LE Hex editing NPC attributes in save files (seeking help)

[fadingsignal]

Hello! I've been trying to solve some of the problems that happen with things baking into saves (NPC stances, etc.) and have learned quite a bit about the structure of save files themselves. I found a Skyrim Save Editor, that paired with a Hex editor can do some pretty incredible things. http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/27119/?

 

The one thing that I want to tackle first is changing the "Use Opposite Gender Animations" problem. If you're unfamiliar, many females in the game have this checked in their properties in the CK, so they use male animations. Once you meet the NPC for the first time, some of their attributes are written to the save, and are never read from the ESPs again, so they stick, this being one of them. There have been a lot of efforts to fix this, but never at the root level. Everyone has to start their game over.

 

I'm affected by this problem myself, so I want to try and solve it. I haven't had a lot of success so far, but have found a few areas where bits are stored for different things for each NPC.

 

I'm looking to get someone's help to track down the flag for the opposite gender animations, and make a mod/tutorial to edit this. I'm sure it will be quite popular.

 

Let me know if you can help, thank you!

[matortheeternal]

I think the best way to tackle this is to make a new game with Random Alternate Start and some plugin that adds a single basic NPC to the game with "use opposite gender animations" flag on. Once you've started a game with RAS, save the game immediately. Then use player.placeatme to place the NPC at yourself, and then make another save game. Close Skyrim, change the flag on the NPC using the CK/TES5Edit. Load the first save game and place the NPC at yourself again, and then save again. Using a simple bit-for-bit comparison, you should be able to narrow things down a fair amount.

[fadingsignal]

I think the best way to tackle this is to make a new game with Random Alternate Start and some plugin that adds a single basic NPC to the game with "use opposite gender animations" flag on. Once you've started a game with RAS, save the game immediately. Then use player.placeatme to place the NPC at yourself, and then make another save game. Close Skyrim, change the flag on the NPC using the CK/TES5Edit. Load the first save game and place the NPC at yourself again, and then save again. Using a simple bit-for-bit comparison, you should be able to narrow things down a fair amount.

 

What a beautifully thought-out process, I'll give that a shot. Thank you!