Overly Ambitious New Modder Doesn't Know Where to Start with Animating X'D

[Licks Doorknobs]

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but I've been wanting to learn how to model, rig, & animate meshes for the sake of Fallout 4 mods for a while now. The problem is I'm finding myself a bit scatter brained as to what I need in order to do that.

 

For context, I'd like to make mods like an animated "Hang Gliders of the Commonwealth" that open up in flight and fold back up when on the ground (basically a heavily disguised jetpack re-mesh that has moving wings rather than toggling flames), as well as a mod that gives your character real biological wings, specifically the ones from a Blood Bug, Stingwing, Bloatfly, and Crow & Seagull. Those are already modeled, textured, rigged, and animated; I just want to "cut them off" their creature models and find a way to attach them to the player like a jetpack, similar to the Animated Dragon Wings mod for Skyrim.

I also am curious how to make a completely custom-rigged power armor suit stand-alone from the normal in-game suits. (I have a nebulous plan for an Invader Zim mod package that would add an equipible Irken PAK with those retractable spider legs, as well as a "Megadoomer power armor" suit, both of which would require their own custom skeletons.)

 

I know, I know. I'm biting off more than I can chew. I nonetheless want to know what tools I would need to do it.

Anyway, my question is: Is there an up-to-date resource on what tools I would need to do this in 2019? What programs are being used to do this kind of stuff? A lot of the modder's resources on the Nexus have disparate requirements. One tool says it requires 3ds Max 2014. Another 2015. Yet another works with 2017. Do I have to find a specific year-version of 3DS Max? There are Blender tools but they seem very dated.

TL;DR — I wanna learn how to:

• Convert meshes into FO4 NIFs in 2019
• Rig & animate custom skeletons

 

Thanks to whowever responds!

[Guest]

Start by reading all posts of this thread: https://www.loverslab.com/topic/64567-fallout-4-animation-modding-for-modders-and-animators/

[Licks Doorknobs]

Thank you kindly! Sorry if this was a noob question; I asked because I wasn't sure if anything had changed or become outdated / no longer supported / if new ways had popped up. Thanks again for the help!