Still much work to do, and nothing is complete yet but here's a teaser for you:

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4568/fornava.jpg

Now to Sleep for me......................................

The texture looks great. Just one think. On the shot it appears that the tip of the blade has a bit of a blue tint. Is it a part of the texture or just some refelction? In the first case, I'm not very sure it fits the blade all that much

Looking very good - only small thing I notice in the teaser is the position is just a bit high in the hand so it is clipping into the top of the hand and leaving a bit of empty space with the fingers so you may want to adjust it a small amount ( Only mention it because I know what a perfectionist you are when it comes to things like that :foodndrink: )

This I know, and have looked into long before you mentioned it.
If the blade is moved down to the position it looks correct in the hand with the DMC Stylish animations (3rd person) it clips badly through the fingers in 1st person (the other direction). The reason it's where it is now is I had to sacrifice some blade position correctness in the 3rd person view for the correct position in first person view.
I have tried disabling the DMC stylish animations so I could test it with the stock ones but alas it crashes my game (missing the original animations is my guess).
When I have the texture 100% complete, both swords set up, and scripted like Nicos Scimitars I will require someone running the stock attack animations to play test this item for me.
You up for that JDFan?

@Najaknevrec

Actually the blue tinge is part of the texture in that shot but I also agree that it should not be there in the final release, and it won't be.
Had to redo the UVMap a couple of times so far as I am having a challenge trying to texture this blade per my vision for it.
Still much work to be done in the texture department (and possibly a few more goes at the UVMap to make life easier on me) but I will keep you updated, and appreciate all feedback as it will help me to produce a better mod.

Its nice to see that you are now doing swords also.

Your Bows were more then perfect and i hink your swords will be too.

Nice work so far!

Sure thing - just let me know when you get it ready for testing ( Even if it is before the final texture, since the texture will not really change anything with the part you want me to look at for you.) but either way is fine ( Since you'll probably have it finished awhile before you get the rest of the mod finished up)

Looking good bro, could go either dual wield or single and still look nice.
Those textures gotta go though.

Would look sick using DMC stylish anims.

They looked pretty [censored] in the black and gold theme of the placeholder texture with the blade a shade of black.

edit: To clarify the censored above, it seems Beth think [bad + the rear terminal end of a person] is an insult. :meh:

Well I solved most of the issue with reducing the handle size a bit more, and rotating the whole model some (seems it's tough to grab a curved handle without clipping a bit....go figure) but still would like your opinion when i get a working texture for it.

Did some more work on it today (basically trashed the UVMap, and texture, and started over).
I have a color scheme I like better now (black, and silver), and have only parts of the blade textured, and still not really happy with the texture on the blade itself (will probably hand paint it, and add the runes) but here's another picture of the WIP for ya.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4936/aabladepicone.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4139/aabladepic2.jpg

Only three pieces left to texture (the wrappers that hold the blade)
But.........................................

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/6164/aaawesome1.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/9725/aaawesome2.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/4052/aaawesome3.jpg

:D

Hand position needs some modifications, and I will have to redo the custom havok to fit after the texture is complete.........Then I can start on actually making them dual wield, scripted, and the quest.
Modders work is never done......but that's half the fun.

Looks good Nico as usually ;]

It looks detailed, nice, full of quality and oh BEAUTIFUL! :thumbsup:

Sadly I cannot find anything more to criticise , so all I can say is: Very nice. Both texture and model. Great work indeed.

Always there's possible to find something to criticise ;] For instance - if this is supposed to be one handed blade weapon, then the question is: where is the scabbard?! :]

Good point Trollf.
On The Talon of Akatosh I made both a single handed, and dual handed version of the blade. The single had a scabbard, and the two-handed version did not.
This will be a dual wield set, and will sheath crossed on the back like Nicos Scimitars does but Hobbs, and I have been kicking around the idea of creating a script (or option during the quest) to have either the dual wield set or a larger version (with slightly longer handle) as a Two-handed weapon reforged from the pieces found (I currently have 21 different versions of the model on my HDD with different size blades, and handles (I save a lot while I tweak models)).
I should also create a scabbard if someone decides on using the dual wield set but not the off-hand blade (perhaps a nice shield instead).
We are trying to create options in this mod to fit different fighting styles so expect to see:

Dual wield crossed on back
Dual wield both weapons on side
Single two-handed blade (no sheath)
The ability to use only the single handed attack blade with or without a shield (that one will have a sheath).

[For me]
Lots of .nif files left to create, and custom Havok to do.
Happiness that you like it as much as I do.

No problem - whenever you get a result you like send me a copy and I'll test it out in game for you and let you know if I see anything - Though the improvements you've made so far have it looking pretty flawless ! And I agree the Blades are always a PITA - esp in game with the various lighting conditions ( ie. you get them to look great inside and then go outdoors and the reflection blinds you etc. etc. etc. !!) It's always a matter of making a few sacrifices in different areas to get something that looks decent in every situation.

Well Nico is away in Vegas for a few days of R&R, so he prob won't be responding to this thread till he gets back.
I'll throw in my 2 cents though... Nico, you know i'm a nit picker so I hope you don't mind

After play testing the the actual model for awhile this is what i've come up with for suggestions.

