Like the topic says:

Which is the faster program to learn if you want to learn to do meshes?


And I do mean faster, this is the last thing standing in my way of my first mod and I'm getting impatient! There's been so much more to learn then I thought!

Not a frequencer to the morrowind CS forums, but it should still be the same info.

They are different programs, nifskope allows you to edit and view meshes (its not actually a modelling program); such as changing textrue paths and allowing you to add parts from a mesh (as long as the parts are seperated), or copy parts from one mesh to another. Blender is an actual modelling program, you can change the actual vertices that make up the shape. Ig you need to edit a model nifskope may be able ot do it, but blender will be able ot do it.

if you're making new meshes....then you'll have to use blender.

Indeed. NIFSkope isn't a fully-fledged modeling program. I'm sure it's entirely feasible to create new geometry, but my head just hurts at the mind-numbingly huge amount of things you'd have to enter. Blender is what you'll need for actual geometry or skinning generation or alteration.

Not to discount NIFSkope. It is an indispensable program for anyone fiddling with NIFs.

Indeed. I've never created any geometry more complex than a cube in NifSkope alone

There is no "faster" when it comes to meshes. You'll just have to have patience.


Gmax may be quicker to learn than Blander, but that depends on the person.

Thanks guys. I'm going to start with NifSkope - because I'm pretty sure that will do what I need.

NifScope is a must-know program but it is not a 3D modeler (some very simple operations (box) can be done in NifScope but that is also not a very easy task).
gMax (free version of crippled Max4) can be used as well. But in case you are seriously interested in 3D modeling and cannot afford (have no access) 3ds Max I would recommend to learn Blender.

I started out as a 'nifskope modeller', and you can indeed do impressive things - though you generally have to start with bits of other meshes and mash them up. However, I found that by mastering nifskope, I have started learning blender at a fairly fast clip. I'm by no means an expert yet, but the concepts I used to work in nifskope carried over fairly well.

Besides, if you do enough of this stuff, you will get tired of the limitations of nifskope, and want to move up to a real modeling tool.