Custom .nif appears in NifSkope/CreationKit "perfectly" but no in game.

[GamerPoets]

I'm back with more crazy questions lol... for anyone who can help (since I'm new to this).

 

I've googled everything that I could think of, watched videos, so on and can't seem to find an answere. I've compared files with other files and other files and all appears to be "correct" but they obviously are not. 

 

Thank you to Kesta, SparrowPrince, HiShutUp and everyone else for the help last time.

 

So... I created my custom meshes. They mesh, the textures, everything appears in NifSkope and in the CreationKit. It looks perfect. But when I load up the game nothing is there at all. My main node is a BSFadeNode... every other node is a BsTriShape or BSMesh(something) node. No Ni nodes at all. Everything is linked to the main node. Everything has its own name. Every TriShape has a lightingshader with a BStexture (cant think of the proper name for it at the moment) attached to it. All of the textures are attached to their individual shaders which are attached to their individual TriShapes....

 

Does anyone know what could make none of this show up in game? Everything else that I did via the CreationKit shows up in game (Fallout 4 if that matters) but the custom .nif is none-existant in game. I'm going to sleep... I need to make some serious progress with the DynDOLOD tutorial tomorrow now that I"m feeling a bit better. 

[Guest]

The parent nodes in Fallout 4 are NiNodes. Maybe that's the problem here? I can't 100% say without images though.     

[GamerPoets]

Tried it. Didn't work. If you care to take a look at the nif itself I uploaded this one to my google drive. I feel like I either don't know how to properly link to the parent or something is wrong with the lighting property. I'm completely out of ideas. I'll happily try anything suggested lol. 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7GIzpkTmowVU3V3Ym8ySzlyY0U/view?usp=sharing

[Guest]

Actually this sounds familiar. Someone contacted me just a few days ago with the exact same issue. We looked at the NIF (it was about as messy as this ) and they said it wasn't showing up. I just viewed it in the CK viewer (right-click open with) and it looks fine - bar the missing textures I don't have extracted. There is something the creator of the file is doing wrong, but I'm not exactly sure what will get it to show. This is why I won't create huge files with lots of blocks because you WILL have a bad day if you get it wrong just a slight bit. You don't seem to be pointing anything to the .BGSM amterial files either (I mean it isn't mandatory but it's what they do) and some of the texture blocks are missing the _n and s_ files. On top of this there are BSMeshLODTriShapes. In Skyrim these required extra flags on the parent node and in the unknown data underneath it. If you can find a rock file or something that has these LOD shapes in and compare it, that might help.

 

I'd honestly split this mesh into walls, floors, clutter ect. Just have the collision in one file.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Guest

[GamerPoets]

Thanks for looking at it. 

 

It's crazy. I created this thing (and a lot more than just what you see in this nif provided lol) 3 times over trying to figure out my mistakes. I tried pointing some files to .bgsm just to see if pieces would show up but they didn't. If I point the name/string to a bgsm then I loose the ability to use the textureset. It ends up giving priority to the bgsm instead (and still didn't seem to work). It appeared that I didn't need a texture set at all if using bgsm (but again doesn't show up still for me) but then I don't get to pick and choose different textures for specific pieces of the puzzle (other than different bgsm files I assume). 

 

I didn't think that the textures would need the normals or specularity files? I did try adding those to a few of them, again, to see if only pieces would show up in game, but no luck there either. 

 

I'm going to try deleting the bsmehlod shapes just to see if things will show up in game after that. 

 

That's actually what I want to do now after my initial failures lol.. I created the entire house... i mean all of it lol... now I'm doing level 1 and level 2 separately and then creating the other smaller bits (storage container models, so on) on their own. I just have to figure out what I'm doing wrong first. If the bsmesh doesn't work I may just stat over 1 final time lol (after the first two blunders I actually wrote done, in note pad, the form id's for every single item so that I can just quickly extract them via xEdit if I need the meshes again and deleted them. I also know all of the textures that I want by heart at this point so no big deal there either). 

 

I don't know how soon, but i'll let you know how things progress = ) Appreciate your time man. 

