How to modify an existing mod for improvement

[Hanker109]

Hi! After installing a house mod, the companion will not sleep on the bed because apparently is owned. I would appreciate if someone can guide me as to how I can modify the bed so companions can use it. I've tried to contact the modder to see if this could be fixed but never get a response. On other occasions, when I enter a structure, things within start rattling as soon as I get in and items fall off on the floor for unseen reasons. I believe this is due to havoc. For instance, Balltehorn Castle Enhance has duplicated hanging lamps, which I was able to indetify with the CS. I deleted the duplicate lamps with the CS and made a save but then I find that the changes didn't hold when I reenter the structure. Any help will be very much appreciated.

[kingtitan]

For starters, the bed needs to be "owned" by the same faction as the companion. If you don't know how to do this, here is a short walkthrough:

1) Boot up the CS with the mod that contains the bed set as the active file. (I also suggest that you load up the mod that the companion is from to see what faction he/she is in)

2) In the cell window, click once on the id entry for the cell that contains the bed. After that, double click on any ref in that cell (any entry in the right side of the window)

3) This will load up cell in the render window, centered on what ever reference you double clicked on. Navigate the render window so that you can find the bed that needs to be edited.

4) Double click on the bed in the render window. This will open up a new window.

5) Click on the ownership tab. Change the faction to whatever faction the companion is in so that his/her faction "owns" the bed.

Side note: It would be a good idea to make your companion and this house mod part of the same .esp. If you want to do this, just load up the companion's .esp (keeping the house .esp active). Then find the companions entry and give them a new unique ID. This will make them a part of your house .esp instead of their default one.

6) IMPORTANT: Make sure the "Persistent Reference" checkbox is checked on the bed in the same window from 4 & 5. If this box is not checked the NPC will never consider the furniture as usable. If it is already checked then you have nothing to worry about.

7) Close everything and save the edited .esp. Playtest and post your results.

Edited March 12, 2012 by kingtitan

[WarRatsG]

The havok issue has been around forever. There is no way of fixing it.

 

Your changes may not have carried because you didnt make a "clean save". What this means is a save without the mod active. So deactivate the mod, save your game, edit the mod, reactivate the mod, play game again. :)

[Striker879]

There are also some things (load doors in particular) that will have a persistent location in your save file. If you do not make a clean save as WarRatsG suggests they will always appear in their original location, no matter what you do.

[Lanceor]

For the crazy havok issue, there's a mod called Decorator Assistant that lets you place things with precision in-game. Obviously, this is of no help if you're making a mod for release, but if you're just decorating your own home, it will do the job nicely. :)

[Hanker109]

The havok issue has been around forever. There is no way of fixing it.

 

Your changes may not have carried because you didnt make a "clean save". What this means is a save without the mod active. So deactivate the mod, save your game, edit the mod, reactivate the mod, play game again. :)

 

 

Hi! WarRats. At last I get a good answer to the mod modifying procedure! It is no wonder all my efforts went no where before, since I kept my mods active while trying to modifying them in the CS. I will say that you just made my day. Thanks many times.

 

I found a little problem, I deactivated the mod then made a clean save but when I open the CS the mod I wanted to modify was not there. Where did I go wrong? Please let me know, thanks.

[Hanker109]

For the crazy havok issue, there's a mod called Decorator Assistant that lets you place things with precision in-game. Obviously, this is of no help if you're making a mod for release, but if you're just decorating your own home, it will do the job nicely. :)

 

Good tip, my many thanks to you Lanceor.

[WarRatsG]

I found a little problem, I deactivated the mod then made a clean save but when I open the CS the mod I wanted to modify was not there. Where did I go wrong? Please let me know, thanks.

 

If you are using wrye bash to deactivate the mods, it will automatically "ghost" the mod. This is because the games engine reads esps even if they arent active, so it slows down the game. The esp file is tweaked slightly so that the games engine will not recognize it, therefore not read it. Only problem is that the CS wont recognise it either.

 

So you can turn off ghosting, or you can tweak the order I mentioned before. Instead of deactivate, edit, save, reactivate - you can deal it around to edit, deactivate, save, reactivate. Just so long as you deactivate before saving, it will work. :)

[Hanker109]

I found a little problem, I deactivated the mod then made a clean save but when I open the CS the mod I wanted to modify was not there. Where did I go wrong? Please let me know, thanks.

 

If you are using wrye bash to deactivate the mods, it will automatically "ghost" the mod. This is because the games engine reads esps even if they arent active, so it slows down the game. The esp file is tweaked slightly so that the games engine will not recognize it, therefore not read it. Only problem is that the CS wont recognise it either.

 

So you can turn off ghosting, or you can tweak the order I mentioned before. Instead of deactivate, edit, save, reactivate - you can deal it around to edit, deactivate, save, reactivate. Just so long as you deactivate before saving, it will work. :)

 

Hi! Thanks for helping me. I figured that WB had something to do for the CS not reading the mod so I uninstalled it and reinstalled it with OBMM. I made a Save, deactivated the mod, then again a Save. Opened the CS and ticked on the Oblivion.esm, DCL Battllehorn, the Mod UOP, and finally made the Battlehorn Enhanced active which is the one that has floating pedestals. I centered the pedestals Viewpoint with the "T" and lowered them to the floor with the "F". Clicked on File Save and Exit. Reactivate the mod, started the Game and the pedestals were still floating. I don't know what I'm doing wrong although I believe I'm following the instructions to the "t". This thing is driving me crazy, do I have to change the mods name by any chance?

[Striker879]

You may be running into a mod de-isolation issue. If DLCBattlehorn.esp was 'esmified' when the author of Battlehorn Enhanced made his mod then you will need to do the same if you want to edit his esp. Here's a CS Wiki link for more info: De-Isolation Tutorial.