Modding Armor for CHSBHC BBP tutorial for 3ds max

[CherryHotaling]

Well' date=' after I took a break from messing with conversions I'm at it again. This time I was able to make the armor fit how I liked, more or less. Now the issue I'm having is when I add the skin. No matter if I make the skin myself as a modifier, or copy it over from the body....it crashes on Import. The only thing I did to the armor prior to this was convert to editable poly, delete some elements, deform pull/push, and soft selection.

 

I can export no problem without the skin, but with it 3ds hates me lol. Yes smoothing #2 is on both the body and the armor. Any ideas?

 

Also here's my wip:

 

 

 

[img']http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h379/Silvist/frontwip.png[/img]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I even tried to paint the weight by hand, to make sure it wasn't messed up (not a pro job, but I did my best lol).

 

You cant convert to editable poly, it collapses all the modifiers then, you lose the BSDismember modifier and it will crash on export.

[Vitriks]

 

You cant convert to editable poly' date=' it collapses all the modifiers then, you lose the BSDismember modifier and it will crash on export.

[/quote']

 

What do you mean you can't? How the flock I manage to make it? You just don't need to convert it to poly, you need to add Edit poly modifier and then convert it back to mesh. Thats how it work. And paint deformation work nicely only on smooth surface, if you try to edit some complex objects it will screw it.

 

And I quite don't understand what BSDismember modifier do?

[Silvist]

Wow thanks Cherry and Vikriks! I didn't realize I could apply a ploy modifier. All I wanted to be able to do was use deform, so that works . I forgot to mention above that before I converted to editable poly, I copied BSDismember, and reapplied after I converted it back to editable mesh. I actually had this process work before, but perhaps its buggy. Would for sure explain why it crashed on me as well lol.

 

Hopefully that narrowed it down, because now I gotta start over from scratch ; ;. At least I know the steps involved.

 

Edit:

 

Well I just tried that, though I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get rid of the edit poly modifier. I tried to apply another edit mesh modifier, but I think it didn't like that. Still crashes on export ;/

 

I would never use poly period if I could use deform in edit mesh lol. Smooth selection isn't bad for certain areas, but deform helps a HUGE amount especially on the breasts. Though its kinda meaningless if it crashes everytime I try to export lol. I even tried a "snapshot" trick that some referred me to try, and recopied all the original modifiers. I maybe able to trick 3ds, but not the nif export ;/

 

This is what I get for messing with complex armors lol.

 

Edit 2:

Alright I found an option that says "convert" and it lets me convert the edit poly modifier to edit mesh. Though that would mean I have edit mesh, and editable mesh? Just making sure that doesn't mess with anything.

[redram80]

Another question. This page: http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Converting_an_armour_to_another_body_for_Skyrim suggests you can delete part of the body underneath an armor, to have far less clipping issues. Something I would very much like to employ. But that tutorial is for Blender apparently. If I try deleting parts of the body in Max, I get crashes on export. Is this just not possible in max or do I have to do some tricks?

 

I'd really like to *not* have to start using blender as well/instead ...especially since it sounds like there's more steps just quick-reading that tutorial.

[CherryHotaling]

Wow thanks Cherry and Vikriks! I didn't realize I could apply a ploy modifier. All I wanted to be able to do was use deform' date=' so that works . I forgot to mention above that before I converted to editable poly, I copied BSDismember, and reapplied after I converted it back to editable mesh. I actually had this process work before, but perhaps its buggy. Would for sure explain why it crashed on me as well lol.

 

Hopefully that narrowed it down, because now I gotta start over from scratch ; ;. At least I know the steps involved.

 

Edit:

 

Well I just tried that, though I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get rid of the edit poly modifier. I tried to apply another edit mesh modifier, but I think it didn't like that. Still crashes on export ;/

 

I would never use poly period if I could use deform in edit mesh lol. Smooth selection isn't bad for certain areas, but deform helps a HUGE amount especially on the breasts. Though its kinda meaningless if it crashes everytime I try to export lol. I even tried a "snapshot" trick that some referred me to try, and recopied all the original modifiers. I maybe able to trick 3ds, but not the nif export ;/

 

This is what I get for messing with complex armors lol.

 

Edit 2:

Alright I found an option that says "convert" and it lets me convert the edit poly modifier to edit mesh. Though that would mean I have edit mesh, and editable mesh? Just making sure that doesn't mess with anything.

[/quote']

 

why are you converting it? just add a edit mesh modifier to the stack you dont have to convert it.

[Silvist]

>.< well that was before I realized there was a edit poly modifier. What I ment by the last part, was modifiers, not as right click convert to. I realize now that by doing a complete conversion it screws more up than I even realized.

