How to use a DDS file on a specific NPC

[Graelock]

The Problem:

 

Okay, so, I had a pretty fun adventure, before arriving at this question. So, I decided, I really want Alva's eyes to be Selene (from Underworld) Blue...after all, Alva is the only Vampire in, probably the Elder Scrolls series, to have regular, hazel, eyes. After looking Serana's eyes after installing the "Eyes of Beauty" mod, I was amazed...she looks fantastic and perfect...I totally wanted to try this with Alva, my new, hacked follower...

 

My Solution (or so I thought...):

 

So, I downloaded NPC Editor 0.75. I opened up Alva, tweaked some skin color, and assigned the new VampireLordEyes001 file to her, since the NPC EDitor looks at textures in your Data folder too and not just the Skyrim.ESM, vanilla file...and boom! Alva's eyes were now Selene Blue! (well, only within NPC Editor). This all seemed too good to be true, she looked fantastic in the editor. However, I saved the ESP/BSA and the ESP was a staggering 25MB's...after only changing eye data....causing Skrim to crash before the menu. I then, disabled the ESP and it was fine. I deleted the ESP, started again, but decided, for troubleshooting, "let's not tweak anything, let's just load Alva in the editor, and save her as default." I loaded the custom ESP in which, nothing was tweaked (still, a 24+mb file)...same thing. Skyrim crashes. Mind you, I haven't that many mods installed. So I disabled all mods, loaded hers...same thing.

 

...And So, I Researched And Researched:

 

I read that NPC Editor produces an issue where, it saves a bunch of unncessary data with it, and that one person had luck trimming it down in TESVSnip, but none of my millions of NPC Editor created ESP's will open in it...it causes a crash there too, but all my other downloaded, unrelated ESP's open in it. So, I downloaded Wrye Bash, converted it to ESM, using the ESMify function and got one of my Alva's to load...sure enough, a F-load of strings were stored under her...tree category, after tree category...furniture information, water reflection information, words of power...male clothing, gargoyles, EVERYTHING in the game that has nothing to do with her...after an hour of sifting, concluded, character data pertaining to Alva and her eyes, skin, etc. none of that was in there. Not even, the VampireLordEyes001 I had wished to use. I then, loaded an Aelia facelift mod I had, to see what it should look like...there should only be the Actor data...like, one freakin tree, unless, there are faction adjustments, inventory etc. I loaded Alva back up, left only the Actor data tree...no go. When I load up Skyrim, she's bone stock, with Hazel eyes...oh and this was after converting back to ESP, using ESpify in Wrye Bash.

 

 

My Work Around Attempt Fails:

 

So, I decided to try the CK (Creation Kit), I can successfully change her eye color and skin, but only two what applies to the default Skyrim.ESM. The application absolutely freaks out if I load anything other than Skyrim.ESM and crashes. Can't load Dawnguard, let alone custome mods. Anyway, that wouldn't help me, becaues my Eyes of Beauty mod I wish to use, is not a BSA/ ESP combo, only a texture folder you throw into the Skyrim Data folder containing the various DDS/ image files. I can't for the life of me, figure out how to get that damn DDS into th CK.

[IsharaMeradin]

There is an Eyes of Beauty esp file. I should know, I've used it before.

 

At any rate, one thing you can do...

 

If you have the texture (and permission to use said texture)...

In the CK you need to create a Texture Set for the eye, look at existing ones. -- Miscellanous > TextureSet

Then you need to create a Head Part entry, look at existing ones. -- Character > HeadPart

If the race you are using is listed on the FormList chosen for Valid Races on the HeadPart form, then the eye is now available to use without overwriting existing eyes.

If the playable box is checked on the HeadPart form, then the player can use that eye too. Otherwise it is only for the character you assign it to.

 

 

Hopefully that helps you.