Add Glow effect to weapons?? {{SOLVED}}

[Zquad1]

First I would like to apologize for making another glow mapping topic, I know there  are a few topics on glow mapping but I can't seam to grasp how to apply the effect to my weapons I have read every last word in this tutorial----> Skyrim glow mapping tuto  & I can't seam to understand most of it,

 

from what I have readfrom the tuto & other threads I have read this is what I have figured out so far but I am pretty sure I am missing something.

I am trying to add a glow effect to the "teeth" on the Hilt of the Dread Knight Sword

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. open nifskope  FYI---> I am using Version 1.1.3

2. click on "LOAD" & locate file in---> Data/ meshes/ weapons/ dreadknight/ DKLongsword

3. under "Block List " I have a branchable  >0 BSFadeNode

4. > 0 BSFadeNode

under 0BSFadeNode I have:

    1 BSInvMarker                          INV [1]

    2 BSXFlags                               BSX [2]

    3 NiStringExtraData                  WeaponSword [4]

> 12 bhkCollisionObject

> 13 NiTriShape                            Blood [14]

> 19 NiTriShape                            Gore [15]

> 24 NiTriShape                             DreadKnightSword:0 [20]

 

5. click on > 24 NiTriShape               DreadKnightSword:0 [20]

 

then I see:

25 NiTriShapeData

> 26 BSLightingShaderPropety

 

6. highlight > 26 BSLightingShaderProperty

7. under "Block Details"

in "Skyrim Shader Type"  under Value"  double click then scroll down & select "Glow Shader" or number 2.

 

8. In "Shader Flags 2"  Under "Value" double click & scroll down & "check Mark"  SLSF2_Glow_Map & hit  "Enter"

 

9. under "Block Details" in "Emissive Color"  Under "Value" double click  the "color palette" I selected "White" that's number #ffffff

 

10. In "Emissive Multiple"  Under "Value" I changed the number from 1.0000 to 20.0000

 

11. Under "Block List" under, 

>26 BSLightingShaderPropety  "Highlight"  27 BSShaderTextureSet

 

12. under "Block Details"  "click"   > Textures

13. Under "Value" & under "textures\weapons\dreadknight\dreadknightlongsword_n.dds"

I added---> textures\weapons\dreadknight\dreadknightlongsword_g.dds

 

14. then I clicked "File"   "save as"

 

 

Now before I save it to the Meshes directory, under "choose a file" in the File Name bar it is named "DKLongsword" do I add _g.dds after the file name so it would look like this? ----> DKLongsword_g.dds or do I leave the file name as is???

         

[b3lisario]

Well I had no idea how does work the glow effect, but I know how to use NifSkope.

 

Save it as DKLongsword

 

I'm guessing that you tried that and it didn't work. So just to be sure you didn't miss this: I don't see in your post any step related to the creation of the texture file (textures\weapons\dreadknight\dreadknightlongsword_g.dds)

 

If you have the needed dreadknightlongsword_g.dds, can you attach/upload/PM it? I would like to test it myself.

[lostdaywalker]

Do it the easy way. Find an armor or weapon with an existing glow map.  "remove branch" for your weapon' BSlightningshader.  "Copy Branch" of the BSLightningshader of the one you are going to use., and "Paste Branch" onto your now empty  properties line under the weapons NiTrishape. (Block Details) Then just change the location of the three texture maps.  You have created a "_g.dds" fie for your glow correct?  Then just save. There may be an issue with multiple effects on that weapon, I;m not sure.  One may overwrite the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zquad1]

Well I had no idea how does work the glow effect, but I know how to use NifSkope.

 

Save it as DKLongsword

 

I'm guessing that you tried that and it didn't work. So just to be sure you didn't miss this: I don't see in your post any step related to the creation of the texture file (textures\weapons\dreadknight\dreadknightlongsword_g.dds)

 

If you have the needed dreadknightlongsword_g.dds, can you attach/upload/PM it? I would like to test it myself.

 

Yeah I had already made the texture file, I followed this tutorial----> http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Other.Detail&id=128

I am just unsure weather or not I did it correctly, here is what I did:

 

BTW I used Paint.net to make the texture.

 

I opened the texture file labled "Dreadknightlongsword.dds".

 

 

 

Then I created a new layer.

 

 

 

Then I selected the Paint Bucket.

