Model Conversions | Morroblivion

Well, I recently was working on converting some models, I haven't had much success, I was however able to get some advice from one of the best modelers for the games(OB\MW). (They were reluctant to help, and probably want to remain anonymous..) One problem, is you need to ignore root nodes on import, Oblivion does not support these, and it causes some of the issues we are seeing with models. (Bip01 must be the root node in Oblivion, current attempts have old model refs like CorprusStalker.nif as the root node.. This fixes that issue.) if you do this, then select the skeleton, and Reset XForms, you will see why they are messed up in game, the model when properly imported, isn't facing correctly, it's rotated 90 degrees. (Probably some obscure bug in the import script, as the model is actually faced properly if you view it unedited in NifSkope,..) Fixing that isn't too hard, you simply have to rotate the skeleton (after going to Hierarchy, and selecting effect pivot only.. You need to reset xforms to get the changes to take effect..) Now, the final problem, is that the animation are no longer properly aligned on the axis for walking\movement, but, it shows up in Max, the same way it does in-game at this point, they probably need manual fixing, but I'm no 3ds expert. (Perhaps a simpler method exist..) Hopefully, this helps someone with more 3ds skills figure out how to fix them. -- Note: Again, I'm no 3dsMax expert, everything here is just guessing at the issue, the only thing I can say for sure, is you need to make sure Bip01 is the root node, ignoring root nodes on import does just this. (That's based on the advice of one of the best, they know what they are talking about, sadly, they would offer no more help than that.)

Last edited by TheShadow on 25 Aug 2010 - 22:23.

" One problem, is you need

" One problem, is you need to ignore root nodes on import, Oblivion does not support these, and it causes some of the issues we are seeing with models. (Bip01 must be the root node in Oblivion, current attempts have old model refs like CorprusStalker.nif as the root node.. This fixes that issue.) the only thing I can say for sure, is you need to make sure Bip01 is the root node, ignoring root nodes on import does just this. (That's based on the advice of one of the best, they know what they are talking about, sadly, they would offer no more help than that.)

Actually the root node is still Bip01 but it is not the first node ... and that is not a problem causer in my experience. All of my final release creatures (Nix hound, Alit, Cliff Racer, Dreugh, Kwama worker etc.) have creaturename.nif as the first node and they work fine. With the problem creatures I have tried ignoring the morrowind root node (as you suggested) but that still did not solve the problem (and in some cases it caused more problems). So ... I would'nt really advice you to do this. Don't fix it if it isn't broken :p

"if you do this, then select the skeleton, and Reset XForms, you will see why they are messed up in game, the model when properly imported, isn't facing correctly, it's rotated 90 degrees. (Probably some obscure bug in the import script, as the model is actually faced properly if you view it unedited in NifSkope,..) Fixing that isn't too hard, you simply have to rotate the skeleton (after going to Hierarchy, and selecting effect pivot only.. You need to reset xforms to get the changes to take effect..) Now, the final problem, is that the animation are no longer properly aligned on the axis for walking\movement, but, it shows up in Max, the same way it does in-game at this point, they probably need manual fixing, but I'm no 3ds expert. (Perhaps a simpler method exist..)"

You will be interested to view certain Oblivion creatures in nifscope (for example the clanfear) ... note that when animated in nifscope they move sideways (or even diagonally up or other starge motions) ... but in the game they work out fine. I think that this has some link to what happens with the corpus creatures.

wrote:Actually the root

Actually the root node is still Bip01 but it is not the first node ... and that is not a problem causer in my experience.

Well, like I said, this person knows what they are talking about, they literally wrote the book on modeling for these games. I suggest taking their advice. (More specifically, they said, Bip01 cannot be a child of any other object whatsoever, which it is, in your attempts.) Look at the _male folder, and view the Bethesda human skeleton, you will see it conforms to what I'm saying.. (and matches what get's exported by ignoring root nodes.)

With the problem creatures I have tried ignoring the morrowind root node (as you suggested) but that still did not solve the problem (and in some cases it caused more problems).

I did this myself to several problem creatures, and the results are the same in-game, the difference is, that you can see them in 3ds\NifSkope, as they appear in-game. It's a lot easier to fix something, when you have an accurate view of the problem within your tools. In game the mesh is properly aligned, the skeleton is not, doing the steps i suggest, clearly shows you that the skeleton is facing the wrong way, that's why they run sideways instead of straight like they should. I don't see how this is worse, it's a far more accurate view of the situation, and much closer to a solution. --- Everything after the initial step were just my attempts at fixing the problem.. (Though you can export it that way, and get them working at the same level as current attempts, it's just very tricky..) Anyways, just import the model with ignore root nodes, set it up for a skeleton export as usual, I've been ticking transforms as well as the other stuff you mention in your tutorial.. Then view the skeleton in NifSkope, and attach the walk animation, you'll see the same behavior we are seeing in-game. (It should work exactly the same as your current attempts in-game, but its much more accurate in the tools as far as whats really happening.) -- To see the behavior in max, do this.. Import, ignore root nodes, unhide all, select all, reset xforms, play the animations..

Ok ... you can do as you

Ok ... you can do as you wish.