How to go from GIMP to Nifskope?

[gvman3670]

I am attempting to modify a .dds specular map. I have GIMP 2.8 with the .dds plugin activated (I can open .dds files as it stands). Now how do I get them from GIMP into Nifskope so I can modify them?

I guess I am missing something obvious here.

[myuhinny]

If you are modifying the .dds file to remove pieces of a outfit all you need to do is load up the nif file then render it. In gimp the part that you delete just hit overwrite .dds file in nifskope right click the part that you are modifying then use node - add property - NiAlphaProperty  that will make what you want to remove disappear.

 

Overwrite .dds file should also do what you want for the spectacular map as well if you don't like how it looks you can undo as long as you do don't close gimp till you are happy with what you have. 

 

When you use overwrite the .dds file option under file and have it rendered in nifskope when you overwrite it that should make what you did appear in nifskope.

[gvman3670]

I am attempting to change the "glossiness" of a skin's specular map. But Nifskope can't open .dds files, thus I need GIMP. Right? My question is how do I open it in GIMP then send it to Nifskope?

I know, that must be a complete noob question, but I have to start somewhere and this seems to be the first step. And I can't see how it's done.

Do I move the .dds file somewhere else? Change it's format? What do I do to make Nifskope accept it and open it?

[myuhinny]

You don't need gimp to change glossiness. Load up the nif file click the body/thing that you want to change and look below the highlighted line on the left for BSLightingShaderProperty click the arrow to the left of it to get the drop down and change the glossiness float from from whatever it is to whatever you want it to be at. 1000.0000 is max minimum is 10 I think make sure to save as and make sure what you do to 1 nif you have to do the same thing to the other one as well or it will not change in game because skyrim uses 2 nifs per armor/outfit/body.

[gvman3670]

Yeah, I just tried that and I am not seeing any change at all. I set glossiness under BSLightingShaderProperty to 1000.00 and saved as, overwriting what was there. I did it to both the 0 and 1 nifs for hands, feet and body. No change in game, though.

I altered the mod in MO's mod folder so it should show in game. So now I don't know what to do. I even tried it on a couple armor pieces and they didn't change either.

[gvman3670]

I was under the impression I had to change the skin textures themselves. In that case I can't get the .dds files into Nifskope anyway.

[myuhinny]

You set it to 1000.00 you are missing 2 zero's on the end that might be the reason why. It needs to be 1000.0000 it is always .0000 for last 4.

[gvman3670]

Thanks, myuhinny, it was something you noted that got me to figure it out. Like a moron I didn't have exactly matching values between the 0 and 1 nifs. DERP!

Once I figured that out and realized that the body in each armor/clothing piece also needs changed then I got it hashed out.

Now to figure out how to apply a new texture to some things. Off I go to do some homework.

[pringles89]

I found the following tutorial to be pretty useful, hopefully it provides the answer you are looking for

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Creating_an_armour_for_Skyrim._Part_2

[gvman3670]

Yeah, that could come in handy for sure.

Right now I am messing around with GIMP. I actually did, on the first day of having and using the program, figure out how to add hand drawn tattoos to my body textures. Now if I could only get this layer thing to let me import pics to use as layers I'd be in business because there are lots of tattoo flash pictures on the 'net that one could use. I just can't get the layers to work like any tutorials explain and I can't figure out why. YET!

As it is, though, it wasn't very difficult to extract FSC Univision Textures, change the name of the folder, use GIMP to modify the _s.dds file, overwrite the original, zip it up then install it with Mod Organizer. Took maybe 20 or 30 minutes?