Blender - A Method of Installing for Work With .nif and .kf Files

[Firedoom]

I remember this question being asked, but I don't remember where.

 

The question was what versions of Blender/Python/Nifscripts are needed to be able to edit .nifs in Blender.

 

These may not be the best choices, but these are the install instructions that worked for me. On my system I'm running Windows XP because, in my not so humble opinion, all newer versions of Windows suck. So these choices reflect that setup. If anyone has a better set of instructions whether for Win XP or any other operating system please add them here if you've got the time. They would be a great help for guys like me that had to scour the internet through the hundreds of defunct versions of python, blender and nifscripts until something finally worked.

 

1.) Download and install Blender 2.49b (32 bit), use default settings, except select "Use Blender's installation directory" when asked where to install Blender's user data.

 

NOTE: If the installer says you will need python and forces a site to open, just ignore it and close that site. Also, uncheck "Run Blender 2.49b" before clicking "Finish" as Blender will not work correctly just yet.

 

2.) Download and install Python 2.6.6 (32 bit), use default settings.

 

3.) Download and install PyFFI 2.1.10 (.exe), use default settings.

 

NOTE: At this point you may be directed to download and install Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86). Go ahead and do that before proceeding to the next step, it's a quick and painless install.

 

4.) Download and install the Blender NIF Scripts 2.5.8 (.exe), use default settings.

 

IF ANY OF THESE LINKS GO DEAD PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND I'LL RE-LINK ASAP

[Guest Donkey]

instead of installing all separately, i just use this one instead.

 

http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=40980

 

With This is can have blender on all pc without having to worry about smaller parts needing to be installed.

 

This will make it easier. And remove the gap for dependencies of how to setup blender properly, you still need to know how to work with blender..

 

Just extract it to a directory and you can immediately begin with blender.

[Dreamer102]

If anyone wants free pro training on Blender, see my offer in this forum.

Limited time tho...no catch either.

 

[Nonsense667]

Thanks for this, this must be the most popular version or something, as the tutorials I'm seeing have this interface, and I downloaded the newest version and was very confused trying to figure out what they were talking about. Question though, the camera in the new version is so much better[/b], is there any way to get this version to behave like the new one? Because I try holding down the mouse wheel and rotating and I just get dizzy and confused. It seems to refuse to turn in a way that remains level. 2.61's camera behaves so much better. Alternatively, can you get this functionality with the new version?

 

Also, to make sure it worked, I tried opening the goulfix "erectferalgoul" nif file, but it told me that it couldn't open the file.

 

Edit: At the very least, is it feasible to just do the work in the new version, then load the blender file up in the old version in the above download in order to convert it over to fallout?

[Firedoom]

Is that a Fallout New Vegas file you're refering to? If so, then I'm not sure if this particular stack of versions will work for it. I haven't worked with any New Vegas meshes.

 

I have managed to successfully import Fallout3 meshes with the versions listed here and without changing any of the default settings, so if you're refering to a Fallout3 file then I'm not sure what could be going wrong.

 

To be honest, I'm not the guy to ask

 

I have barely touched my toes in the water with blender and have just learned how to make very minor edits to meshes. I recommend going through the motions of a tutorial; like "Blender - Noob to Pro" I think it's called? You might find something about camera settings in there. I know that you can somehow change the reference point that the camera rotates around. For example, you can have it center around your selection and such.

[Firedoom]

Oh, and are you using the "import" function in blender? Blender can't open the file, it can only import and export it.

 

So basically um... menu surf 'File', 'Import', 'NetImmerse/Gamebryo (.nif & .kf & .egm)'...

 

Beforehand, I'd recommend just dropping whatever file you want to work on right into your Blender directory (wherever it's installed) or you'll be spending alot of time surfing your hard drive.

[olban]

I am very interested when we can expect tools to work in Blender with NIF meshes and animation? No one knows about? Now although there are some methods such as using a blender for niftools fallout 3, but it is very difficult to use and import of skeleton through nifskop.

[Firedoom]

I am very interested when we can expect tools to work in Blender with NIF meshes and animation? No one knows about? Now although there are some methods such as using a blender for niftools fallout 3' date=' but it is very difficult to use and import of skeleton through nifskop.

[/quote']

 

I don't understand the question.

 

I have never worked with animations in blender. But I think this is possible.

 

Post this question to Technical Support forum. You will maybe get some help there more quickly.

 

 

[gregathit]

I am very interested when we can expect tools to work in Blender with NIF meshes and animation? No one knows about? Now although there are some methods such as using a blender for niftools fallout 3' date=' but it is very difficult to use and import of skeleton through nifskop.

[/quote']

 

You can already do this for oblivion, fallout 3 and fallout new vegas in blender. That is how most of the animations were made for lovers and fallout new vegas. Not sure what Sexus used to create animations.

 

Link to blender with python setup: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=40980

[labrat]

@Olban Have a look at this for Blender/Oblivion.

 

http://www.loverslab.com/showthread.php?tid=2386

 

Importing, working with skeletons and poses in Blender, and exporting the resulting animation is actually very easy once you overcome the initial brick wall of finding/making a skeleton and a mesh that have the right bits. There are some other (easy) bits and pieces that you need to invoke the animation in game - either using "pickidle" or tapping into LoversPK scripts. All explained in the link I hope.

 

Nothing in the process is difficult at all, but finding out what the process is in the first place is a bit of a bugger.

 

I believe that there is a "playidle" as well for obse20 + but I haven't tried it yet.

 

If by animating meshes you mean morphing then I haven't managed to get that to work in game, (except facegen stuff), though I think "Symon" on this forum has.

 

Sexus was entirely created with Blender & Nifskope using Niftools to import/export.

 

Skyrim seems to use a very different animation system and I'm waiting for the CK before concentrating on it. The Fallout systems might be a halfway house between Oblivion and Skyrim. I'm playing with that at the moment.

 

Anyone who wants to get into the technical nitty gritty of the NifTools development might enjoy looking over in

http://niftools.sourceforge.net/forum/index.php?sid=2b8fc84b88659cd404d4d338a35e75fe

 

 

@NOnsense667 I have two versions of Blender in different directories, one for the latest version and one for 2.49 which is the latest version that is supported by NifTools (which is why all the tuts have that interface). I have in the past imported via 2.49, and then opened the saved .blend in 2.59 to work on, though for stability's sake it might be best to stick in 2.49 throughout.