Seam Mender Beta 0.89.f (10-26-2014)

[gerra6]

Well... I see that with certain animations I sometimes get a visible crack between the hand and the arm. Also I used the same technique with the foot mesh and the results weren't quite as good. There's still a visible seam, although it's less than with the target mesh. It looks like the normals don't quite match.

Thanks for the report.

 

I'm currently testing a dev update to Seam Mender. I've added you to the Seam Mender dev test PM chain.

 

Please take a look and see if you are still getting those issues with the latest update

[Satyrist]

Firstly, thanks for this very useful tool!

 

I've run into a problem though, I've been attempting to fix the seams on the argonian lower bodies, which have a slight gap at the moment, the attached image shows the problem with the HGEC bodytype, but there is an almost identical gap for the male body with Roberts v.5.

 

I've run both lower bodies through Seam Mender with a ranfe of settings, but what comes out always has the same gap.

 

I managed to fix the Khajiit lower bodies (which had different problems) without any issues.

 

I've attached the two relevant .nif files.

 

 

malelowerbody.nif

femalelowebody.nif

[gerra6]

I've run into a problem though, I've been attempting to fix the seams on the argonian lower bodies, which have a slight gap at the moment, the attached image shows the problem with the HGEC bodytype, but there is an almost identical gap for the male body with Roberts v.5.

I've added you to the dev test thread for the next version of Seam Mender.

 

Please test the 0.91.a dev version and see if the problem continues to occur. Thanks.

[GrabaK]

Also in regards to the download, before I adventure myself further into it.. Mhm, in case I have neck gaps between bodies and heads, and between bodies and wrists/ankles, will this allow me to remedy and fix that?  Is it complicated to use?

[Sindora]

Thank you so much for this tool! I just switched from UNPB to 7B Bombshell and wanted to use Halo's hand and feet meshes along with the Citrus Head. 7B gave me a gap around the feet, hands, and head no matter what I tried. I used this tool and it cleared up the hands and feet like a charm. The head still needs work, although, I think that may be a texture issue. I haven't gotten that far in my project yet... BUT, I wanted to tell you of my success before I forgot. Thanks again.

[Ky Kiske]

Thanks a lot for this marvelous tool, worked for me just had an issue with meshes being invisible everything seemed fine in nifskope just copied nitrishape from the modified nif to old and boom it worked. This happened to me in skyrim.

[Jarka Ruus]

Thanks a lot for this marvelous tool, worked for me just had an issue with meshes being invisible everything seemed fine in nifskope just copied nitrishape from the modified nif to old and boom it worked. This happened to me in skyrim.

That was probably a matter of incorrect partitions. It happened to me too a few times, not with the latest version though.

When it happens recreating skin partitions in nifskope should be a quicker way to fix the issue.

[QuiteTheTail]

How many people have used the Make Seam Template tool before?

I have chosen a female template composed by hands, feet, head, upper & lowerbody. I tried disabling one or more options, like Mend Template Seam and Bone Weights, but every time I'm getting the following error message:

 

[fejeena]

I used Seam_Mender b_25_A with Template and with nif.

You can use a nif

start Seam Mender.bat and click files  - Select Template... There you can change the file Format to nif.

If you want to fix a foot nif you choose the lowerbody nif you want  as tamplate and then foot as target.

I use it often that way ( the two different HGEC Versions ) But the make-Template-Funktion also works.

 

Upload your full Body nif.

[QuiteTheTail]

You can use a nif

start Seam Mender.bat and click files  - Select Template... There you can change the file Format to nif.

If you want to fix a foot nif you choose the lowerbody nif you want  as tamplate and then foot as target.

I use it often that way ( the two different HGEC Versions ) [...]

A full body template would have been better, though, since I have to mend four variants of the same body (with or without open vagina, with or without erect nipples). Using the nifs as template I'll have to repeat the procedure for every seam (not  exactly, I can use the head, hands and feet for two meshes at once), and that's a little more tedious, but it "seams" that I have no choice.

Thank you for the advice.

 

P.S.

Are you sure about your example? The foot is the template, and the lowerbody the target, I think. Feet are Robert's female (HGEC) and hands are regular HGEC hands (the RAIAR standard). I have only one seamless set available (1 of 4), it was fixed in Blender using Gerra6's Blender script.

