Skyrim: Change Custom NPC Base Object ID in Nifscope?

[ReaverLord]

Hi guys,

 

I am trying to understand how the Creation Kit applies base object ids to the facegendata nifs output after you create a custom NPC(pressing Ctrl+F4).

 

Is it possible to change the base object id of a custom NPC's facegendata nif using Nifscope?

 

If so, where is the NPC's base object id located in the generated nif file?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

RL

[Rigmor]

Yes you can.

 

in the facegen "blocks" the id's are the "string" attached to the block:

 

ie: headnord02 , browshuman03 etc etc

 

so if you made a custom head you want to change to, the stings must be exactly the same for your head, and it doesn't matter the race.

so you would open both heads in nifscope (2 open serarately) click on the block on the upper window. in the lower window is where you change the "string" via the txt icon.

 

so open it, copy the string and paste it into your equivalent for that block

 

i hope that made sense

[ReaverLord]

I think there may be some confusion. When I refer to base object id, I mean the unique facegendata id generated by the Creation Kit after pressing Ctrl+F4. (For the file I screenshot, the base object id, as given by the CK when you open the NPC as a Reference is 025B6576. The filename given by the CK is 005B6576.nif)

 

 

Could you be referring to the unique text value which each mesh part(block?) has? I learned this is also alterable by right-clicking the Name's value (txt) on the lower "Block Details" window and choosing "Edit String index".

 

 

Unfortunately, altering this string data does not appear to allow the game to use the modified facegendata nif for a different NPC.

 

I originally thought it might be done by changing the nif's filename to the target NPC's facegendata nif filename--and the game will simply accept whatever it reads as that file to be the correct mesh within the nif to display. But in-game, the NPC appears corrupted when you do this. Thus, I must assume a data mismatch is occurring between the nif's filename and the original(differing) base object id data inside the nif file.

 

Is there a way to manually alter this data so the nif's basic name change will point to another(target) NPC in-game?

 

Thanks for your help Rigmor!

[Rigmor]

Yes, that's what I thought you were trying to do, place Rochelles head on another NPC?

 

You would ctrl+F4 and the ck will dump a facegen.nif in the folder. But you want to replace that head with Rocjelles?

so you would rename the rochelle head .nif to the one the CK made. then edit the strings in rochelles facegen to match the ctrl'd F4'd one EXACTLY

or it wont work.

 

so if the ctrl-F4'd facegen had the string "FemaleHeadNord02" you would need to paste that overwriting your "FemaleHeadNord_Rochelle"

the stings must be exactly the same as the CK head. then copy the filename and paste it into the rochelle head filename and overwrite the one in facegendata

[ReaverLord]

Okay, so the string itself being differing is all that matters to the game--NOT the Base Object ID? In other words, the game is expecting a specific string txt value for that specific ctrl'd F4'd mesh part, and anything unique botches the NPC?

 

Thank you very much for helping me to understand how it all works. I will apply this technique & see if I can get the full body nif I made to work with any NPC. :cool:

 

EDIT: It worked! Yes, the screenshot shows a messed up NPC with the wrong textures and original full body bleeding in with the default body the CK commands it to show. But those are the mesh parts for Kaylee on Rochelle's NPC personality!! Yee Ha Baby...

 

 

Thank you Rigmor! You helped me learn something new today.

Edited September 25, 2017 by ReaverLord

[Rigmor]

Hey awesome, remember the facetint texture needs the same name, so change the one you want (custom) with the original (one you are replacing) in the textures/facetint AND check the texture address in the head block nif for facetint to make sure it's pointing to the right texture folder.