How to fix the "Grey Face" NPC issue in esm files

[ViolentNed]

I've just tried this fix and it worked for me. I've been angry about the grey faced npc's since I started making house mods, now I've found a solution.

 

Here's what I did:

 

Step 1: I created a mod with an NPC in my custom house.

Step 2: I used TESVSnip to convert the house mod "esp" (plugin file) to an "esm" (master file)

Step 3: Open the new "Master" file (esm) in the Creation Kit.

Step 4: Use the same method that's been used by everyone for esp fix. Select the "ACTOR" selection from the Object Window in CK, type in your NPC's ID (in my mod I have multiple NPC's so I use the same initials at the beginning of each one, in this case mine is "MH" so I search for my npc's by typing in MH.

Step 5: Click to highlight your NPC (hold "CTRL" when selecting each one, to select multiple npc's) then hold CTRL and press F4

 

This process will generate the "FaceGenData" for the ESM specifically, since the face data doesnt convert along with the rest of the files from the ESP.

So, after generating the face data from the ESM, I have now created new files in my Skyrim directory.

File path is as follows: Steam/SteamApps/common/skyrim/Data/Textures/Actors/Character/FaceGenData/FaceTint/"CellName"

Steam/SteamApps/common/skyrim/Data/meshes/Actors/Character/FaceGenData/FaceTint/"CellName"

(This process has added a new folder with the name of the CELL the NPC is located in, as a directory to read the face appearance textures and meshes from)

 

I'm not sure if adding the generated face data to a package file for downloading will work or not, havent tried or tested.

It might be easier for each user to open each file containing a grey faced npc with ck and just generate the data themselves, easy to do and doesnt take long at all. Besides, I don't know if each generated face files have the same "ID" or if it's different for each user.

 

 

Hope this helps anyone that had this issue.

Edited March 23, 2012 by ViolentNed

[phearme]

I'm not sure if adding the generated face data to a package file for downloading will work or not, havent tried or tested.

It might be easier for each user to open each file containing a grey faced npc with ck and just generate the data themselves, easy to do and doesnt take long at all. Besides, I don't know if each generated face files have the same "ID" or if it's different for each user.

 

 

Yes packaging the FaceGen textures and meshes into an archive for downloading works. I tested this today. After creating the zip file I would upload, I deleted every file associated with the mod. Then downloaded and installed my own mod with NMM. All faces were as designed intended.

 

hope this helps

 

 

EDIT: This was with ESP files. Although I have no reason to think using this technique with an ESM would be any different.

Edited March 23, 2012 by phearme

[ran4058]

Just what I needed... step by step instructions....and it works. Thanks for thaking the time, pal

[Sibastion]

I've just tried this fix and it worked for me. I've been angry about the grey faced npc's since I started making house mods, now I've found a solution.

 

Here's what I did:

 

Step 1: I created a mod with an NPC in my custom house.

Step 2: I used TESVSnip to convert the house mod "esp" (plugin file) to an "esm" (master file)

Step 3: Open the new "Master" file (esm) in the Creation Kit.

Step 4: Use the same method that's been used by everyone for esp fix. Select the "ACTOR" selection from the Object Window in CK, type in your NPC's ID (in my mod I have multiple NPC's so I use the same initials at the beginning of each one, in this case mine is "MH" so I search for my npc's by typing in MH.

Step 5: Click to highlight your NPC (hold "CTRL" when selecting each one, to select multiple npc's) then hold CTRL and press F4

 

This process will generate the "FaceGenData" for the ESM specifically, since the face data doesnt convert along with the rest of the files from the ESP.

So, after generating the face data from the ESM, I have now created new files in my Skyrim directory.

File path is as follows: Steam/SteamApps/common/skyrim/Data/Textures/Actors/Character/FaceGenData/FaceTint/"CellName"

Steam/SteamApps/common/skyrim/Data/meshes/Actors/Character/FaceGenData/FaceTint/"CellName"

(This process has added a new folder with the name of the CELL the NPC is located in, as a directory to read the face appearance textures and meshes from)

 

I'm not sure if adding the generated face data to a package file for downloading will work or not, havent tried or tested.

It might be easier for each user to open each file containing a grey faced npc with ck and just generate the data themselves, easy to do and doesnt take long at all. Besides, I don't know if each generated face files have the same "ID" or if it's different for each user.

