Creation Kit destroys custom follower's face when editing the follower

[200lbs_of_pork]

Hello,

 

I'm having some problems editing a follower I downloaded. I'd like to change their hair, but doing this resets their face to what's apparently the race's default mesh.

 

I'm assuming this is because the face was made using ECE or some other mod with extra sliders, and the CK doesn't quite know how to handle it, so it uses the default mesh when you save the new face geometry to "bake in" the new hair.

 

Is there any way I could change the follower's hair, weight etc. without messing up the face?

 

[JRCosta]

You can try a workaround renaming the hair/hairline nifs, textures and tri files you want to use to match the same file names the follower currently use, then re-path the NiTriShape textures in Hair/Hairline and finally copy (overwrite) the follower mesh/textures folder.

 

Edit: forgot this: then open CK and generate the FaceGen

 

Backup you original follower files first and give it a try. Could work if you only are changing the hair.

[Groovtama]

It was the modders fault for exporting a nif out of skyrim and making it a facemesh and never assigning the NPC Form of the follower properly facegen information and head parts, that follower can only be editing in the facegen nif directly or you reconstruct him with CK what was the orginal modders work.

 

ECE\RM generated followers without head parts and facegen information are a fucking pest to modding.

[TheDriedFinger]

ECE\RM generated followers without head parts and facegen information are a fucking pest to modding.

What's the alternative? How can I import the dozens of sliders' worth of edits into the Creation Kit? I am truly curious.

[200lbs_of_pork]

 

Edit: forgot this: then open CK and generate the FaceGen

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion. This seems to be the part that breaks the face in the first place, though.

 

It was the modders fault for exporting a nif out of skyrim and making it a facemesh and never assigning the NPC Form of the follower properly facegen information and head parts, that follower can only be editing in the facegen nif directly or you reconstruct him with CK what was the orginal modders work.

 

ECE\RM generated followers without head parts and facegen information are a fucking pest to modding.

 

Thanks, I had a hunch that the problem was related to something like this. I guess I'll have a go at replacing the hair mesh with NifSkope and then give up if that fails.

[JRCosta]

There is a MOD that let you assign the hair you want to your follower, but the selection is limited (requires Apachii). Check if it has the hair style you want.

[Liquidpinky]

If you can use creation without much trouble, create a wig version of the hair or swap the hair out with one in the hairstyler mod.

Weight I would adjust in game using the npcsetweight command in the console.

[200lbs_of_pork]

There is a MOD that let you assign the hair you want to your follower, but the selection is limited (requires Apachii). Check if it has the hair style you want.

 

Thanks, I'm already using that one. But, like you said, the selection is a bit limited, and the hair I'm going for isn't in it.

 

However:

 

If you can use creation without much trouble, create a wig version of the hair or swap the hair out with one in the hairstyler mod.

Weight I would adjust in game using the npcsetweight command in the console.

 

Replacing one of the wig models sounds like it might work. Need to give it a shot. setnpcweight on the other hand sounds to me like it might result in a visible neck seam or gap.

 

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone!

[Bob Minos]

Doesn't look like it's been mentioned, so here goes.

 

Do not even open the CK. It will break the follower.

The mod should come with a facegeom file for the follower.

Open this in NifSkope, and also open the hair mesh you want to use, along with the hairline mesh too. Most likely the hairline is identical to the hair mesh, due to people not knowing how to make proper hairlines.

Copy branch of the hair and replace the hair in the facegeom using Paste branch. Make sure it is parented correctly, like the hair you are replacing. Repeat for the hairline. They may be on the head instead of way above it. This doesn't matter.

 

Now hit Spells-> Batch-> Update All Tangent Spaces.

Then his Spells-> Batch-> Make All Skin Partitions.

Save and test.