How To Change An Npc's Appearance In Skyrim

Within a game like Skyrim, there are a few ways to update only the visual elements for customization purposes. In this guide I'll be explaining and showing examples of how I[ane] change textures in Skyrim from mods.

Notation: This guide doesn't go into how to create new meshes, nor does information technology go into personally reworking existing models. I'yard still learning to create personal custom textures.

ENB, some other great enhancement tool, I won't cover. It'due south a more than complicated process of updating Skyrim'southward visuals. Yous can go to the Step Wiki for information on how to install.

Useful Terms to Know:

Textures

Textures are the "skins" of objects you encounter in a game. They are the 2nd image of a 3D model. Everything visible in a game has a texture. They are files with a .dds extension.

In that location are a few different texture files. For an in-depth explanation, you tin go to this folio on the Nexus Wiki. Information technology does an splendid chore of breaking downwardly every part of the texture file set.

Meshes

Meshes are graphs used to ascertain shape, size, and other information about models. Information technology literally looks like mesh shaped into an object. These are NIF files, or .nif.

Meshes can be very simple with no real defining nooks and crannies. Think smooth cylinders. They can besides be highly detailed. Skyrim's heart area mesh includes protrusions for eyelashes.

BSA Files

Many of the original game's files are wrapped up in a Bethesda Software Archive (called BSA) and have a ".bsa" extension. These are compressed files created exclusively for the game company Bethesda. Mod files tin come with these extensions as well.

When a file is within the BSA, it's not within the other data files similar textures. This is okay! Programs like BSA Browser allow you to view the contents or unpack them like regular zipped files. If y'all demand an original file for whatsoever reason, or need to go into a mod'due south BSA, use a BSA utility plan and catch it from there.

They can exist installed with whatever method listed beneath, but they must exist housed within the data folder only, no other binder before or after. They won't show up otherwise.

Loose Files

These are (usually) texture files for the game that are not packed within a BSA file. Information technology doesn't include other compressed files.

These files, if installed after any other file, will override with their ain content.

ESP Files

ESP files are plugin files for Bethesda games with a ".esp" extension. These files tell Skyrim to override default behaviors, such as "utilize this mesh and texture for this sword." Simple texture replacers ordinarily do not have these. There is no behavior to modify. More than complicated texture replacers and many other mods make use of these files.

If these must be placed in a specific spot in your mod load order, the author will tell you where to put it. Follow these instructions or the modern won't register properly within the game.

ESM Files

ESM files are the game's master files and employ the ".esm" extension. They establish Skyrim's basic behaviors. They can be from the game or from modifications. ESPs override the ESMs' behaviors.

Like ESPs, if these must be placed in a specific spot in your mod load society, the author will tell you where to put it. Follow these instructions or the mod won't annals properly within the game.

Installation Methods

There are four means to add in new textures to Skyrim. I'll become over three in particular. The fourth tin be complicated and the instructions vary depending on the program used. I'll briefly go over my experiences with this method and link to the mods that use them.

I will use the mod The Cosmos for an case. Information technology changes Skyrim's base sky texture. The mod is very detailed and colorful for a basic sky. It's perfect for a dramatic fantasy realm! Y'all also get the cute effects without an ENB.

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Method #1: Manual Install

Once upon a fourth dimension, manual install was your only option for modding. Everything you did had to be done manually. On ane hand this is an effective way to learn the file layout for a game. On the other, it's incredibly piece of cake to mess up what yous're doing. If you decide to install this way, then make sure you go slow and double check yourself. Even if you lot practice everything right, the game tin can still interruption.

The basics of installing textures manually is simple. Open the file that contains the old texture you lot want to supercede from the game.

