PLEASE GIVE ME FEEDBACK! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU DO AND DON'T LIKE ABOUT THESE TEXTURES!
Please keep in mind that this mod is in ALPHA status. I'm redoing the textures one by one. Check back periodically for updates.
COMPLETE Amulets and Rings Ancient Nord Weapons and Armor Blades Weapons and Armor Daedric Weapons and Armor Dwarven Weapons and Armor Ebony Weapons and Armor Elven Weapons and Armor Nord Hero Weapons Nordic Weapons and Armor Steel Plate Armor Steel Weapons and Armor Wolf Armor
IN PROGRESS Glass Weapons and Armor Orcish Weapons and Armor Silver Weapons and Scimitars
Since z929669 requested it...
How To Add Environment Mapping to Meshes
1) Open the NIF in NIFSkope. 2) Click the mesh you wish to add environment mapping to, and locate the NiTriShape in the Block List. 3) Expand the NiTriShape in Block List and expand the BSLightingShaderProperty under it as well. 4) In the Block List, click the BSLightingShaderProperty to bring up it's Block Details. 5) Under Block Details change the Skyrim Shader Type from Default to Environment Map. NOTE: If Skyrim Shader Type already has a shader type other than default, do not change it. 6) Under Block Details change Shader Flags 1 to include SLSF1_Environment Mapping. 7) Under Block Details change Environment Map Scale to 1.0. 8. Under Block Details, click the blue arrow in the Texture Set. 9) Under Block Details, expand the Textures field. NOTE: The first string under textures is the diffuse map and opacity map. The second string is the normal map and specular map (_n.dds). 10) Set the 5th string to the path and filename of the desired environment map (_e.dds), if it is not already set. NOTE: The environment maps can be found in the data/textures/cubemaps folder. 11) Set the 6th string to the path and filename of the desired environment mask (_m.dds or _em.dds), if it is not already set.
It should take less than 1 minute to do this. I did about 400 meshes in a day.
About Texturing with Environment Mapping
The diffuse map is a combination of an object's color and opacity, with opacity set in the alpha channel. Some texture artists tend to include bright spots in the diffuse map "where the light would glint off edges and stuff". This would be fine IF you do not have specular maps or environment masks. Correct practice when using environment mapping is to put those bright spots in the specular map and environment mask.
The normal map is a combination of an object's surface normal vector and specular amount, with specular set in the alpha channel. The normal map contains direction of a vector pointing out from the surface of the object, with X Y and Z direction stored in the Red Green and Blue channel respectively. There are two kinds of normal maps, one in which the XYZ is absolute (which tend to have all colors) and one in which the XYZ is an offset relative to the direction of the surface (and tend to be mostly sky blue).
The environment map is similar to what you would see in a panoramic camera shot. It contains 6 images that can be arranged on sides of a cube such that if you were sitting in the exact center of the cube, it would look as if you were sitting where the camera was. In Photoshop, the first four images are the sides, the 5th image is up and the 6th image is down. The environment maps are cube maps, and working with them in photoshop requires you set the nvidia DDS plugin save mode from 2D Texture to Cube Map. You also need to enable mipmap generation for Cube Maps or they won't work in Skyrim.
The environment mask contains an objects reflectivity. The environment masks are 2D textures, and require you to set the nvidia DDS plugin save mode back to 2D Texture (if you've been working with Cube Maps). Mipmaps are not required for environment masks, but is recommended for both texture quality and VRAM usage.
When using an Environment Map Scale of 1.0 in the BSLightingShaderProperty, you can use the following as a guideline for making or editing textures:
Medium diffuse, zero env mask, zero to low specular for cloth. Low to medium diffuse, zero env mask, low specular for leather. Low to medium diffuse, zero env, medium specular for stone. Medium diffuse, low to medium env, zero to low specular for gems and glass. Low diffuse, low env, low to medium specular for dull metals. Low diffuse, medium env, low to medium specular for bright metals.
I HIGHLY recommend not using any value less than #202020 on a diffuse map unless you don't intend it to be visible at all, and not using a value over #808080 unless you intend it to be brilliant white at all times. Using a value over #808080 in the environment mask will make environment mapping overly bright in dark caves, resulting in the material looking like it glows.
Might also want to mention the amount of gloss on a mesh will alter how it looks with an environment map. Took me some fiddling to find why it didn't shine properly when I tried to add maps to my own meshes and it was the gloss setting. Changing that fixed it.
