Invisible armor problem

Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:20 am

...and would entertain some help.

I found this: http://www.psychodogstudios.net/forums/archive/index.php?t-5076.html

Causes of invisible meshes:
- false/ incomplete weightpainting
- flipped normals
- scaling of NiTriShapes in NIFskope: only scale in Blender! (That's why it's better to use a hole body as pattern.)
- .dds without mipmaps, damaged or in false folder
- _n.dds damaged, without mipmaps or false path (there should be only ONE _ in the path)
- only one bone in .nif (to be visible there must be 2 or more bones in the .nif)
- exported NiTriShapes have to be upgraded to .nif file version 20.0.0.5 via transplanting in an existing game .nif


Which is great information if it's a complete list of what could cause it- I also found this and firmly believe I've narrowed it down after trying the same textures on a different armor, which consequently turned invisible.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1081703-invisible-bodies-missing-meshes/page__p__15756202__hl__invisible%20armor__fromsearch__1&#entry15756202

Remember that invisible meshes aren't usually missing meshes. It's more likely that the texture for the mesh is missing its normal map, or the mesh was saved without bone weights (which makes it collapse to a point in-game). There are probably a few other ways for it to exist and not show.


I was gonna try "working" textures on my custom armor to rule out the mesh or .nif problem but If it ends up being my textures I wouldn't know how to fix it- I followed a certain guide I can't find right now that teaches you how to texture a cube, I used photoshop and the nvidia .dds tools to make it, I made the normals too but I have no idea what I did wrong.

Also, I have tried one texture at a time on a "working" piece and that armor turned invisible.(Think I mentioned that already.)

Anyone who'd like to take a quick crack at this with me would have my sincerest thanks.

Edit: Also this, http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1077714-a-few-nit-picky-graphic-fixes/page__p__15706985__hl__invisible%20armor__fromsearch__1&#entry15706985

Invisible armor parts indicates a bad or missing normal map. If it's missing, reinstalling the mod that provides it will fix that. If it's bad, it may not have the proper amount of mipmaps and whoever generated the texture needs to correct that.


Oh and I did use nifscope spells like in this: http://www.tesnexus.com/articles/article.php?id=363

Clean the NIF by running through the Optimize and Sanitize Spells:

Spells --> Optimize --> Remove Bogus Nodes
Spells --> Sanitize --> Adjust Link Arrays
Spells --> Sanitize --> Adjust Texture Sources
Spells --> Sanitize --> Reorder Blocks
Spells --> Sanitize --> Check Links
File --> Save As - Overwrite existing NIF file.

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Alyna
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:37 pm

When you selected the body slots in the CS for that piece of armor, did you miss one?

I do that all the time. A full suit that should cover hands, chest, legs, and feet... I always forget to select the hands or the feet in the CS, and *poof* those parts are invisible in-game. Anyway, if you happen to be setting them all up wrong in the CS, that could give you invisible body parts.

Have you tried assigning a stock texture to the model just to see if it stops being invisible? Try assigning textures\clutter\gold01.dds in Nifskope.

If it's set up right in the CS and the stock texture works fine, then at least you know your texture(s) is/are the issue, and we can help you better from there!
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Joe Alvarado
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:21 pm

That's exactly right, also exactly what I was testing yesterday and today. Using the CS to render the armor for me, I tried putting "working" textures on the .nif mesh I made and It was invisible.

I found the tutorial that I used as reference to texture this: Edit-> wrong link, still can't find that cube one.

I also noticed that I had switched it up on another re-texturing job, I was using DXT5 normal maps- not sure if this was a problem but after taking a look at the other .dds's from my downloaded mods I decided to re-save the .dds's normals as DTX3.

I found the link I used as reference to my current job: http://www.emuxhaven.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-6466.html

Now reading this: http://sites.google.com/site/grimdeath9740/tes:oblivion-advancedtexturing

Have you tried assigning a stock texture to the model just to see if it stops being invisible? Try assigning textures\clutter\gold01.dds in Nifskope.


Was just about to, good you mentioned it. As you can see from the top of my post I tried the opposite.
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FLYBOYLEAK
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:27 am

It's done, textures work on stock armor but not on my mesh. Getting closer, I would now like to know how to check my mesh for any problems- I believe this may be a bone issue.

Would I be able to import a faulty mesh in 3dsmax, "fix it" by running through a correct procedure and exporting it?

Edit-> To rephrase the question or no to further expand on my thoughts, It is highly likely that i imported incorrectly, did not do a vital step required besides modelling the mesh, and/or exported incorrectly.

I've found this as reference to exporting: http://www.squidoo.com/nifexport

Exporting from Gmax/3dsMax
Requirements
Gmax (super easy and free) OR 3dsMax (expensive, haven't ever used it so don't know its ease of use)

Niftools Max plugin

A 3d mesh (here after refered to as model or mesh interchangeably)

Exporting

In Gmax go File --> export, browse to the path you want to save under and give it a name of *whatevername*.nif and select Netimmerse/Gamebryo in the save as type box at the bottom, then click save.