1. • Example with the default Steam installation: C:\Programme Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\mutual\Skyrim\Data\textures\sky
   • Specific file: skyrimgalaxy.dds
   • Create a backup of this original file (see BSA in) past renaming information technology something similar "skyrimgalaxy_original.dds" and placing information technology in a designated fill-in folder outside of Skyrim's directory.
     • I keep mine in an surface area that won't exist affected by a hard drive malfunction. Exterior of Skyrim'due south directory means it won't be wiped out should annihilation happen.
     • This fill-in is in case you desire to become back to this texture.
   • If your Skyrim is installed in another folder or hard drive, navigate to that surface area. Mine is East:\Steam\steamapps\mutual\Skyrim\Data\textures\heaven.
2. Copy the file from the mod (or your own file) with the identical name of the texture file you're replacing.
   • Example file path when opening the zip file: C:\Users\[proper noun]\Downloads\The_Cosmos_ver_1_1_1-35552-Ver-ane-1-one.zip\The_Cosmos_ver_1.1.1\Data\Textures\Sky\
   • File:skyrimgalaxy.dds
   • I use re-create so I accept a backup of the new texture.
3. Paste the new texture into the game'southward texture file holding the old texture. Information technology will ask you to overwrite. Click ok – you want this to happen.
4. Open the game. Check to make certain the new texture has been applied and that nothing else is wrong.
   • Instance: I open up the game and go look at the heaven. If the right file shows upward, then I know everything is alright.

Method #2: Elevate and Drop

Some authors, like me, publish mods that have files prepare up in a distinct fashion. This allows y'all to apply a elevate and drop method for manual installation.

1. Open up the compressed mod file. Yous should see a containing file housing the modern. Open it. Sometimes at that place is no containing folder and you're left with the folder fix for the elevate and drop install.
   1. Example: The_Cosmos_ver_1_1_1-35552-Ver-i-i-1.nada is the compressed file. Within is the folder for drag and driblet, Data.
   2. If the mod had a containing folder, information technology would house Data. It could be called annihilation but Data or any file name Skyrim uses (i.eastward. Skyrim, textures, meshes, etc)
2. If you adopt to check the files, click through each file to brand certain the path is correct, and that the necessary files are in their correct places. I usually just click each folder within the succession.
   1. Example: Open the Data binder. Click through the files inside in this order: Information, textures, heaven, until you see skyrimgalaxy.dds. If it's in sky and in no other folder after, then information technology'south correct.
3. Go back to the main binder holding Data. Copy Data.
4. Paste the copy into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim. This will also paste each file inside into their right binder.
   1. If the file is different from Data: Brand sure to copy the correct file and paste at the spot the mod author instructs. If y'all paste into a different expanse or grab the wrong file information technology won't work.
5. Check to brand sure everything shows up correctly in game.

Method #3: Automatic Install

This is for texture mods that are installed through a mod manager like Nexus Modern Manager or Modernistic Organizer. I just employ Nexus Modernistic Manager and have no feel with Modern Organizer [2]. However, at that place are multiple modernistic tutorials for MO online.

1. Open NMM
2. Download the The Cosmos through the Mod's download page on Nexus.
   • Alternatively, if the mod can be installed by NMM just simply has a manual download, download the file and take NMM open up it.
3. Double click on the mod in NMM'due south "modernistic" section and permit it to install.
4. Allow it to write over whatever previous mod'south files.
   • If yous only want sure textures overwritten, yous must click either "aye" or "no" for each file you are prompted on. This will require you to know the names of the files you want to replace. I've found you can do this up to the file you want to supercede and and so hit 1 of the choices below, except "Yeah to All" and "No to All."
   • "Yes to All" will overwrite everything this modernistic has over all other mods replacing the same textures. Information technology will too replace the specific base game's textures.
   • "Yes to Mod" overwrites the electric current mod NMM is asking well-nigh only. The mod'southward name will be inside the prompt.
   • "No to All" will not permit any overwriting. This can cause issues, so I avoid it.
   • "No to Modern" volition skip the current mod NMM is asking about.
5. Once installation is complete check the textures in game.

Method #4: Plan Install

These types of texture installs are unremarkably carried out past programs using java or by an automatic executable. Automatic executable programs but need to be clicked on and installed past the prompts for the program. This is exactly similar installing software on your PC.

Coffee based mods have their own personalized instructions. Automated Variants is a good instance of this. Here is a Youtube tutorial from Gopher that shows how to install the mod.

