[WIP] Skykids - Child races & other technical goodies - No more armor patcher! New CotS R2 Race!(6/22/15)

[MidbossVyers]

Ok, here's something for you guys to test. It's the first public beta of the new SKSE armor swapper plugin. You need to disable/delete the old armor swapper esp, and if you run SUM you should probably disable/delete the skyproc patcher so you don't have to put up with it running constantly.

 

Install is fairly simple, just replace skykids.esm with the included copy and then load the dll into the plugins folder, everything should be automatic from then on out. You may notice a short 'freeze' as the game is first loading, right before it hits the main menu; that's the patcher processing records and its perfectly normal.

 

Let me know how well this thing works or if you encounter any bugs.

Just to be clear, this update does not add any new replacer outfits; it just changes the way that the actual replacing occurs, correct?

[Guest luthienanarion]

It only removes the need for the Java patcher.

[en_hawk]

Ok, got a new version of the SKSE armor swapper to test. This one should cut down on the 'freeze' time during start up. Instructions are the exact same as the last version(http://www.loverslab.com/topic/22395-wip-skykids-child-races-other-technical-goodies-fixed-download-linksmore-compatibility-patches21915/page-91?do=findComment&comment=1152135).

[User13]

I have a quick question.  Or maybe not so quick.  In any case, I haven't played Skyrim in quite some time.  I recently tried to get back into it, but all of my characters float now.  They won't move their arms or legs or heads and they just float over the ground.  Very freaky.  I would just go ahead and start all over (if I knew how) but I'm worried because I have older versions of rcots and skykids (back before the whole nudity thing caused such a kurfuffle) and I'd rather keep those than update.  Is that even possible?  I have a post on the tech support forum asking how to basically start over with MO and all, because it's been so long I have no idea how to work the thing anymore, but assuming I can get that working, will my older version of Skykids still work?

 

 

[Spyder Arachnid]

It'll work, but it's unsupported and you likely won't get any help with an old outdated version, as everyone is using the new updated one now.

 

Regardless, if everyone is floating about with their arms and legs out, that sounds like an FNIS issue with something else, not SkyKids.

[en_hawk]

*snip*

I obviously can't provide/link you the necessary files for that due to the rules... However if you have some kind of game breaking bug causing you to need to reinstall and wish to keep that content which you already have, you should be able to just back up the relevant meshes and textures into a folder somewhere, reinstall the game/latest skykids, and then plop the files you backed up onto the fresh install(or if you still had a copy of the archive containing those files that you originally downloaded back when it was still available here on LL, that would work as well). None of the asset paths for the files for the body(or any files in the entire mod, for that matter) have changed since the very first release.

 

The new armor patcher dll will not work with old copes of SK, nor will I support outdated versions(for consistency reasons). The above is my best and only suggestion for you to get what you want.

[Kinky]

So if this new thingie can remove the need for armor patcher... can it also automaticly patch hair mods for sky kids?

[en_hawk]

So if this new thingie can remove the need for armor patcher... can it also automaticly patch hair mods for sky kids?

Unfortunately no, there's a lot more thought that has to go into those than with the armor, they still need to be done by hand. The tool and instructions are provided in the OP if you need to create a patch for a mod that doesn't have one, and if you are unable to do that, you could always ask for someone else to whip up a patch and post it here for everyone. Hell, I try to make patches for most of the big mods myself, though it has been a while since I last did so.

 

Please remember, that the hair patches(which can be unified into a single esp if you so choose) only need to be enabled during character creation(or if you want to change hairs in the middle of a playthrough), you can safely turn them off after you've set your character up how you like if having the extra esp(s) is the issue.

 

Really though, blame bethesda for how they set the forms up. It was either this, or copy pasting entire hair mods in a big broken mess, bereft of permissions or attribution... like some other authors choose to do *cough* glouf *cough*... Who's to say what's to come in the future though, maybe something could be developed. However as it stands, the static patches are what we have to work with.

