How: Duplicate Existing Craftable Armor, but with Special Properties

[toastysquirrel]

I'm trying to do something I *think* is very simple, but not sure how to go about it. I want to create a small mod that allows the character to craft a "special" version of an existing armor, whereby only the crafted armor has the special attributes while the original non-crafted armor is untouched.

 

As an example: I want to craft special "Steel Armor". It will have have all the same characteristics of Steel Armor, except twice the armor rating and take twice as many Ingots to create. The normal steel armor (that is crafted, purchased, or found in the world) will remain as it is.

 

• 
   
  
• Unique armor rating.
  
• Unique crafting materials.
  
• Unique name.
  
• Meshes, textures, all other variables identical to original armor.
  

How can I make that happen?

Specifically I want to modify the forsworn armor with the help ofthis mod. For the moment it will be for personal use but I'll make sure to get the modder's permission should I release it.

[NoAardvarksAllowed]

If you just want to add new armor to the game, that looks and functions like some already existing armor, the process is very simple. In the CK, go to Object Window>Items>Armor and open the armor that you want to edit. Give it a new ID that describes your new armor and then edit the values of your choice. Press OK and when asked if you want to make a new form, press Yes.

 

(If you want to change the appearance of the armor, like with new textures and stuff, you will first have to make a new Texture Set entry and then an Armor Addon entry, which references the Texture Set. Then your Armor entry will have to reference the Armor Addon.)

 

Now you've made the armor. To make it craftable in-game, you go to Item>Constructible Object. There you find the crafting recipes. Find the recipe for the original item if there is one, otherwise just open anything that seems close. Again, give it a new ID, and change the values to what you want. Press OK and Yes. This will let you craft the armor. If you also want to be able to upgrade it, you repeat the process but this time you make a new Temper entry instead of a Recipe.

 

If you are modifying vanilla armor like this, you only need to save your mod straight forward as a new .esp. However, since you are editing armor that has been added in another mod, it's only this simple if that mod is a master file (.esm) as opposed to a normal plugin (.esp). If the mod you want to change is another .esp, it can't be referenced by your .esp in game, because of how the engine works. You can get around this by making your changes in the same .esp as the mod came with, although, if the original mod is updated and you replace your current .esp with the new version, your changes will be lost. Alternately, you can change the mod you want to change into and .esm or force your .esp to use the original .esp as a master file (a bit more on that here under points 1-4).

Edited February 29, 2012 by No_Aardvarks_Allowed

[toastysquirrel]

Thanks, man, that's awesome!