Thanks AhmNee for your input.

I have to go with the masses on this one though, and think the blade would look off balanced if held at the bottom of the handle.

I have created the off-hand blade .nif as well as the dual crossed blades .nif. I have also come up with a working (actually three that work together) script for the dual crossed blades on the back version (based on the original scripts I wrote for Nicos Scimitars, and the re-write of those scripts by Katalysis).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdZYp8i3UqI

I disabled the DMC Stylish mod from my game to test hand positioning using default animations, and found that there is a difference in the hand positions between the DMC Stylish animations, and the Oblivion default. I have set the position to work with the default which happens to also work (with slight clipping of the hand) using DMC stylish animations.

Next will be the creation of the two handed version.

I totally understand. And with the base graphic that Oblivion uses for the hand it might still look awkward if you put the hand where I suggested.

IRL the fingers would be more spread out along the grip of the blade so the balance would change. Too close on the hilt would make the grip unstable.
While the the grip one would use is similar to a tennis racket, you'd never hold it at the end like the pic. That was just to illustrate what I was talking about with the fingers.

At any rate, it's a beautiful blade and you've done the original concept due justice. Sounds like you're booking along on the mod as well.

Best of luck.
Cheers.

Well......................Sort of anyway.
The modeling, texturing, and scripting of the different blades is only a small part of what this mod will be about.

It will be a quest mod to find the pieces of a legendary blade that was destroyed many eons ago. The cool thing about how Hobbs, and I intend to have the story go is you'll (as the player) have the choice as to how the pieces are re-forged depending on your own preferences of primary weapon(s).

[Again for the record]

Dual wield long blades either sheathed on the back or on the side (note that one could use only the attack blade, and shield of their choice as well)
Single two-handed blade (will be larger than the long blades with longer handle)
Short sword with matching dagger off-hand (been thinking about using a model I created for Hobbs' Shadow Ranger mod as it looks really good with the blade in Hobbs' pictures above as the off-hand.........what do you think Hobbs?)

The story for the quest is not yet written but both Hobbs, and I have been kicking around ideas for it.
It will be fully voice acted as Arrows of the Ayleid King was staring Hobbs, myself, Starfry (my daughter), and Juls (my wife) with possible appearances from other mutual friends of ours.
Making the models, and textures is fun but nothing in comparison to the good times ahead during voice acting, and creation of the story for the quest.
Personally I am looking forward to it.

Sounds like a great time.

And to you and all your voice actors ... break a leg.

Did some more work on the model, and hand positioning of the dual wield longsword set.
Shortened the grip length, and moved the hand a bit closer to the center of the handle.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8243/aanewmodelforlongsword1.jpg

I have also re-worked the model for the two-handed version of the blade.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2627/aatwohanded1.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5435/aatwohanded2.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3082/aatwohanded3.jpg

Looks like you've got it !! Nust say it is much improved over the initial version. - and he 2 hander is looking nice as well.

Thanks JDFan

Unfortunately now I have to re-do the dual crossed blades model as they use the version with the longer handle, and I will also need to re-modify the collision of both long swords because it took some rotation to place them correctly in the hand.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's back to work I go.........................

Big thank you to JDFan

For helping me by play testing the dual long swords with stock animations to double check hand positioning for me.

I love this community :foodndrink:

Well, the community sure loves your stuff! Looks really good. *drums fingers impatiently*

Patience. My work is not yet complete (in fact only just begun but moving along nicely ).

Custom hacked the havok for the longsword, and two-handed version yesterday, and created the short sword, and dagger versions of the model today (Still need to move the dagger slightly in the grip).

Some pictures for your approval (or disapproval) of the shrot sword & dagger combo for you stealthy types (like my friend Hobbs )

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9493/ssdagger4.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6057/ssdagger1.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9241/ssdagger2.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3435/ssdagger3.jpg

Something like what you were going for Hobbs?

Nice job on the proportions for the daggers (too bad OB doesn't have a nice throat slash animation for those times you sneak up on an enemy in a nice dark cave as those look like they would do the job nicely !!


Made a little something for you if you'd like a copy of the Nif for your game ! - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/NicoBook.jpg - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/nicobook2.jpg. Though once I get the other models I'l be changing the axe on the one side to your new weapons. (http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/nicosword.jpg)

Love them JDFan!

I would be jazzed to have them in my game.

Sent you an E-mail with the files (wasn't sure if you still used your Axe or Armor or if you had Ren's Beauty Pack (used his Head and eyes) so included the textures for them also) - Included a small .esp that places it in game in Rindirs Staff in the IC - It is setup as a misc. item so you can pick it up and move where you want (just be careful as it is not set to player ownership and Rindir thinks it is His ( Had to kill him during testing ) and also included the inventory Icon. ENJOY !

