Finally found (another) solution for custom race face tint bug

[Elrond_Hubbard]

Hopefully the title isn't so complicated this is hard to google, but I finally found a solution for something that's been plaguing me for weeks.

 

I have made several custom NPCs using Trykz's Frost Elf custom race mod. This mod (at the time of this posting) is currently unavailable for download, as Trykz is in the process of compiling a database for mod usage to basically mitigate against updates to Skyrim. This seems superfluous to me, as they've stopped updating the game, but anyway, on to the problem-

 

The problem I would have with this mob is as follows:

 

I have no issues with face tinting when making a playable character.

 

When making an NPC, and after using ctrl + f4 to extract all necessary information (IE, I converted the mod to esm and then extracted facegen data, so as to get all necessary info)...

 

Well, custom made NPCs using this race would basically have the "default" everything (I say "default" because I opened up the frost elf mod and looked at all the defaults) when it comes to colors. The face would be the correct shape - eyes, lips, brows, etc. But the skin color would be default, no makeup would apply, lip color did not apply.

 

SO HERE IS THE SOLUTION I CAME UP WITH:

 

What you need is a tool to open .bsa files and extract everything inside them. Most people who are using Vista and up can use BSAopt. I'm too lazy to provide a link - for this solution, just google "BSAopt" or "skyrim BSAopt"

 

I am a cave man still using XP myself, so I had to find something else, as BSAopt does not work with Windows XP. So here is the solution I found for windows XP:

 

If you can't read Russian - NEVER FEAR! Simply scroll down or control + F and look for "bsaextractor.zip"

 

The program within is called "opensky.exe"

 

I know, seems sketchy. Russian and all that, and there are always tons of hacks originating from Russia, but I can vouch for this working for windows XP.

 

 

Whichever method you have used to open your .bsa files - navigate to the folder containing your custom race mod and open the corresponding .bsa file. You will notice, providing you are familiar with the layout of your Skyrim data folders (anyone using mods honestly should be!), you will notice that many of the file paths within are exactly the same as your  Skyrim data folder.

 

What you want to do is just extract these files contained in your BSA to where they're supposed to be in your data folder.

 

Now after you've extracted all the files for your custom race into your data folders (meaning you've now extracted a bunch of files with the .tri, .dds, etc extensions), you SHOULD be able to simply launch your game and the face bugs will all be fixed.

 

If that's not the case, do the control + F4 fix after ESM-ifying your file, if it wasn't already an ESM. If you do not know how to ESM-ify, simply google "skyrim esmify" and maybe "skyrim wrye bash". Some people use other programs, but I find Wrye Bash is the simplest among the choices.

 

Anyway! This worked for me! I was ecstatic to walk into the Blue Palace and see my frost elf there with the correct face color, markings and everything!