1. The blade is too big for a single handed sword. It looks extremely oversized, more in the line of a two handed sword.
It would prob actually work better as a 2 handed sword at the current size.
Your scales was set as 1.1, I reduced it to 0.90 which I think looks better for a single handed blade.
The blade is now more in the line of a kata blade as far as length.

2. The hand position was too high up toward crossguard. I believe the hand should be positioned over the metal piece in the middle of the hilt.

3. The hilt is too long. It would look nicer shorted just a tad bit. This would also provide for better hand placement on the hilt so it wont look so far back.
Also the metal piece clips through the hand if positioned too far forward which makes it so that you have to position the blade more toward the back of the hand.

4. The textures are well done but look a tad bit blurry.

Here are some pics of the edits I made to the .nif reducing the size and repositioning the blade.

http://firingsquad.us/share/Hobbs/ScreenShot14.jpg

http://firingsquad.us/share/Hobbs/ScreenShot13.jpg

http://firingsquad.us/share/Hobbs/ScreenShot12.jpg

http://firingsquad.us/share/Hobbs/ScreenShot15.jpg

http://firingsquad.us/share/Hobbs/ScreenShot19.jpg

PS don't mind the leather piece and two bands on the blade. I just put them there as a filler since they were not completed by Nico in the version I have.

Thanks Hobbs for your critique.

I have done more work on the model, and blade myself.

Your version looks strange to me.
If you would have read the posts, and feedback that came before your post you'd know that the position of the handle in the hand (as in my model before Hobbs' modifications) was for balance of the blade, and to keep the (close to) original shape designed by Kit Rae.

The handle seems alright in length but too skinny in girth (if you follow me).
When you shrank the entire model you threw off the proportions of the model to character. If such a change should be made it should be done in a 3D modeling program (like I have done in my pictures below) rather than by changing the scale of the model in NifSkope.

The blade also seems too short. Perfect for a short sword but not for the vision I have for this.


In the future my friend it would be greatly appreciated if you'd ask me before posting pictures of my unfinished work that you have modified without my knowledge or approval

Here is what I see for this blade, and probably the final for the textures, and size of the blade.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8909/aa1pic.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/2217/aa2pic.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/2950/aa3pic.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3109/aa4pic.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7821/aa5pic.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3782/aa6pic.jpg

Pretty. :thumbsup:

Thanks HB. Means a lot coming from you.

I did take Hobbs advice (somewhat) on the scale of the model, and have reduced the size of the handle some (modeled) as well as the length of the blade (scale in NifSkope).

I re-did the Havok for the attack blade, and made up a test off-hand blade to see what it looked like in game as well as check hand positioning.

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5658/aadualwieldtestshot.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2609/aagripcheckduringanimat.jpg looks pretty good to me.

Need to create the collision mesh for the off-hand blade as well as create the dual crossed blade (sheathed), and dual side (sheathed) models. Will also need to modify the single handed version into a two-handed version model.

So much to do...................and I am still looking for a name worthy of this set as well as (game appropriate) lore ideas..................Any suggestions?

AH! i been meaning toi do this one for months. :banghead:

looks fantastic in my humble opinion, much better than the buitchery i would have made. [tho personally, i prefer the 2 handed grip protrayed in the movie "The Spirit"]

Not familiar with the movie but there will be a two handed version available to the end user.
Currently in the works for the mod are:
Dual wield sheathed crossed on back
Dual wield sheathed on side
[Both of above will be usable as a single blade with any shield, and sheath as a single blade on the side for that]
Single two handed version

Now back to work.............
bliviongate:

Sorry Nico, these were mearly suggestions and in no way represented the final version.
I only posted them to give you an idea of what I was referring to regarding the scale of the model and hand positioning.

Fair enough my friend.
I appreciate your input greatly.
You have helped me to see what eluded me in the past, and it seems you have done so again.
'Not everyone would like a long sword version of the blade in their game'.
We should also create an option for those who enjoy the short sword, and dagger for main weapons. Stealthy characters wouldn't carry a long sword or two handed sword.

Creation of a short sword version with shorter handle, and perhaps an off-hand dagger of matching design has been added to my list of things to do.

Hey, Nicoroshi. I know I'm really late to the party and you most likely have how the sword is gripped solidified. But even if it's for future reference, I thought I'd give you my thoughts.

The way the handle is bent leads me to believe the original was modeled after oriental swords. One grips an oriental sword differently than a western sword. The grip is much more like the grip you'd use on a tennis racket with the ring finger, pinky and thumb providing grip while the middle and index fingers provide more of a guidance for the blade. Much like this: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38129000/gif/_38129348_eastern.gif but with the middle finger in front of the thumb. Now with that in mind, looking at this blade, I believe I'd hold the blade with the protrusion on the grip between the knuckles of the middle and index finger. (The original option 1 was much closer to that.) The length of hilt suggests that it's meant to be used either one or two handed. This grip would also leave room for the second hand to rest above the first for a more powerful downstroke of the blade.

Those are my thoughts on holding the sword. My thoughts on the images you have so far is that they look fantastic. Can't wait to see the finished product.