Thanks JDFan.
I do have Ren's hair, and eyes installed on my game (along with many other race mods as a matter of fact) so no worries there.
I feel flattered that you'd make bookends using some of the models I made for me, and I look forward to seeing them in my game

Glad you like it - Figure it is just a small way to give you something back for all the great weapons you've added to my game ! - If there are any others you would like made just PM or E-mail me and I'll put them together.

[off-topic]

Greatly appreciated but not expected. I learned to mod this game as a favor to a friend of mine long ago. He disappeared before the project we were working on was finished but I found I enjoyed modeling, and wanted to give back to the community for all the fun hours I had with Morrowind mods.
So........in a way my released mods are a 'thank you' to those who's mods I played, and loved in both Morrowind, and Oblivion (and still play, and love to this day).

[/off-topic]

I am listening to my friend Hobbs' earlier post about the textures of the sword, and although I hate to admit it (cause I will probably never hear the end of it) in first person view he's right. They are a bit blurry.
Havok hacking, and script writing on hold currently as I create a better (read 'more clear') texture for the model.

Well, I spent a great deal of time re-working the textures for the blade model, and have gotten it about as good as I think I can get it for now.
I hacked the havok for all the models, and created a sheathed model for the short sword + dagger combination as well as a working script for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEumLH66rqI

Working with Hobbs to solidify the story for the quest.

Currently the sword is named "New Sword" in my game........ I really need some epic names for the blade ......(hint, hint, wink, nudge) :poke:

Think I like the original blade texture better :rofl: (Just kidding !!) - the new models are coming along nicely - sounds like the mod is progressing quickly also. Will definitely be downloading when you get it finished up.

I will have more testing for you shortly JDFan.

I was not happy with the blurry scripting on the blade..............so after trying to work with the texture map I created I realized that the part of the sword on the map I wanted to add the scripting to was too small (Sigh..........).
I re-UVmapped one version of the blade, and proceeded to create a texture I liked for the scriptwork on the blade. i then had to re-model all the variants of the blade using the re-UVMapped model so the new texture would be applied to all the variants.
I have only the crossed blades on the back, and dagger+short sword sheathed models left to model, and transform in NifSkope to the proper location within the hand or on the side/back (This is where you come in JDFan as I need you to play test these new model's locations within the hand for clipping issues using stock animations).

Some pictures of the non-blurry scriptwork on the new texture for the blade:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4316/newtexture1.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1702/newtexture2.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1125/newtexture3.jpg

I am much happier with this version when playing in first person

Looks damned cool.

Really?
Thanks but I wasn't done with it yet. ;D

I tried adding a glow map for the Elven runes on the blade but it detracted from the enhanced texture I made for them, and sometimes glowing elven script can wear on ones eyes after a while. I then added shine to the blade (like Nicos Scimitars has) but found that the handle looked strange having leather wrap shine as bright as the blade.
Back to the modeling program, and separate the handle from the metal pieces. Now re-make all the variants with two different NiTriStrips with different NiTexturing properties.
Nah.........Still looks too flashy with ALL the metal pieces reflecting light.
Back to the modeling program again, and separate everything from the blade itself. Now use the dual NiTriStrip .nifs to re-make the .nifs for the different variants, and the dual sheathed models.


AHHH Yes! That's what I was looking for!!!!

Tell me what you think.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6930/1acloseupduallongswords.jpg [I think the Elven scripting came out rather nice ]

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4692/1adaggerfirstperson.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1738/1ashortswordfirstperson.jpg

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/613/1ainyoface.jpg

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9762/1ainyoface2.jpg (same pose)

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/2530/1aextremelighting.jpg (ambient + open fire pits)

:drool:

Super-Mega-Ultra-Uber-Amazing looking sword, Nico

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

Well, yeah. Looks like a decent sword...

:hehe:

I know it's still a work in progress. I mean that the elven script looks good. I was looking at it and trying to decide if I'd have cut the script off a little earlier so it didn't go as far up the blade or if I'd have made the script a little smaller. I also went out online and looked up some actual inscribed swords online. All in all, I think you hit the nail on the head.

It's funny you mention a glow map. I was pondering myself what color would look best if the script 'glowed with power'. A orange red like the script still holds the heat of the sword's forging. Or the blue white of righteous magical power. The green yellow glow of long forgotten magical secrets or the purple white of chaotic raw magicka.

:)

I've done some 3D modeling but couldn't figure out how to do the textures. Otherwise I'd offer to lend a hand.

CB!
Long time no see. Glad to see some familiar faces still around.

@AhmNee

This is a picture of the glowing white glow map I created.

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7593/1ablech.jpg

I didn't realize how much I disliked it until I looked at the shiny version of the back model which I hadn't modified the material of yet to show the glow map, and saw the blades without the glow on the Elven writing.

The writing is a certain length because it actually says something related to the quest (in Elven of course).

BTW I started out the same way. I learned to model long before I learned to texture. Like anything practiced you get better the more of it you do (level up +5 to Nicos texturing ability ).