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About this mod
A comprehensive tutorial on 3D modeling/texturing for Fallout3, featuring; FOMM, GIMP, Blender, NifSkope and the GECK
- Permissions and credits
=-=-=-=-= Update =-=-=-=
I've just uploaded the new GIMP tutorial that includes a focus on texture aging. The main tutorail (v1.1) is still the comprehensive FOMM, Blender, GIMP, Nifskope, GECK manual that walks through the entire process. The update focuses on expanding GIMP usage.
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I have been working for some weeks on a tutorial for 3D modeling, based on Artisten's and Echonite's video tutorials on modeling, texture sets and the conversion process for Fallout3. After using their tutorials to learn the basics of modeling and textures, I felt grateful and compelled to create a documented version - based on the same concepts and tools, but in Doc and PDF formats.
Most of the material comes from Artisten's Video Tutorial; "From Blender to Fallout3", which provided me many great insights into how the process works. As I got further into the tutorial, and upon realizing how important Texture Sets are to modeling for Fallout3, I added a section on them - material that I learned from Echonite's Video Tutorial on Texture Sets. This tutorial is designed to compliment thier live video work.
I tried to gear this tutorial for the beginner, and will largely be boring to advanced modders who know how to manipulate NifSkope like an old pro. However for modders who don't know how to create 3D models, textures, normal maps, glow maps, materials, collision, texture sets and the basic workings of NifSkope - this tutorial may be for you.
The document was created in PDF and Word for Windows formats, and is big - really big at 110 pages in total length, broken out across chapters on FOMM, GIMP, Blender, NifSkope and the GECK. In Word for Windows format the doucment is 36 Megabytes in size, while in PDF its down to 17 Megabytes. I used the same format that my GECK Manual on Audio Holotapes was created with in trying to keep a consistent format - the users seemed to like that one so I stuck with it.
Below is the table of contents from the document, which was designed as a flow from start (extracting an Ashtray with FOMM) and taking a new modeler through the entire process end-to-end. However users can simply jump into whichever Chapter interests you, for example to learn about Normal Maps, Texture Sets or Collision meshes:
2.Using the Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM)
2.1Extracting Models with FOMM
2.2Extracting Textures with FOMM
2.3Adding your Mod to FOMM and Fallout3
3.Creating Textures with GIMP
3.1GIMP Setup and Plug-ins
3.2Understanding Textures for Models
3.3Texture Directories and Nomenclature
3.4Creating Textures for 3D Models
3.5Scaling Textures to Size
3.6Creating Normal Maps
3.7Creating Glow Maps
3.8Creating Environment Maps
4.Creating 3D Models with Blender
4.1Blender Setup and Plug-ins
4.2Model/Mesh Directory Structures
4.3Basic Model Creation
4.4Importing Models from Fallout3
4.5Creating a Collision Mesh
4.6Working with UV Maps
4.6.1How UV Maps Work
4.6.2Preparing Blender for UV Mapping
4.6.3Methods of Creating UV Maps
4.6.4Creating A Basic UV Map
4.6.5Creating Textures from UV Maps
5.Converting 3D Models with Blender
5.1Working with Materials
5.2Exporting Models in NIF format
6.Converting 3D Models with NifSkope
6.1Why NifSkope?
6.2NifSkope Setup and Plug-ins
6.3Preparing NifSkope
6.4Model Conversion
6.5UV and Normal Map Conversion
6.6Glow Map Conversion
6.7Collision Conversion
7.Adding Models and Textures to the GECK
7.1GECK Setup and Installation
7.2Creating a Mod File
7.3Adding 3D Models into the GECK
7.4Adding Texture Sets into the GECK
7.5Adding Texture Sets to Models
7.6Adding Objects to the Fallout3 World
8.Results and Credits
I am 100% certain that there will be some bugs in the document, and I would Greatly appreciate a PM here on the forums if you find some. I am not an expert modeler, but I can say that I have used this same process dozens of times now in building models for my own mod. It is a fact that there are many different tools and methods to build 3D Models, textures and using NifSkope to convert them into a Fallout3-friendly format - and there may be easier ways to accomplish some of the parts of this process. I will do all I can to keep it updated and current with the times, and again would greatly appreciate all feedback.
