The rabbithole of animation tutorials

[Emy314]

Hi all.

 

I'd like to start my own animations for Skyrim Sexlab using Blender.  Been wanting to do that for quite a long while.

It's not my first attempt at trying to figure out all of this but everytime I simply give up because this is such a rabbit hole.

Yes, I know, there is TONS of tutorials (or parts of)... and that's the problem.  That's the rabbit hole.

 

I've read tons of posts for tutorials and animations but there's so many that I end up with about 20-30 opened tabs on chrome, about 10 tools downloaded (because each post seem to require its own tools) and 10 videos watched and still have no idea where to begin.  Lots of contradicting information, lots of outdated guides, different scripts to download, different skeletons to download, some guides are for games other than skyrim so it gets confusing at times and and and and [head explodes]

 

SO...

 

Is there ONE guide that explain how to make skyrim animations for sexlab from start to finish using Blender?  (There's a few for 3ds max but I've never been able to find 3ds max 2012 which is apparently the only version of max that works... so since that's a rabbithole in itself I'm not gonna use max)

 

If there isn't... can someone PLEASE help me navigate the SEA of tutorials there is out there X_X.

 

Thanks in advance!

[MadMansGun]

max 2010 works better then 2012 for hkx exporting.

 

the problem is that there is more than one way to skin a rabbit, therefor all the tutorials are right and wrong at the same time (at least that's the way it is with max), but learning to use the program's tools first is the real problem, with max i learned to use it by testing the tools out and learning to do basic things like editing and reshaping a box, then i moved on to editing models from thingiverse, then importing/editing/exporting Skyrim meshes (but i still have problems with that sometimes). after all of that the animation tutorials are a bit easier to follow, but you may find that some things done in the tutorials are not needed or best for your potential work flow style (Eg: i don't use animation rigs, or that fancy "maximum skeleton").

[Emy314]

max 2010 works better then 2012 for hkx exporting.

 

the problem is that there is more than one way to skin a rabbit, therefor all the tutorials are right and wrong at the same time (at least that's the way it is with max), but learning to use the program's tools first is the real problem, with max i learned to use it by testing the tools out and learning to do basic things like editing and reshaping a box, then i moved on to editing models from thingiverse, then importing/editing/exporting Skyrim meshes (but i still have problems with that sometimes). after all of that the animation tutorials are a bit easier to follow, but you may find that some things done in the tutorials are not needed or best for your potential work flow style (Eg: i don't use animation rigs, or that fancy "maximum skeleton").

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I'll try to find 2010.

 

Yeah, I know the basics of animating (at least with Blender... used to do some animations for TS3).

It's pretty much all of the skyrim/sexlab specific stuff that's giving me a headache.

I did see pretty complete ones for Max though (just not blender ones)

 

I'll try that for now.

 

*whispers to the wind* But a *complete* Blender tutorial would be really neat guys.  Yay for free programs.

max 2010 works better then 2012 for hkx exporting.

 

the problem is that there is more than one way to skin a rabbit, therefor all the tutorials are right and wrong at the same time (at least that's the way it is with max), but learning to use the program's tools first is the real problem, with max i learned to use it by testing the tools out and learning to do basic things like editing and reshaping a box, then i moved on to editing models from thingiverse, then importing/editing/exporting Skyrim meshes (but i still have problems with that sometimes). after all of that the animation tutorials are a bit easier to follow, but you may find that some things done in the tutorials are not needed or best for your potential work flow style (Eg: i don't use animation rigs, or that fancy "maximum skeleton").

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

I'll try to find 2010.

 

Yeah, I know the basics of animating (at least with Blender... used to do some animations for TS3).

It's pretty much all of the skyrim/sexlab specific stuff that's giving me a headache.

I did see pretty complete ones for Max though (just not blender ones)

 

I'll try that for now.

 

*whispers to the wind* But a *complete* Blender tutorial would be really neat guys.  Yay for free programs.

[D_ManXX2]

Blender don't have script exporter but you could make the animation in blender then export that as .fbx file and import that in 3dmax and export the animation through that. That will be much simpler then start learning a new animation program from scratch.

 

But it will be difficult to get 3dmax 2010 because some tools you need with 3dmax is no longer publicly available.

 

The thing you could try is this tool: http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/62065/? this is already made tool to animate with newest blender. This way you can animate and export the animation at the same time.

[MadMansGun]

But it will be difficult to get 3dmax 2010 because some tools you need with 3dmax is no longer publicly available.

 

well sort of, the Havok Content Tools can still be found on softpedia (but it's the only legal site i know of that still has it)

 

[Emy314]

 

But it will be difficult to get 3dmax 2010 because some tools you need with 3dmax is no longer publicly available.

 

well sort of, the Havok Content Tools can still be found on softpedia (but it's the only legal site i know of that still has it)

 

 

 

Was easy to find, actually.  First google result gave a link to someone's Google Drive.

 

Still not out of the rabbit hole though.  Siiiigh

[Emy314]

Okay, seriously, I'm losing my shits.

 

Again, I have 20 tabs opened and just as many tools/scripts downloaded and installed and I still even can't begin to animate.

