This is how I model weapons for Morrowind in MilkShape v1.7.1. These techniques also work with MilkShape v1.7.4. To get models into Morrowind, they need to be in .nif format. You have to download the .nif importer and exporter from NIFLA ( link below ) I use several programs:

• MilkShape MilkShape3D has a free month long trial, then it costs $30 to register. The current version is 1.7.4.
• .nif importer and exporter from NIFLA The files are in the FILES>BINARIES section. They are called msSNifImp.dll and msNIF4Exporter_A2.4.zip. You need to join the group to access them. They work with versions 1.7.1 and 1.7.4 of MilkShape 3D.
• LithUnWrap Useful program for making UV maps.

I also use a graphics program to make the textures. I have several, but the GIMP is a good and free one.

To begin, I find an image of a weapon. If it's needed, I straighten it up on a graphics program so that it's vertical and pointed upwards. I save the image, and in milkshape I set it as the background image in the top view. I've provided an image for you to try. Save it to your computer, and in MS right-click in the top view window and pick the image file.

So now that I have the image it, I click the vertex button and put vertices along the edges and plane breaks. If you can't see your vertices, make sure you're in wireframe mode (right-click and choose "wireframe")

Then I click the "face" button and link the vertices together. It's important to click in a counter-clockwise direction so that the faces face upwards.

An easier way of making faces: select three vertices and press "f". Just be sure to check your progress in flat-shaded mode to correct any backwards faces--they'll be black. If you have any, select them with the select-faces and press ctrl+shift+f to turn them around.

When I finish the faces, I select all (edit-select all) and then duplicate selection (edit-duplicate selection). Then under the Face menu I choose Reverse Vertex Order. Then I click the "Extrude" button, and extrude a small amount in the y axis. I find that a negative value works best. A positive value makes the surfaces inside out. I like to view extruding in the 3d view in flat-shaded mode. This way I can be sure no faces are facing the wrong way (they'd be black in flat-shaded mode).

Now I make a group out of the axe head. I select all again and click on the tab labeled "Groups" and click the "Regroup" button. This makes a group out of all the faces I've made so far. Then I click "select" to select this new group. It needs to be moved up so that it is centered on the horizontal. I go to a side view and move it up on the y axis.

An easy and accurate way to move it is to enter half the amount in the y box that I extruded it, and as a positive number. In this example, I extruded it by -2, so I'll enter 1 to move it up one unit.

To give the axe a cuttin edge, I return to the top view, and wireframe mode. I click the "select" button, and pick "vertex" as the selection mode, with "Ignore Backfaces" NOT checked. I then select a vertex on the edge of the axe, because I don't have "Ignore Backfaces" checked, the vertex behind gets selected too. I then press ctrl+n and ctrl+w to snap the vertices together and weld them. After I do this to all the vertices on the cutting edge my axe head looks like this.

Now for the shaft I use a cylinder. I click the "cylinder" button and set stack to something like 20 because I'll be scaling parts of the cylinder to shape it. I set slices to 8. Then I draw a small cylinder over the shaft in the background picture. It needs to be rotated on the x axis. I click the rotate button, but 90 in the box over the "x" and made sure it's the only button depressed, then I click the "rotate" button to the right.

To lengthen the cylinder, I click the "scale" button, and put 2 over the "z" button and click the "scale" button to the right several times until the cylinder is almost as long as the picture. I usually have to move the cylinder using the move button over the picture after scaling it. And I switch to a side view and move it to the horizontal axis so that it's in line with the axe head.

Now I have to shape the cylinder. This will be easier if I hide the axe head. I click on the tab that's labeled "Groups" , highlight the group representing the axe head and click "Hide".

To shape the cylinder, I click the "select" button, and pick "vertex" as the selection mode, with "Ignore Backfaces" NOT checked. I zoom it and select the top row of vertices of the cylinder. Then I press ctrl+n and ctrl+w. This snaps together and weld the vertices into one.

Then I move the new vertice up to the top of the axe shaft in the picture. To avoid making the cylinder crooked, I set it only to move on the z axis.

I select the next row of vertices the same way, and move them so they are just below the top vertex. This time I scale them on the x and y axes so that they match the diameter of the axe shaft at that point. I like to do it by entering 0.9 over the x and y, and click the "scale" button to the right.

You should be able to do the rest of the axe shaft now. When you're done, unhide all and check it out in 3d view.