3DSMAX Skyrim and Head meshes

[tejano2828]

Hey all,    so I've dabbled in 3dsmax when I was in college and I have a copy of it and I decided to try and work on my characters head model in 3dsmax but it didn't work here is what i did.

 

Opened up 3dsmax

imported my head mesh from my "export sculpt head" in the chargen file.

edited the head

exported it back to skyim skse chargen folder ( but it did not create a DDS file) solution was I created a copy from another head and used that DDS file...but didn't work.

 

Does someone have a tutorial that I can go by I've tried youtube but it did no good.

 

I just want to know what I am doing wrong I know I am missing a step but I don't know which one

 

 

help

[RomeoZero]

General warning for 3dmax :

1. You are trying to edit the file that has a dependency with vanilla head morph files [ .tri ]
2. You are editing vertices of the head mesh and when exporting them their number will "change" from original morphed animation files in 3dsmax with dismemberskin modifier [common issue] 
3. better adjust it in SCULPT tab or be very  advanced 3dmax user to support your exported mesh with same vertices count number. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, RomeoZero said:

General warning for 3dmax :

1. You are trying to edit the file that has a dependency with vanilla head morph files [ .tri ]
2. You are editing vertices of the head mesh and when exporting them their number will "change" from original morphed animation files in 3dsmax with dismemberskin modifier [common issue] 
3. better adjust it in SCULPT tab or be very  advanced 3dmax user to support your exported mesh with same vertices count number. 

To add to this, any mesh without normals or tangents (anything that uses an msn texture basically) will have about three times more vertices on export from 3DS Max. They're removable but usually leave you with a different number of vertices than beforehand.

 

For head editing you should do your editing in 3DS Max as you normally would making sure not to weld any vertices or otherwise touch the vertex count, and export the file as an .fbx

You can import the fbx in OS and it'll avoid the additional vertices on export. It's UV will be flipped (usually along Y) so I personally copy the vertices over to the original head through NifSkope instead of using the trishape I actually made the edits to. Same vertex count so there's not much point to setting everything up when you can just replace the old one.

[tejano2828]

Ok thanks for the replies guys all that went over my head  I am versed in 3dsmax I just don't understand all this other stuff you guys are talking about I do have over 2 months off so I'm modding skyrim, fishing, 4wheeling and I figured I could learn a bit more about this modding stuff.  You guys have any guides I can follow with pictures and such?  If not don't worry about it.  I've been sculpting with racemenu and it's been coming out ok also.