[Tutorial] How to swap characters - Swapping Mods Guide

[Briarbird]

Not sure this is the right place to post it, but here we go. So, I'm an author Characters swap Blood and Wine Edition mod, and this is my favorite place on a Citadel guide on how to make character swap mods. It contains some spoilers (Ciri, a little bit Iris, some BaW characters, if you want to swap, but don't want spoilers, I can try to send you spoiler-free version), and grammar mistakes and typos (feel free to point those out). I also tried to include a lot of references and mods links, examples, and pictures. Poehali.

http://i.imgur.com/chjKTJv.png

You'll need ModKit by CD Projekt Red and The Witcher 3 Mod Editor by Sarcen.


Install the ModKit first. Keep in mind that you don't need it for making swaps, just for the Mod Editor to work.
After you installed the Mod Editor you need to set a path for witcher3.exe and wcc_lite.exe. Mine are here:

C:\GOG Games\The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt\bin\x64\witcher3.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Witcher 3 Mod Tools\bin\x64\wcc_lite.exe

There are two ways to make a swap.

(1) The basic one is replacing a character file:


Open the mod editor (W3Edit.exe), click create a mod, click add files, and then uncook (add) charater files. They're usially in
quests\main_npcs
quests\secondary_npcs
step-by-step on how to create a new mod, and add files

note: mod's names should not contain any spaces or signs or whatever)
note2: If while adding a character file you have a message "the file exsists in one or more bundles, select one", you can simply select a bundle from "content(Number)\bundles", not from "patch(N)\bundles"

For example, you want RochetoHjalmar, they're both in main_npcs
Go to the folder with the uncook files, copy vernon_roche, delete Roche's file, and then rename hjalmar to vernon_roche.
Go to the ModEditor again, click Open Mod, open RochetoHjalmar.w3modproj, it'll show you the new version, click vernon_roche file in the mod editor, and remove appearances you don't need.

Then click save, and pack and install button. The mod will automatically install into your mod folder (don't worry if the output window shows some Errors, it doesn't affect anything).

notes:


That's the most basic way, I rarely use it, because it can cause a certain problems. Characters will not change, but become invisible (Gaunter for example) or they will not change, but their clothes will become bright red (Damien for example). Or some characters have specific animations embeded into their character file, so if you swap their character file you can't progress during some quests, becase character isn't doing what it's supposed to do (Bloody Baron to Gaunter swap for example)

Or you can't make a full swap. E.g. Triss to Yenn, even if you'll left Yenn all her appearances, they will not correspond by their own. Yenn will not be naked when Triss was naked. Her appearances will change each other randomly with each reload \ scene change.

This could be fun if you swapping someone with only one appearance. E.g. Guslar (Roche, etc.) has only one appearance, so you can change his character file to Dettlaff and left him two or three appearances (e.g. normal and vampire). They will rotate randomly, so Guslar-Dettlaff could be normal in his peaceful moments, and a vampire during his rutual preformances (just reaload if he still looks normal).

This way of swapping could be useful if you want to swap Male to Female and vice versa. E.g. if you want to swap Butler from Blood and Wine (Barnabas-Basil Foulty) for Ciri. Women and men in the game have different skeletons in the game, and different animations accotiated with them. Butler has a special male animations (standing, walking) applied to him all the time (it embeded into his file), so if you just change the model to female (the second way), and not his file itself (the first way) female model will be streched, trying to fit into male skeleton during those special animations (all the time in this case).

***


(2) More reliable way is simply to edit (strings) in a file of a character you want to change:

Dark Pro0xy has an extremely good explanation (link to an imgur pic) of this stuff (Syanna to Ciri example)


So, you are basically redirecting Syanna's character file to use Ciri's body parts. It's just a model swap, so Triss in Syanna's shoes will be fighting with Syanna's sword (but that's really not big of a deal considering how fine everything else is).

side note about that: Triss will be fighting with her magic if you'll just replace whole Syanna's character file (using the first, basic way), BUT your game will crush if you'll try to have sex with her (plus she'll become invisible during some scenes).
Also, if you e.g. change Vesemir to Roche the second way, then Roche will wear and use witcher double swords (the first way he will wear and use his own gear, but his whole model will disappear sometimes).


some more examples of string editing and meaning of all those letters in them (also, meaning of Ciri's appearances)

CEntityTemplate #1 - appearances - includedTemplates

http://i.imgur.com/QIPwn8N.jpg

Don't mind Becca, it's just Cerys (her name in early development, she was supposed to be False Ciri)


h is for head
c is for hairCut
g is for grabbers hands (no, really, I don't know why it's g)
b is for body
t is for torso
l is for legs
a is for arms
d is for dress (skirt in the armor or whatever that thing is, also some dresses have separate torso for up and dress for bottom)
i is for item (hood, jewelry and stuff)
n is for neck (if you can see the chest in the armor)
s is for shoes (shoes or bare feet)

There are some exeptions. E.g. Shani has c_01_wa__shani and c_01_wa__shani_hair in her shani_wedding_rowanberry appearance, so that c_01_wa__shani is a rowanberry item, and not her hair.

ls - legs with feet
ag, a2g - variations of arms with hands
t3d - torso with skirt
twa - torso with arms
etc.

In case of main characters usually it's just one merged body file, though. Plus head, haircut (only head, if the character is bald or Roche), and maybe some items.