[GamerPoets]

So just for "ha-ha's" i loaded a nif from the game (BldWoodBSmFlrOnly02) into NifSkope. Saved the wood flooring piece without doing anything to it. Put a bunch of them in the ck, saved it, loaded it in game and you cannot see it in game lol. I literally did nothing to the file except save it. Loaded it into the creation kit via static objects with a new name, added this new object to the world space, saved and went in game to check it out... Maybe I am importing it to the CK wrong.

[Guest]

I had a problem with a flat plane not picking up the BGSM and that was somehow making it invisible. I just got bored and did it manually without the BGSM. It's weird because a few months ago I made some edits to a vanilla model and had no trouble. This seems weird as hell.  :O_o:

 

Edit: Have you tried Nifskope dev4? I think I have dev5 now. I guess that's why it's currently called experimental, because it ain't perfect for sure. Maybe Kesta can ask the Nifskope dev Jon?

Edited May 26, 2016 by Guest

[GamerPoets]

hmmm.... I have only been using dev5. It would make sense for me to try 4. Won't hurt anything at this point lol.

[MonoAccipiter]

What an odd issue. Does everything else you place in the CK appear? And these are only static items, not having any messed up collision boxes making them float underneath the ground or something? This is a problem I would think more common if you were importing and exporting from another program (like 3DS Max). Are all the texture flags the same as on a corresponding vanilla mesh? Can you walk where this object is supposed to be in-game (i.e. is the collision part of the mesh working)?

[GamerPoets]

Everything that I do via the CK shows up in game. If I search through the items in the CK everything that I add shows up. If I remove things they are gone. The issue has actually taken up way more of my time than I had hoped LOL... way too much time.

 

This is my first time attempting any of this. I've never used the CK or NifSkope or any modding program before. 

 

Yes, just static items. You can walk where these items should appear it's as if they aren't in the game at all, but when I reopen the creation kit they are there just fine. 

 

The ShaderFlags? I dont even know how to use those = ) ... but I went through a lot of the nif files to see that the "mashup" had the same settings as they did other than the string being remove so that I can add a shadertextureset ... however, even with the string in place i can't see anything. 

 

I'm not sure if I have collision set up at all for it? Though, I took a nif file straight from the game (extracted via xEdit) openned it in Nifskope then saved it (i did nothing to it) and the file that was saved via NifSkope, when I place it in the CK, does not show up in game. Exact same object from the CK doesn't work after I saved the file via NifSkope without changing a single thing to it... again, I am brand new to modeling, meshes, mod creation so I can't really give any more info than I know too. 

[Astakos]

@GamerPoets

 

I do not know if reading this thread is the "unfortunate" answer to your nif problems but it sounds like it.

I maybe wrong though, but still it is a quite informative thread.

 

Mind you I do not have FO4 so I cannot be of any better assistance; just came across that Beth thread and thought it might help you!

[Guest]

I forgot about that Astakos, thanks for the reminder. I did actually tell him to re-precombine "for a laugh" in my last post, but it sounded stupid so I edited it out. Maybe actually worth a try buddy? It's under Visibility at the top.

[Lukong1515]

Hello I suffered the same problem -to bad Onuius won't put in Batch Features- when Converting Mesh into and from Blender.

I am making my own tutorial & mod on Converting NIF > Blender > Game...here is a small section of it.

(I have my own set of problems though as my NIF shows up, but disappears when I enter the PA and doesn't disappear from PA when I exit).

 

If its a Material/Texture Path Problem (Info: Test by Replacing Vanilla)

Does the Mesh also shows up with Textures in Blender & 3DSMax?

Its cause they see the Texture are "Nearby" = Same Folder as the NIF...The Game looks for the Textures Files in Data/Texture Folder.

You may have to create an ESP to register your NIF files as Standalone.

1. Otherwise use BAE to extract a Mesh to replace from Meshes.b2a & Textures for the Mesh from Texture1-9.b2a
2. Take & Keep the Folder Structure & File Placement (Meshes/Actors/.../Armor.NIF & Textures/Actors/.../Armor.DDS)
3. Rename your Files (Custom.NIF & Custom.DDS) after the Vanilla Files (Armor.NIF & Armor.DDS)
4. Drop the Meshes & Textures folder BAE Provided with your Mesh.NIF & Texture.DDS into Fallout 4/Data Folder (Example: Fallout 4/Data/Meshes/Actors/.../Custom.NIF)
5. Load the Game and find the Mesh you replaced (In fallout 4 I replace T45 Armor cause that is the first PA I find so like in FNV replace the Motorcycle cause its in Springs...but my example is mostly from FO4 so forgive me)
6. If it works just pack it > slap a "Replacer" > upload and learn how to use FO4Edit > later make a Standalone

