Looking for "Step-by-specific-step" instructions on modding

[cornelius_t]

Specifically on modding armor,clothing and NPC body structures.

 

 

Truth be told, I am not a modder and have little experience in the area.

I searched for tutorials (on wikis, blogs and even here and on wiki.nexus), but found

that more often than not, these tutorials were either way over my head, omitted

crucial steps ,or assumed that their audience already knew how to do stuff that I didn't.

 

That being said, I need instructions on modding (  something written in meticulous detail),

that's meant for noobs/ mortals/ non-modders. Where  -short of going blind- I cannot possibly fail to mod something.

 

I have the time and the resources to do modding (and am willing to accept reasonable mod requests once I figure this all  out).

I just need the proper, detailed instruction.

 

Any references would be greatly appreciated.

[Deedlit]

try www.nightasy.com and also his videos at youtube.

[DFireman]

try www.nightasy.com and also his videos at youtube.

I was looking for this type information, as well.  Thank you Deedlit, I will check out the site.

[cornelius_t]

Already tried that 3dMax tutorial.  Granted, this one is  more thorough than what's already out there, but the author still omits key steps. 

 

Also, that "tutorial" is for 3dMax. The available Blender "tutorials" are even worse...

[D_ManXX2]

Sorry to say this, but there is no Total noob guide out there most of the tutorials will have you figure out some stuff on your own to some ex-stands. Having a fool proof guide completely with step by step details is very ambitious and very time consuming tasks.

 

Not even blender wiki accomplishes this.

[cornelius_t]

Guess I'm SOL then.

 

Well, if a comprehensive guide isn't available anywhere, could anyone recommend one that is reasonably good?

 

Preferably for 3d Max, though blender is fine I guess.

[anubis]

My advice, play around with Nifskope first, to understand how armors/clothings/weapons and objects. Understanding the structures, shader and texture settings, dismemberment and partition number, how transparancy and glow works, what section go for mesh and bone and so on. And maybe basic .DDS texturing.

 

Almost half of armors/clothings you could find in Skyrim Nexus are simple mash up and texturing. So if you have a fresh ideas and great creativity, i'm sure you can make a great armor/clothing that suits your taste with just simple mash up without using any 3D application like 3Dmax/Blender.

 

Look into VGUNetwork (Formerly known as F3Underground) i remember there is 2 basic mash up tutorial made by Jackpack, one for armor/clothing the other one is weapons, both are specific for FO3/FNV but also works for skyrim. 

 

Since i'm blender user, the very first tutorial that i learn is Tutorial: Rigging/Skinning and VATS/Dismemberment then Blender Nif Import - Export Tutorial to make it work with skyrim.

 

Wouldnt hurt to explore Tutorial & Guides in Loverslab General section.

[Rielle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxQ1JN_X-_Y

 

I've found this really, helpful, even though I'm only on the third video in the series. This first video is just an intro, but the following video is linked at the end (you know how Youtube works). Gopher (the guy who makes these videos) goes through things tiny bit slow for my taste, but it's perfect for first-time modders, mortals and noobs It covers most of the thing you need to mod (at least, it does in the videos I've watched), although it's about general modding, and not specifically body modding, or modding using this website (I don't think, like I said, I'm only up to the third video!). But if you give it a go and it's not for you, well, stop watching them! But anyway, I hope this series helps you like it's helped me

[Shaydow]

My advice, play around with Nifskope first, to understand how armors/clothings/weapons and objects. Understanding the structures, shader and texture settings, dismemberment and partition number, how transparancy and glow works, what section go for mesh and bone and so on. And maybe basic .DDS texturing.

 

Almost half of armors/clothings you could find in Skyrim Nexus are simple mash up and texturing. So if you have a fresh ideas and great creativity, i'm sure you can make a great armor/clothing that suits your taste with just simple mash up without using any 3D application like 3Dmax/Blender.

 

Look into VGUNetwork (Formerly known as F3Underground) i remember there is 2 basic mash up tutorial made by Jackpack, one for armor/clothing the other one is weapons, both are specific for FO3/FNV but also works for skyrim. 

 

Since i'm blender user, the very first tutorial that i learn is Tutorial: Rigging/Skinning and VATS/Dismemberment then Blender Nif Import - Export Tutorial to make it work with skyrim.

 

Wouldnt hurt to explore Tutorial & Guides in Loverslab General section.

 

This would have been exactly what I would have said had anubis not said it first. If you want to mod, you need to first learn:

 

the Creation Kit ( this will not only help you understand how to make your own mods persay, but also teach you about file structure, something very important ) followed by

 

Nifskope. This  one is time consuming but you will spend more time using it then Blender / 3DMax.

 

GIMP / Photoshop : You're going to need to learn how to create your own textures for ( your ) models before you do anything else. Learning how to retexture is the first step before learning how to create something that doesn't even HAVE a texture yet.

 

THEN you learn about Blender / 3DMax. By the time you hit this step, you have a REALLY good idea of what is going on behind the scene of modding, and finding tutorials for using these programs shouldn't be that hard.

 

Good luck.

[Guest carywinton]

I have often wondered why no books have ever been written to describe the processes you are seeking, there are a few that relate to how to use this program or that, but none really have a good starting point for those new to modding. I once presented the idea of writing a book specifically related to the GECK, Creation Kit, CS, etc. Which would have all this contained within, including the necessary tools and associated programs. I believe with the combined experience and knowledge of this wonderful community it could be done. I am a fairly good technical writer and have disseminated large engineering and technical manuals, 4000 pages plus into only a 100 or so pages for use by field engineers. So for me writing such a thing would not be too difficult, compiling the needed information and content however would be a seriously daunting task.

 

For me just starting out, I went through the Bethsoft tutorial for the GECK. This included allot of the information you are looking for and gave me a much faster and clearer understanding of it all. I highly recommend them.

http://geck.bethsoft.com/index.php/Main_Page

 

Let me know if I can be of any further help to you. I also learned a great deal from merely taking apart a clothing mod , bit off more than I could chew on the one I chose, It's so big, I am still working on it, lol