Ciri's appearances breakdown by Proxy (Hairstyle and Outfit Package for Main NPCs mod link)

ciri_dissolve (empty)
ciri (Default)
__q103_wounded (Act 1 Velen (Crookbag Bog) - wounded)
__q205_naked (Act 2 Skellige)
__q205_bathtowel (Act 2 Skellige)
__q103_dirty (Act 1 Velen (Crookbag Bog) - dirty)
__q505_hooded (Act 5 Novigrad - Hood is up)
__q505_hooded_02 (Act 5 Novigrad - Hood is down)
__q205_bandaged (Act 2 Skellige - injured)
__q205_bandaged_naked (Act 2 Skellige - injured)
__q305_dudu (Act 3 Novigrad - the doppler of our hearts)
ciri_winter (Skellige return and a certain heartbreaking ending)
__cs403_ciri_crying (The event were we all cried our eyes out also Act 4)
__q310_masked (Act 3 circus quest)
ciri_winter_crying (A certain heartbreaking ending and maybe skellige too?)
__q505_covered_01 (Act 5 A Certain other ending - Hood is up)
__q505_covered_02 (same as above - Hood is down)

Now, if you are wondering how on earth are you supposed to tell a difference between i_07, i_45, and i_18 inside some character's appearence.
Usially I'm using Geralt Doppler mod OR Persistent Appearances mod (they aren't compatible).

with Persistent Appearances just enter hideplayer command (debug console enabler is a must have, search it on Nexus, also, that commant is from Debug console extensions, very good mod as well), and then
PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\characters\models\crowd_npc\bob_citizen\items\i_36_ma__bob.w2ent")
spoiler: It's a male earring

with Geralt Doppler you can look in its resources \ scroll in-game or whatever (more on a Geralt Doppler is a bit later, it's doesn't have ALL the items or bodies, though)

Sidenote about Persistent Appearances. You can summon anything you find in the game files (items, bodies, heads, hair). So, if Geralt Doppler don't have a certain character's face (Damien de la Tour, Éibhear Hattori), you can summon face and body with console. Type hideplayer before that, though.

E.g. Damien de la Tour (and again, not compatible with Geralt Doppler)


PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\characters\models\main_npc\olivier\body_01_mb__olivier.w2ent")
PaAdd("characters\models\common\man_big\body\n_01_mb__body.w2ent")
PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\characters\models\main_npc\damien_de_la_tour\i_01_mb__damien_de_la_tour_rose.w2ent")
PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\characters\models\main_npc\damien_de_la_tour\h_01_mb__damien_de_la_tour_scars.w2ent")
PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\characters\models\main_npc\damien_de_la_tour\g_01_mb__damien_de_la_tour.w2ent")
PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\items\bodyparts\geralt_items\legs\errant_knight\l_02a_mg__errant_knight.w2ent")
PaAdd("dlc\bob\data\items\bodyparts\geralt_items\shoes\errant_knight\s_02_mg__errant_knight.w2ent")

Legs and shoes are from Geralt's armor, because Damien's legs are generic and become bright red if you summon their model via console (more about it later).

Damien's face will not have any facial expression, though, because console head is considered by game as mask.
Speaking of which, you can play as Iorveth with Iorveth mod (link) and a console command hideplayer and Roche(1) from Debug console extensions mod (link just above). His face will be just a mask as well, but hey, better than nothing.

Btw Animations Name by Edifiel is a good addition to Debug console extensions. But if you're looking for something more advanced you might want to look to Ansel Utilities mod by SkacikPL (you don't have to have Ansel to use it)

***

Some more examples, and a couple of moments from them: you don't to correspond hair to hair, you can replace hair string with head string, and head string with body string, and then delete hair string entirely. Technically inside those includedTemplates just a place for strings, if a character has 4 strings, you can replace or copy\past them even with 11 strings. Or delete includedTemplates entirely and copy to the appearance whole includedTemplates from another character file.
If you want to make a character invisible (we all have friends who are ruing our screenshots) just delete all strings inside includedTemplates or something.

***

(1) Where to find character files, (2) how to find get it in-game (if you can't find it in the game files on your own), and some nuances about how many of one character' files you have sometimes to swap.

(1)


Main game

quests\main_npcs
quests\secondary_npcs

HoS
dlc\ep1\data\quests\main_npcs
dlc\ep1\data\quests\secondary_npcs

BaW
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_npcs
dlc\bob\data\quests\secondary_npcs

Usually it's enough to change only a quest file, but not always (more about it later)

There is always a second file in the characters folder (outfits' colors are embedded in those, but more about it later as well)
note 1: characters files open on Embedded files by default, just switch it to Chunk List
note 2: some NPCs from minor quests don't have a separate character file, they are merged into novigrad_elf_woman, or skellige_villager_woman (Jutta has a quest file, and merged into that one file as well), etc. You can see in quest file where characters file is located (mq1046_victim is an elven woman from Death by Fire quest in Velen).


characters\npc_entities\main_npc
characters\npc_entities\secondary_npc
dlc\ep1\data\characters\npc_entities\main_npc
dlc\ep1\data\characters\npc_entities\secondary_npc
dlc\bob\data\characters\npc_entities\main_npc
dlc\bob\data\characters\npc_entities\secondary_npc