 

 

 

then I painted Layer 2 All Black.

 

 

 

Then I Added Layer 3 & deselected Layer 2, & painted the parts I wanted to glow, the tutorial said to color with a bright color so I chose Red.

 

 

 

Then I re-selected Layer 2 ,

 

 

 

Then I went to "File" & clicked save as, & I saved it as dreadknightlongsword_g.dds

 

 

 

& I saved it in an alternate dread knight weapons folder.

 

did I create the texture right???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lostdaywalker]

Sounds about right. Your final picture should be all black except for what you want to have glow. File does not have to be that big either. It can be 1024 or even 512. Its all about how much detail is in the glowing part. It also can be white instead of a color as well. You can change the color with the emissive color slider in the Nifskope.  Using different colors and and the slider you can create some weird combinations. 

    Its been my experience that its just easier to copy and paste the branch of one you know works in game and then just change texture file location and the emissive color. I have come across many that did not work. something in the Nif was broken or missing, and swapping in a known working one has never failed. 

[Zquad1]

Do it the easy way. Find an armor or weapon with an existing glow map.  "remove branch" for your weapon' BSlightningshader.  "Copy Branch" of the BSLightningshader of the one you are going to use., and "Paste Branch" onto your now empty  properties line under the weapons NiTrishape. (Block Details) Then just change the location of the three texture maps.  You have created a "_g.dds" fie for your glow correct?  Then just save. There may be an issue with multiple effects on that weapon, I;m not sure.  One may overwrite the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

enb2013_3_21_3_44_9.jpg

 

 

 

I'll have to give that a go tomorrow.

 

BTW Thanks for the reply guys.

[Zquad1]

Sounds about right. Your final picture should be all black except for what you want to have glow. File does not have to be that big either. It can be 1024 or even 512. Its all about how much detail is in the glowing part. It also can be white instead of a color as well. You can change the color with the emissive color slider in the Nifskope.  Using different colors and and the slider you can create some weird combinations. 

    Its been my experience that its just easier to copy and paste the branch of one you know works in game and then just change texture file location and the emissive color. I have come across many that did not work. something in the Nif was broken or missing, and swapping in a known working one has never failed. 

 

 

what you said sure does make alot of sense, Thanks again

 

I'll let ya all know what I came up with.

[b3lisario]

I tried all the stuff and it worked for me. The file I modified was 1stPersonDKGreatsword.nif, not DKGreatsword.nif.

 

Make the changes also in the 1stPersonDKLongsword.nif file.

[Zquad1]

I tried all the stuff and it worked for me. The file I modified was 1stPersonDKGreatsword.nif, not DKGreatsword.nif.

 

Make the changes also in the 1stPersonDKLongsword.nif file.

 

did you do it the same way I did?? just curious.

 

wait a sec....... did you  modify DKGreatsword.nif, 1stPersonDKGreatsword.nif as well as DKLongsword.nif And 1stPersonDKLongsword.nif?????

 

[b3lisario]

did you do it the same way I did?? just curious.

Yes

 

wait a sec....... did you  modify DKGreatsword.nif, 1stPersonDKGreatsword.nif as well as DKLongsword.nif And 1stPersonDKLongsword.nif?????

I wanted to modify the 2-handed sword, so I did the changes in DKGreatsword.nif. Didn't work. Tried some more stuff and figured out I wasn't modifying the right file. Then I did the changes in 1stPersonDKGreatsword.nif and it worked.

 

It seems the game is using the 1st person file instead of the other file for both 1st and 3rd person view. But I'm not sure. Both files are used in the esp file, so if I were you I'd modify both files: DKLongsword.nif And 1stPersonDKLongsword.nif.

[Zquad1]

OK I modified all 4 nifs & I finally got the Glow FX.

 

BUT!!!!!!!

 

Now I am having this invisibility effect going on:

 

 

 

 

[b3lisario]

I don't have that issue, but I saw something similar some days ago tinkering with the flags of the Shader.

 

Make sure you have these 3 flags in BSLightingShaderProperty / Shader Flags 2: SLSF2_ZBuffer_Write | SLSF2_Glow_Map | SLSF2_EnvMap_Light_Fade

 

If that doesn't fix it, you can upload your texture and 1stpersonniffile.nif somewhere so I can test ingame.

[Zquad1]

HOT DAMN!!!!! it worked.

