Okay, I've been TRYING to create new 'buildings' and 'architectural' themed objects for Skyrim.
But I have a very simple, and annoying problem.
They DO NOT export (with nifscope involved) 100% correctly. Even when I DO get them working in game, theres always something 'else' going wrong, be it with textures, scale, and of course, the dreaded Collision Issue.

Have there been ANY Updates to the process of exporting from 3ds Max, to either, directly into skyrim, or a Verified, to work EVERY TIME tutorial for exporting 3d models with collision, into skyrim?

Heres an item I'd like to make
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Tyre_Triumphal_Arch.jpg
As far as I've seen, there is no real 'simple' way to accomplish this, without first, 'butchering' my 3d model, into around, 20 different parts, each with its own collision model to allow a player, to actually, walk around, through, and on top of said model.'

The Mod I'm currently workiong on, is being seriously hampered by the complete crackshoot of the exportation process, and while I know gamesas doesn't even look at these forums (Even if they claim, they don't give a crap) I just really wish, they'd give the finger to the Nif format and use something that can
1) be modded by the comminty, far more easilly (.obj?!) or
2) at least offer a possibility of 'building' our own models in the creation kit. or
3) launch a real export-pluggin for blender/3ds max/ect. They have the money, why not? They already can 'repackage' our mods if they want to anyways.

I know your pain, I really really do. I wish I had a great answer for you, but all I can do is share what I've been doing.

[img]http://media.moddb.com/images/mods/1/20/19641/MikuaVillage04.jpg[/img]

As you can see, I've got quite a few objects in game, but in truth, nothing is working 100% right. (http://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-warring-states)

First off, some tips:

• Scale problems? Ppppffft! In 3D Studio Max, set your units to generic 3DS MAX units. make everything you want interlockable in blocks of 128x128x128. Works flawlessly (As you can see by my walls that interlock without seams)
  
• Use the latest plugins. Your normals will not work by default because it will save your nif with "Num UV Sets" set to 1. Change to 4097, select your mesh, righ click and "Update Tangent Space."
  
• Always use the 'copy over BSLightSahderProperties' trick to dodge many issues
  
• For simple objects,http://www.creationkit.com/Exporting_meshes_to_Creation_Kit#Part_4._Collision.
  
• For things that need to be concave (such as your archway), you can either A) Find something shaped like it already in skyrim and import your shape-data over that objects nif, thus using its collision, or Make a series of convex hulls that form your collision, export them as their own nif (each hull as its own NiTriShape) and use Nifskope to generate a collision for each. Then assign each as collision to a corresponding part of your visual mesh. (IE if you need 3 convex hulls, make sure your model has 3 NiTriShapes, even if they do not correspond to the collision meshes. You can only have one collision mesh per trisahpe, so make placeholders (one triangle) if you need to.
  
• For many objects, simply make a primitive in CK that covers its collision. It svckS, its dumb as all hell to have to do it this way and it is going to piss you off like it does me, but it works, at least until a better solution comes around.
  
• Keep at it! It is NOT a streamlined workflow, and it will make you mad over and over, but it can be done as you can see above. Once you get a few objects working, it makes up for the stress because it is a lot of fun to make your own villages exactly how you wanted. Note that it is SUPER easy to swap out textures within the CK, so re-texture existing models as much as necessary.
  
• Final Point: If you find shortcuts or tricks for your workflow, please share them with the masses. I had to figure almost all of this out on my own.

Well, one of the 'issues' with scale is in part, because I'm going from sketchup -> 3ds max -> Skyrim.
feet -> 3ds Max units -> Skyrim Units.
I can clean up and convert all the sketchup-.obj meshes into a workable format. And I 'only' use it for architectural indevers, becuase quite simply... 3ds max svckS as an Architectural program. (Ironic considering.. you konw.. autodesk = AutoCAD. >_< (I really should get autoCAD again...Did I mention I have a degree involving architecture?)

As for my buildings, I've been making them as a single, unit. That is, interrior, exterior are the same. Aka, a more 'complex' arch so to speak.
Think of it like a Box.
You can enter the box, run around, hit the walls on the inside, walk out, and stand on top of the box.
Said box can have 'rooms' and such inside it (i'll probably do those as seperate meshes).
I'm almsot at the point wehre I'm saying 'screw it' and just want to get the 'mesh' in, and use 'navmeshes' but thats almost... even more work...

As for the convex shaping,
Are you basically saying the only real possible way is to basically 'cut' my model into 'pieces', and then 'duplicate' said pieces, and 'convext' them, so for an 'arch' as an example, I would make 'left/right sides & a top all with there own 'convext' shapes?

If so, I was afraid of that... and if thats just how the 'rest' of skyrim goes, it just seems like a very inefficient method of 'modelling' in general.

Its like when I was messing around with some of the armors...
Do you realize just how many 'faces' are unused/unseen on those armors? That have no actual purpose? Are never rendered? And aren't even relevant to collision? To me its either A) really lazy/messy 3d modeling or some kinda borked import thats 'dirtying' the files and messing up some 'data'.

In short, no. Nifskope seems to have ceased development so far as skyrim is concerned and max and blender exporters are no good. So basically the ship is dead in the water and Bethesda who sold us the ship are sitting on the shore sipping pina collada bought for by the poor svckers still in it.

Thats the blunt truth of the matter at the moment. If anyone knows if anything is being done on nifskope and so forth (and I dont mean someone did something in the last few days rather than back in March or February) please prove me entirely wrong.