And I recommend to dig through quests folder, because there sometimes hiding a second quest file of the character.

quests\
dlc\ep1\data\quests
dlc\bob\data\quests


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(2) After Debug console enabler you definitely should get Debug console extensions. Just type gettargettemplate in-game before a character you can't find in the game files. Or maybe you've swapped a character, but he returned to his old model all of a sudden (probably he has another character file specifically for this game part). Also, getapp command is important as well. For example, you like some ladies' dresses in BaW, but those ladies are in one file, so you don't know which lady is _01, and which one is _02, get appearance command will help you with that.

dlc\bob\data\quests\minor_quests\quest_files\mq7009_painter\characters\mq7009_richwoman_picnic.w2ent
__mq7009_richwoman_picnic (blue dress, standing)
__mq7009_richwoman_picnic_02 (white dress, sitting)

dlc\bob\data\quests\minor_quests\quest_files\mq7009_painter\characters\mq7009_richman_picnic.w2ent
__mq7009_richman_picnic (sitting by alone)
__mq7009_richman_picnic_02 (sitting next to woman in white)

You can't give those dresses to default Triss and Keira just so, though. More about in in color transferring section, and skeletons incompatibility section.

(3) Some characters have more than one file to swap, but I don't really know how you should know that beforehand to be honest.

E.g. Ewald Borsodi has two files (same for other members of the crew)


dlc\ep1\data\quests\secondary_npcs\ewald.w2ent
dlc\ep1\data\quests\secondary_npcs\ewald_companion.w2ent


Or Keira Metz has two files (the second one is Keira at the Mice Tower)

quests\secondary_npcs\keira_metz.w2ent
quests\part_2\quest_files\q109_wrapup\characters\q109_keira.w2ent

Papa Vesemir has only one quest file, but he as well switcher to his old model during a hug with Ciri (therefore he uses his character file for some reason, so you should edit that one as well)


quests\main_npcs\vesemir.w2ent
characters\npc_entities\main_npc\vesemir.w2ent





Or Eksel and Lambert have a second file for when they are drunk (you know that quest) in addition to their main quest files

quests\secondary_npcs\eskel.w2ent
quests\part_1\quest_files\q401_konsylium\characters\q401_eskel_drunk.w2ent

quests\secondary_npcs\lambert.w2ent
quests\part_1\quest_files\q401_konsylium\characters\q401_lambert_drunk.w2ent


Gaunter has two files as well (one for the prologue, one for the expansion)

quests\secondary_npcs\mr_mirror.w2ent
dlc\ep1\data\quests\main_npcs\mr_mirror_ep1.w2ent


Triss has a separate file for BaW epilogue, just as Dandelion does (so it's their main quest file and this one for the full swap)

dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q705_epilog\characters\q705_triss.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q705_epilog\characters\q705_dandelion.w2ent


Damien de la Tour has three files (I swap his characters file just in case)

dlc\bob\data\quests\secondary_npcs\damien.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q703_all_for_one\characters\q703_damien.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\characters\npc_entities\main_npc\damien_de_la_tour.w2ent

Vivienne de Tabris has four (again, characters files are just in case)


dlc\bob\data\quests\secondary_npcs\vivienne.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\sidequests\quest_files\sq701_tournament\characters\sq701_vivienne.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\characters\npc_entities\main_npc\vivienne_de_tabris.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\characters\npc_entities\main_npc\vivienne_de_tabris_nodress.w2ent

Ciri also has 4 files, and you should edit all of them


characters\player_entities\ciri\ciri_phantom_fx.w2ent
characters\player_entities\ciri\ciri_player.w2ent
gameplay\templates\characters\player\ciri_player.w2ent
quests\main_npcs\cirilla.w2ent

Dettlaff has 3 quest files (suppose you should swap his character file as well)
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_npcs\dettlaff_van_eretein.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_npcs\dettlaff_van_eretein_vampire.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q702_hunt\characters\q702_beast_of_bouclair.w2ent

Regis has 6 (and you need to make his bag invisible additionally, more about it later)

dlc\bob\data\characters\npc_entities\main_npc\regis.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_npcs\regis.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_npcs\regis_terzieff_vampire.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q702_hunt\characters\q702_regis_cage.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q704_truth\characters\q704_regis_vampire_temp.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q705_epilog\characters\q705_regis_drunk.w2ent





***



note: Some minor NPCs have a quest file only in the specific quest folder.


E.g. The girl from the Ciri's Story: The King of the Wolves quest (q103_daughter it's the quest with Dea)
quests\part_1\quest_files\q103_daughter\characters\q103_margaret.w2ent

Jutta (Iron Maiden quest)
quests\minor_quests\skellige\quest_files\mq2038_shieldmaiden\characters\mq2038_shieldmaiden.w2ent

Sasha (High Stakes quest)
quests\sidequests\novigrad\quest_files\sq306_maverick\characters\sq306_sacha.w2ent

Orianna's boy (Blood and Wine)
dlc\bob\data\quests\main_quests\quest_files\q704_truth\characters\q704_bloodbag_boy.w2ent



