So, I've been trying to export what is going to be a static object to the Creation Kit.
I've followed all of the tutorials, I have even imported an obj, over a tri-shape replacing an model that 'does' work, and after i save, nothing.

Mind you, this is all a custom File, and not over-writing anything else.
Everytime I try getting it into the CK, all I get is the nice shiny !.

Since your using Max, make sure you pick up Figment/Hologram's latest update to the plugin, keep the last official plugin as its still required for some things.

then make sure you have the latest version of NifSkope and the Nif.xml.

From there you can just export straight out of Max and into a working file that needs some slight alterations.

1) For Every Mesh -> delete the Material Properties they are not used in Skyrim.

2) For Every Mesh -> go to the BSLightingPropertyShader -> and set the Transparency to visible and set the flags to what your mesh needs -> skin if its skinned, etc, etc...

3) For Every RigidBody -> go the Unknown 7 Floats and just zero out all of the values technically you only need to zero out 4 and 5 but the others are unimportant to general use.

NOTE: Havok to BS/MAX units in Skyrim is 1:69.9912 -> in previous games it was 1:6.9969 so basically its 10 times difference so before exporting from Max just shrink the shape to 10% and reset its XForm then you can safely export most shapes -> except Mopp because Hologram messed something up when he updated and screwed Mopp exports for all games not just Skyrim -> if you want to get a functioning Mopp out you need to revert to the last official plugin by Tazpn and export with that version then you can just copy/paste it into the skyrim.nif.

4) Also some types of Nodes require that Unknown Short 1 be set to 8 instead of 0 -> not sure why Hologram changed this as the previous plugins correctly set this -> so if your having crashing issues change this.

1) Am I deleting NiMaterialProperty?
2) Do you mean BSLightingShaderProperty? Also, I can't afind any refrence to Visibility.
3) Would this be required for statics?
4) Same as 3?

Oh, why would you export as a nif from 3ds max, if in nifscope your overwriting another workable file with an obj?

Yes -> they are not used in Skyrim and need to be deleted.


Yes, and apparently TK renamed this to "Alpha".


Yes to both


That's easy I am not overwriting anything -> the Copy/Paste into another file is completely unnecessary.

The reason I ask is because when I export from 3ds max, is I don't actually have the BSLightingShaderProperty at all.

Also, you said transparency is not labled 'alpha' correct?
Because i have a 'number' value of 1.00 there atm, no 'on or off'.

Another thing is, unknown 7 float doesnt' seem to exist when I export a model.
Unknown 1 short does exist though.

Watching this intently. The max exporter is great but needs work. I have so many statics that tweaking every one of them will make a job into an absolute chore. I think we should as a community provide a donation site for the max and blender third party plugin developers and give them a helping hand. Often its time versus reward for such things and the developers have their own jobs and lives, so provide plugins etc out of the goodness of their hearts. With a bit of reward I am sure they would be able to commit more time and get the plugins working much quicker. Just my thoughts.

Okay, I just did a test.
I took a 3d model that I Know works. (I even tested in creation Kit)
I simply ,resaved that same file, with a different name.
Put it in the Creation kit..
And Nothing.
Nada, doesn't work... (using nifscope that is)

Hmm.
I moved that test save file, to the original directory it was saved in... and now it works correctly.. interesting..

See if this helps:
http://www.youtu.be/fbuC-haYJAY?hd=1

Okay, I've made some progress.
Turns out it was mostly a scaling issue.

What I ended up donig was going into the
NiTriShapeData and changed unknown short 1 to 8 instead of 0 like stated above.
Theres another one in the 0 NiNode, I kept that at 0.
I kept Has Normals On in NiTriShapeData
And changed Alpha to 1 instead of 0.01
Deleted the texture properties to.

Just did it again, it it works perfectly fine now.

Step 2.
Bounding Boxes!
/head explodes

Hmm, it seems also textures aren't working correctly either.
My object is 'black' in the creation kit..

Anyone have any idea how to add collision?
I recall back in morrowind it was as simple as creating a box and naming it 'bounding box'...

I have one static in my mod thats provided by gamesas... that apparnetly has no collision data at all... My custom stuff, has none at all. And... no textures.

you can create simple shapes in the ck, or create them in nifskope, or create them in max and do what saiden said in 3 and his note. this post has various data: http://niftools.sourceforge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=3433

Currently there is no way to export mesh based collision. You can use box shapes or convex shapes though if your new mesh has a very simple shape (like...a box for example).

If your mesh is black look at the shader flags. If it has no vertex colors then make sure the 'vertex colors' shader flag is not checked, otherwise the mesh will show up black.

You have to set 'Has Vertex Shaders' to 1.

Watching this thread as my exported objects dont work properly. I can get one in the CK but without collision and its a real PITA to do.

EDIT: Phitt beat me to it.

