Article link: Importing / Exporting Armor in Blender

Name: Blender: Import / Export Armor
Version: 1.0
Date: 6/14/2008
Category: Tutorial
Requirements: Blender 2.46+, Blender NIF Scripts 2.3.3+, Python 2.5.2+, PyFFI 0.10.9+, Full Human Male and Female Topless ImportReady Body
Author: LHammonds
Source: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=12248

Description

This small tutorial will show you how to import a Bethesda armor model into Blender and set it up properly so it can be exported to a working NIF file ready for use in-game.

Look at each image in sequence to understand the process of importing, configuring and exporting an armor model that ships with Oblivion.

All required files can be found at the "Source" location above.


Details

35 Images in PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format.


General Steps of the Tutorial

1. Import Oblivion Steel Cuirass
2. Delete imported skeleton
3. Save and close Blender
4. Open model, import new skeleton
5. Attach skeleton (armature) to each piece of the cuirass
6. Save and export NIF


Tools Used

Blender - http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=12248
NifSkope - http://niftools.sourceforge.net/wiki/NifSkope
Paint Shop Pro - http://www.paintshoppro.com/
WindowCapture - http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=7396


Images

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
Step 10
Step 11
Step 12
Step 13
Step 14
Step 15
Step 16
Step 17
Step 18
Step 19
Step 20
Step 21
Step 22
Step 23
Step 24
Step 25
Step 26
Step 27
Step 28
Step 29
Step 30
Step 31 - Press A to select everything before Save/Export.
Step 32
Step 33
Step 34
Step 35

Noob question: When I select the skeleton in Step 17, the Links and Materials and Armature dialogs don't show up in the Panels window so I can't continue. How do I get these to show up? I assume that I have to make the skeleton the armature for the mesh, but I don't know how to do that. I have the settings correct when I import the skeleton into the scene but I'm obviously doing something wrong. Sorry for the noobish question.

Edit: Thanks for the Sept reply. Better late than never! I just figured this out myself (not having worked on it since then) and was about to edit my comment when I saw your reply. Keep up all the good work, LHammonds!

FINALLY been waiting for this for ages for someone to do it ...i know this sounded strange .

Great job again LHammonds

Cheers

Maafiaman

TheMagician, sorry for not seeing your post sooner, it does not auto-notify me of new comments.

Make sure you are in Editing mode which is F9. When you select the skeleton, you will only see the armature panel since Links and Materials do not apply.

MaafiamanYou're welcome.

LHammonds

wow Thanks a ton for this tuff

You're welcome.

If I can ever get my hands on a copy of Camtasia Studio, I will start making video tutorials...and most likely go back to these tutorials and make videos out of them too.

Oh, and before anyone thinks about pointing me to illegal / warez downloads of it, I'm only interested in legally owning it. It is $300 so I don't know how I could ever justify the cost. I supposed I would have to sell some premium text/image tutorials until I reach $300 but I wouldn't know how to start doing that. Maybe if I sell my models on TurboSquid or something like that. Who knows...might not ever get to own it. Well, if anybody bought a copy and doesn't want it anymore, feel free to send it my way. LOL.

LHammonds