UNP question

[Aelius28]

I've literally spent HOURS trying to figure out the female body mods, so please don't think I'm one of those people that are like "I'll just get someone to spoonfeed me help instead of researching it on my own". I've tried. I've tried and have been driven to utter frustration. I find the documentation and instructions in most of these female body mods to be atrocious, and virtually none of them provide before & after pictures. I'm hoping someone can give me simple advice.

 

Here's what I'm looking for:

 

1) I will not be playing a female character, so I only care about NPCs.

2) I would prefer a mod with relatively realistic bodies. So, preferably no breast size greater than about C, no unnatural musculature, no exaggerated curvature and proportions, no makeup if possible, etc.

3) I don't want any new skeletons, for compatibility reasons.

4) I don't really care if female bodies don't have the new mod's models when wearing clothes/armor; I doubt I'll even notice.

5) No neck seam

 

There are just so many things out there that are so confusing to me. Just to take one female body mod as an example:

 

-There's UNP's base body or skinny body (which one? no comparison screenshots ffs)

-Then there's the update file (is it needed? who knows)

-Then there's the optional head textures (better? worse? needed? who knows, no documentation and no comparison screenshots)

-Then there are pubic hair textures (needed? what happens if I don't get one of them? is there a default? who knows... no documentation)

-Then there are "PDF stacks" (what are these? who knows... no documentation or screenshots)

-Then there's the "BASE heavy body" (wtf is this?)

-Then the UNP author says to get the Bethesda HD DLC Texture Fix mod, but then you go to that page and THAT author says it's no longer needed because ANOTHER author has already done it, but the link to THAT NEXT author's mod is broken...

-Then the UNP author says that NPCs will have neck seams. ALL NPCs? When dressed or only when nude? Is there a fix for this? Why is it not visible in any screenshots? etc.

-Then there are UNP Armor conversions (what happens if I use UNP without these armor conversions? will female NPCs then be glitched? Who knows... no documentation)

-Then UNP says it's incompatible with XCE (for females only? or for males too? who knows, he doesn't say...), but when you go to the XCE mod page, the XCE author says it's compatible with any body mesh replacer (so, is it compatible or isn't it? If not, is it safe to overwrite? overwrite which way? who knows, no one says...)

[Jeir]

1. Ok.

2. Why not CBBE? Use Slim, or if that's still not realistic enough for you, use the 'CBBE Vanilla' body, or BodySlide to make a body to fit your own preferences.

3. CBBE doesn't need a new skeleton unless you want some kind of JellyBoobs mod, so no worries there.

4. The CBBE mod author has made most of the game's outfits CBBE and BodySlide compatible, so make a preset, select it, and click the BatchBuild button to have all the outfits converted to fit the body shape.

5. CBBE has TexBlendLite, which is a one-click application to fix the neckseam between any head texture and the default body. There's also TexBlend itself for blending everything else.

 

For pretty much all your issues, CBBE has a NMM installer.

- You can view the different default body shapes.

- There are no extra updates as everything's in one file, bar some updated lipmasks which you wont need if you don't use the FacePack.

- There are optional head textures, but you don't need to install them if you don't want to. The author images show how they look.

- You can get pubic hair with TexBlend (full version) but only if you want to.

- There are no additional .pdf files. (Photoshop files, probably for mod authors to use.)

- Again, everything's in one file, so no random extra bodies in different downloads.

- The BethSoft HD Textures DLC no longer affects loose files (texture/mesh mods that just replace things, and don't require .esps), so no need to do anything about that.

- If you use TexBlend(Lite) or the CBBE FacePack, there will be no seams on anyone.

- See above about the outfits already converted. If you don't use them, then quite simply, everyone will still be using the vanilla/default outfits, and thus their body shape when clothed will be default. Game outfits aren't like real ones; the outfit defines the shape, not the body underneath.

- XCE is for both males and female, as far as I'm aware. Also, only the files that change the head/makeup/etc. textures are compatible with any body mod; the body textures are only compatible with default or default-based modded bodies. If you want to still have dirty bodies/faces, and you do decide on CBBE, then there is a huge mod list in the CBBE mod page's Forums tab, where you can browse various body textures. I would recommend Body Imperfect for the dirty, scarred look.

