User:Qazaaq/NIF Format Notes

These are some notes I took while looking at the NIF files and info I got from others. Feel free to comment, discuss and add your own.

General

• Every NIF starts with a BSFadeNode block, very similar to NiNodes.
• All block Values strings (Value column in Block List view) are stored in a Strings array in the header and are referred to with an integer.

Textures

Location

BSFadeNode
+- NiTriStrips
   +- BSShaderPPLightingProperty
      +- BSShaderTextureSet

Notes

• BSShaderTexturesSet contains the textures (color-, normal- and glowmap) in the Textures array. Size is controlled by the Num Textures variable, this is always 6 even when the last ones aren't used.
• Texture order:

1. color map
2. normal map + specular map in alpha
3. glow map
4. parallax map
5. reflection/environment map
6. environment map mask

• Sometimes, for simple/small objects or animated textures, the old/Oblivion method is used (NiTexturingProperty + NiSourceTexture).

Collision

All collision

• Layer and Response(?) is controlled by bhkRigidBody.
• Use bhkRigidBodyT instead of bhkRididBody to apply translation to the collision shape.

Primitive collision shapes

• Hardly ever used. Convex and Mopp shapes are much more common even for shapes like boxes.

Location

BSFadeNode
+- bhkCollisionObject
   +- bhkRigidBody
      +- bhkXXXShape

Notes

• Used shapes:
  • Box
• Shape contains shape and material data.

Simple collision shapes

These are used for items.

Location

BSFadeNode
+- bhkCollisionObject
   +- bhkRigidBody
      +- bhkConvexVerticesShape

Notes

• Both shape data and material are controlled by the bhkConvexVerticesShape.

Complex collision shapes

Buildings and other large static objects.

Location

BSFadeNode
+- bhkCollisionObject
   +- bhkRigidBody
   |  +- bhkMoppBvTreeShape
   |     +- bhkPackedNiTriStripsShape
   |        +- hkPackedNiTriStripsData
   +- BSFadeNode

Notes

• Material is controlled by the bhkMoppBvTreeShape block.
• bhkPackedNiTriStripsShape and bhkPackedNiTriStripsData only contain data about the collision shape.

Uncompressed collision shapes

Used in the following NIFs:

• meshes\clutter\displaycase\displaycase.nif

Location

BSFadeNode
+- bhkCollisionObject
   +- bhkRigidBody
      +- bhkNiTriStripsShape
         +- NiTriStripsData

Notes

• NiTriStripsShape contains material data.

Other collision shapes

Location

BSFadeNode
+- bhkSPCollisionObject
   +- bhkSimpleShapePhantom
      +- bhkXXXShape

Notes

• bhkSimpleShapePhantom controls the layer:
  • OL_WATER
  • OL_TRIGGER
• last unkown float in bhkSimpleShapePhantom
  • -204.0184 in all water NIFs
  • 0.0 in all triggers