 

The export/import script for .nif files don't seem to work in blender.  I add them and nothing happens.  If I try to use the recommend old crappy version of Blender (2.49), then the scripts give me errors.

 

If I try to go through NifScope and export XPSM as an OBJ, the file is empty.

 

I did install 3ds max 2010 but I don't know what to do with it.  All of the tutorials I found skip the 'Here's how to import the rig' part and dive directly into complicated stuff I'm not interesting in for now.

 

Am I missing something obvious?

 

Edit : The import scripts don't work for 3ds max either.  I have installed so many different versions of everything and nothing ever ever ever works.  I've been trying to get started for 2 years and EVERY TIME it's the same result.  Can someone PLEASE help me get started.

[MadMansGun]

All of the tutorials I found skip the 'Here's how to import the rig' part and dive directly into complicated stuff I'm not interesting in for now.

 

Am I missing something obvious?

 

like i said

but learning to use the program's tools first is the real problem

click on the help tap in max for the basic video guides.

 

and this helped me a bit when i started animating:

note: i keep "autokey" turned on at all times.

 

you will need a BSA Browser to extract the model files and skeletons from skyrim first:

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59553/?

 

and you need the 3ds Max Nif Importer-Exporter plugin if you want to import them:

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/5622/?

 

skip the NifScope stuff if your just doing animations in max 2010. (max 2012 has different instructions then 2010)

 

if it's of any help the Source files for my animations are available to look at:

http://www.loverslab.com/files/file/2436-horny-creatures-of-skyrim/

 

i remember giving wishnot4 some tips over here:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/69162-centaur-in-the-works-fully-functional-update-04052017-nexus-link-pg-1/?p=1732389

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/69162-centaur-in-the-works-fully-functional-update-04052017-nexus-link-pg-1/?p=1808176

[Emy314]

 

All of the tutorials I found skip the 'Here's how to import the rig' part and dive directly into complicated stuff I'm not interesting in for now.

 

Am I missing something obvious?

 

like i said

but learning to use the program's tools first is the real problem

click on the help tap in max for the basic video guides.

 

and this helped me a bit when i started animating:

 

you will need a BSA Browser to extract the model files and skeletons from skyrim first:

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59553/?

 

and you need the 3ds Max Nif Importer-Exporter plugin if you want to import them:

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/5622/?

 

skip the NifScope stuff if your just doing animations in max 2010. (max 2012 has different instructions then 2010)

 

if it's of any help the Source files for my animations are available to look at:

http://www.loverslab.com/files/file/2436-horny-creatures-of-skyrim/

 

i remember giving wishnot4 some tips over here:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/69162-centaur-in-the-works-fully-functional-update-04052017-nexus-link-pg-1/?p=1732389

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/69162-centaur-in-the-works-fully-functional-update-04052017-nexus-link-pg-1/?p=1808176

 

 

I know that I need the importer/exporters.  Like I said, they don't work.  Both in blender and 3ds max.  Max won't even launch now because of the scripts.

[MadMansGun]

 

I know that I need the importer/exporters.  Like I said, they don't work.  Both in blender and 3ds max.  Max won't even launch now because of the scripts.

 

did you install the right versions for 2010? (havok 2010 & niftools for 2010 with matching 32 or 64 bit versions)

 

[Emy314]

 

 

I know that I need the importer/exporters.  Like I said, they don't work.  Both in blender and 3ds max.  Max won't even launch now because of the scripts.

 

did you install the right versions for 2010? (havok 2010 & niftools for 2010 with matching 32 or 64 bit versions)

 

 

 

I should hope so with all the things I had to install just to get to this point.

 

http://imgur.com/ycUdmvC

[Emy314]

Here's the error for max : http://imgur.com/a/zCzKZ

[MadMansGun]

try "niftools-max-plugins-371", it looks like there is something wrong with "3.8.0" because other people are reporting the same problem with it in 2010.

[Emy314]

try "niftools-max-plugins-371", it looks like there is something wrong with "3.8.0" because other people are reporting the same problem with it in 2010.

 

Ah, good!  That worked!

Thank you very much!

 

One step further to getting out of the hole... still not out though.

 

When exporting the 3ds max scene to blender, none of the exporters seem to work :/  I tried collada, fbx, 3ds and obj and they each give really fucked up results or no results at all.  Tried tweaking the export parameters for each of the exporters with no success.

 

I suppose I'll have to search and download yet an other thing to make it all work?

[MadMansGun]

When exporting the 3ds max scene to blender, none of the exporters seem to work :/  I tried collada, fbx, 3ds and obj and they each give really fucked up results or no results at all.  Tried tweaking the export parameters for each of the exporters with no success.

 

I suppose I'll have to search and download yet an other thing to make it all work?

from what i understand fbx is the one to use, but i never had much luck in learning to use blender so it's unfamiliar territory for me. but you should be able to do everything needed for animation work in max.

[MadMansGun]

.

 

if your still around, i posted some other animation related tips over here (hath way down page 51 to page 53)

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/60847-dragon-animations-creature-on-creature/page-51

 

and my export settings for HKX animation files:

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/60847-dragon-animations-creature-on-creature/?p=1996473