creating a new face texture

[blackrat99]

Hi, does anyone have any tips on creating a new face texture for an NPC? I want to make one from a picture and be able to add it in the GECK. Are there any tutorials?

On another note, can someone tell me what a hair_hl.dds file is, is it needed and if so how do I make one?

Thanks.

[JimboUK]

For face textures it's best to paint over an existing one, at least then you'll know that everything is in the right place. As for adding them in game you'll need to make a custom race, I wrote a guide on how to do that here, it's for New Vegas but FO3 is exactly the same.

The _hl textures are what the game uses to colour the hair, they're easy to make, just desaturate the diffuse texture and save it (DXT 5) with the same name with _hl added to the end. You should have Hairname.dds, Hairname_n.dds and Hairname_hl.dds. 

The path to it also needs to be added to the NIF in the slot under the normal. 

[blackrat99]

Thanks for the info on the hair_hl file. I actually have that guide and am able to create a custom race. My difficulty is understanding the process of creating a face texture from a photo/picture of someone's face, so I can get the complexion and have it match up (position-wise) to the regular texture map of headhuman. A photo can't just be superimposed in an image editor. Or can it? Maybe Photoshop (which I don't have) can do it. Facegen Modeller? Though I don't have that either lol.

[JimboUK]

The parts of the face texture will have to be in the same place as other face textures or they won't be mapped correctly, a photo would work but you'd have to manipulate it so it all lines up, then the result might not be great.

I haven't used Facegen Modeller for years, I remember little other than it didn't produce very good results, yeah it would give you the texture and geometry data but Fallout's races aren't the same as those in Facegen Modeller so what you end up with in game looks different, I suppose you could create a new race and try to match what Facegen Modeller uses on the GECK's Facegen Race tab, but it's not something I'd want to do, I value my sanity too much.  

I'm not sure what to suggest to be honest, as I said I don't remember much about Facegen Modeller, hopefully someone who knows more reads this and is able to help. 

[blackrat99]

Thanks. I've got the demo version now and will have a play. The facegen race mod is supposed to help by setting a kind of neutral baseline so that imports from Facegen modeller are more accurate, if I've understood that correctly. I'll try that anyway.