GarretSidzaka
Deity
Chuggy PM'd me this. I had to add it to the tut section, coz he must have spent hours making this PM! (hope you don't mind chuggy)
Edit: this is the revised version chuggy sent me just today!
Edit: this is the revised version chuggy sent me just today!
Chugginator said:Download 3ds Max plug-ins for your version (read instructions)
This is a tutorial to help with importing/exporting nif files in 3ds Max. For an example, it's referring to the spy model, and we're removing the glasses and the backpack. You need the plug-ins above.
1. Anyway, to start of with, import the Spy_FX.nif file. I always import the FX model because I know it always works. I haven't tried the regular model. When you import the model it will come up with this screen:
Make sure that all of the appropriate boxes are checked, or unchecked like in the screenshot. Sorry about the JPEG quality of the pics, it was easiest to upload.
2. The next thing, after importing (without deselecting anything) right click on the spy model, or anywhere in one of the four view windows and select "Hide Unselected". This is what it looks like on my max screen, it could look different on your version:
This is important because it hides the bones and stuff. You don't want to export these later as Visible because they'll appear in game as faint grey lines.
3. Then select the main spy body, and go to the "Modify" panel. It should look like this:
4. Next go to "Element" under Editable Mesh, or what you prefer to use (faces, polgons etc.) If a popup comes up, click Yes:
5. Delete the faces you don't want (glasses, parts of backpack). As soon as you delete them the entire mesh will probably look blocky. This is normal and we fix it before export.
6. After you finish deleting the faces, select all the remaining faces and go to the "Modifier List" and choose "Smooth" from the list. Make sure the Smooth properties look like this:
After you finish changing the Smooth properties it should look normal. Deselect Everything.
7. Go to "Export" and make sure you export the nif file as something new, like Spy_nopack and make sure you use the CivilizationIV Nif version, not the regular Nif.
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8. The export screen needs to look like this:
That's it. Make sure the folder you export to has the Spy texture files or you can add them in later, and then open the file up in the SceneViewer. The only thing is that sometimes some of the extra objects (explosives, briefcase) may have a different rotation which can easily be fixed in the SceneViewer by comparing with the original Spy and changing the values.
I added the tutorial in my signature so other people can find it as well.