But the make-Template-Funktion also works.

Can you please specify which version of the tools, and how many body parts you're using to create the template?

I'm using the 0.89k version because I assumed it was more recent than b_25A, I'll have to try the old version.

If all else fails, I will use the Blender "Mend Seam" script for all the seams.

Upload your full Body nif.

I'd rather upload the finished work. It's tbsk body, which I got directely from the author. I also asked him for permission to redistribute the meshes here on LL, and he didn't object, but specified that the meshes in fact are not his own creation, but rather a modification of existing meshes.

[varenne]

@QuiteTheTail - I never got the 0.89k version of Seam Mender to work, mostly due to lack of directions on how to use it. (I also recall at least one or two .bat files needing a simple fix, per movomo's instructions. Not sur eif this was one of them or not.)

[QuiteTheTail]

@QuiteTheTail - I never got the 0.89k version of Seam Mender to work, mostly due to lack of directions on how to use it. (I also recall at least one or two .bat files needing a simple fix, per movomo's instructions. Not sur eif this was one of them or not.)

The bat files are ok. I can launch the Seam Mender tool (and the make_template.py, which is specifically the tool I'm talking about). I have tried both b_25_A version (bundled with Python Portable) and the 0.89k version which I have somewhat incorporated in my regular Python33 install.

No problem however, I will get the work done, even if it would mean snapping 500 vertices manually 

But I'd rather use the tools, because I'm sure they DO work.

 

P.S.

The original meshes in my possession are all NiTriShapes. Is there any problem converting them to NiTriStrips, that you know of?

 

Also, take note of the yellow node in the following screenshot:

 

 

It is not associated with any bone, but rather to the entire NiTriStrip. This is unusual, I never saw it before, and is not present in the original NiTriShapes. Is something wrong in my Blender export settings or the skeleton used, perhaps?

I used the standard LAPF skeleton to export the mesh from Blender.

[varenne]

i.e., NiTriShapes conversion to NiTriStrips, best bet is to review NifSkope forums: example found

 

And I've never seen a bone node like that associated to an entire NiTriStrip like that (but in my NIF work I wouldn't necessarily be looking for it). I would check Blender settings, maybe after reviewing the forums above.

[Vioxsis]

Thats because its not a bone, its just a node that represents the 'centre' of the mesh.

They are in every mesh and on every nitrishape/strip

 

It normally sits at 0,0,0 but can be any where and not really matter.

If you want to move it right click and pick transform > edit, this moves the mesh but you can note that the numbers correlate with this node.

You can also recentre it at 0,0,0 without moving the mesh by right clicking and picking transform > apply.

It will give a warning if its skinned.

[QuiteTheTail]

i.e., NiTriShapes conversion to NiTriStrips, best bet is to review NifSkope forums: example found

 

And I've never seen a bone like that associated to an entire NiTriStrip like that. I would check Blender settings, maybe after reviewing the forums above.

I found out the reason for the "fake" bogus node. It is due to my deviating from the usual procedure I use to export the entire body. In order to limit the seams, I was suggested to use a different export method (an idea which I had developed further, perhaps exagerating a bit).

 

The ground concept is based on the observation that meshes with different material properties, or glossiness value, appear as different blocks in the exported nif, even if ALL the objects are joined. So I had set:

 

lowerbody: glossiness 60

upperbody: glossiness 80

hands and feet: glossiness 100

head: no need to set a different gloss value, is already distinct by material property (it's not "skin")

 

Before exporting:

Select all objects (A)

Join Objects (CTRL+J)

 

Finally, import the skeleton and export to nif.

 

I was told to use the trick only for the head mesh, but I extended to the other body parts, which led to this odd result.

 

Doing it all again with my usual method the fake bogus node is no more present.

I'm halfway from obtaining a seamless (I hope) set for all 4 body variants.

More to come.

 

P.S.

Thanks for the link.

[QuiteTheTail]

Thats because its not a bone, its just a node that represents the 'centre' of the mesh.

They are in every mesh and on every nitrishape/strip

 

It normally sits at 0,0,0 but can be any where and not really matter.

If you want to move it right click and pick transform > edit, this moves the mesh but you can note that the numbers correlate with this node.

You can also recentre it at 0,0,0 without moving the mesh by right clicking and picking transform > apply.

It will give a warning if its skinned.

