So to teach myself how to import not just static objects, but stuff with bones, skin, and small animations I decided to create a fish that swims around. Well, perhaps 'create' is too strong a word, since I just edited a salmon to accommodate more the shape of a tuna. Exciting stuff, I know.

But anyways, the file I used as a base was fxambwatersalmon01a and was easy enough to properly skin and get it to swim around like it should with no weird stretching and so on. Most importantly, the bones are where they should, as seen here: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd141/SachioD/1-1.jpg

Here's a screen of what settings I used to export as a .nif: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd141/SachioD/2.jpg

Yet mysteriously in NifSkope most of the bones decided to rearrange themselves, though the animation and 'new' mesh ported over correctly: http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd141/SachioD/3.jpg

It's probably something small, but what am I missing to get the bones to follow the correct hierarchy like it is in 3DS? I know that there has to be a few people out there in the know, since there are released mods with custom creatures and armor already.

...plz say I'm not stuck reassigning all the NiNodes one-by-one.

Help?

Do you think this could be a NifSkope problem?

Don't think so. I mean, I've seen released mods that seem to add new armor, not just retextures, as well as new creatures, so I know I'm not exactly entering uncharted territory and there are at least a few people out there that know how to get new meshes with bones into the game.