Merging plugins with the Construction set help

[woodtortiose]

Hello, I've just spent some time the past couple of days learning a bit about the construction set and exhaustively reading wikis, and I've learned enough basics I think for the project I want to do. I recently started a new game with FCOM/OOO/MMM/etc, the whole package, and these mods naturally have alot of plugins. I'm nearing my plugin limit, I'd like to combine some of those mods that just add a couple of things, a ring here, a chest of clothes there. I've tried using TESGecko, but none of my merge attempts have worked. So anyway, here's my project and problem. I want to create a mod (for my own personal use), that adds a handful of chests to the game. These chest will be filled with the various unique clothes, weapons armor etc thats added by 20-30 different other mods. Creating chests and adding them to the game by creating a new esp is no problem. The difficulty comes when I try to add stuff to the chests from any file other than oblivion.esm. When I open the construction set, click on file/data, the list of all active plugins is brought up (I know that you know this, I'm just describing my steps so I can find out what I'm doing wrong). I click obl.esm obviously, and several others (not making them active files, just ticking on them). Lets say the Blackluster mod for example. Now in the object window, the weapons and armor from blackluster show up, and I'm able to drag them over to chest. Then I added the chest to the game, saved it, activated the esp and started the game. The chest is there, as well as any vanilla items I put in there, but no Blackluster stuff. Thats my problem, can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Thanks, Woodtortiose

 

PS I hope I'm posting this in the correct category, and I hope that what I'm trying to do doesn't offend anyone. Its for my own personal use, and I'm doing it because I love and respect the work thats gone into these mods, and I cant bear to play without them as I near the 253 plugin limit. Thanks

[LoginToDownload]

Unless you "trick" the CS somehow, .esp files can only rely on .esm files as you'd like it to. You might take a look at thisDe-Isolation Tutorial for how to get around it.

[woodtortiose]

Unless you "trick" the CS somehow, .esp files can only rely on .esm files as you'd like it to. You might take a look at thisDe-Isolation Tutorial for how to get around it.

 

 

Thanks Login,

I've scanned the linked wiki, and although it seems to address the problem, I'm not sure that it solves it. If I'm reading this correctly, this is a method for tricking the cs into thinking that an esp is a master. If this is true and it works, I should be able to do what I'm trying to do. The problem (if I understand this correctly, just taking my first sip of coffee) is that now my new plugin I make is dependant upon the 'master' esps. So I can't remove them from my mod list which is the whole point. I guess what I need to figure out is how to import data (meshes, textures, etc) completely from one file into another, so that the latter is no longer dependant upon the original. I have no idea how to do this, but I know it can be done. I was using AceToniks Warlock gear mod, which adds some stuff based on and using textures from the Lost Spires, but you didn't need Lost Spires to play it. I have a feeling that the answer is very simple, and I'll feel like a fool once I figure it out. Anyway, thanks for the heads up Login, once I've had some joe I'll reread the article and give it a shot. Thanks!

[LoginToDownload]

Good point... In that case, you might just have to replicate all the armor you want in your new .esp.

[woodtortiose]

Good point... In that case, you might just have to replicate all the armor you want in your new .esp.

....replicate...how do I do that?

[LoginToDownload]

I just mean re-make the armor. Find out what stats and file paths the original .esp uses for the armor and make armor the same way in your new .esp.

[woodtortiose]

I just mean re-make the armor. Find out what stats and file paths the original .esp uses for the armor and make armor the same way in your new .esp.

 

 

 

Yeah, I followed the method in the de-isolation tutorial and was able to make a chest full of stuff from other mods, but they disappeared when I deactivated the originals. I'll try what you suggest above, once I read some more tutorials and figure out what that means! Thanks Login

[LoginToDownload]

It might sound as if I'm saying something more complex than it is... I just mean make armor in your new plugin that's exactly the same as the armor in the old plugins.

[woodtortiose]

It might sound as if I'm saying something more complex than it is... I just mean make armor in your new plugin that's exactly the same as the armor in the old plugins.

 

 

Its probably not too complicated, but I'm a noob on my 2nd lesson of the cs beginners tutorial. I cant even find a page on the wiki (I'm sure its there, I just havent found it yet) that deals with custom item creation. Plus alot of these things are custom, not a vanilla items given new stats. Take for example the incredible Masks mod. These are in there own folder(s) in the items/armor section on the cs. I've played around briefly with the import function, but I cant as yet figure out how to import nif and dds files. Am I overthinking this in some way?

[LoginToDownload]

I think you are. I would imagine the whole thing would be pretty intuitive if you examined a couple of Vanilla armors. If you change the name while editing one, it will make a new type of armor.

 

(I didn't even know the CS had an "Import" function)