Things to go on in mind:

Mistakes happen. The game is buggy. Don't fret until you've retried and cannot find a solution. Google usually helps in this case.

Here is a checklist to become through before you go back and manually install the texture again.

1. Bank check to make sure you've put the new texture into the right file.
2. Cheque to see if there is another mod or texture that is overriding the change you want to brand.
   • This most commonly happens when a texture replacer mod is active that replaces the same types of texture. Transmission installs usually override, just occasionally the replacer modern is gear up in a fashion that this doesn't happen.
     • Yous can go to the mod author or the mod folio to encounter how to override this. Ofttimes, it's simply finding that mod's own texture file path and calculation your texture to information technology.
     • Seranaholic, Amazing Follower Tweaks, and Automatic Variants all take parts of their mods that hold textures in other places or volition cause an NPC to use another texture.
   • Some NPCs use texture files in their own respective folders, or specific files from within the default texture binder (like Serana). The file requirement tin be looked up and/or inverse in the Creation Kit (found on Steam). Information technology can likewise be found in the NPC's files.
3. Cheque to make sure you're changing the correct texture.
   • For example: in that location are multiple vampire eye files for the default game. They effect different characters and races. Human being races have 2: eyevampire_01.dds and eyevampire_02.dds. eyevampire_02.dds is from the Dawnguard official DLC and effects vampire lord-blazon vampires. 01 is from the original game and furnishings normal vampires. Serana has her own texture, eyevampire_serana.dds. She can use 01 if her texture is taken away.
4. If you install another texture replacer later on this that changes the aforementioned file and hitting "Yep to All" y'all will get the new texture from the new modernistic.
   • Yous can either utilise the Transmission Install method to fix this, uninstall the new mod and reinstall it using the other prompts, or use one of the prompt choices from the commencement.
5. Make sure that if you lot have an ESM file or ESP file you lot actuate them in the correct order.
   • Mods lower in your load society will override annihilation in a higher place.
   • ESMs and ESPs are in unlike sections and cannot be mixed. Generally, ESPs will override ESMs.
6. If y'all're replacing a ESM or ESP file with another one, make sure you uninstall that modern or uncheck information technology on your modern order. Do not touch the original game's or official DLC'southward ESMs. You need these installed and active even if overriding their commands and content.
   • Files without ESMs or ESPs need to be installed after, so they will testify upwards.
   • Some texture replacers need another mod to piece of work. Follow the instructions on the mod's page, including where to put the new mod, when to install it, and whether to leave the other modernistic active.
7. If cipher on the checklist applies, try reinstalling the texture. From my feel this volition fix the issue.

I promise this guide is helpful to yous. As e'er, if yous have whatever questions or anything to add, delight comment. 🙂

Here are some more pictures of The Creation mod's sky, every bit well equally other sky changing mods for Skyrim that I've used.

The Cosmos' sky.

The Cosmos' Sky. Without ENB.

The Cosmos' Sky. Colors hightened with an ENB.

The Cosmos' Heaven. Desaturated with an ENB.

The Cosmos' Sky. A fiddling less desaturated.

The Cosmos' Sky nether my ENB'southward normal saturation.

The Creation

Enhanced Night Heaven Skyrim with heavy stars.

Enhanced Night Sky Skyrim with heavy stars.

Enhanced Night Skyrim

Brilliant Weathers.

Brilliant Weathers.

Vivid Weathers (No aureola showing this evening).

Vivid Weathers

Skygazer Moons.

Skygazer Moons with Bright Weather mod.

Skygazer Moons with Vivian ENB.

Skygazer Moons (moon textures only, not sky)

[one] While I'thou an avid gamer and have been dabbling in modding games since around 2002, I am non a game developer. This guide here is to help and/or supplement noesis for anyone who mods Skyrim.

[2] Gopher has bang-up tutorials for both NMM and MO.

Source: https://selenameeka.wordpress.com/2018/01/14/guides-changing-textures-in-skyrim/

Posted by: stephensbeforpeo.blogspot.com

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