Need some help modding Reznod's mannequins

[Balakirev]

I decided to mod Reznod's--and if this gets finished, and I like the results after testing it thoroughly, I'll write him to ask permission to use his content, and issue this. I intend to create flesh-textured mannequins, for both sexes, and all races. I'm a CS tyro, however, so I could use some assistance in this.

 

I've been checking out Reznod's in the CS. He evidently created 4 mannequins in 64 copies each, and made them as subsets of a new race. I was able to retexture without problems, apply the right scripts, and the proper pair of AI packages. Redoing the scripts for each mannequin is going to be a hassle, but that's just time-work.

 

But I can't find where Reznod chose his merchants, and allocated both price and name. None of these are apparent in the ReznodMannequinHolderCell, the individual four mannequin types, or the sample of merchants he used. I've checked through all the scripts he wrote, as well.

 

Any ideas?

[LHammonds]

If I recall correctly, the earlier version of his mod placed a storefront in the back corner of the Market District...you crossed a miniature bridge to access it...which was nicely placed inside the wall...towards the IC Tower. Once inside the new shop, there was a merchant that sold the equipment.

 

The newer version added a quest to make this shop appear before you could access it but I think the quest was broken and he never got around to fixing it before he quit modding Oblivion. Also, I don't think you'll be able to get a reply from him but you should still try.

 

Then again, its been so long ago, I might be getting this mixed up with a different mod. I think the maniquinns were used to preview armor before you bought it IIRC...as well as buying them to place and display them in your own home. It was quite awesome when it worked.

 

EDIT: A search for "reznod" shows a LOT of alternatives now. The mod description says the maniquinns are available to be purchased an many different, existing vendor shops so I apparently got my wires crossed. :D Happens with old age from time to time (and more frequently). Ah, I was mixing this mod with Avelars Armory and Mannequins by nezroy.

 

LHammonds

[Balakirev]

Yeah, I was going to mention Avelar's, as soon as I read your description. :) I checked it out a few days back, and while I liked the effects he got on the mannequins, they were still less realistic than Reznod's. Everybody these days seems to default back to Reznod's, but so far, I've only found changes to textures on top of the default four mannequins he uses. Perhaps nobody can find where the script (or whatever) is that defines just four mannequins and not more, sets price, name, and place of sale?

 

It's frustrating, it is. I'd like to do this, but I can't figure out where to look.

 

Oh, and thanks for doing up all those Morrowind and Oblivion mods over the years. I've got plenty of yours in use, for both games.

[LHammonds]

Are you using Timeslip's TESsnip program to examine the .esp plugin?

 

To me, it is MUCH faster to find scripts and changes that a plugin makes using TESsnip. For anything other than script (which is plainly visible in TESsnip), I can quickly see where it is and then find it in the Construction Set.

 

LHammonds

[Balakirev]

Are you using Timeslip's TESsnip program to examine the .esp plugin?

 

To me, it is MUCH faster to find scripts and changes that a plugin makes using TESsnip. For anything other than script (which is plainly visible in TESsnip), I can quickly see where it is and then find it in the Construction Set.

 

LHammonds

 

That seems to have done the trick! Thanks for recommending TESsnip. I found all sorts of interesting places where information was stored--and the stuff I needed at the moment was under MISC.

 

Two other questions: is there anyway I can copy or import a face from another mod, for use on a mannequin? Obviously, this wouldn't be released to the public without the permission of any given modder, but I don't even know how to do it, at this point. I've simply seen far better things others have achieved in this line.

 

Second, the mannequins all have their eyes open when first placed, but have them closed after being posed or having their inventory changed. Any idea what might be causing this?

[bben46]

I actually started doing this same thing over almost 2 years ago. I went looking for my old stuff and was unable to find much. I lost interest after a major hard drive crash.

 

You are welcome to any of my Ideas, and if I find any of my work, I will be happy to let you have it to do with as you please.

 

As I remember, some of the problems were

Mannequins would say something when placed

Heads would track - I think I got that one fixed, but don't remember how.

mannequins show detect life.

Would not keep pose when set.

 

My original plan called for a shop in the IC, called the Wax Works, with a factory in the basement where a NPC would dunk bodies in a vat of wax. The wax color would change every day - I was using a dead body on a rope from the Oblivion plane

 

Heads were to be made in the shop - with a shelf of various heads and parts such as ears, teeth, tails and eyes.

A work bench with a head in progress - I had an Orc head on the bench with a pair of eyes, teeth and ears on a tray beside it.

 

Instead of picking up a mannequin, A spell would be used to make it a temporary companion with zero combat capability and would follow the player home. Then a spell would lock it down and pose it. I never got this to work.

[Balakirev]

I actually started doing this same thing over almost 2 years ago. I went looking for my old stuff and was unable to find much. I lost interest after a major hard drive crash.

 

You are welcome to any of my Ideas, and if I find any of my work, I will be happy to let you have it to do with as you please.

 

As I remember, some of the problems were

Mannequins would say something when placed

Heads would track - I think I got that one fixed, but don't remember how.

mannequins show detect life.