***


Also, DLC folder correspondence:


dlc 1 - temerian armor
dlc 5 - nilfgaardian armor
dlc 10 - wolf armor
dlc 14 - skellige armor

dlc 3 - skellige troll problem QUEST
dlc 7 - fools gold piggs QUEST
dlc 12 - skellige most wanted QUEST
dlc 15 - cat witcher QUEST

dlc 4 - Yenn alt outfit
dlc 6 - Triss alt outfit
dlc 11 - Ciri alt outfit

dlc 2 - barber shop
dlc 13 - crossbows


ep1 - HoS expansion
bob - BaW expansion

So, it's nothing impossible, if you want to swap Yenn with Eveline Gallo in Yen Alt Outfit, just change Yenn's hair and head to Eveline's as usual, and then change Yenn's default body string with
dlc\dlc4\data\characters\models\main_npc\yennefer\body_05__yennefer_travel.w2ent
(with a scarf), or
dlc\dlc4\data\characters\models\main_npc\yennefer\body_05__yennefer.w2ent
(without a scarf)

***

(1) How to swap an NPC to Geralt Himself (or just to give an NPC his armor), (2) How to unpack someone's mod (just to peek)

(1) Swapping part is the same, just edit quest file(s) of a character(s) you want to swap for Geralt. Where to find Geralt:


items\bodyparts\geralt_items
dlc\dlc(number)\data\player
dlc\ep1\data\items\bodyparts\geralt_items
dlc\bob\data\items\bodyparts\geralt_items

e.g. this bearded Geralt's outfit (coif is for hair, c_02 is a ponytail with shaved sides)


items\bodyparts\geralt_items\heads\h_04_mg__geralt.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\coif\c_02_mg__witcher.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\trunk\common_medium\t_02a_mg__common_medium_lvl3.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\gloves\common_light\g_01_mg__common_light_lvl3.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\shoes\common_light\s_01_mg__common_light_lvl4.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\legs\common_light\l_01a_mg__common_light_lvl2.w2ent

Or this Geralt's nilfgaardian outfit (just the outfit, g is for hands-palms)


items\bodyparts\geralt_items\trunk\casual_non_combat\ta_03_mg__casual_nilfgaardian_suit.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\legs\casual_non_combat\l_01a_mg__casual_nilfgaardian_pants.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\gloves\bare\g_01_mg__body.w2ent
items\bodyparts\geralt_items\shoes\casual_non_combat\ta_01_mg__casual_nilfgaardian_shoes.w2ent

Now, after Blood and Wine swapping to Geralt's armor (witcher sets) is a bit tricky. First, you need Original Witcher sets colors mod by Scoutbr0, or armor will be bright red (now armor model itself is stripped of color, because of a dyeing system, more on that a bit later). Then you need to make sure you pick the right armor.

For example, enhanced feline set looks like this:

characters\models\geralt\armor\armor__cat\g_01_mg__lynx_lvl2_meshes.w2ent
characters\models\geralt\armor\armor__cat\t_01a_mg__lynx_lvl2_meshes.w2ent
characters\models\geralt\armor\armor__cat\s_01_mg__lynx_lvl2_meshes.w2ent
characters\models\geralt\armor\armor__cat\l_01a_mg__lynx_lvl2_meshes.w2ent


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(2) How to unpack someone's mod

Quick Mod Tool V6.4 Uncooking-Cooking-Merging by xTcisloVe. But if you don't want to use it for some reason (maybe you just want to look inside someone's swap to see where to find certain characters, or to see used bodyparts in custom character or something simple like that), you can use Quickbms. Run quickbms.exe in the archive, choose the witcher3.bms (same folder with the quickbms archive), and then choose a blob0.bundle of the mod you want to unpack (and where do you want to unpack it).

***

Ok, let's talk about nuances: (1) transferring color (in generic body parts, outfits, armor), (2) deleting parts of the body file or some standalone items (hoods, fur, sometimes rings, masks, pendants, bags and arms), (3) replacing body file and why would you do that (like in the basic way of swapping characters, but with outfits, default or edited), (4) skeletons incompatibility (male\female and female-blood-and-wine-dresses and female-literally-the-rest-of-the-game)

(1) transferring color


A lot of body parts (outfits, armor) are generic. This means there is only one model of a specific body part (colorless), and all characters which directed to that specific body part have their individual color embedded inside them.

For example, Tamara's armor is unique and only Tamara is using it (same goes for Ves), so Tamara's colors are embeded into her armor, and you can redirect Ciri to that armor without any color transferring nonsense. BUT Cerys is using a generic armor, every warrior lady on Skellige is using that armor (damn monopoly), so instead of making 7 colored armor\torso models the devs just made one model, and embeded color into Cerys' file, and into merged skellige_warrior_woman file or whatever.

Anyway, the point is you can't swap to Gaunter just so (yes, this is exactly the point), or he will be bright red (not good looking), you need to transfer colors as well (Gaunter is kinda a cabbage, like Cerys, like Francis Bedlam, like practically all ladies in dresses and so on, they have a lot of strings, a lot of separate body files). Of course, you can replace someone's character\quest files with Gaunter's files, that way he'll keep his outfit colors, but there are many downsides to that basic way of swapping.

How do you supposed to know who will turn red? Well, if a character has all those arms, legs, torsos, and dresses as separate strings, when it's probably generic (Viviene's dress isn't generic, Anarietta's dress at Mandragora is generic). Also, Geralt Dopper mod. Just scroll though all the variants in the game (don't install optional retexture in that case, though).


