I want to put some shields on my wall as decoration. It want them to act as non-moveable statics. How difficult is it to use the models that are already in the game to create a static version? How would I go about it? It would be fine if I could simply turn off collision for the item so they don't go crazy and start banging away at my walls but I would really like to change them into statics.

http://www.creationkit.com/SetMotionType_-_ObjectReference

ShieldREF.SetMotionType(ShieldREF.Motion_Keyframed)

There are already a number of the vanilla shields set up as static objects. Look for the LoadScreen items.

You can also create a duplicate of the object and remove it's name in the new duplicate.

Do you want it to still be pick-up-able?

if not then can't you just make a new static object?

First, unpack the nif file of the shield you want to use from the meshes.bsa and place in the data/meshes folder (make sure you preserve the file structure eg meshes/armor/iron or how ever it is set up, not by my pc at the moment). Then in the ck, click on the "statics" branch in the object list, then right click in the list area and select "new". Then just select your duplicate nif as the model. Then give it a name and click ok

If you kept the default file structure then I don't think you'll have to redistribute the nif because everybody else's games will just look for it in the .bsa. The unpacking step is just for our end because (as far as I can tell) you cannot select a model from inside the bsa in the ck (I'm doubting myself now... Can someone put me out of my misery please by confirming/correcting the above )

It is much easier to do the same thing (essentially) by just duplicating the object in the object window and removing it's name. All the same meshes and textures are already part of the skyrim file, you're just using them for you copy object, and because it doesn't have a name, the3 game won't let you pick it up.

Confirmed. Something I've been quite peeved with since Oblivion.

What about the textures? do I have to unpack the corresponding textures and also rename them to whatever I'm calling my new static thing? I'm completely new to this. I'm just trying to make static objects that act like any other static and can be put anywhere even in walls and won't be affected by gravity or the player. The textures are confusing. Some of the items have two or three textures with suffixes of _d, _m and /or _n. Which to use? All of them? The meshes are somewhat confusing also. There are for helmets many versions, some ending with m or f (male/female I assume) others ending with "go" whatever that means. Also when I extract a texture from the BSA I always get an error message. Something about space but the file still appears on my desktop so I've been ignoring it.