freddagg

Thanks, yes that would explain it. So I make the assumption I do this in the Outfit Studio? Looks like I need to find a manual or tutorial for this thing.

Along the same lines as this, how do you get armor and clothes to even show up as an item to select in the group manager. Mine shows a handfull of items but no where near the amount of available items. Being a new user to bodyslide, how do I get these "missing" items into the list?

Yep, that worked ok but still Mod Organiser takes over anything I do. After a lot of trials (an entire day), nothing I did made the alterations in the game data folder work so it looks as though MO does not even look at stuff (meshes/textures) in the data folder. Have decided to install the mods I want directly into the game so I can work with them, remove them from MO and just use MO to test new mods. MO is really very good however it is a pain in the butt when it comes to taking bits of some mods you want to alter and some you want to keep as is and some bits you don't want at all. Much easier to rename a folders to prevent overwrite than to work in MO's data file system. Now working directly in the game data structure. Thanks for all the input.

These look really good. 3d Printed?

I have just run a few tests and got some advice from the mods forum. If Max is anything like Blender, it will be looking for the texture as defined by the Nif file in the BSlightingShaderProperty(s). I know Blender will not open those textures when you use the import utility, you need to go find them manually and make that the "material" that is imaged onto the UV layout "unless" the textures already reside in the correct game path as required by the nif file.

Thanks IsharaMeradin, Yes it can get meshes from inside MO's structure but textures will not show in NifScope because the BSlightingShaderProperty in the nif file is not looking for textures inside MO's data structure, it is looking at the original game path. I could duplicate the game path elswhere and unpack the BSA textures into that and set it as an alternative directory in NifScope. Haven't tried that yet - might work.

Thanks everyone, I will do some trials. Why would anyone want to use the data folder? Nifscope wants to use it for one thing so do my 3d cad programs. I want some things to be fixed in place "unable" to be changed. I will work on these ideas.

Not sure if this is the right place to post but here goes. I have done a lot of reading and understand how MO works but not finding the specific answer I want. I would have thought that if I put files into the Steam....Data/ <folders> as created by the original install, such files would take priority over any that may also exist in Mod Organiser. Is this correct? Is this always the case? Do I also need to remove any reference to these same files or textures from Mod Organisers file system or do I need to create another mod last in the mod order to ensure the meshes and textures I particularly want are used? Any clarification on this subject would be appreciated.

@redrakiton - that is a handy little tool. Thanks for that. Could have done with that a few months ago. @skybroom Yes, Mod Organiser will cause you some issues, not so much with the creating of what you are doing but maybe with it's implementation. I am finding issues right now and I am still working through the extent of how it interacts with the original skyrim ...data/meshes or textures directories. My thought was that these directories in the skyrim system would take priority over Mod Organiser but it does not seem to be totally correct. Still working on this one. I am running out of time as I have another project I need to finish so will make another post on this subject, you may wish to follow it.

The settings look to be ok. So, does the mesh come into Max ok? I am thinking that if you have all the mesh and it looks ok then you might just need to tell 3dsMax where to find the texture file.

QED - then you have finally provided the answer that will give the rest of us (if indeed there are any of us left following this thread) a guide as to how to solve your issues. You are using an x64 (or 64bit if you as others prefer to call it) computer system. Please don't be offended but God it took a long time to get that answer out of you. Such a simple thing to ask yet such a long time in specific reply. All you had to do was tell us your operating system right from the begining and the previous two pages of user posts would have beem quite different I am sure. Ok, so now that we know this, where EXACTLY (oh yes, you do now need to be specific) is the issue?

Please confirm your operating system, this will help me a lot more. The easiest way to find out in Windows without going through any detail is just to look at the folder names on your C drive, if you see "program files" AND "program files (x86)" then you have a 64bit PC for sure. You would not normally see any reference to x64 anywhere on your PC if you were using an older 32bit PC or laptop.

Ok, so after some further reading, yes - there may be some issues with 3dsMax and 32bit plugins. My first post may be correct after all. You may well need to install a 32bit version of 3dsMax to get everyting to work. WE NEED A 3dsMAX USER TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS HERE - pretty please.

for Skybroom, Ok, I just checked the Autodesk forums. I suspect I may have found your posts but I maybe wrong and I am also going to "read between the lines" here. I need to know a few things to be able to help... how old is you computer? 64bit laptops and PC's have been the norm for a long time now. what is your operating system? XP, Win8, Win10 (if indeed you run Windows).Like I said, I could be wrong and this may sound silly but your post on 25th did not make sense in that you must have downloaded the 64bit version of 3dMax as the 32 bit version has not been available to "students" since 2013. Yet you say that it runs, just that having trouble with UV mapping and rendering of texture (.DDS files) Redrakiton125 is totally correct. 64bit programs will not run on 32bit systems and also very correct that 32bit programs (or plugins) will / should run on a 64bit machine so I can only conclude that you have a 64bit PC/Laptop and the problem you are experiencing is getting the 64bit 3dsMax to recognise the 32bit skyrim plugins / textures etc? Could this be correct (anyone please comment)?

Not too much of an issue. Just check on the autodesk forum that your licence can be transferred to the 32bit version and download and install that one from Autodesk. Oops, forget that comment. I just re-read the prior post. This may not solve your problem (as far as I can understand) version 9 is the last of the 3dMax 32bit programs. I will do some research for you.