 

 

 

 

Now I'll go increase the glow strength.

 

This is SaWeet!!..LOL

 

Thank you guys for all your help it was soo much appreciated, & Thanks again for stickin with me.

[Zquad1]

I added Glow to the Dragon Scribe on the Blade!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[Zquad1]

It seems the game is using the 1st person file instead of the other file for both 1st and 3rd person view. But I'm not sure. Both files are used in the esp file, so if I were you I'd modify both files: DKLongsword.nif And 1stPersonDKLongsword.nif.

 

yeah I think the author of this weapon got the texture files backwards  because if you look the texture file that should be the .dds is actually _m.dds

but maybe he meant it like that....IDK

[lostdaywalker]

See its easy. Make everything glow!!!    

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zquad1]

Now if I could figure out how to add glow rays, that would be even cooler

[saltso]

Hi, i've read carefuly the posts, then i made some glowing runes on a sword and it works great, thanks for the guidance.

But i tryed to make some glowing eyes, it works but not right, the whole eye is glowing instead only of the iris part, so only the iris part should glowing.

Please help.

[Zquad1]

I personally haven't tried messing with body parts as far as Glow effects go, but have you tried dissecting another eye glowing mod & checking out it's Nifscope properties & matching them up with what you have already done? & for your textures did you make sure you have the All "Black" Layer in the right spot?

[lostdaywalker]

I assume you are using an eye mod to begin with to make them glow. Check out my picture. No eye whites.  Make them black or at least very dark. Also for eyes just duplicate your eye in grayscale for the glow map. That will turn down the brightness as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[saltso]

To be honest, i edited an eyes mod which is not mine, i did it only for personal use, since the author did not made the witcher eyes glowing.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11933//?

What Didjo's Geralt Eyes contains is a texture eyewitcher.dds and an esp.

What i did is:

1. I made the textures eyewitcher_g.dds, eyewitcher_n.dds, eyewitcher_sk.dds with eye lens like the eyewitcher.dds have, also i added the vanilla eyeenvironmentmask_m.dds and eyecubemap.dds.

2. I exported and edited the mesh eyesmale.nif, i added the SLSF2_Glow_Map in Shader Flags 2, i made a yellow color #ffe300 in Emissive Color, i increased the value of Emissive Multiple at 10.000, then i added the textures in BSShaderTextureSet, then i saved as witchereyes.dds and deleted the vanilla one.

3. I edited the esp with Creation Kit, at "EyesMaleHumanWitcher" TextureSet, the eyewitcher.dds was already added in Diffuse map section, i added the eyewitcher_n.dds in Normal map, the eyewitcher_g.dds in Glow map, the eyewitcher_sk.dds in Backlight Mask map, the EyeEnvironmentMask_M.dds in Environment Mask map and the EyeCubeMap.dds in Environment map..

also at "MaleEyesHumanWitcher" HeadPart, in Model section, the eyesmale.nif was placed, then i deleted it and added the witchereyes.dds and saved the esp.

That is what i made, if i made something wrong or forgot something to do, please tell me.

I also added an Attached File of the mod i edited, please check it if i have mistakes there, but do not upload it to any mod site as it could be yours!

I uploaded it here now, just for somebody help me with the problem.

"Now that its done, i removed the Attached File".

[lostdaywalker]

Try this. I darkened the alpha channel and cleaned up the _g texture. two of the eye texture. A 512 or 1024 sized eye would look better though. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

eyes.7z

[saltso]

Yeeesss!!!!!

It works great now, thanks alot lostdaywalker.

By the way, i think the glow is to much, i increased the value of Emissive Multiple at 10.000 before, so now that i decreased it at 5.000, copyed the mesh and replaced it, when i load the save i get CTD after the loading screen.

But when i copy and replace the previous mesh, the game works again without CTD.

What can i do to prevent the CTD and use 5.000 Emissive Multiple?

Edit:

Nevermind, i fixed it, i had also to remake the esp.

[lostdaywalker]

Good.  You also can also  control the brightness with the _g.dds file. Just make it darker. 

[Zquad1]

Is there a way you could share with us how you get the Eye's to glow in a form of detail either here or create another thread so that others maybe able to do the same? I haven't messed with Eye Glow yet but it's something I want to look into doing in the near future?? & I am sure there are others curious about  it also.