Dreaded Grey Face Problem

[Guest]

Hey y'all! My girlfriend recently gave me her ex's computer (long story, lol) and it has Skyrim with some mods and nexus mod manager (don't hate me). I played Skyrim a little before but never w/mods. I searched around on here for a bit and learned about LOOT and TES5 and Crash Fixes and made all that work (pretty sure). It fixed the CTDs I was having but I still have grey face. I searched around on here and it looks like there's no one answer to how to fix it. I was hoping y'all could take a look at my mod order and give me some ideas? Please? Thx!

Spoiler

 0  0 Skyrim.esm
 1  1 Update.esm
 2  2 Dawnguard.esm
 3  3 HearthFires.esm
 4  4 Dragonborn.esm
 5  5 ApachiiHairFemales.esm
 6  6 BBLuxurySuite.esm
 7  7 ApachiiHair.esm
 8  8 Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp
 9  9 Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp
10  a Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp
11  b Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp
12  c SummerWear.esm
13  d JSwords.esm
14  e HighResTexturePack01.esp
15  f HighResTexturePack02.esp
16 10 HighResTexturePack03.esp
17 11 ktxcompleteskyforge.esp
18 12 weir_weightlessgems.esp
19 13 barenziahquestmarkers.esp
20 14 smelting mod by soto.esp
21 15 arrowsmith-dawnguard.esp
22 16 Smithing Perks Overhaul_Remade.esp
23 17 Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp
24 18 BBLuxurySuiteClassier.esp
25 19 BBLS-Combined-BoM-HF+DB.esp
26 1a BBLSspouse.esp
27 1b BBLuxurySuiteExt.esp
28 1c BBLSVisitors.esp
29 1d BBLSHousecarlsmovein.esp
30 1e dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp
31 1f Remodeled Armor - Vanilla Replacer - Dawnguard.esp
32 20 Remodeled Armor - Vanilla Replacer - Dragonborn.esp
33 21 ApachiiHairStyles.esp
34 22 ApachiiHairStylesELVES.esp
35 23 SkyUI.esp
36 24 Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp
37 25 Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp
38 26 Dr_Bandolier.esp
39 27 Cloaks.esp
40 28 Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp
41 29 SummerWearSA.esp
42 2a UFO - Ultimate Follower Overhaul.esp
43 2b GoldenVendors.esp
44 2c TheEyesOfBeauty.esp
45 2d JSwordsDistributionBalancePlugin.esp
46 2e JSwords_Load_Screens.esp
47 2f FNISspells.esp
48 30 AK- Daedric Blue.esp
 

 

[RW311]

If you have grey face you should probably go to a doctor.

 

Seriously who has the grey face, it makes a difference when trying to figure it out as to what characters are affected. If it's all then it's probably a hair or face mod that has changed vanilla head part mesh if it's your character it could be a texture overlay or a texture mod you installed as well as the first reason, if it's a specific npc/s then it's often load order issue.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, RW311 said:

If you have grey face you should probably go to a doctor.

 

lol

 

But seriously, it seems somewhat . . . random? The people I've noticed it on are my housecarls & some members of the Companions.

[RW311]

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/44596

 

Using above mod, you can find npc with grey face problem open console with ` key  then click on npc and in lower right you get "last base change" which will tell you what mod last changed the npc, from there determine if mods load order is the problem or if mod is missing files/needs reinstall or updated.

It shouldn't be random unless it is a memory error or a scripted mod affecting npcs. Things like hair and face mods for npcs will be always cause the problem if load order is wrong or facegen files are missing.

[donttouchmethere]

didnt try it myself if it comes to BBLuxurySuite.esm , so just some theoretical brainstorming that might help for your setup:

 

grab mfg console => it will show more info about the NPC you click on => check what mod modified the NPC last (esp/esm will be shown on the buttom left corner) => move the mod you want to have an effect on the NPC last lower in your load order

 

or:

 

 

this info:

48 minutes ago, Whydoessheloveme said:

my housecarls & some members of the Companions.

+ this idea:

57 minutes ago, RW311 said:

If it's all then it's probably a hair or face mod that has changed vanilla head part mesh if it's your character it could be a texture overlay or a texture mod you installed as

= gave me an idea:

 

26 1a BBLSspouse.esp => i dont know if BBLS defines hair

28 1c BBLSVisitors.esp => i dont know if BBLS defines hair

29 1d BBLSHousecarlsmovein.esp => i dont know if BBLS defines hair

 

will be overwritten by

 

33 21 ApachiiHairStyles.esp => NPC hair replacer
34 22 ApachiiHairStylesELVES.esp => NPC hair replacer

 

 

 

=> so you could test if  modifing your load order will help:

 

33 21 ApachiiHairStyles.esp => NPC hair replacer
34 22 ApachiiHairStylesELVES.esp => NPC hair replacer

 

26 1a BBLSspouse.esp => i dont know if BBLS defines hair

28 1c BBLSVisitors.esp => i dont know if BBLS defines hair

29 1d BBLSHousecarlsmovein.esp => i dont know if BBLS defines hair

 

=> now the NPC hair replacer will be overwritten by your BBLS mod

 

=> if it doesnt work, curse the brainstormy guy^^

 

 

 

side note:

you might want to change to

USLEEP instead of

8  8 Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp
 9  9 Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp
10  a Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp
11  b Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp

(not sure if BBLS needs the old patches tho)

 

and move

36 24 Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp

up in your load order like this:

 

14  e HighResTexturePack01.esp
15  f HighResTexturePack02.esp
16 10 HighResTexturePack03.esp

[ Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp]

 

[Whizkid]

try using this https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/73415, https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/90987 and this https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/1840, hopefully it might be able to resolve grey face problems.