 

What I was talking about on edit 2, was I could "convert" the modifier from edit poly to edit mesh. Though if I left the edit poly as a modifier, and tried to export it with that modifier it would still crash. I realize that depending on the armor that's being done, somethings work and somethings dont.

 

Cherry, your method/guide is pretty much the 100% way without failure lol. I was just not getting the best results from soft selection, though I'm still a novice at best. I'll probably just have to suck it up, and stop trying to find the faster/lazy methods, and go for what actual works. I appreciate all your help.

[Endiness]

I see. The scarf had no bones. Sucks that the guide posted earlier is for blender. I'm still reading through to see what I can use.

[fr0st]

First post here after being a silent reader for a long time.

 

First, i want to say thanks for this great tutorial, really helped me converting my first oblivion armor.

 

 

 

 

Another question. This page: http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Converting_an_armour_to_another_body_for_Skyrim suggests you can delete part of the body underneath an armor' date=' to have far less clipping issues. Something I would very much like to employ. But that tutorial is for Blender apparently. If I try deleting parts of the body in Max, I get crashes on export. Is this just not possible in max or do I have to do some tricks?

 

I'd really like to *not* have to start using blender as well/instead ...especially since it sounds like there's more steps just quick-reading that tutorial.

[/quote']

 

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier, i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.

 

 

[CherryHotaling]

First post here after being a silent reader for a long time.

 

First' date=' i want to say thanks for this great tutorial, really helped me converting my first oblivion armor.

 

 

[img']http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s423/sheeeris/skyrim/MageArmor.jpg[/img]

 

 

Another question. This page: http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Converting_an_armour_to_another_body_for_Skyrim suggests you can delete part of the body underneath an armor' date=' to have far less clipping issues. Something I would very much like to employ. But that tutorial is for Blender apparently. If I try deleting parts of the body in Max, I get crashes on export. Is this just not possible in max or do I have to do some tricks?

 

I'd really like to *not* have to start using blender as well/instead ...especially since it sounds like there's more steps just quick-reading that tutorial.

[/quote']

 

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier, i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.

 

 

 

Excellent work!

Love it!

 

BSDismembermentSkin is needed but you cant collapse the stack with it thats all.

[123check]

Sorry for my English

 

Hello, some tutorial to create a collision object to appear in the inventory when creating a new custom armor.

 

thanks

[Vitriks]

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier, i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.

So if I port armor from oblivion I need to add it? Or it's only for armor that originally have BSDismembermentSkin?

 

Today I really screw some mesh and no smooth group could save me. It goes like this.

 

 

So the best kinda way it's when you complete the femalebody_1 (I always make the bigger version first), right in the max you delete the body only and starting scaling femalebody_1 armor to the zero weight (femalebody_0) body.

[CherryHotaling]

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier' date=' i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.[/quote']

So if I port armor from oblivion I need to add it? Or it's only for armor that originally have BSDismembermentSkin?

 

Today I really screw some mesh and no smooth group could save me. It goes like this.

 

 

So the best kinda way it's when you complete the femalebody_1 (I always make the bigger version first), right in the max you delete the body only and starting scaling femalebody_1 armor to the zero weight (femalebody_0) body.

 

If your crashing on the slider or the mesh breaks up into a million pieces then you missed a smooth on a piece attached to the armor or your vertex count is different. Some armor have seperate pieces that are grouped together.

 

[Vitriks]

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier' date=' i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.[/quote']

So if I port armor from oblivion I need to add it? Or it's only for armor that originally have BSDismembermentSkin?

 

Today I really screw some mesh and no smooth group could save me. It goes like this.

 

 

So the best kinda way it's when you complete the femalebody_1 (I always make the bigger version first), right in the max you delete the body only and starting scaling femalebody_1 armor to the zero weight (femalebody_0) body.

 

If your crashing on the slider or the mesh breaks up into a million pieces then you missed a smooth on a piece attached to the armor or your vertex count is different. Some armor have seperate pieces that are grouped together.

 

Vertex count not always mean that weight slider will work correctly. I just wanna say that if you screw the mesh Like I draw on the picture, nothing will help you. And I don't miss anything. Smooth group is not necessary, at least for me.

 

If you making a simple clothes mesh than eventually you won't mess up with it. But if trying to edit weights on 3 meshes of smaller version of the body (because femalebody_1 weights doesn't fit) you will screw it up pretty easily if wasn't gonna be careful.

 

And I'm actually talking not about the "blow up" but about this type of glitch

 

[Endiness]

I finally got back to this and I certain I've done something wrong with the NiTriShapeData in nifskope. I have both HasVertexColors and HasNormals set to yes, since I got confused after reading different guides. Not fixing anything else till I can get the textures to look proper. Any help would be appreciated.