As I mentioned before, color is embedded into characters file (not into a main quest file).
In coloringEntries under CEntityTemplate #1.
How to (photobucket link)

e.g.


burning house elven woman (Death by Fire quest in Velen) is here
quests\minor_quests\no_mans_land\quest_files\mq1046_burning_down_the_house\characters\mq1046_victim.w2ent
from this file you can learn that she is novigrad_elf_woman_01 and her colors are in here
characters\npc_entities\crowd_npc\novigrad_citizen\novigrad_elf_woman.w2ent
3 color strings are corresponde to novigrad_elf_woman_01

Step by step example (imgur album link). I'm going to copy some notes from there in the quote

Color lines doesn't have to be in any particular order, just make sure to copy\past all the names correctly (also, all her color entries, if you'll forget to copy her legs, they will not simply turn red in-game, her whole body will become invisible)


You also don't need to cover all her appearances. E.g. you want to take a screenhot of that elven lady only in the sewers. Change appearance and apply color only in shani_dirty then (hey, I'm not judging)

initially Shani's quest file doesn't have any coloringEntries in her CEntityTemplate#1, so you can just copy all coloringEntries from elven women, and then just delete other' elves colors

It's too big, though, so just find someone with less color entries. Cerys' characters file, I dunno. Cory in inside Shani, delete all Cerys' color lines, and then copy three color lines into now empty coloringEntries

Also, you don't have to search for Burning Elven Lady's file and colors every time you want to make a swap with her. Just open your edited Shani's file, and copy everything you need into some Triss or something (don't forget to rename colors according to Triss' appearances). Same goes for every character.

Amrynn is novigrad_rich_district_passiflora_girl_03 and can be found in here

gameplay\community\shops_and_craftsmen\novigrad\rich_district\novigrad_rich_district_passiflora_girl_03.w2ent
Her clothed appearance is called __passiflora_elven_prostitute and her colors are in general courtisan's file
characters\npc_entities\crowd_npc\prostitutes\novigrad_courtisan.w2ent
6 color lines in total


***

(2) deleting parts of the body file or some standalone items (hoods, fur, sometimes rings, masks, pendants, bags and arms)

How to (imgur link, Anna's hood example), although I would reccomend to just make the hood's .w2mesh invisible (delete strings), and not to edit the whole outfit.
Also, if you want to delete that hood to see Anna herself, keep in mind Anna's bald under that hood, so if you'll need to add some proper hair (to change hood hair for normal hair) to her travel_appearance (or just replace hood_hair file with normal_hair file or someting).

Triss, Yenn, Ciri, Syanna are bald under their hoods as well btw. So if you want to make Tris to Yenn Head Only or something don't forget to put Yenn's hair_hood into Triss_hood_on, not just Yenn's normal hair.

Deleting fur in like Yenn's fur (mod link), example on how to is here. (you can just make fur meshes invisible, it's simpler that way and will not cause any conflicts)

By arms I meant Iris' body. Now, a flower in her hair is embedded into her body file (body_03_wa__iris to be exact), but when she's wearing it she is already extremely pale (and in my mods her face is healthy and normal), so her face is pink, and her arms is grey. I didn't like that, so I changed her arms string in body_03_wa__iris with a normal arms string from her iris_before body. It looks like this.

By bags I meant Regis' herb bag. It's in cutscenes items, not with his model, so if you just edit his files, this bag will appear on a new character anyway. Delete strings from here:

dlc\bob\data\items\cutscenes\cs_regis_bag\model\i_01_ma__regis_cs.w2mesh
dlc\bob\data\items\cutscenes\cs_regis_bag\model\i_02_ma__regis_cs.w2mesh

By pendants I meant Ciri and Triss' pendants.

You see, they are not in their quest\characters files, and applied to those files from a different place (so if you're editing Triss' file for her to become Yenn, this new Yenn will still be wearing Triss' pendant, you need to make that pendant invisible).



items\bodyparts\triss_items\necklace_01_wa__triss.w2ent
items\bodyparts\triss_items\necklace_01_wa__trissx.w2ent
items\bodyparts\triss_items\necklace_02_wa__triss.w2ent

Instead of making an item invisible I just open it, look where meshes are, and make invisible them (fewer things, no flatCompiledData, etc.)

characters\models\main_npc\triss\model\necklace_01_wa__triss.w2mesh
characters\models\main_npc\triss\model\necklace_02_wa__triss.w2mesh

necklace_01_wa__triss is her travel outfit necklace (chain cut short)
necklace_02_wa__triss is her dress neclace (chain properly around ner neck)

Also, characters\models\main_npc\triss\model\i_02_wa__triss.w2mesh is her Kaer Morhen earrings, better make those invisible as well.