[Aelius28]

1. Ok.

2. Why not CBBE? Use Slim, or if that's still not realistic enough for you, use the 'CBBE Vanilla' body, or BodySlide to make a body to fit your own preferences.

3. CBBE doesn't need a new skeleton unless you want some kind of JellyBoobs mod, so no worries there.

4. The CBBE mod author has made most of the game's outfits CBBE and BodySlide compatible, so make a preset, select it, and click the BatchBuild button to have all the outfits converted to fit the body shape.

5. CBBE has TexBlendLite, which is a one-click application to fix the neckseam between any head texture and the default body. There's also TexBlend itself for blending everything else.

 

For pretty much all your issues, CBBE has a NMM installer.

- You can view the different default body shapes.

- There are no extra updates as everything's in one file, bar some updated lipmasks which you wont need if you don't use the FacePack.

- There are optional head textures, but you don't need to install them if you don't want to. The author images show how they look.

- You can get pubic hair with TexBlend (full version) but only if you want to.

- There are no additional .pdf files. (Photoshop files, probably for mod authors to use.)

- Again, everything's in one file, so no random extra bodies in different downloads.

- The BethSoft HD Textures DLC no longer affects loose files (texture/mesh mods that just replace things, and don't require .esps), so no need to do anything about that.

- If you use TexBlend(Lite) or the CBBE FacePack, there will be no seams on anyone.

- See above about the outfits already converted. If you don't use them, then quite simply, everyone will still be using the vanilla/default outfits, and thus their body shape when clothed will be default. Game outfits aren't like real ones; the outfit defines the shape, not the body underneath.

- XCE is for both males and female, as far as I'm aware. Also, only the files that change the head/makeup/etc. textures are compatible with any body mod; the body textures are only compatible with default or default-based modded bodies. If you want to still have dirty bodies/faces, and you do decide on CBBE, then there is a huge mod list in the CBBE mod page's Forums tab, where you can browse various body textures. I would recommend Body Imperfect for the dirty, scarred look.

 

Thank you so much, you're a godsend. I read the FAQ for CBBE, and I found one thing concerning:

 

Q13: Why are there gaps (blank colour at hips) or misplaced textures when I equip vanilla clothing/armour or outfits made for other body mods?

A1: Vanilla clothing/armour hasn't been converted to fit to these bodies yet. When you equip the armour/clothes, you're using the vanilla body mesh, with CBBE's textures, and they don't match up. Vanilla armor and clothing replacers are available, although still WIP.

 

Does this mean that all female NPCs will always have gaps and misplaced textures if I don't use the CBBE armor replacer mods?

 

Also, what do you mean by "dirty" bodies/faces?

 

Thanks again!

[Jeir]

Off the top of my head, there are only two outfits that would have that issue; Nocturnal's robe, and the Forsworn armour. There may be 'nipslips' on low-cut outfits, like the two skimpiest fur outfits, and the bar maid/wench dress. If you don't install the outfits mod, then, yes, I'm afraid the female characters who wear those outfits will have hip gaps.

 

It's all to do with the UV maps (how textures line up on the meshes); CBBE has different UV maps from the default bodies, so it doesn't have stretched textures on larger cup sizes, and has more skin detail, but if you put an outfit for the vanilla body on a CBBE body, the shape will be the vanilla one, but the textures will remain CBBE ones.

 

Installing the outfits mod is quite easy, as is using BodySlide; if you using one of the presets (or one of the presets from the 'Extra Presets' optional file on CBBE) then it's just a case of opening BodySlide, selecting an outfit and a preset, then clicking on BatchBuild. All the meshes will be generated.

 

Dirty bodies/faces: like the default/vanilla Skyrim ones. Covered in dirt (which I find unrealistic), as opposed to being clean and dirt-free. The default CBBE textures are clean, and some people don't like that, so people have made replacement textures that can go on top/overwrite the CBBE textures.

