Exporting and Importing Textures

[Tufty94]

Is there a way to import and export existing textures using the creation kit? I want to customise the texture for the Nightingale armour set and I can't find a way to do it.

[peacemon]

I think you can't export textures with CK. You need a Skyrim-compatible BSA unpacker (like BSAopt) to extract .dds images, then either a .dds converter or a .dds plugin for your image editing software (I use GIMP and the gimp-dds plugin) to load and save textures in the .dds format.

Once you have your new textures in the .dds format, importing is quite easy with CK. Wherever you try to assign a texture to something, you're prompted to select a .dds file in a file browser.

If you want to just generally replace an existing texture with yours, just make sure it has the same filename and is saved in the same directory tree, and just add it to the archive when uploading your mod (you'll be asked if you wish to).

[Tufty94]

I did everything as you said, except I used Photoshop instead, but when I try to pack all of the files back into a .BSA this happens:

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/52...2D98775AEC2B7/

Is this a common error?

[mcgrewgs]

Originally Posted by peacemon

I think you can't export textures with CK. You need a Skyrim-compatible BSA unpacker (like BSAopt) to extract .dds images, then either a .dds converter or a .dds plugin for your image editing software (I use GIMP and the gimp-dds plugin) to load and save textures in the .dds format.

Once you have your new textures in the .dds format, importing is quite easy with CK. Wherever you try to assign a texture to something, you're prompted to select a .dds file in a file browser.

If you want to just generally replace an existing texture with yours, just make sure it has the same filename and is saved in the same directory tree, and just add it to the archive when uploading your mod (you'll be asked if you wish to).

I'm having trouble importing the texture after I edit it... I only get asked for a .nif file, not a .dds file... help please?

[berdie102]

I just figured this out today. To replace a texture, create a file called Textures in your Skyrim data file (the same data file that contains the .bsa's(there is no good way to spell/punctuate that, ugh).) Inside your new Texture file, recreate the path that, within the texture bsa leads to the original texture that you want to replace. So if you have a new texture for what is textures\armor\nightingale\m\nightingalearmorboots m.dds inside the .bsa then you want your replacement texture to have the exact same filepath, but it doesn't have to be in the .bsa. Skyrim will look in the regular Texture file for textures before it looks in the .bsa, so your new texture will be used instead of the original one. Also the original one is still there and not messed with, which is a good thing.

I have still not figured out how to get new textures into the .bsa, which I do want to do. I have recolored the mead texture white, so it can be a bottle of milk. So now my new item , milk, that I made, is white, but so is all the ale and nord mead. If anyone knows how to give the new object its very own .dds rather than having to keep sharing, I'd be grateful.

[Breton Warrior]

Originally Posted by berdie102

I have still not figured out how to get new textures into the .bsa, which I do want to do. I have recolored the mead texture white, so it can be a bottle of milk. So now my new item , milk, that I made, is white, but so is all the ale and nord mead. If anyone knows how to give the new object its very own .dds rather than having to keep sharing, I'd be grateful.

To use your 'Milk' as a seperate item you need to make a copy of the 'Ale' in the CK and call it milk, that is the easy bit.

The Ale DDS will be linked to the bottle mesh so you need to unpack the Meshes BSA copy that Mesh and give it a custom name. Then you create the same folder file path in a Meshes Folder just as you did with your Milk DDS.

Almost there, then you need NifScope to link the Milk.dds to the new Milk Mesh, that is quite easy you just find the original link lines to "Ale" and change it to your "Milk".

Then rush back into the CK and tell your Milk to use the Milk Mesh (Model) which is of course linked to your new Milk.dds. Then the real fun bit, placing them all around the game world where you would like to see them, that takes more time than the rest.

Not too hard, He He, actually it sounds a lot but after a few times it does become very straight forward.

[berdie102]

Thanks, Breton Warrior! I did some research this morning that was productive, and then saw your reply. Between the two, I think I can do this now. Looks like I need the newer version of NifScope, though, because the one I have won't open Skyrim files.

