The NetImmerse Block Editor (short: NIBLE) is a tool to edit *.nif 3d-meshfiles as used by the CRPG TES3: Morrowind by Bethesda Softworks. The NIBLE analyses the block structure of the files (hence the name Block Editor) and allows to edit some properties of identified data blocks.

See some of the features at work on the Tutorial Page.

Please also visit the Dokumentation Wiki!

Caution: This tool is still in a very early state of developement and is provided as is, with no warrenty of any kind. Always use copies of your data when using NIBLE.

Download Release Build V04: 205 KB. This is no longer recommended! have a look at the Daily Builds instead!!
The newest working editions of the upcoming release Version - the V05 DBs - are the first editions which offer basic Oblivion functionality as well as lots of new stuff for Morrowind. Find them here: Daily Builds

Suggestions and bug reports may be sent to garak@code-garak.de . Please note that the tool is primaly intended to aid the team of the PlanetMorrowindModders in their effort to create the total conversion Tales of Naour - Rebirth of the Shadow God, so while feature requests are welcome, i can't promise to find the time.

Homepage of this tool is www.pmm-projects.de. Feel free to offer it on other sites, but keep this readme file included.This is freeware with no commercial intention at all.

Installation

No Installation required. The program may ask for the installation of an updated Java Virtual Machine.

Usage

The structure of loaded NIF-files is displayed in a hierarchical tree view. Select blocks in the tree to view and, if fitting for that particular kind of block, edit details. Additional functions concerning the whole file can be accessed in the Tools Menu.

Please note: there are no standard warnings included yet, so be carefull what button you might press.

Editable block properties:

• Scale of nodes and trishapes. You can't edit the scale of the topmost node, since Morrowind will overwrite that value. Use the "! wrap for scaling"-tool instead.
• None-uniform scaling and mirroring of mesh data
• X, Y and Z positions of nodes and trishapes. Same restriction to topmost node as above. Caution: all coordinates are in the local system of that node!
• Rotation of NiNodes and Trishapes - guess what? - no editing of the topmost Node. Surprise!
• Creatures Bounding Box- dimensions can be altered
• Nodes can be hidden. This is an easy way to remove parts that are not needed from a mesh. Because the hidden parts are only disabeled, but still in memory, it's not yet cleared how much impact on performance is caused by hidden mesh parts.
• Nodes can be converted to RootColisionNodes, which allows to have partly colliding models
• Nodes can be converted to Billboard Nodes which automatically face the camera
• Filenames of textures linked in NiSourceTexture-blocks
• Coloring, shinyness and opacity of material blocks. Note that opacity only takes effect if the material in question has a NiAlphaProperty which is set to an 8 bit Alpha type. Shinyness and hence specular color seems to be not implemented by Bethesda, it's only displayed in the SceneImmerse viewer.
• Vertex colors can be removed or tinted
• Transparency can be added and the calculation method of it can be changed.
• You can add glow textures
• If some trishapes in the mesh share the same texture reference, a separate new reference can be inserted.
• Particle lifetime, emission rate and speed, grow/fade and Gravity behaviour can be changed

Included tools:

Attention: ! marks tools that have a good chance of destroying the file structure if unidentified blocks are around.

• ! Merge any Nif File to any NiNode or NiBsAnimationNode
• Strip texture paths: Remove path information and trailing zeros from mesh files generated by the Milkshape exporter done by the NIFLA ( http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/NIFLA/ )
• ! wrap for scaling: Creates a base NiNode embracing the current file. Allows to scale the whole model since Morrowind will overwrite the Scaling of the new base node and leaves the scaling of the old base effective.
• Texture Manager - well, the first bit of a simpler Interface - lists all textures in the file and allows to edit the filelinks and browse for others.

Known Issues:

• wrapping a file will nullify the collision information (defaults to colision active) - fix will be implemented in one of the next editions
• Nible might display an empty window if the graphic card drivers are set to force antialiasing

Version History

V0.4

Added features:

• merging of files to any NiNode or NiBSAnimationNode
• Mirroring of Trishapes
• Reversion of vertex order (flips normals)
• Non-Uniform scaling of NiTrishapes.
• complete removal of vertex colors; change of vertex colors to equivalent grey, Tinting of vertex colors
• Edit some more particle Parameters, including NiGravity - carefull: don't allways work as expected
• Convert Nodes to Billboard Nodes which automatically face the camera