[CherryHotaling]

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier' date=' i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.[/quote']

So if I port armor from oblivion I need to add it? Or it's only for armor that originally have BSDismembermentSkin?

 

Today I really screw some mesh and no smooth group could save me. It goes like this.

 

 

So the best kinda way it's when you complete the femalebody_1 (I always make the bigger version first), right in the max you delete the body only and starting scaling femalebody_1 armor to the zero weight (femalebody_0) body.

 

If your crashing on the slider or the mesh breaks up into a million pieces then you missed a smooth on a piece attached to the armor or your vertex count is different. Some armor have seperate pieces that are grouped together.

 

Vertex count not always mean that weight slider will work correctly. I just wanna say that if you screw the mesh Like I draw on the picture, nothing will help you. And I don't miss anything. Smooth group is not necessary, at least for me.

 

If you making a simple clothes mesh than eventually you won't mess up with it. But if trying to edit weights on 3 meshes of smaller version of the body (because femalebody_1 weights doesn't fit) you will screw it up pretty easily if wasn't gonna be careful.

 

And I'm actually talking not about the "blow up" but about this type of glitch

 

 

Let me explain:

"SMOOTH MODIFIER IS NEEDED!"

 

If you do not have the Smooth modifier in every single object in your scene before you export then the vertex count will not be the RIGHT vertex count. The nif exporter adds Verticies oddly if you do not have a amooth modifier on every single object. (This includes attached or grouped objects separately)

 

When you import from NIF to 3ds max the importer strips the smooth modifier on the file causing you to have to Manually put it back before export.

 

for example, the body I use if I export it without a smooth modifier and I move some verticies around and export it again (WITHOUT adding or changing verticies) then the vertex count will differ on both bodies which makes no sense.

 

So again you need a smooth modifier on every single object piece in your scene.

 

Weights do not effect the export you can have a different weight paint on your _0 and your _1 I know I do for the body and some armor.

 

Thank you

[redram80]

First post here after being a silent reader for a long time.

 

First' date=' i want to say thanks for this great tutorial, really helped me converting my first oblivion armor.

 

 

[img']http://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/s423/sheeeris/skyrim/MageArmor.jpg[/img]

 

 

Another question. This page: http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Converting_an_armour_to_another_body_for_Skyrim suggests you can delete part of the body underneath an armor' date=' to have far less clipping issues. Something I would very much like to employ. But that tutorial is for Blender apparently. If I try deleting parts of the body in Max, I get crashes on export. Is this just not possible in max or do I have to do some tricks?

 

I'd really like to *not* have to start using blender as well/instead ...especially since it sounds like there's more steps just quick-reading that tutorial.

[/quote']

 

You have to recreate the BSDismembermentSkin on the body or it'll crash if you try to export. I found it easier to just delete the modifier, i don't think you really need it anyway except you want NPCs to wear the armor.

 

 

 

Excellent work!

Love it!

 

BSDismembermentSkin is needed but you cant collapse the stack with it thats all.

 

Sorry to backtrack, I've been away from this thread awhile. Could someone clarify how to 'recreate the BSDismembermentSkin' modifier? Do I delete the original from the body mesh, delete portions of the body I don't want under the armor, and then paste it in again from another body? Do I actually have to change the modifier somehow to reflect the now much reduced body? Or do I like have to do some export re-import tricks?

[Vitriks]

Sorry to backtrack' date=' I've been away from this thread awhile. Could someone clarify how to 'recreate the BSDismembermentSkin' modifier? Do I delete the original from the body mesh, delete portions of the body I don't want under the armor, and then paste it in again from another body? Do I actually have to change the modifier somehow to reflect the now much reduced body? Or do I like have to do some export re-import tricks?

[/quote']

If the mesh originnally have BSDismembermentSkin than you have to add it. Add BSDismembermentSkin modifier than click on it select the *torso* and select all the mesh. Than in nifscope rename the torso into 32.

 

[mcmanus82]

Hi

 

First of all thanks for the tutorial its really great, i have been lurking here for about a year, and i started modding with this tut

 

I mainly did editing to add physics to CBBE v3 BBB armors and clothes, and replace the imbeded body with a CBBE one.

 

I had some problems (noobishness) but i managed to solve them by trial and error and reading the posts here. However i have come across an issue that i could not solve.. im working on a CBBE port of Lethal Majesty armor with BBB and all seams good so far but the upper arm bracers are messed up in game

 

I have tried everything i can imagine.. with the "skin" that came with the mod, with new "skin" with only the same bones added, it was always smoothed in 3ds, im using the same file as 0 and 1 so the vert count is good too.. all of the other parts work fine with the methods i used.. (i delete the other parts before export when testing so i dont have to replace 10 BSLighting thingies in Skope

 

Any ideas?