So, if you're swapping someone for Triss just add her neckace in addition to her body\head\hair strings.


items\bodyparts\triss_items\necklace_01_wa__triss.w2ent
items\bodyparts\triss_items\necklace_01_wa__trissx.w2ent

for her travel outfit

items\bodyparts\triss_items\necklace_02_wa__triss.w2ent

for her dress

Same goes for Ciri's pendant. If you want your Yenn to Ciri wear it you need to to add it from items\bodyparts

items\bodyparts\ciri_items\lara_necklace_01_wa__ciri.w2ent
OR
items\bodyparts\ciri_items\wolf_medallion_01_wa__ciri.w2ent

By masks I meant those at Vegelbud's party (main game, Triss), and at Mandragora party (BaW, Anarietta)

They are applied from a different place as well, so you need to make them invisible additionally (maybe you don't need your swapped Triss and Anna to wear mask, or a mask looks ugly on your swapped Geralt).

items\quest_items\sq301\sq301_item__fox_mask\sq301_item__w_fox_mask_01.w2mesh
deleting strings in this will make Triss' mask invisible
items\quest_items\sq301\sq301_item__human_mask\sq301_item__m_human_mask_01.w2mesh
deleting strings in this will make Geralt's harlequin mask invisible

I know those are in sq301, because of quests\sidequests\novigrad\quest_files\sq301_triss

***

Masks from BaW are here (q703 because Anna has q703_mandragora_party appearance, easy to find)

dlc\bob\data\items\quest_items\q703\model\q701_item__mask_female.w2mesh
dlc\bob\data\items\quest_items\q703\model\q703_item__mandragora_mask_male.w2mesh

***

(3) replacing body file and why would you do that (like in the basic way of swapping characters, but with outfits, default or edited)

Some people are using Better Call Ciri mod, or just conjure companions via console. You summon Ciri in her defaut white outfit, she appears in her defaut white outfit. If before that you made a mod Ciri in Ves' armor (where you edited Ciri's file and redirected here to use Ves' outfit) it will not work with your conjured Ciri, because conjuring takes directly her body files, any redirections you made in her quest\characters files are irrelevant. So, you need to replace those body files quite literally.

Her body files are in here.
characters\models\main_npc\ciri\

Ciri's body files are named, but in case of Yenn you might want to go to her quest file and look which appearance contain body_03, body_04, and body_01 (03 is her travel, 01 is her dress, and 04 is her puked dress)

So, uncook Ciri and Ves' .w2ent(s), copy Ves' body file several times, rename them according to Ciri's names (copy\past), and then replace Ciri's files with them. That way you have Ves body disguised as Ciri's bodies, cook that stuff back and conjure your renewed Ciri as much as you like.

You can download that particular mod from here.

note 1: if you additionally install Iorveth mod by Holgar your conjured Ciri (well, default Ciri as well) will be wearing Saskia's armor. This is happening because Holgars's mod edits parts of Ves' body (model, texture, everything).

Those interferences are partly why I edit characters files, and not replace their armor. Let's imagine I replaced Yenn's body with Henrietta's travel outfit. All is fine and well for Yenn, but my Fringilla Vigo in Keira to Vigo mod is using default Yenn's outfit, and now she's wearing Henrietta's travel outfit as well (yes, this is a bad thing). Too complicated to remember who's wearing what and how exactly, so I'm just editing characters files all the time (I don't summon companions with console anyway)

note 2: you can't replace some bodies with some outfits. E.g. Triss, Ciri, Yenn, Syanna, etc. have merged body files. One file - one body (everything is included: arms, legs, necks, torso). But Tamara's outfit comes without any hands, so she has two files - body and hands. So, I can't replace Ciri's white outfit with Tamara's outfit, because she will not have any hands. I suppose there's a way to merge outfit and hands, or simply to make a custom dlc with Tamara's outfit, but personally I don't know how to make any of this. Maybe this thread on cd projekt red's forums will help you with dlc part.

***

(4) skeletons incompatibility (male\female and female-blood-and-wine-dresses and female-literally-the-rest-of-the-game)

It's really simple. In FtM swaps male body will be shrunk at least half of time (with weird long necks), and in MtF swaps female model will be stretched horribly (during some animations especially). You still can try to make such a mod, because sometimes models behave correctly, and you can still make some decent gifs or screenshots.

Again, animations are embedded into character
\quest file, so if you just swap this file instead of replacing strings inside of it, then your new character model will not be stretching. There could be another problems, though (T-pose sometimes, or invisibility).

Plus in BaW ladies in dresses have special skeletons, and those dresses are made especially for those skeletons. The difference is in skirts. They are supposed to be extra realistic or whatever, the thing is normal woman skeletons aren't supporting those skirts, so if you edit Yenn's character file and give her Henrietta's black dress it will look like this. Btw that's why Geralt Doppler don't have Henrietta's dresses. It has Anarietta black dress, though, because it's just a bit different Iris' dress, so one can just take a top from Henrietta's dress and put it on Iris' bottom skirt)

***

How to make a crowd NPCs swap. With an example of The Blue Stripes to Scoia'tael \ Scoia'tael in Toussaint \ Hans of Cidaris Camp to Scoia'tael Camp mods (optional files of Swap characters to Iorveth mod, you can find descriptions there as well)

I used the first, basic way, random appearance switching is perfect for crowd swapping, soldiers to soldiers swap almost guaranties there would be no changing in behavior, and handpick appearance swapping (don't forget color transferring) in this case is pure madness.