If you end up liking the tutorial (or disliking it), feel free to rate it!
Cheers,
Miax
I've just uploaded the new GIMP tutorial that includes a focus on texture aging. The main tutorail (v1.1) is still the comprehensive FOMM, Blender, GIMP, Nifskope, GECK manual that walks through the entire process. The update focuses on expanding GIMP usage.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I have been working for some weeks on a tutorial for 3D modeling, based on Artisten's and Echonite's video tutorials on modeling, texture sets and the conversion process for Fallout3. After using their tutorials to learn the basics of modeling and textures, I felt grateful and compelled to create a documented version - based on the same concepts and tools, but in Doc and PDF formats.
Most of the material comes from Artisten's Video Tutorial; "From Blender to Fallout3", which provided me many great insights into how the process works. As I got further into the tutorial, and upon realizing how important Texture Sets are to modeling for Fallout3, I added a section on them - material that I learned from Echonite's Video Tutorial on Texture Sets. This tutorial is designed to compliment thier live video work.
I tried to gear this tutorial for the beginner, and will largely be boring to advanced modders who know how to manipulate NifSkope like an old pro. However for modders who don't know how to create 3D models, textures, normal maps, glow maps, materials, collision, texture sets and the basic workings of NifSkope - this tutorial may be for you.
The document was created in PDF and Word for Windows formats, and is big - really big at 110 pages in total length, broken out across chapters on FOMM, GIMP, Blender, NifSkope and the GECK. In Word for Windows format the doucment is 36 Megabytes in size, while in PDF its down to 17 Megabytes. I used the same format that my GECK Manual on Audio Holotapes was created with in trying to keep a consistent format - the users seemed to like that one so I stuck with it.
Below is the table of contents from the document, which was designed as a flow from start (extracting an Ashtray with FOMM) and taking a new modeler through the entire process end-to-end. However users can simply jump into whichever Chapter interests you, for example to learn about Normal Maps, Texture Sets or Collision meshes:
2.Using the Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM)
2.1Extracting Models with FOMM
2.2Extracting Textures with FOMM
2.3Adding your Mod to FOMM and Fallout3
3.Creating Textures with GIMP
3.1GIMP Setup and Plug-ins
3.2Understanding Textures for Models
3.3Texture Directories and Nomenclature
3.4Creating Textures for 3D Models
3.5Scaling Textures to Size
3.6Creating Normal Maps
3.7Creating Glow Maps
3.8Creating Environment Maps
4.Creating 3D Models with Blender
4.1Blender Setup and Plug-ins
4.2Model/Mesh Directory Structures
4.3Basic Model Creation
4.4Importing Models from Fallout3
4.5Creating a Collision Mesh
4.6Working with UV Maps
4.6.1How UV Maps Work
4.6.2Preparing Blender for UV Mapping
4.6.3Methods of Creating UV Maps
4.6.4Creating A Basic UV Map
4.6.5Creating Textures from UV Maps
5.Converting 3D Models with Blender
5.1Working with Materials
5.2Exporting Models in NIF format
6.Converting 3D Models with NifSkope
6.1Why NifSkope?
6.2NifSkope Setup and Plug-ins
6.3Preparing NifSkope
6.4Model Conversion
6.5UV and Normal Map Conversion
6.6Glow Map Conversion
6.7Collision Conversion
7.Adding Models and Textures to the GECK
7.1GECK Setup and Installation
7.2Creating a Mod File
7.3Adding 3D Models into the GECK
7.4Adding Texture Sets into the GECK
7.5Adding Texture Sets to Models
7.6Adding Objects to the Fallout3 World
8.Results and Credits
I am 100% certain that there will be some bugs in the document, and I would Greatly appreciate a PM here on the forums if you find some. I am not an expert modeler, but I can say that I have used this same process dozens of times now in building models for my own mod. It is a fact that there are many different tools and methods to build 3D Models, textures and using NifSkope to convert them into a Fallout3-friendly format - and there may be easier ways to accomplish some of the parts of this process. I will do all I can to keep it updated and current with the times, and again would greatly appreciate all feedback.
If you end up liking the tutorial (or disliking it), feel free to rate it!
Cheers,
Miax