 

If its a Missing Material/Texture Paths Path Problem

There are 2 ways A. Bodyslide or B. 3DSMax

Tools Required

- [bAE] Bethesda Archive Extractor by jonwd7 

- 3DSMax 2016 [64-bit] & 3DSMax NifScripts (Needs to be setup)

OR Bodyslide & OutfitStudio 4.3 [64-bit]

 

A. Bodyslide

- Pro: Easy to Edit Material/Texture Path & Setup Free program

- Con: Batch editing is Slow Workflow, Bodyslide Deletes Nodes

1. OPEN Bodyslide > Outfit Studio
2. Drag & Drop your NIF File onto the 3D View of Outfit Studio (Gray Area)
3. In Rightside Panel under Meshes > Outfit [-] > Right-Click on the NIF > Properties... for each part > A, B1-B3 or C1-C3 for each part
   • A. If it was Vanilla Textures I would tell you to import the Vanilla NIF too and copy the Material Path from the Vanilla to your Custom.NIF > Delete Vanilla.NIF > 4
   • B1. If it is a custom NIF & You have your own Material.BSGM 
   • B2. Shader Tab > Copy the Material Path "Materials\...\" from BAE via Windows Explorer Address Bar > Add your File at the end "Custom.BGSM" > Create a Folder for Mod [Jarl/]
   • B3. > make 3 called "Materials", "Meshes" & "Textures" > Place you Custom.BSGM in "Materials" Folder & "Materials\...\Custom.BGSM" > 4
   • C1. If it is a custom NIF & your own Textures.dds & no Materials
   • C2. Shader Tab > Textures... > Diffuse for Texture.dds (_d)
   • C3. Type in Copy the textures Path "textures\...\" from BAE via Windows Explorer Address Bar > follow similar steps to B1-B3
4. Ok Properties > File (TopLeft) > Export > To NIF... > Give Name > Save
5. Make a standalone ESP of you Mod I think the OMOD (Object Modification for FO4) is how you tell your game what NIF to use and from there it knows where to look for the Textures (Zip it with the Plugin.ESP, Meshes, Textures & Materials Folder at the root so MO2 can see it)

B. 3DSMax

- Pro: Easy to batch assign Material/Texture Path & Faster Material Shortcut

- Con: Difficult to setup, Limited Free version for 3 years, Complex to use

1. OPEN 3DSMax > Wait for Loading
2. Drop & Drop your File in Leftside Panel where the Names of the Objects/Mesh would appear
3. Click on one of the [+] to Bring a View in Full (Keep Perspective & Realistic)
4. Tap "M" to bring up Material Editor > Modes > Compact Material Editor
5. Under Shader Basic Parameters > DropMenu ("Blinn") > Fallout 4 Shader
6. Under Fallout 4 Shader Settings >
   • A1. (For Materials) Shader Type: BGSM - Lighting Shader
   • A2. > Material File: > Name: > Input "Materials\" and your Custom.nif after the \ (Example = Materials\Custom.nif) > 7
   • B1. (For Textures) Expand the Height of the Window > Scroll to FO4 Lighting Base Shader Parameters > Diffuse Texture
   • B2. > Input "Textures\" and your Custom.dds after the \ (Example = Textures\Custom.nif) > 7
7. IN 3DSMax > Select the NIF on the Names List in 3DSMax to have the Texture
8. IN Material Editer window > Click on the Green Cube & Checkered Circle (Hover over it = Assign Material to Selection) > Check the FO4 Lighting Shader Parameter of each Object on the Name list
9. IN 3DSMax > [MAX v] (Top Left) > Export (Not [>]) > Save as Type: > Type "n" or Scroll to Netimmerse/Gamebryo (*.KF, *.NIF)
10. Make a standalone ESP of you Mod I think the OMOD (Object Modification for FO4) is how you tell your game what NIF to use and from there it knows where to look for the Textures (Zip it with the Plugin.ESP, Meshes, Textures & Materials Folder at the root so MO2 can see it)