So, I uncooked all Blue Stripes, Knights, Workers, Bandits (etc.) and Scoia'tael elves and dwarves.


gameplay\community\community_npcs\novigrad\scoiatael\novigrad_scoiatael_dwarf.w2ent
gameplay\community\community_npcs\novigrad\scoiatael\novigrad_scoiatael_female.w2ent
gameplay\community\community_npcs\novigrad\scoiatael\novigrad_scoiatael_man.w2ent
gameplay\community\community_npcs\novigrad\scoiatael\novigrad_scoiatael_man_torch.w2ent


Multiplied Scoia'tael, renamed them and replaced Blue Stripes, Knights, Workers, Bandits (etc.) with them (didn't delete any scoia'tael appearances). It looks like this in all three mods:

http://i.imgur.com/bcB3f6v.jpg

As you can see Blue Stripes are scattered across quests and cutscenes folders. It's the case with the most crowd NPCs. You just can't swap ALL witch hunters by changing only the main files, you need to find amd change some quest files as well.


Also, note that you shouldn't swap NPCs you can interact with (merchants, quest givers) with the file renaming and replacing, because the NPC will loose it's behaviours. You most likely will not be able to interact with them the way you wanted. So, the following NPCs in those modes are changed simply with appearance switching, and tinkering with clothes colors.


The Blue Stripes Gatekeeper (Ortensio) and Hans of Cidaris into Aegar
quests\part_1\quest_files\q302_mafia\characters\q302_ortensio.w2ent
quests\generic_quests\novigrad\quest_files\mh301_gryphon\characters\mh301_mercenary_speaker.w2ent


Blacksmith\merchants in Toussaint into Hattori
dlc\bob\data\living_world\merchants\shop_01_gallion_blacksmith.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\living_world\merchants\shop_26_mont_crane_armourer.w2ent
dlc\bob\data\living_world\merchants\shop_49_roquestang_armourer.w2ent

How does it look like in game (a couple of caps). It looks pretty normal, elves and dwarves are training, smoking, sitting around, working, guarding, and so on. There are only two problems. The biggest one: the dwarf cook doesn't want to cook, he just stands there and looks at a fire a in bewilderment (he doesn't even have cooking animation, but dwarves are pretty ok with standing around and guarding the place). The second problem: elves don't know how to ride a horse. As you can see Toussaint swap include knights, and some of those knighs are patrolling the roads on horses, so with that mod you're bound to meet confused elves standing next to a horse sometimes. I'm pretty sure this is exact reason why this particular elf is behaving like he's behaving.

***


How to quickly find all used body parts in case you want to swap an NPC to a custom character you created via Geralt Doppler mod, or just to add some intresting item you saw in Geralt Doppler to some default NPC.
also, about Retexture, colors of generic body parts, and bright red witcher sets

Install male OR female versions of the mod, depending on male or female body parts \ item you're looking for.
Or just download copy of the resources from here, along with separate Geralt Doppler Retextures (more about it later).
Go to your mod folder and into Geralt Dopper resourses folder. In my case a path looks like this.

C:\GOG Games\The Witcher 3 - Wild Hunt\mods\modGeraltDoppler\content\scripts\mod\geraltDoppler\resources

GeraltDopplerBody is for body bundles. For example, Olgierd's body consist from several parts.

http://i.imgur.com/T6eAmOm.jpg

i_11_ma__skellige_villager is for that tube with papers he's carrying around
olgierd is for his main body\legs\boots\arms merged into one file
i_01_ma__olgierd is for his earring
olgierd_neck_transition is for his manly hairy chest

I guess you can just unpack his character file, and look there, but there are many characters in GeraltDopplerBody, so it's might be faster just to look there (or if you don't know where in the game files to find Hakland mage or Groom or whomever)

GeraltDopplerHair is for hair. For example, your custom character is using ManAverageHair8. Just open that file and search ManAverageHair8 with CTRL+F. You'll find something like this.

public function Hair_ManAverageHair8()
{
resources.PushBack((CEntityTemplate)LoadResource("characters\models\common\man_average\hair\c_09_ma__hair_02.w2ent", true));
IncludeHair("Man Average Hair 8", resources);
}

So, characters\models\common\man_average\hair\c_09_ma__hair_02.w2ent is a string of your ManAverageHair8 hair, as you can see it doesn't called like that in the game files, so finding it without a resource list would be a little bit more difficult.

GeraltDopplerSandBox is for items and various body\armor parts. If you character is using t2_01_ma__novigrad_citizen you just searh for it and get your string.

AddPart("torso_t2_01_ma__novigrad_citizen","characters\models\crowd_npc\novigrad_citizen\torso\t2_01_ma__novigrad_citizen.w2ent");

characters\models\crowd_npc\novigrad_citizen\torso\t2_01_ma__novigrad_citizen.w2ent is that you're looking for

***

Again, the vast majority of torso\arms\legs\boots are generic, so if you try just swap them they will be bright red on the new character (and they will be bright red in Geralt Doppler as well if you're not using an Optional Retexture)

E.g. Milton's armor looks bright red, because Milton shares his chest piece with some other knights, and all those knights have this chest piece in different color. So, technically in the game there's only one model of that chest piece (basic one, with no color), and all those knights, including Milton, have their individual color schemes embeded into their character file (so it's applied from there to that generic chest piece). Geralt Doppler (and my usial swaps) are using directly the model of an armor piece, and in case if generic body parts that model has no color (bright red).

That nasty problem could be avoided if I'm just swapping characters (I can just put old character's color settings into new character's file), or if I'm using Optional Retexture what goes with Geralt Dopper mod (just after installation of man\women section you have an option to install a retexture). I don't know if that retexture covers Milton's armor, though, but it definetly covers some shirts and stuff like that. I don't think it retextures witcher sets armor, so you need Original Witcher Armor sets colors mod for that btw.