[Spyder Arachnid]

Just wanted to pop in and say the new SKSE plugin works awesomely!

 

Literally, only a second freeze compared to the almost a minute before. Wicked work guys, thanks.

[en_hawk]

Just wanted to pop in and say the new SKSE plugin works awesomely!

 

Literally, only a second freeze compared to the almost a minute before. Wicked work guys, thanks.

Glad to hear that solved your problem, Spyder.

 

Also thought I'd throw out a little side note about some extra functionality that got tucked into the new SKSE swapper. It now 'cuts'(locks at 0) weight slider support off of all outfits for which a converted mesh(in the armor swap folder) doesn't exist. That means if you play as a girl for instance, and decide to choose a weight anywhere north of... lets say '10', and you put on a piece of adult clothing that hasn't been converted(like many of the vanilla skyrim clothes and robes sadly), your character doesn't suddenly grow breasts out of nowhere. So that's one big issue with the weight slider support fixed! Oh also that means the wrists and ankles don't gap either at weights above 0. There is still the issue of the necks though, they are going to clip into the body(if wearing unconverted adult clothing) at weights above 0, I'm working on stripping the neck weighting out of the head mesh, tri files, and body itself(I would have done it for the initial release of the mod if I'd known how to back then... I'll make a tutorial for it too, so don't worry) which will eventually fix that issue. All in all, that really should fix everything though!

 

BORING TECHNOBABBLE FOLLOWS:

The only catch I can think of, is if you were to come across an armor mod designed with wight slider support for a body like mine(which uses 0 weight hands and feet across the entire weight slider spectrum), yet it wasn't designed specifically for skykids(ie no swap meshes, just child meshes in place of the adult ones like very old skyrim mods used to do). That would have the unfortunate side effect of leaving you stuck with the 0 weight version equipped, regardless of your characters weight slider setting, despite the fact that the armor supports proper scaling with my style of body. Quick down and dirty fix is to just copy its meshes into the armor swapper folder so that they 'override' themselves with the swap system; that will neatly bypass the behavior that 'turns off' the weight slider and get everything working as it should.

[Guest luthienanarion]

On another technical note, the SKSE plugin also scans loaded BSA archives for swap meshes. That means you can have your swap meshes contained in a BSA and they will still work.

[redreaper]

I have a problem , the point of view of my character does not match her height, first-person camera is too high

[ZarthonTheVanquished]

I have a problem , the point of view of my character does not match her height, first-person camera is too high

 

Either you are replacing the 1stperson skeleton from this mod with another one, or you have a first person camera overhaul with improper settings.

 

By default this mod has neither of those problems - reinstall it and if the problem persists it's a mod conflict and there's nothing we can do to help you without more information.

[eutinhaumdog]

Well, I'm testing both SkyKids and RCOTS mods, enjoyed more SkyKids for having all races, but did not like the children, seem dwarves (face).

I liked most of RCOTS resources (Armors, Hair, xpms, etc) and the kids are better (at least the girls) which leads me to my question.

 

Has some way to use the resources of the RCOTS in SkyKids ???

At least the female textures (skykids are a bit ugly / unsightly) ???

Immersive Armors and Weapons work in SkiKids ???

Immersive Animations and Dual Sheath Redux ???

 

And I found a problem installing "Skykids-Hostile NPC", all NPC including my characters were left without animations (walking dragging with open arms)

[Spyder Arachnid]

So odd question, but I remember talk of someone releasing a new skeleton for SkyKids, but I haven't been able to find it.

 

I'm having fps issues with SkyKids that is caused by the skeleton (according to Groovtama), so trying to fix it. If you guys remember where it is, or know if it will fix my issue, would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

[Dinosaurus]

So odd question, but I remember talk of someone releasing a new skeleton for SkyKids, but I haven't been able to find it.

 

I'm having fps issues with SkyKids that is caused by the skeleton (according to Groovtama), so trying to fix it. If you guys remember where it is, or know if it will fix my issue, would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/39375-rcots-children-of-the-sky-reworked/page-20?do=findComment&comment=1064317

 

i think that's the skeleton i'm using. Although you will have to either find the version where already the file path is to where SkyKids skeletons go, or, do it yourself.