Make sure you are selecting Skyrim format to export to when exporting otherwise it will export in whattever game Nif format you have selected (ie. Oblivion did not use BSLightingShaderProperties so the Export will not use them if exported as Oblivion Nif)

I'm coming to this thread late, so please forgive me if I repeat what's already been said.

There are several way to get collision into CK.

Export from 3DS Max:

- Clone your mesh, reduce your clone to approx 8% of main mesh size; Reset XForm
- Add bhkRigidBodyModfier modify to clone and give it a Convex Shape
- Add bhkRigidBody Helper and reference the clone; uncheck "Allow Transforms"
- Export as nif

- Open (in NifSkope) one of the few Skyrim models having Convex Shape collision mesh (one of them is in meshes\architecture\riften\animated\mausoleum\rtmausoleumdoor01.nif)
- Open your exported file in another instance of NifSkope
- You need to copy your exported mesh data over to the vanilla file like this:

1. Block Copy (not branch) your bhkConvexVerticesShape and Paste at the root level into vanilla
2. Select vanilla collision bhkRigidBody and in Block Details, change the Shape Ref to your pasted bhkConvexVerticesShap
3. Delete the old bhkConvexVerticesShape (it will have switched position with your version)
4. Copy your mesh NiTriShapeData and Paste Over one of the vanilla NiTriShapeData shapes.
5. Remove any extra nodes that you don't need, or create new ones if required
6. Make sure your NiTriShapeData shapes have "Has Vertex Colors" = yes
7. Set your bhkConvexVerticesShape to Radius = 1.0
8. Save and use

I probably misssed a few steps, but that's the essence of it. Once you get the hang of it, you become adept at creating, modifying and re-arranging things in NifSkope.

Different object types require slightly different procedures in NifSkope, but the above applies to Collision Meshes

Contrary to what I've read elsewhere, there is no exact sizing reduction for the Convex Shape in 3DS. Depending on your object size and shape, the reduction can be anywhere from 5% to 10%. Trial and error is the word here.

You can do similar procedure for box shapes, by examining existing vanilla box nif's (there are a few of them)

Create Collision objects in CK:

This works well for objects that can easily be represented with block shapes. Houses often qualify for Collision Cube construction

Collision Sphere and Plane can be useful depending on object shape.

I tend to use a combination of Convex Shape from 3DS and Collision Cube in CK.

Thank you so much Observe, thats exactly the kind of clarification I needed.
PS: Are you the same Observe from X3 modding!?

You are welcome.

Yes, I am one and the same Observe and you have now confirmed likewise Axeface.

as I've said before, there is no Unknown float 7 value anywhere in my files, or any files for that matter.

I'll have to try the vertex to see if that'll get rid of the all-black models.


As for Collisions, is it possible to just have collision the exact shape of the object?
And or, is it possible to create objects that players can 'enter' and 'exit' (aka, think a Tunnel that you could walk on top of, or go through).

Wait... X3 as in. X3: Reunion/TC/Albion Prelude?
If so.. Nice! Don't see many of those around here.. But still dunno who you are.

Hehe, you helped me loads on x3dmod and now it seems your helping here
Small world.
Yup X3/X3TC/X3AP SinisterDeaths. Observe is the brains behind transcend, and I did some stuff for xtc.

PS: Sorry to drag offtopic!

Its all good.

I actually want to impliment some economy stuff in my mod.

Okay, one of the things I want to do, is to remove a certain amount of collision data from say, a House in skyrim.
This house, I want to remove a 'door' collision, so that the player could enter the exterior, and go directly into the Interrior, as it stands now, I can put the interrior of the house inside the exterior, and create a door that 'teleports' you inside, eliminating the load time. (I do have a reason for doing this in my mod)

But if I could remove the 'door' collision on the exterior model, the player then could, enter a door, without a load time, and go directly into the house.

I just tried this method. (I know, its been almost a week since the initial explanation. One thing I found is, I can't change the location of the collision data, so instead of being located at 0,0,0 its up in the -45,0,-5 location. and I can't seem to move the location at all. I had to move the rest of the mesh, to encompass it, as I believe they need to share the same space. Elsewise, the importation seemed to work almost-flawlessly. Even the importation into the game seems to work perfectly. I did a simple import, andnothign fancy that is. now the real problem is this. I can't seem to re-direct the texture for the 'vanila' file to a 'new' texture for the 'new' mesh.

Well I got the new texture in finally, hoewver it seemed like '1' texture wouldn't change at all...

I exported http://www.mediafire.com/?e8aezr4xp78pazl from 3DS max with a Skin Wrap but its not visible in the CK at all...since this thread is similar to my issue I was curious if anyone might be able to help me get it working as well?

I tried skinning a http://i.imgur.com/UhSUh.jpg and it works fine. But this one is giving me hell =/.

Is there something I'm doing wrong? Do I not have the right files?