Nothing is more awesome than a knowledgeable mod author who writes tutorials that explains simply how to add awesome and complex effects to the game, what to use where, and why. You sir, you rule for this. I wish I could do more than just endorse this. Hell, I wish every armor and weapon mod out there would apply these concepts. Again, thanks. Between your shiny effects and the refraction & transparency effects that skysan4298 has released, Skyrim armor and weapons look absolutely wonderful. Honestly, if the game engine supports this stuff, I just don't understand why Bethesda didn't implement them from the start.
Edit - After thinking about this for a second, it occurred to me that if we could add your edits into the new Bodyslide 2 Outfit Studio, we could end up with a great many mods out that include "the Shiny". I'm not sure if you'd consider submitting your work to the Bodyslide group, but I'd like to ask you to give it some thought.
Sadly, it's not compatible with WRP. However, I've done a decent job redoing the textures...give it a try and see if you like it. I'm less focused on texture detail and more focused on making weapons and armor look realistic.
Excellent mod, if you are planning on implementing compatibility patches I'd highly recommend shooting for mods like the Immersive Armors and Weapons mods as they add a great deal of diversity to the game already and many modders use them! TY for the great work!
Any video tutorial for the "About Texturing with Environment Mapping" part? Edit: I did not understand few things about what we have to do for the textures so they can be as they are now in game.
1) You sayed something about a value for the Diffuse map, how and where can i find this value to set in at #202020?
2) How did you changed the textures so dark, for example the steel plate: http://orig11.deviantart.net/3e47/f/2015/114/5/1/how__by_haldir307-d8quvo9.jpg
1) I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but the diffuse map is the colors in the texture. The color #202020 would be equal to 32 red, 32 green, 32 blue.
2) I edited them in photoshop to make them darker.
3) Things with environment mapping will be brighter than normal, so you need to give them darker textures to compensate.
would you be willing to do a shiny version of iron instead of a dulled version? I would love that that's the only feedback I can think of if your willing everything is great otherwise!
Are the permissions to port this mod to Xbox? I am aware that it has been ported before as well as a screenshot of permissions from you but since 8 l cannot find anything personally I just wanted to see and confirm myself. BraccaMykar79 will be porting the mod to Xbox if you allow it. I hope you do.
BTW are the jewelry meshes just vanilla? I notice conflict with SMIM. seems if you use SMIM you lose the cube maps and if you don't you get... different meshes?
Wrong. Plenty people still play Oldrim for several reasons; 1). Many of their favorite mods are not and will never be available on SE, 2). Their computers will not run SE, and they can't afford to upgrade just to play a video game, 3). SE was nothing more than an excuse to introduce paid mods despite the backlash from the community, and they choose to stick with LE on principle, 4). LE is nowhere near as unstable and unplayable as SE proponents try to claim it is (if it were, it wouldn't have been one of the most successful games of all time years before SE was released).
I installed this for SSE, and optimized the .nif files. Texture seems to be working alright, but for some reason my armors aren't shiny. They're darker than what they're supposed to look. Anyone had this problem? Help!
I did this as well (for personal use) and ran it through CAO. I've only looked at the Steel Plate in game so far but it's stunning! Not too (much) shiny but still very noticeable.
these packs seem to cause a problem in vortex, in that they constantly conflict with one another. mostly the cubemaps. also, just as a side note, any possibilities of having an all-in-one pack rather than having to download each pack for every material?
Confirmed, and seconded. Great retex, but a PITA to manage because each subsequent install takes an exponential time to resolve conflicts with each other, and each separate download adds more and more time to how long it takes for Vortex to deploy when enabling/disabling/uninstalling mods.
361 comments
Please keep in mind that this mod is in ALPHA status. I'm redoing the textures one by one. Check back periodically for updates.
COMPLETE
Amulets and Rings
Ancient Nord Weapons and Armor
Blades Weapons and Armor
Daedric Weapons and Armor
Dwarven Weapons and Armor
Ebony Weapons and Armor
Elven Weapons and Armor
Nord Hero Weapons
Nordic Weapons and Armor
Steel Plate Armor
Steel Weapons and Armor
Wolf Armor
IN PROGRESS
Glass Weapons and Armor
Orcish Weapons and Armor
Silver Weapons and Scimitars
Since z929669 requested it...
How To Add Environment Mapping to Meshes
1) Open the NIF in NIFSkope.
2) Click the mesh you wish to add environment mapping to, and locate the NiTriShape in the Block List.
3) Expand the NiTriShape in Block List and expand the BSLightingShaderProperty under it as well.
4) In the Block List, click the BSLightingShaderProperty to bring up it's Block Details.