[Grey Cloud]

You don't have to download anything to see the 'last base change'. Open console, click on the NPC and look in the bottom right corner. If it isn't showing the name of the NPC, use the mouse wheel to cycle through.

 

Is it the same NPCs who are affected or is it different ones each time you enter an area? If it's the former then it is probably load order; if the latter then probably memory.

You don't have any obvious culprits in your load order for over-writes but I'm guessing that the ex's ex pc isn't a brand new flying machine. How much RAM and VRAM does it have?

[Allannaa]

The easiest way I ever found to fix Grey Face, was to open the CK, load Skyrim.ESM and nothing else, select *every* person-type NPC except ghosts, and hit Ctrl F4 to export all face gen data.

 

Bam. Done.  Fixed, no matter what mods you may be using.  However, be aware, it can take up to 5 minutes to generate all those files.

[Andy14]

3 hours ago, Allannaa said:

The easiest way I ever found to fix Grey Face, was to open the CK, load Skyrim.ESM and nothing else, select *every* person-type NPC except ghosts, and hit Ctrl F4 to export all face gen data.

 

Bam. Done.  Fixed, no matter what mods you may be using.  However, be aware, it can take up to 5 minutes to generate all those files.

That's not a good idea.

Any cosmetic changes to Vanilla NPC's made with mods will then override.

[Guest]

I tried @donttouchmethere's solution and it seems to have worked for everyone except Aela & Lydia (thank!). And they now don't have so much of a grey face as a face darker/redder than the rest of their bodies with a clear line at their necks. Is this a different problem or the same problem?

[ButchDiavolo]

3 minutes ago, Whydoessheloveme said:

I tried @donttouchmethere's solution and it seems to have worked for everyone except Aela & Lydia (thank!). And they now don't have so much of a grey face as a face darker/redder than the rest of their bodies with a clear line at their necks. Is this a different problem or the same problem?

Another way is to use xEdit. Open xEdit and keep all your esp's selected.

When it is done loading, apply the filter for cleaning.

when that is done open Skyrim.esm, go to the NPC section and look which mod is overwriting the "offending" NPCs (green means conflict winner). write down the number of the NPCs.

Having found which mod is overwriting (and thus most possibly causing the visual errors), open the mod and check if the facegen files (meshes and textures) are packaged properly.

meaning: Altered vanilla NPCs (Aela and Lydia) have to be packaged in [your mod install folder]\ modsname\Meshes\Actors\Character\FaceGenData\FaceGeom\Skyrim.esm (for meshes) and [your mod install folder]\ modsname\Textures\Actors\Character\FaceGenData\FaceTint\Skyrim.esm for textures. So move them in the appropriate folders.

After this you may have to start a new games, since the textures might be baked in your save.

NPCs that are new and added by a mod need to have their facegen files in a folder with modname.esp.

Hope this helps.

[Guest]

It looks like Ultimate Follower Overhaul may be the problem. It's the last mod on every NPC I found that still has a face & body color mismatch. Could it be as simple as changing where UFO is the load order?

Spoiler

 0  0 Skyrim.esm
 1  1 Update.esm
 2  2 Dawnguard.esm
 3  3 HearthFires.esm
 4  4 Dragonborn.esm
 5  5 Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch.esp
 6  6 ApachiiHairFemales.esm
 7  7 BBLuxurySuite.esm
 8  8 ApachiiHair.esm
 9  9 SummerWear.esm
10  a JSwords.esm
11  b HighResTexturePack01.esp
12  c HighResTexturePack02.esp
13  d HighResTexturePack03.esp
14  e Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp
15  f ktxcompleteskyforge.esp
16 10 barenziahquestmarkers.esp
17 11 smelting mod by soto.esp
18 12 Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp
19 13 Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp
20 14 Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp
21 15 weir_weightlessgems.esp
22 16 arrowsmith-dawnguard.esp
23 17 Smithing Perks Overhaul_Remade.esp
24 18 ApachiiHairStyles.esp
25 19 ApachiiHairStylesELVES.esp
26 1a BBLuxurySuiteClassier.esp
27 1b BBLS-Combined-BoM-HF+DB.esp
28 1c Cloaks.esp
29 1d UFO - Ultimate Follower Overhaul.esp
30 1e JSwordsDistributionBalancePlugin.esp
31 1f BBLuxurySuiteExt.esp
32 20 BBLSVisitors.esp
33 21 BBLSHousecarlsmovein.esp
34 22 BBLSspouse.esp
35 23 dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp
36 24 Remodeled Armor - Vanilla Replacer - Dawnguard.esp
37 25 Remodeled Armor - Vanilla Replacer - Dragonborn.esp
38 26 SkyUI.esp
39 27 Dr_Bandolier.esp
40 28 SummerWearSA.esp
41 29 GoldenVendors.esp
42 2a TheEyesOfBeauty.esp
43 2b JSwords_Load_Screens.esp
44 2c FNISspells.esp
45 2d AK- Daedric Blue.esp
46 2e Ilia&Ysolda.esp