eXtra Creature Variety Mod

[xartom]

^ I loosely rigged them to the skeletons but I haven't done much lovers testing (or any at all minus some does it CTD?). Lots of testing with so many diff models and just one very lazy person. Maybe that's something for me to try when I get freetime to pick apart errors.

 

Will update the OP, but I personally love the no lvl lists makes the game as it should be, scary.

[Acechadora]

About your quick questions, here is my personal opinion:

 

1 - I think it is not a bad idea to try to enhance the textures if you think it worth it for you and it is not very time consuming (less time for adding new critters)

 

2 - I personally don´t use any pose mods at all, and in my opinion it was a great improvement that you get rid of existing suits included in first versions and made them real creatures. As you have stated that this mod is a modder´s resource, anyone is free to add work on it to focus in pose mods. In my opinion (again) there is nothing better than creatures using creature animations.

[nbxmedia]

Great work!

[xartom]

Went the middle route and just go  with 1024 textures that way it's not that bad of a hit right? Anyway, didn't take very long with batch photoshop work. Worked for those texture overhauls, it'll work here.

 

As for the suits I might or might not include some next big release depending on how I feel. I need to get a hotfix out soonish for a some missing normal map files.

 

I think me having to retweak smashed in pelvises and fingers is going to slow down additions of new critters. Better quality work than slapped together stuff, at least I'm hoping.

[WappyOne]

All these creatures have been rigged to Oblivion/SI skeletons for ease of compatibility with various mods (like pose mods or lovers mods or whatever).

Did you keep a list of which creatures are based on which skeleton?

 

LoversCreature 2.5 will be plugin-expandable so that added creatures that are based off existing skeletons can use the related animations. For example this Durzog added by Maskar's Overhaul (skeleton MOO\Durzog\skeleton.nif) is able to use the Dog animations:

 

[xartom]

^ No real need. The critters are in the folder of their respective skeleton (ex revenant is in xivilai folder, female halo aliens are goblin folder, chimera in mountain lion folder, etc)

[Acechadora]

Congrats for the new Hotfix, as always a wonderful work, thank you for sharing it

[xartom]

^ Appreciate the feedback, been a help. Hopefully can get the second hotfix out soon. Not sure to make it a stand alone (due to work etc) or throw it out with the next update.

[Acechadora]

I think there is not any problem in releasing it combined with the next update, so no hurry in releasing it right now. Rest a bit, you earned it

[xartom]

^ Rest, wtf is rest? That's for dead people. Nah, hotfix should upload in maybe another 10-15min.

[Acechadora]

Hehe, looking forward for more amazing rigged stuff then, congrats for the hotfix done 

 

Edit: Oh, and now I remember as you are interested in rhinos, WAC mod has its own rhino model

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xartom]

Hopefully in another week or two I can release something. Bigger emphasis on fantasy/normal creatures this round rather than chair jumpers.

 

 

I'd just much rather attempt my own rhino, more diversity in style the better.

[Acechadora]

Sounds good to me

[fallenfire]

hate to be that stick in the mud but was just wondering if you could show me how to port these models to work for fallout, iv been trying for the last 5 days, and i just cant seem to get it to work.

[xartom]

Haven't converted for FO3/FNV (hopefully one day I'll play around in FO) but would guess:

For example take oblivion's troll, it's pretty similar skeleton/structure-wise to the yaogai or deathclaw, just need to rename the vertex groups of the troll to match the Yaogai/deathclaw skeleton's. Then assign the yaogai/deathclaw skeleton to that troll mesh and rotate any bones that look out of place. Also might have to add special bonecaps meshes for VATS but not sure, would just copy similar meshes ones (ex yaogai for troll)

May need to edit the texture files/paths and how they're assigned some. Beyond that not sure at all.
 

[fallenfire]

would you mind adding me on sype and walking me through that (im new to the modding scene and the VGUnetwork mod makers are about as useful as tits on a bull)

[Acechadora]

Yay, congrats for the new update, thank you for sharing it!!!

 

Love the new mix, some animals (hippo and rhino are awesome), some magical fantasy creatures, some Skyrim ports (I highly appreciate them) and some kick-ass monsters (Cthulhu as himself and Kerrigan as Daedra Seducer are just perfect)

 

From the first moment all the improvement work in textures and models is highly noticiable, it is easy to see all the effort you put on that

 

Just on a side note: the chaurus animations seems a bit bugged, as same as the crocodile ones.

 

This new update is amazing as usual, it worth the wait again

[xartom]

^Will take a look at those when I get some time.

 

@fallenfire

 

My internet connection sucks too bad to bother to Skype (or stream movies).  Maybe screenshots for clarification or something?

 

 

[fallenfire]

ok will try screens shots y\just tell me what sofware i need and how to get started.

[tolerance]

/)o3o(\ Cthulhu rigged to minotaur skeleton? Goodbye dream world minotaur, hello  R'lyeh's dreamiest squid head!

 

Also, fantastic collection of animals, I'm going to diversify the f**k out of my spawn tables thanks to you    c:

[Acechadora]

May I suggest this one in a few variants for the next update?

 

http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1419484

[xartom]

^ Not sure yet on what exact creatures I'll add. Maybe, but we're filling up on the typical fantasy demon category fast.

 

@tolerance

 

Man, I wish I thought of that. Now it will truly be through a Nightmare darkly rather than happy-happy round potatofacevile dreams.

 

@ fallenfire

 

Here's some pictures pointing out what I was mentioning (I don't show exact steps/skeletons since I'm not sure about exacts for fallout)

 

 

Programs: Just get Room207's Blender portable (has the nif mesh port already in) off Nexus, nifskope off sourceforge and a bsaunpacker for fallout so you can grab meshes/skeletons you need.

 

 

Here's a racoon I converted from Skyrim (pink) compared to one mutated pig-rat from a FNV mod. For ease of looking I've painted the crit caps blue and green on the pig-rat-thing. I've just clicked the vertex group column button on the racoon. Think of them as muscles that hold the mesh to the skeleton (hehe, the name). Otherwise, just notice how similar the meshes are.

 

 

Here's a closeup of the neck crit cap on the rat-pig, it looks like it'd fit around the racoon's neck with little hassle. I've also selected vertex group again. Oblivion doesn't use these.

 

 

Here I've selected the racoon's head vertexes (verti? whatever) by selecting 'Bip01 Skull'

 

 

Here I've selected the vertex group colum of the pig-rat. Notice how the names are different...but not that different. (In some cases they may be radically different, just see what vertex group corresponds with where on the mesh and try to make it match. Head with head, shoulder with shoulder, etc)

 

 

Here I've selected the rat-pig's head vertex group called 'Bip01 Head'. If I were wanting to convert the racoon into FNV I could change 'Bip01 Skull' to 'Bip01 Head' and rename other groups similarly so the mesh will move with the molerat skeleton. You'd still have to import the molerat skeleton when you're done and you might have to do something with the textures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fallenfire]

May I suggest this one in a few variants for the next update?

 

http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1419484

 

OK got it now how does on Import the skelton?

[xartom]

^ On those and meshes from other I've just found it easiest to ignore the skeleton/any rigging it has (if any) and assign my own vertex groups following whatever skeleton I'm going to use format. (Otherwise I get weird errors in game and shit I don't know how to fix since I just slam my head on the keyboard afterall. Not a very delicate approach here)

 

As for nif skeletons you just import them like any other nif, except before you import you select import and parent skeleton only or whatever the hell that button says. You'll know it when you see it.

[fallenfire]

So basically i just change the names of the vertexs to get it to work with the skeloton?