[fryerlawrence]

Originally Posted by peacemon

I think you can't export textures with CK. You need a Skyrim-compatible BSA unpacker (like BSAopt) to extract .dds images, then either a .dds converter or a .dds plugin for your image editing software (I use GIMP and the gimp-dds plugin) to load and save textures in the .dds format.

Once you have your new textures in the .dds format, importing is quite easy with CK. Wherever you try to assign a texture to something, you're prompted to select a .dds file in a file browser.

If you want to just generally replace an existing texture with yours, just make sure it has the same filename and is saved in the same directory tree, and just add it to the archive when uploading your mod (you'll be asked if you wish to).

I am under a very steep learning curve here. (Never ever used an texture editor before) I am actually trying to work this for MS Flight, however I think the application would be the same for my question:

Q:

1. I have downloaded GIMP and the GIMP DDS plugin. However, all I am getting is gray squares. I can see the plane in the background...however it is not crystal clear. It's like someone put a gray like transparent shield in front of it.

2. Did I install it right?

3. Is it just a setting under "View" or something? I have tried messing with a couple of different things and cannot get it to change.

Any help will be appreciated.

UPDATE: I have also downloaded and tried paint.net's thing and I get the same thing.

Thanks,
fryer

[fryerlawrence]

Originally Posted by fryerlawrence

I am under a very steep learning curve here. (Never ever used an texture editor before) I am actually trying to work this for MS Flight, however I think the application would be the same for my question:

Q:

1. I have downloaded GIMP and the GIMP DDS plugin. However, all I am getting is gray squares. I can see the plane in the background...however it is not crystal clear. It's like someone put a gray like transparent shield in front of it.

2. Did I install it right?

3. Is it just a setting under "View" or something? I have tried messing with a couple of different things and cannot get it to change.

Any help will be appreciated.

UPDATE: I have also downloaded and tried paint.net's thing and I get the same thing.

Thanks,
fryer

Update 03/30/2013: Solved my own problem:

I found out that I needed to export the Output Format file as a .psd file and that fixed the problem.

Now I can see and edit the plane using gimp 2.8

All the best,
-fryer

[peacemon]

Oops, no that never happened to me. No idea what went wrong, sorry.

[Breton Warrior]

Yes the belief that the CK can do everything you need has caught a number of people out, BTW I have a current NifScope that does open Skyrim Meshes?

I've got 1.1.0 rc6, BTW did you leave the previous version on your PC? as you may be accidentaly opening the older one, thats what happen to me, He He

I did have troube unpacking the Zip, well TBH it would not unpack at all? so I just opened the archive (Zip) to look at it and then dragged the folder out onto the desktop, not the way to normally get stuff out of a Zip but it works. Anyway I've just done that with this RC6 and it opened the Meshes I have already unpacked from the Skyrim Mesh BSA? But I have not tried using it to change anything as yet, TBH I have not found a texture that I feel really needs changing so far and the Mods I do use only enhance the basic game and add those little missing things from Oblivion and Morrowind.

So have fun trying it, as I said before once you have done it a few times it does become very straight forward. Ah one last thing, some Models/Meshes can use more than one texture, so once you find how to identify the lines for the textures (BSShader) make sure you check for them all. Generally you do not need to change something like this example_n.dds as those are the bump/normal maps, same goes for any other DDS that has an extra letter as they would all be extra's for glow or lighting that type of thing.

[berdie102]

Have proper Nifskope now. Good Lord, that was easy. I am no idiot, but this stuff is sure making me feel like one. Thanks again for your help, BW.

[berdie102]

Yay! Milk in game is white now, mead is orange, all is right with the world. It only took a few minutes, not hard to figure out with Nifskope working properly.

[Breton Warrior]

Originally Posted by berdie102

Yay! Milk in game is white now, mead is orange, all is right with the world. It only took a few minutes, not hard to figure out with Nifskope working properly.

Magic well done, see I said it was not that hard once you start getting into it, now you are all set to put almost any customized Vanilla you like into the game. Great Fun isn't it.