

 

(Also, is it at all possible to export the skin data from 3ds max/maya to nifskope without the use of niftool?)

 

No, well not that i have ever tried, nothing comes to mind anyway. I'm pretty sure there is no way of exporting/importing skin data without niftools.

 

 

 

I promise when I get this figured out I'll use this knowledge for good!

 

Thats good, i only ever use the stuff i know for evil.