[en_hawk]

So odd question, but I remember talk of someone releasing a new skeleton for SkyKids, but I haven't been able to find it.

 

I'm having fps issues with SkyKids that is caused by the skeleton (according to Groovtama), so trying to fix it. If you guys remember where it is, or know if it will fix my issue, would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

An XPMSE 2.6 skeleton has been built and got sent to groovatama, so that should be an option once 2.6 launches. I know I need to get around to replacing the old skeletons in the main mod package with something newer.

 

Gimmie a couple days to get this sorted. If XPMSE 2.6 comes/came out before then, you can nab the SK skeletons that ship with that(they're made properly this time, unlike the last set that were included with it) and install those to solve the problem in the interim.

[Spyder Arachnid]

@Dinosaurus Thanks for the link, appreciate it.

 

 

@en_hawk Ah okay I see. Yeah I'm currently using the 2.6 XPMSE, but no options in it for SkyKids. Unless there is another 2.6 on it's way (was checking the thread and seems the newer version had some bugs to work out before release).

 

I'll try the one Johann made for now until the newer 2.6 XPMSE comes out. Thanks.

[johann7124]

@Dinosaurus Thanks for the link, appreciate it.

 

 

@en_hawk Ah okay I see. Yeah I'm currently using the 2.6 XPMSE, but no options in it for SkyKids. Unless there is another 2.6 on it's way (was checking the thread and seems the newer version had some bugs to work out before release).

 

I'll try the one Johann made for now until the newer 2.6 XPMSE comes out. Thanks.

 

Seeing as how 2.6 is released, I can post this now.

[Spyder Arachnid]

 

@Dinosaurus Thanks for the link, appreciate it.

 

 

@en_hawk Ah okay I see. Yeah I'm currently using the 2.6 XPMSE, but no options in it for SkyKids. Unless there is another 2.6 on it's way (was checking the thread and seems the newer version had some bugs to work out before release).

 

I'll try the one Johann made for now until the newer 2.6 XPMSE comes out. Thanks.

 

Seeing as how 2.6 is released, I can post this now.

 

 

That's awesome, thanks so much!

[Spyder Arachnid]

So umm... having issues with the new skeleton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, tiny bodies huge legs.

[en_hawk]

So umm... having issues with the new skeleton.

 

As you can see, tiny bodies huge legs.

Johann must have entered some of the values wrong off the sheet... I'll fix it sometime today and get a new package uploaded.

[en_hawk]

Ok, I fixed the skeletons. You'll have to manually copy these in as I didn't include the whole folder tree. For whatever reason johann used the female skeleton morph data on the male skeletons when he made the package; I corrected this and set them back to their original settings, however I elected to preserve that as an option if anyone wants to try it(subfolder "fem scale" has copies of the male skeletons with the female scaling settings).

 

Please note that this package only contains the 'sk main' skeleton, and not the 'alt' skeleton that the drow and monli races use. I'll get around to doing that one at some later date, if you're having legitimate issues with the game and xpmse/hdt/etc on those races, you can copy the main skeletons over the ones used by those addon races and it will serve as an effective 'stopgap' in the interim.

sk xpmse 2.6.rar

[-Player1-]

Hello there,it took me some time to read the hole post and (try to) do all the steps for success but if i start my Skyrim it CTD's.. Any help or advice for the confused me?

[ZarthonTheVanquished]

Hello there,it took me some time to read the hole post and (try to) do all the steps for success but if i start my Skyrim it CTD's.. Any help or advice for the confused me?

 

I can give you no advice on the amount of information you said. "Skyrim CTD's" could mean LITERALLY anything, and most likely doesn't even have anything to do with this mod. If you're serious about wanting to go mod Skyrim AND keep it stable, go read this guide here: 

 

http://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:Skyrim_Installation