***

So, for example you swapped some lady to your custom female character (with generic body parts which go red without a gerat dopper retexture), and you yourself want to play as a male character with Geralt Doppler ya nasty. Now, wouldn't not a problem if you wanted to play as a female character with Women Section installed, but if you want to install Man Section instead the Women Section the Women Retexure will be deleted automatically. So, just copy somewhere modGeraltDopplerRetextureWoman from your mod folder, then uninstall women section, install men section, and put modGeraltDopplerRetextureWoman back into a mod folder. That way you can swap Geralt for some other men, and your custome lady's clothes will still be normal color.

ALSO, you can just download retexture separately from here (there are also copies of Geralt Doppler mod resources with body parts for both men and women, so you wouldn't have to install and unistall sections every time). I obviously don't own anything, this is all ParKan's work.

***

Also, if you can't find an item you want to use in the Geralt Doppler you can just add it there youself.
e.g. I know strings of this piercing (saw it on an NPC, uncooked this NPC's file and looked inside) and I want it in the list of items in the Geralt Doppler menu.

characters\models\crowd_npc\skellige_berserker\items\i_06_ms__skellige_berserker.w2ent

so, just go to the GeraltDopplerSandBox under the //[items] and just place the following among other lines

AddPart("items_i_06_ms__skellige_berserker","characters\models\crowd_npc\skellige_berserker\items\i_06_ms__skellige_berserker.w2ent");

done! now this item is on the list in the game for you to use on your character. Same goes if you want to add a full body in //[body] or some armor trunk in //[torso] etc.

I'm pretty sure my way of making mods, and my tutorial in general can use some improvement, so feel free to add anything, or to correct me in the comments if you want.

P.S.: Kudos to ParKan, DarkPro0xy, Scoutbr0, ziraelxx and KingHochmeister, I didn't learn how to mod from nothing. Also, to all those who came to me for a tutorial bits and drafts since summer, I wouldn't have made a guide without any requests for it.

added (12/01): a little step by step example of the burning house elven woman swap in (1) transferring color, plus some notes about colour

Edited January 21, 2017 by Briarbird

[Feregorn]

WOW! Super explicative guide!

[assassino123456]

Can i completely play as eredin wildhunt without having neck glitch..or getting fat

[babydiehard]

So....How do I make Brothel swap mod? Should I use replace character files method or edit string method?

[icoffee]

Hello,

I don't have a "dlc" folder nor a "main_npc" folder that is located in the "quests" folder, I have one in "characters\models\main_npc" but that one doesn't contain the files I believe I need. I'm sorry to bother but I don't understand why mine is different. All I wish to do is change Kiera's hair to something different yet I seemingly cannot. Please, any help is appreciated.

 

Regards

[xcrstfallenstrx]

So this tutorial has been insanely helpful to me. I've made so many amazing swaps.

Just one thing I'm having trouble with.

Made a Vesemir to Geralt swap, and for the Ciri hug scene, I did modify the character file here: characters\npc_entities\main_npc\vesemir.w2ent

 

as well as his main file, like you specified, but for some reason, he always has no head for the hug. Everything else works perfectly. Thoughts?

 

Also, I'm trying to modify Avallac'h in the nameless flashback scene, and while the part where he whispers to Ciri can't be altered, everything else seems editable, ie, I have replaced skjall, however, I am unable to change avallac'h in the opening part. Where he is carrying Ciri. I have tried altering his quest file, his character file, etc with no luck. Is there a file I should maybe be looking for somewhere else? I even checked the files for that specific quest.

Any help with both of these things would be much appreciated.

Edited March 4, 2018 by xcrstfallenstrx

[pozitiv122]

But what if you need to take a body folder from the specific quest? Like I've tried to make a folder which I could put in and remove from the "Mods" folder. I've did it but then I could not apply the body of Henrietta from the quest "The Man from Cintra" to Yen. Any Suggestion?

[xcrstfallenstrx]

What outfit specifically, of Henrietta's are you trying to put on Yen?

The dress she wears to the party?
The pants outfit?

Edited March 11, 2018 by xcrstfallenstrx

[pozitiv122]

No I need the head only(dress would be nice but I can figure it our). That's the point. It (the Head) apearce only once in the game and in a specific quest.

P.S I've tried to apply this mod "https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher3/mods/2516/?tab=description" but it didn't quite work. Maybe there is a way for me to change the folder modYenntoAnarietta from the "Character Swap BAW" ?

Edited March 12, 2018 by pozitiv122

[xcrstfallenstrx]

So you want her appearence during that quest? Do you have the debug enabler and extensions installed?

 

If you do then when you are targeting Henrietta enable console and type:

gettargettemplate

getapp

That should tell you what strings to use for Yenn's file.

 

Even if the appearance is only once it will be inside henrietta's main file. They all are. She does have one temp file, but I have been unable to find a place in game where it's actually used, so you should only need strings from her main file.

 

If you simply want to make yenn look like Henrietta, then you need to replace Yenn's 'h and c' stirings with henrietta's. h - head, c - coif/hair.
Replacing all of yenn's 'b' strings with the 'b' strings for the outfit you want of henrietta's will do the dress. b - body.

 

If you are more clear about what you are trying to do, I can make the swap mod for you.