 

 

Hope this helps anyone that had this issue.

Another way to do it is to while in game open console select target NPC then type "setnpcweight 10" or any number from 1 to 100. and there face is matched with there body but don't try this with one that has it's own .esm , it works for some with an esm but it messed one of my followers up and I had to make a new one, but this works great for newly made followers and npc's without .esm's

[ChochoFr]

@sibastion

 

Have you tried to go out and to come back from the cell or your character is, for me "setnpcweight" was only an interim solution!

[Tsewe]

so without using the ESM method, even if I do the ctrl F4 as the last operation and then save my ESP file, each time i upload it to the nexus and try that file ingame the faces are grey.

 

Isnt there no way to avoid those gray faces by uploading a mod to the nexus?

 

I don't understand what youre saying Phearme. could you please tell me what to do step by step?

[yocaher]

I just logged in just to say, THANK YOU! http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_emoticons/dark/dance.gif

[SkyrimJustice]

Help Please:

 

Long ago I tried making some followers and got the grey faced bug.

I think I deleted all the Mod files still almost all the NPCs (Vanilla NPC's) have greyfaces still.

I tried opening up the skyrim.esm and selecting all the actors and ctrl + f4 them to fix every NPC with a greyface.

It didnt work completely.

 

How do I fix it? I dont see any traces from my mod experience!

[ltknight88]

Here is a YoutubeVideo on it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOXF89QtgYM

 

I was having this problem, and I had to restart my computer, then open the creation kit and Make Sure the check box for "Is CharGen Face Preset" is Unchecked.

The box is the first one under the ID, Name, Short Name fields.

 

After you uncheck the box, then do the F4 trick and for me, it Finally worked!!

[SirDregan333]

I'm having a similar problem, with a slight difference. I'm gonna try the posted solution tonight, but for now ill share my face colour bug in hopes that it sheds some light for people experiencing this for different reasons, like me. (I'm using NPC editor rather than the CK. I'm gonna try manually replacing the femaleheads files and if that doesn't work ill download CK and give it whirl, thanks btw for the info whoever posted that).

 

Ok, basically iv created a few different mods for individual NPCs using the NPC editor (which creates mods that mod a particular NPC). Some turn out perfect in one shot, others have been... Stubborn to say the least. I'm not sure why, I have little knowledge of programing, I'm more of a mcgiver with these things, and can usually figure it out, but this ones got me stuck. There seems to be do distinction between the changes iv made between different NPCs (I didn't do anything much different with the mods, just hair, face-paint/makeup and scars (all stock, no custom hair designes or tatoos).

 

So, here's an example of 2 nearly identical mods which yielded quite opposite results. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the inner workings of the game can help clerify what I did differently.

(I'm also using Caliente body mod and couple other NPC texture mods (face, eyes, elven overhaul) with NMM but they haven't caused any problems before this and disabling them made no difference)

 

2 subjects. Muiri (Breton), Brylena Maryon (Dunmer).

 

For Muiri's mod I gave her a different hair syle (again, everything is stock, from the provided list of options, nothing made from scratch), and changed the hair colour (from dirty blonde to dark/blood red). I changed her face tattoo do a different design and colour (made it black). Then added a scar pattern.

Bing badda boom. That's it. Made the Muiri mod, plugged it in, she looks fantastic. Everything worked fine first shot. Her head and body colour match perfectly and there's no neck seem. Too easy.

 

So after that, I made a Brylena mod. The changes where nearly identical. New hairstyle and colour (different than muiris but still stock, and made it bluish black). Added face paint (different pattern, black again, looks more natural, and badass), and gave her a scar pattern of her own as well.

Made the Brylena mod, plugged it in, OH GOD! What's wrong with ur face?! Her hair style changed to what i picked, but the colour didn't change. She had the scars, but no face paint, and her entire face/skin on her head was a flat light brown, like clay. With a very distinct neck seam. She looks like a creepy living statue.

 

Im gonna try manually replacing the femalehead files with ones from the NPC face enhancing mod I have and see if it adds some colour. Any colour. If that doesn't work, im gonna go the road of Mr. Right up there and download the CK. Will let u know what happens.

Thanks again for the info.