 

 

 

[Allown]

For starters, amazing guide! I knew basicly nothing about making mods to almost being able to make one. Still having troubles though, went from one crash to the next till poof finally something clicked into place and worked .. mostly. Even following for the prison clothes exactly its exploding >.< from one end of the scale to the other. Checked the vert counts, the smooth button, replaced the shaders/alphas and still ends up a mess in game (but not crashing YaY!)

 

kinda at a loss of what to needs to be checked out next to fix it.

Thanks!

[Vitriks]

Let me explain:

"SMOOTH MODIFIER IS NEEDED!"

 

If you do not have the Smooth modifier in every single object in your scene before you export then the vertex count will not be the RIGHT vertex count. The nif exporter adds Verticies oddly if you do not have a amooth modifier on every single object. (This includes attached or grouped objects separately)

 

When you import from NIF to 3ds max the importer strips the smooth modifier on the file causing you to have to Manually put it back before export.

 

for example' date=' the body I use if I export it without a smooth modifier and I move some verticies around and export it again (WITHOUT adding or changing verticies) then the vertex count will differ on both bodies which makes no sense.

 

So again you need a smooth modifier on every single object piece in your scene.

 

Weights do not effect the export you can have a different weight paint on your _0 and your _1 I know I do for the body and some armor.

 

Thank you

[/quote']

Ok, last two armors I did without it. Juts keep editing the original mesh.

So here the situation. I export -> get the bug (like I posted before). Than I add smooth modifier, export -> still getting the bug. After that I say what the hell and smooth the other body mesh but it didn't help. I don't really understand what you mean by adding it manually. Smooth group help only when vertex count are different and the mesh blow up.

 

So to fix it I had to return to my older (working) version of mesh and repeat all changes I make.

 

For starters' date=' amazing guide! I knew basicly nothing about making mods to almost being able to make one. Still having troubles though, went from one crash to the next till poof finally something clicked into place and worked .. mostly. Even following for the prison clothes exactly its exploding >.< from one end of the scale to the other. Checked the vert counts, the smooth button, replaced the shaders/alphas and still ends up a mess in game (but not crashing YaY!)

 

kinda at a loss of what to needs to be checked out next to fix it.

Thanks!

[/quote']

Is this 100 % weight version? Did you try smooth-group 2? also check the name and order of the objects in the .nif file. Try to recopy all the stuff to the clean body.

[xhion24]

Hi man is a good tuto, but so you can make a video tutorial be excellent, because iam very new in this thing of modding and many things i dont understand.

[wootwoots]

Hello i have a little question about the Fallout Mod Manager

 

I installed the lastest version, but everytime i'am trying to use it, the Fallout Mod Manager ask me the fallout3 install directory.. so whatever i select ( like the skyrim folder ) the FMM wont work...

 

Or do i need to donwload a older version ?

 

any help would be appreciated thanks ^^

[Guest wnxmegax]

I follow your tutorial exactly and when I export my model exports for a little then it crashes 3ds max why is this? I been trying to convert an armor from oblivion to skyrim I align everything exactly and do each step exactly but when comes to exporting 3ds max always crashes >.<. what am I doing wrong and has anyone else seen this issue before?

 

edit*1 hmm after messing around with it for a little while I manage to export it but now I have no Idea how to get in game I mean in the actual game.

 

Edit*2 Well after finally messing around with a few guides and blazing through everyone's post I managed to get the armor working a bit at least the mesh with glass armor texturing hmm I will have to learn the texturing next. But my sliders are in fact broken.

 

 

 

 

Heres the Body_0.nif file

 

Here is when they are together or in between

 

 

 

Here is the the Body_1.nif file

 

 

Well after whole days tampering with 3ds and skyrim modding I manage to get everything working except the sliders .

[baka7kami]

So after a lot of pain I managed to get everything right for my clothing except for on thing. Whenever you're walking the skirt splits in two on the bottom half of the backside no other part is affected. The weight slider works perfectly the verts, skin, everything matches (I've tried having the same mesh as the 0 and 1 weight, still happens) but this problem won't go away. I've thought it might be the model itself but the two edges are snapped together at all verts. Any ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Allown]

Is this 100 % weight version? Did you try smooth-group 2? also check the name and order of the objects in the .nif file. Try to recopy all the stuff to the clean body.

 

took a brain break, and came back to it. yes its the 100%, yes smooth group 2. However the order is different in nifscope, taking the original prisoner clothes as the example, its #27, but in the modified one its showing up as #2. As to changing that order... I dont have a clue >.<

 

Is it something to do with having the bones n stuff first on the list?