 

Thank you so much, Vioxsis. All makes sense now. Having all objects joined simply moved the center of the mesh exactly in that position, instead of the origin. So the method I used is not bad after all, but I guess I'll stick with my old method (snap manually the vertices to the "strandard meshes", removing double vertices *, export).

 

[EDIT]

(*)

"Do not try this at home".

I had strange texture distorsions at the wrists, neck and ankles (like sculpted/tattoed bracelets) lately. The reason could be either the removal of doubles, or my former ignorance about the "true normal patch"... however, leaving the double vertices after mending the seams is definitely not a problem.

 

[fejeena]

Nif template.

You know the different HGEC bodies. One is LAPF and HGEC Body with BBB v1.12 ( which is mentioned in the LAPF install instructions ) and the other is SetBody Reloaded.

And armor and clothes exists for both Versions.

I use the LAPF Body. If I use a armor-clothes Mod with "wrong" Body and visible leg-foot Connection I change lower and foot nif. But if I only use shoe meshes  I fix the foot seam. Lowerbody is template and the foot/shoe nif Target.

 

My Body Templates: 2 to all 4 Body nifs. Yes most times I use full Body templates.

First I create a full Body nif. Not copy Scene root in Scene root. A Nif with all NiNode bones, then I copy the NiTriStrips from all Body parts in the Full Body nif.

 

[QuiteTheTail]

i.e., NiTriShapes conversion to NiTriStrips, best bet is to review NifSkope forums: example found

 

And I've never seen a bone node like that associated to an entire NiTriStrip like that (but in my NIF work I wouldn't necessarily be looking for it). I would check Blender settings, maybe after reviewing the forums above.

Would you look at that?

http://www.nexusmods.com/oblivion/images/149497/?

So, beware when cleaning meshes or exporting from Blender... saving a few KB in filesize is not worth the performance drop. Make sure you read the comment from neomonkeus (Niftools and Nifskope developer).

[varenne]

I have never, ever mucked with anything to do with heads, helmets or wigs, including stripification(new word!) of them via NifSkope. Helmets and wigs have such bizarre behaviors to begin with! And ears are another pain in the arse!

[QuiteTheTail]

I have never, ever mucked with anything to do with heads, helmets or wigs, including stripification(new word!) of them via NifSkope. Helmets and wigs have such bizarre behaviors to begin with! And ears are another pain in the arse!

Yes, but the issue is related to all kind of meshes, not only those requiring tri/egt files. The body meshes that tbsk passed me (and I'm about to upload without modifications, I would only have managed to ruin them otherwise) are all NiTriShapes, and that made me curious. When I asked the reason why, I was pointed to that page.

 

[varenne]

Yeah... I recall how the NIF file format have somewhat changed over the years; read matured, but not entirely sure how well that maturity went overall. Sometimes the best intent often leads to other unforeseen issues along the way; the plans of mice and men...

[ger4]

The tool is working fine for hand seams for the most part, but it doesn't seem to fix weights, so I still get gaps when the hand moves in some positions.

[Thehunteroftruth]

Hello there, hope this topic is still alive c: . i do have a problem regarding the use of this tool since the guide is pretty vague. i'm trying to fit a fallout new vegas race head developed for t6m body to type 3 body. Whcih one of the 2 should be the template, the type 3 body or the custom race head? Thanks in advance for help ^^

[QuiteTheTail]

Hello there, hope this topic is still alive c: . i do have a problem regarding the use of this tool since the guide is pretty vague. i'm trying to fit a fallout new vegas race head developed for t6m body to type 3 body. Whcih one of the 2 should be the template, the type 3 body or the custom race head? Thanks in advance for help ^^

 

If you fit the head to the target body you'll need to adapt just one mesh (no need for the automated tool, in fact). Unless I'm completely misunderstanding your question!

 

[Supierce]

 

Hello there, hope this topic is still alive c: . i do have a problem regarding the use of this tool since the guide is pretty vague. i'm trying to fit a fallout new vegas race head developed for t6m body to type 3 body. Whcih one of the 2 should be the template, the type 3 body or the custom race head? Thanks in advance for help ^^

 

If you fit the head to the target body you'll need to adapt just one mesh (no need for the automated tool, in fact). Unless I'm completely misunderstanding your question!

 

That's how I read it too. Use the head as the target.