How to change appearance of created items?

[Volund]

Hi all!

 

First let me apologize if this topic has already been covered here or elsewhere. I've searched Google for hours and did a quick search of this forum. I've also played around a bit with The Elder Scrolls Construction Set and Elder Edit. I can't find the items I'm trying to edit in either program (Elder Edit seems to only shows items created at an Alter of Enchanting).

 

I've got two magical items I want to change the appearance of. A bound sword and a bound helm, both acquired using the repair bound items bug, and both enchanted with Sigil Stones -- the sword does 10 frost damage, and the helm has a 25% shock shield. They're great items, the problem is I think Daedric items are fugly. A similar thing kind of bugged the when I played through Oblivion back in 2006, I really don't like the look of Elven or Glass armor either.

 

What I want to do is change the appearance of the helm I created to Mithril, and the sword to Elven. Is there any way I can do this by editing my existing items, or am I going to have to go through the trouble of figuring out how to create new items in the Construction Set and give them to myself?

 

I'm not against learning to use the Construction Set, I do want to start producing mods soon. Today, though, I just want to keep my eyes from being assaulted by the hodgepodge of items I'm wearing every time I hit F2. This is a role-playing game after all. :)

 

Thanks in advance!

[yeldarb]

You will WANT to use the Construction Set! The longer you put off learning how to use it,the more you will hate yourself for not using it sooner. The reason you can't find the specific items in the CS is because you are using a "bound sword" -it IS a daedric claymore.If you change the look of your favorite sword in the CS,EVERY bound sword in the game will look identical to it.Learn how to play with the CS and modify existing weapons. Ten points of frost damage is not a powerful enough of an enchantment to keep past level fifteen.The only advantage to your sword and helm is the wieght you don't have to carry around looting and pillaging.

[Volund]

Weird, I just saw this reply. Thanks for the info!

 

So when I create an enchanted item in the game, what's happening in data-land? With the sword example, would it be in my inventory with the item ID of a Daedric sword, with a different name and some characteristics tacked on? Or is an entirely new item ID created when I enchant something?

 

I did start with the Construction Set pretty early in my search, but the tutorial I looked at started with creating environments, and wasn't really helpful when I tried to jump ahead to the item section.

[Volund]

Hahaha, I decided to try to find the answer for myself by attacking my save file with a hex-editor, with some funny results:

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4617394975_23c9a99a69_o.jpg

 

I got my head cut off! Who knew modding could be this dangerous? :)

 

Anyway... I created an enchanted Elven Claymore and Mithril Helm with weird strings for names (xyzzy1 and xyzzy2), then searched for those strings in the save file, comparing them to the items I want to change the appearance of.

 

The swords have a .DDS and .NIF associated with them, but the paths/names are different lengths between the two (IE, "Weapons\Daedric\Claymore.NIF" vs "Weapons\Elven\Claymore.NIF", the latter is two characters shorter). When I changed the two over on the sword (shortening the save file by four bytes), Oblivion crashed when I tried to load the save.

 

I had better luck with the helm, since "Daedric" and "Mithril" have the same number of characters, but obviously more needs to be changed than just the image files, as my screenshot above demonstrates.

[yeldarb]

To make your personal version of a stock weapon 1. Open the CS with Oblivion.esm as the active file. 2. Click on items. 3. Click on Weapons. 4. You will see a window with the ID,Name,NIF model,DDS model,script selection,ebchantment selection, wieght,value,health,speed,reach and damage.You also see two small selection boxes labelled quest item and ignores normal resistances.Change the name to whatever you want.DO NOT mess with the boxes for meshes and textures or change the ID until you are more familiar with the CS. You can change the enchantment, wieght,health,speed and reach to whatever you want.click the box for ignores normal resistances if you don't give it an enchantment. 5. After making your new weapon save(click on the floppy icon in the upper left). Your weapon now should be with all the other weapons-elven,steel,daedric listed by its name, and you now should have your very own esp! 6. Click on interiors and find Weynon Priory Chapel. Double click on Weynon Priory Chapel. You will see the inside of the chapel. Center in on it by using the mouse. zoom in until you can see the dead mythic dawn agent and the"green ghosts" sitting click on your weapon and place it in the center aisle of the chapel.Save the file again after you see your weapon in the chapel surrounded by a green box.Exit the CS Activate your.esp. in the program fliles. load a savegame and see your weapon floating in the air when you enter Weynon Priory.

[Volund]

Awesome, thanks! This weekend I'll probably start working my way through the tutorial, got a couple of cool ideas for mods I haven't seen anywhere else.

[yeldarb]

I gave you bad information! You want to change the ID to create a unique item. I gave you instructions to change all Elven Claymores in Oblivion!!! I had written the information down so I could make "Redwave" as powerful as the Masterforge Cutlasses in the Thieves Den DLC, but with more health and keep the Levelled Enchantment.I also am apologising to anyone else who read this and is cursing my name.