[Aelius28]

Off the top of my head, there are only two outfits that would have that issue; Nocturnal's robe, and the Forsworn armour. There may be 'nipslips' on low-cut outfits, like the two skimpiest fur outfits, and the bar maid/wench dress. If you don't install the outfits mod, then, yes, I'm afraid the female characters who wear those outfits will have hip gaps.

 

It's all to do with the UV maps (how textures line up on the meshes); CBBE has different UV maps from the default bodies, so it doesn't have stretched textures on larger cup sizes, and has more skin detail, but if you put an outfit for the vanilla body on a CBBE body, the shape will be the vanilla one, but the textures will remain CBBE ones.

 

Installing the outfits mod is quite easy, as is using BodySlide; if you using one of the presets (or one of the presets from the 'Extra Presets' optional file on CBBE) then it's just a case of opening BodySlide, selecting an outfit and a preset, then clicking on BatchBuild. All the meshes will be generated.

 

Dirty bodies/faces: like the default/vanilla Skyrim ones. Covered in dirt (which I find unrealistic), as opposed to being clean and dirt-free. The default CBBE textures are clean, and some people don't like that, so people have made replacement textures that can go on top/overwrite the CBBE textures.

 

Awesome, thanks. I'm in the process of installing CBBE now with Mod Organizer, but there's something else I'm confused about. In the image previews, there seem to be three bodies, one smaller, one larger, and one even larger, but there doesn't seem to be any way of selecting which of these I want to install. Also, in BodySlide it seems that there are two bodies I need to set, a "Big" and a "Small". What are these?

 

EDIT: One more thing, would you recommend getting the OFP LipMasks file if I use the Official FacePack? I did a Google search for "CBBE" "lipmasks" but couldn't find any answers as to whether this file is more of a "fix" or more of a "preference" sort of thing.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Aelius28

[Jeir]

I have absolutely no knowledge of Mod Organiser, other than of it's existence, so I'm afraid I have no idea how to help you with it. =) CBBE has a NMM installer which will walk you through installation, or you can install manually using the visual guides. That MO doesn't give you the options is a fault with MO and not CBBE (or any mods that have various options in one file) so you may wish to use NMM/manual installation instead to make things easier.

 

The two bodies are the low and high weight bodies. In character creation, there's a weight slider, and as you move the slider from the left to the right, the body gets bigger/bulkier. In BodySlide, you're creating the lowest weight and the highest weight bodies.

 

If you use the CBBE FacePack, then the updated lipmasks file is necessary. As it says in the file's description, it smooths out the edges of the lips so they aren't blocky. Just install it on top.

[Aelius28]

I have absolutely no knowledge of Mod Organiser, other than of it's existence, so I'm afraid I have no idea how to help you with it. =) CBBE has a NMM installer which will walk you through installation, or you can install manually using the visual guides. That MO doesn't give you the options is a fault with MO and not CBBE (or any mods that have various options in one file) so you may wish to use NMM/manual installation instead to make things easier.

 

The two bodies are the low and high weight bodies. In character creation, there's a weight slider, and as you move the slider from the left to the right, the body gets bigger/bulkier. In BodySlide, you're creating the lowest weight and the highest weight bodies.

 

If you use the CBBE FacePack, then the updated lipmasks file is necessary. As it says in the file's description, it smooths out the edges of the lips so they aren't blocky. Just install it on top.

 

Since I never play female characters, which of the two (big or small bodies in BodySlide) will apply to female NPCs? Or do female NPCs have a weight slider of their own that will determine that?

[Jeir]

NPCs use the exact same bodies as the player character - the bodies created in BodySlide will apply to ALL female characters, not just any hypothetical female player. Also, they, like the player character, can utilise the full weight slider, so they can have the 'small' body, the 'big' one, or anything in between.

[Aelius28]

I took a look at all of the files in CBBE, and I notice that there are no changes to eyes and no changes to males. If I were to download XCE and delete all body and face textures for females, but keep the male textures and all the eye textures (both male and female eye textures), there should be no issues installing it with CBBE?

[Jeir]

Or, install the CBBE body files after XCE, and then the CBBE FacePack on top. That way the female body and face files will overwrite the XCE ones.