Wow, this thread is getting a bit heated, lots of points, some I agree, some I don't but this thread has little to do with what I agree with or not. Yesterday I watched a You Tube on "Tropical Skyrim" - and the reason I am chiming in here at this point. Lore friendly or not, effective armor or not, realistic or not - I don't care! The player decides what he/she wants. However, in the video there are all these males wearing "snow friendly" attire while all the females are in beach wear! Really! Yes, there is room to balance things that a bit so in that sense, I respect the opinion of the original poster and somewhat feel there is scope for some more modding to be done by those who would be inclined to do such.

Only you can decide what mods you want to use and that will be based on what you want to get out of the game for your own satisfaction and entertainment. However, I will comment (if I ready your post correctly) you will be a bit limited as to what you can use based on your machine and graphics ability. I started Skyrim with a hand built (powerfull at that time) XPpro machine and all was good. But over time, the mods grew with the technology and eventually I had to be a bit picky with what I installed. Overdoing it resulted in display lag and slow mouse reactions which was not amusing by any means (I got killed lots). My 10cents worth, be causious of mods with high texture resolutions, keep to the generic 1024 textures. Believe me, I have two laptops, one with a 1080p display and one with a 720p display. It is only on the 1080p laptop that textures over 1024 make any appreciable difference, and even then it is only slight. If you want to "play" with mods then my suggestion would be to use Mod Manager. It is great for just this very purpose.

The NIF file format is not very forgiving when used in Skyrim. It does not take much of an error to produce 1. Nothing at all - can't see it or use it, 2. A huge crash somewhere in the game, most often the first time you try to use see the item you modded, 3. The game will just fail to start. 4. Some simple mesh error where you see some bit of mesh with its texture bounding off into the vanishing point of the games perspective. Those are the usuals that can occur, however in saying all that there are two other things. 1. I don't think there is anyone here in this community that knows *all the fucntions within a NIF file and what they do*, 2. I have done things in a NIF file that I did not think could be possible but I did it and it worked. So, feel free to experiement away, you may teach all of us a thing or two if it works - just remember what you did so you can relate it to us. Get yourself into the Autodesk community and forums as soon as you can. You will get quite a bit of help with 3dMax from there.

Yes, it does. And yes, both it an the tutorials are out of date. If you need a bit of help from time to time, you can personal message me. I am semi retired and can spare you the time. David.

I will chime in here. I use Blender - one it's free, two it's well supported, three it's open source and anybody with the right skill set can add stuff to it. I kinda like that sort of software as it not a "closed shop, you shall pay my demanded price" sort of thing. I have both 2.49 and 2.72 versions. I have been doing as Old Hand described for many years and although tedious, it works just fine. Once you get that down pat, just need then to learn how to alter the nif files, copy/paste branches between open windows etc. But in saying that. Blender 2.72 is just way way more powerful despite the fact it doesn't work to well with Skyrim (and that is not a Blender issue). It would be nice if we could just support the developers of the NIF tools enough to make the import / export things work better and in an easier way. Many people say Blender is hard to use, however it is used in schools throughout the world. I think "hard to learn" is just a relative thing. Blender is not Windowseey or Autodeskeey in its interface and long term computer users can find it strange. The interface is designed to be flexible and extensible and in that lies the power of open source software. I use Fusion 360 as my main 3d CAD program as it is heading in a similar direction and Autodesk are really opening up to the public now with great forums and feedback and help - way better than the closed shop they used to have, however I seriously doubt they will ever support any specific games with Autodesk supplied tools - though they can currently support any generic mesh files without issue. The NIF file import / export is the common ground. That is going to be the limiter. 3d Max is good, Blender is good but they work with the mesh and that is the reason for their existance. Because Skyrim is one of the most popular and supported games on the planet, we somehow need to get more support for interfacing between the existing or new NIF files and these mainstay mesh manipulating programs. My 10 cents worth.

Thanks cdcooly, this looks good and I belive this will work for me. Willl download and install today. Cheers,

Jaxonz has a mod that prevents you from selling or dropping your "favorited" equipment. I have used it and it does work but it did break one time when I installed another mod (can't remember which). Maybe give that a try - search Nexus for it by Jaxonz as file name or author.

One other thing I have noticed. Containers are good, the interface is good, sorting etc is good but I do not seem to be able to find a tool to do what I am about to describe. Maybe this is an SKSE thing, maybe someone knows how to do this or if it has already been done. I come back from a hard days plundering carrying both my plunder and my precious equipment. It would be really nice to go up to a barrel or chest or something and have a command that allows me to "dump all" (the reverse of the command to "take all"). Then I can pull out my plunder, go do my crafting or whatever, put it where it needs to go, return to that chest or whatever and use the "take all" to get my precious rings, armor etc back again. Any thoughts?

Some background first. Good with CAD, fairly good with Nifscope etc but when it comes to what I am about to suggest I do not have such skill. I have played this game since it was released and really like it. Now I play to relax and often role-play a lot. So now I find myself sitting around a campfire with some followers and use the flying camera (~tfc~) to scout out my proposed route and terrain. What WOULD be really great, for someone who has the skill, is to have the compasss show where you are "flying" to relative to where you are now, standing or sitting so that when you return again, you can go "umm, thinks. I need to go east from here to get to what I just saw". Food for thought? I for one would use it and sure many others would also. EDIT: now in all honesty, I don't see the need to modify the existing game compass, perhaps another under it that reflects the players "flying direction"?

Search the Nexus for a mod called No More Blocky Faces. It seems to work in well any if the body mods I have ever used. Makes NPC's look better in general.