Next a box comes up with a bunch of options. Select whatever game you are going to be using the model in in the top box, then select what seems appropriate based on this semi-detailed description of each of the settings available:


And It continues in great detail on what to leave checked or unchecked in the export window when it pops up. Would be a lot faster if someone just told me.

Found this on editable meshes, I'm not sure if they want me to do this with every mesh: http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/From_3dsmax_to_Oblivion_CS

Preparing meshes
So, now that the model is textured, everything is ready for export, right? No. This is good point to make a backup, in case you want to fix some mapping coordinates or use this mesh as a base for new one, so save a copy.
Now delete any unnecessary models and objects from the scene.
Now we will do the following for every mesh:
1. If your mesh is not an editable mesh, you can either assign an "editable mesh" modifier, or select one of your meshes, go to the utilities menu, select Collapse->Collapse Selected.


I'm more curious as to the import method, as to what to leave checked or unchecked in the pop up window and about the skeleton- such as the issues from my first post:

- false/ incomplete weightpainting
- only one bone in .nif (to be visible there must be 2 or more bones in the .nif)

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Sami Blackburn
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:08 am

By the way, bumping this topic till I get some responses- I've done my homework, this might seem child's play to frequent modders which is exactly why I'd like a response from just about anyone now.

Should be bordering on easy for a frequent modder actually.

Moderator: No, you aren't Your thread will get locked if you repeatedly bump.

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Jack Moves
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:01 am

Instead of posting so many links, quotes and explanations, you always receive much faster and accurate answer on these forums when you upload your mesh and textures somewhere and post a link to it or at least post some pictures which show structure of your mesh in nifskope. Without seeing what you're actually doing people can only speculate about it as the causes of invisible armor can be more than one.
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JESSE
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:16 am

Instead of posting so many links, quotes and explanations, you always receive much faster and accurate answer on these forums when you upload your mesh and textures somewhere and post a link to it or at least post some pictures which show structure of your mesh in nifskope. Without seeing what you're actually doing people can only speculate about it as the causes of invisible armor can be more than one.



I found this: http://wiki.rumor.ru/index.php?title=%D0%A4%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BB:QDR_001.gif

This is very much like what I'm working on- A bottom armor, bordering waist and down to where the "feet" mesh would start and also of important note it has a legs or "skin" section just like the picture here ( albeit, more leg ).

Edit-> This actually brings in the next question, I noticed in the picture the imported skeleton. I've read conflicting tutorials about importing the skeleton so I'm confused about this in particular.

Major update: My mesh didn't have a skin modifier, I used this tutorial right here: http://wiki.rumor.ru/index.php?title=Quick_and_dirty_rigging_in_3dsmax


With the parent mesh selected, highlight the skin modifier in the modifier list. Right click on the modifier, and select "copy" from the list. Then select the new mesh, and right click in the modifier list, select "paste".



It does now but when I used nifskope to copy and paste the nodes I made a test save (filenameTEST2) and tried to import it to 3dsmax which resulted in the application giving me an error box that reads "unknown error".


Edit2->Major Update: I didn't notice till now. The mesh I made, when opened in nifskope it says that not only the scene root but all of the "pieces" are also considered NiNode.

It looks like I need them to be NiTriStrips and NiTriShapes.
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Angela Woods
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:08 am

Look, if you aren't getting help, you aren't getting help. Part of the problem may be your attitude, part of the problem may be that people just don't know or aren't sure that you are asking. I am going to delete your bump posts, and the snide remarks, and lets give it another chance.
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Adam Kriner
 
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Post » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:11 am

If I had a nickel for every time I stopped helping people because of their attitude I'd be a very poor man moderator.

You must admit it's rather demoralizing when no one responds when you want help- I don't believe I'm asking for much so that rather makes the effects slightly more potent, those effects being whatever part of my posts you may not agree with.

I'm bumping this again, I've done nothing wrong.

Before I forget, someone in the FallOut forums actually responded to this which left me flat out surprised. I also had new pertinent information which I gave to him in return- besides the .nif file having pure NiNodes in it's properties box (instead of NiTriSHapes or NiTriStrips) I also told the poster (because the poster asked(the act of which requires posting)) that while attempting some minor first time retexturing I decided to just combine armor pieces I liked and model out the clipping along with modeling in corrections for the different body type I use.

Anything exported from 3dsmax doesn't work and I'm about to try Blender- find a lot of tutorials for that one.

Edit-> Hey before I forget- since you bothered to respond moderator, you wouldn't happen to know anything about this problem I'm having would you? Any help would be most appreciated.

Final Edit->Problem solved, blender is great- at least for this anyways. Close or remove this topic moderator, no one will miss it.
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Farrah Lee
 
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