5) Under Block Details change the Skyrim Shader Type from Default to Environment Map.
NOTE: If Skyrim Shader Type already has a shader type other than default, do not change it.
6) Under Block Details change Shader Flags 1 to include SLSF1_Environment Mapping.
7) Under Block Details change Environment Map Scale to 1.0.
8. Under Block Details, click the blue arrow in the Texture Set.
9) Under Block Details, expand the Textures field.
NOTE: The first string under textures is the diffuse map and opacity map. The second string is the normal map and specular map (_n.dds).
10) Set the 5th string to the path and filename of the desired environment map (_e.dds), if it is not already set.
NOTE: The environment maps can be found in the data/textures/cubemaps folder.
11) Set the 6th string to the path and filename of the desired environment mask (_m.dds or _em.dds), if it is not already set.
It should take less than 1 minute to do this. I did about 400 meshes in a day.
About Texturing with Environment Mapping
The diffuse map is a combination of an object's color and opacity, with opacity set in the alpha channel. Some texture artists tend to include bright spots in the diffuse map "where the light would glint off edges and stuff". This would be fine IF you do not have specular maps or environment masks. Correct practice when using environment mapping is to put those bright spots in the specular map and environment mask.
The normal map is a combination of an object's surface normal vector and specular amount, with specular set in the alpha channel. The normal map contains direction of a vector pointing out from the surface of the object, with X Y and Z direction stored in the Red Green and Blue channel respectively. There are two kinds of normal maps, one in which the XYZ is absolute (which tend to have all colors) and one in which the XYZ is an offset relative to the direction of the surface (and tend to be mostly sky blue).
The environment map is similar to what you would see in a panoramic camera shot. It contains 6 images that can be arranged on sides of a cube such that if you were sitting in the exact center of the cube, it would look as if you were sitting where the camera was. In Photoshop, the first four images are the sides, the 5th image is up and the 6th image is down. The environment maps are cube maps, and working with them in photoshop requires you set the nvidia DDS plugin save mode from 2D Texture to Cube Map. You also need to enable mipmap generation for Cube Maps or they won't work in Skyrim.
The environment mask contains an objects reflectivity. The environment masks are 2D textures, and require you to set the nvidia DDS plugin save mode back to 2D Texture (if you've been working with Cube Maps). Mipmaps are not required for environment masks, but is recommended for both texture quality and VRAM usage.
When using an Environment Map Scale of 1.0 in the BSLightingShaderProperty, you can use the following as a guideline for making or editing textures:
Medium diffuse, zero env mask, zero to low specular for cloth.
Low to medium diffuse, zero env mask, low specular for leather.
Low to medium diffuse, zero env, medium specular for stone.
Medium diffuse, low to medium env, zero to low specular for gems and glass.
Low diffuse, low env, low to medium specular for dull metals.
Low diffuse, medium env, low to medium specular for bright metals.
I HIGHLY recommend not using any value less than #202020 on a diffuse map unless you don't intend it to be visible at all, and not using a value over #808080 unless you intend it to be brilliant white at all times. Using a value over #808080 in the environment mask will make environment mapping overly bright in dark caves, resulting in the material looking like it glows.
Edit - After thinking about this for a second, it occurred to me that if we could add your edits into the new Bodyslide 2 Outfit Studio, we could end up with a great many mods out that include "the Shiny". I'm not sure if you'd consider submitting your work to the Bodyslide group, but I'd like to ask you to give it some thought.
Edit:
I did not understand few things about what we have to do for the textures so they can be as they are now in game.
1) You sayed something about a value for the Diffuse map, how and where can i find this value to set in at #202020?
2) How did you changed the textures so dark, for example the steel plate:
http://orig11.deviantart.net/3e47/f/2015/114/5/1/how__by_haldir307-d8quvo9.jpg
3) Must the textures be dark and why?
1) I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but the diffuse map is the colors in the texture. The color #202020 would be equal to 32 red, 32 green, 32 blue.
2) I edited them in photoshop to make them darker.
3) Things with environment mapping will be brighter than normal, so you need to give them darker textures to compensate.
Is there any chance it could be converted to Skyrim SE?
He's only darkened the sections that are affected by the environment mapping, if that's what you were wondering.
Thank you
1. Skyrealism shiny
2. Leanwolf's better shaped weapons
3. Leanwolf shiny patch
td:dr: Yes, people still play LE.
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/20199?tab=description
moron lol
also, just as a side note, any possibilities of having an all-in-one pack rather than having to download each pack for every material?