Would not keep pose when set.

 

My original plan called for a shop in the IC, called the Wax Works, with a factory in the basement where a NPC would dunk bodies in a vat of wax. The wax color would change every day - I was using a dead body on a rope from the Oblivion plane

 

Heads were to be made in the shop - with a shelf of various heads and parts such as ears, teeth, tails and eyes.

A work bench with a head in progress - I had an Orc head on the bench with a pair of eyes, teeth and ears on a tray beside it.

 

Instead of picking up a mannequin, A spell would be used to make it a temporary companion with zero combat capability and would follow the player home. Then a spell would lock it down and pose it. I never got this to work.

 

All very interesting, and completely beyond my skills at this point, I'm afraid. (I do really like the Orc head and color-changing wax.) I think I'll just try to get the basics going, first, since I've only ever used the Morrowind CS, and that, just for a few minor changes personalizing someone else's house mod. But at some point, I may get back with you about this. Thank you for the offer.

 

The detect life thing is solved, at least in the original Reznod: he's got a script in there that turns it off. I haven't seen the mannequins use it yet, but if they do, I'll pass along his script for review. Heads don't track, but there is a race-appropriate comment made when the mannequin is first placed, as you noted. I suspect it's simply because Reznod used NPCs for his template. There's a no dialog check box, and I'll see if that works; if not, I'm willing to let it go, for now, in the interests of getting the mod done.

 

At this point, my two issues are those closing eyes, and trying to copy decent-looking faces. The first may be due to Reznod setting his mannequins to go unconscious, according to his scripts, and I'm not sure why. I'll probably change that, and see what happens. (EDIT: Could be he set this to prevent what you noted: that mannequin heads were following players. If so, I'll keep them conscious. It's a nice, slightly intimidating touch for those heads to track you.)

[LHammonds]

Regarding the import of faces (such as from Save Games) to an .esp plugin, I believe there are two programs that can do that.

 

Oblivion Face Exchange Lite

Wrye Bash

 

I think there was a site that had a tutorial or two on how to use Wrye Bash for this purpose but I do not know where it is.

 

If you want a face from another .esp plugin transfered to your .esp plugin, I think you may be able to do this with TESSnip (Copy/Paste)...but I am only guessing since I have never copied records like that before. If you did, I believe you'd need to find a way to make the FormIDs unique so that your mod will not conflict with the mod you copied the records from. Again, purely speculation.

 

LHammonds

[Balakirev]

Regarding the import of faces (such as from Save Games) to an .esp plugin, I believe there are two programs that can do that.

 

Oblivion Face Exchange Lite

Wrye Bash

 

I think there was a site that had a tutorial or two on how to use Wrye Bash for this purpose but I do not know where it is.

 

If you want a face from another .esp plugin transfered to your .esp plugin, I think you may be able to do this with TESSnip (Copy/Paste)...but I am only guessing since I have never copied records like that before. If you did, I believe you'd need to find a way to make the FormIDs unique so that your mod will not conflict with the mod you copied the records from. Again, purely speculation.

 

LHammonds

 

OFEL I'd never heard of, so I downloaded it. It appears easy to use, but only replaces your own character's face in a saved with another face. Wrye seems to do the same: importing a face to a mod, automatically means importing your own character's face from a saved game. Unless I've missed something, which is of course possible. But as I'm sure I've seen some of the nicer mod faces pop up in a few mod by different people (not to name names), I'm sure copying is going on. I'm just not sure what tools are being used.

 

Thanks for suggesting those possibilities, however!

[LHammonds]

OFEL I'd never heard of, so I downloaded it.

Well, you might also want to check out this resource I put together: Oblivion Face Totality Pack

 

It appears easy to use, but only replaces your own character's face in a saved with another face.

I could have sworn otherwise so I checked it out. Sure enough, it seems like you can take any savegame face (or .OFF file) and apply it to an existing NPC in an existing .esp plugin.

 

1. Start OFEL

2. Select a savegame, click "Edit Save File..."

3. Click the "NPC" button.

4. Fill out the details here...even has a handy "Find" feature to show all NPCs in the selected plugin.

 

Wrye seems to do the same: importing a face to a mod, automatically means importing your own character's face from a saved game.

Correct, so what is the issue here? If you have a savegame character, you can offload it to your NPC right? Isn't that what you are wanting to do? Even if you have an OFF file that you want to use, you can grab a matching template savegame (in my resource I mentioned earlier) and paste the face configuration to that savegame using OFEL and then use either OFEL or Wrye Bash to transfer that face to an NPC.

 

Tutorial: Face Import using Wrye Bash by myrmaad

 

DoH! I see that you asked about copying from another "mod" so it is basically a plugin-to-plugin transfer of an NPC face. I don't ever remember wanting to do this or noting others wanting to do this so I have no memory of a feature in a program that accomplishes this. TESsnip may allow you to copy/paste the exact same NPC from one plugin to another but I wouldn't know how to transfer that NPCs face configuration onto another...unless Wrye Bash can somehow export an NPC face back to a savegame...then you can re-import over another NPC.

 

LHammonds