CBBE 3BAv2 / UBE body etc., – small annoying Neck gap line

[Ricordi]

After installing a 3BA body mod and running it through BodySlide, I encountered an issue where small gaps appear around my character's neck.

The neck gaps appear to show up on other bodies as well, such as the regular CBBE and UBE body.

This happens regardless of the character's weight, the clothing they wear, the body preset i build in BodySlide etc.
-- I disabled all possible mods related to makeup, body textures, skeletons etc., but that didn’t help.
-- I also tried ENB and Community Shaders to solve it in post-processing —none of them resolved the issue.

-- Sculpting in RaceMenu didn't help.

If anyone has faced a similar problem, please share your solution.

Here is my Load Order:

Spoiler

# This file was automatically generated by Mod Organizer.
Skyrim.esm
Update.esm
Dawnguard.esm
HearthFires.esm
Dragonborn.esm
ccBGSSSE001-Fish.esm
ccQDRSSE001-SurvivalMode.esl
ccBGSSSE037-Curios.esl
ccBGSSSE025-AdvDSGS.esm
_ResourcePack.esl
unofficial skyrim special edition patch.esp
UOSC.esl
DynamicCollisionAdjustment.esl
SmoothCam.esl
TrueHUD.esl
RaceCompatibility.esm
Expressive Facegen Morphs.esl
ECE Sliders for Racemenu.esl
Schlongs of Skyrim - Core.esm
TheNewGentleman.esp
High Poly Head.esm
SexLab.esm
Devious Devices - Assets.esm
SexLabAroused.esm
Devious Devices - Integration.esm
Devious Devices - Expansion.esm
Devious Devices - Contraptions.esm
ZaZAnimationPack.esm
Fertility Mode.esm
CreatureFramework.esm
iWant Widgets.esl
OCF.esp
Keytrace.esp
Dynamic Activation Key.esp
fixLOD.esp
UIExtensions.esp
McmRecorder.esp
AddItemMenuSE.esp
Soul Resurrection - Injury and Alternative Death System.esp
SkyUI_SE.esp
MCMHelper.esp
SkyHUD.esp
TrueDirectionalMovement.esp
BetterThirdPersonSelection.esp
I4IconAddon.esp
BOOBIES_ImmersiveIcons.esp
AIT.esp
UntarnishedUI_Subtitle.esp
RaceMenu.esp
RaceMenuPlugin.esp
RaceCompatibilityUSKPOverride.esp
RaceMenuHH.esp
HeelsFix.esp
FNIS.esp
HellbladeTimedBlock.esp
Precision.esp
Disable Turn Animation.esp
Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim.esp
AlternatePerspective.esp
iNeed.esp
iNeed - Extended.esp
Animated Interactions.esp
Schlongs of Skyrim.esp
SOS - Smurf Average Addon.esp
SOSRaceMenu.esp
XPMSE.esp
CBBE.esp
RaceMenuMorphsCBBE.esp
3BBB.esp
SOSPhysicsManager.esp
RaceMenuMorphsHIMBO.esp
HIMBO.esp
Racial Body Morphs.esp
OBody.esp
Sheps_Tattoo_Collection.esp
ZhizhenTattoo.esp
zhizheneyes.esp
ZhizhenBrows.esp
ZhizhenMakeup.esp
(SDZ21) Beauty Marks.esp
DiabetoxEyes.esp
Even More Brows HPH.esp
Even More Eyes.esp
EvenMoreMakeup.esp
FMS_FemaleMakeupSuite.esp
Improved Eyes Skyrim.esp
Kala_Eyes.esp
Koralina's Eyebrows.esp
koralinas_freckles_moles.esp
Koralina's Makeup Tweaks.esp
Lamenthia's Marks of Beauty.esp
MikanEyes All in one SE.esp
Tullius Eyes.esp
VividEyes_Fissure.esp
[ELLE] Eyes Of Ellxe.esp
Koralina's COtR Makeup Female.esp
Koralina's COTR Details.esp
HirayaEyes.esp
(SDZ21) Lovely Makeup.esp
(SDZ21) Lovely Makeup 2.esp
SFO_SkinFeatureOverlays.esp
Beards for High Poly Head.esp
SMIM-SE-Merged-All.esp
Lit Road Signs.esp
Skyland Watercolor - Slow Green-Vanilla.esp
Nature of the Wild Lands.esp
Groundcover.esp
EnhancedLightsandFX.esp
ELFX - Exteriors.esp
evgmodularSMPhair.esp
chooeymodularSMPhairedit.esp
KSHairdosSMP.esp
Vanilla hair remake NPCs.esp
Random Faces of Skyrim - Bandits.esp
Bijin NPCs.esp
Bijin Warmaidens.esp
Bijin Wives.esp
New Hagravens.esp
Vee's Serana Valerica.esp
KuroneRimLydiaReplacer.esp
KuroneFollowers.esp
SexLab Inflation Framework.esp
Devious Devices SE patch.esp
OAroused.esp
OSLAroused.esp
SexLabDefeat.esp
SexLabDefeat_LRG_Patch.esp
Cumshot.esp
CumshotSL.esp
SlaveTats.esp
SexLab Eager NPCs.esp
YouDontNeedABreak.esp
titkit.esp
Fertility Mode 3 Fixes and Updates.esp
FM+ - Immersive Effects.esp
PregnancyNormalmapSwapper.esp
DynamicArmorMenu.esp
Common Clothing Expanded.esp
CBBE 3BA Vanilla Outfits.esp
CBBE 3BA Vanilla Outfits - HIMBO.esp
DH SIB.esp
MoreNastyCritters.esp
BakaFactoryABC.esp
MNC_ABC_Patch.esp
AnubAnimObj.esp
SLAL_AnimationByBakaFactory.esp
MilkModNEW.esp
MilkModNEW ZaZ.esp
MilkModNEW HF.esp
MilkMod_MilkPumpsFancy.esp
MilkMod_BodyMorph_MCM.esp
Milk Addict.esp
BreastRopeBEnableWeightSlider.esp
bac.esp
CowLifeServices.esp
CustomComments.esp
BimboSkin.esp
yps-ImmersivePiercing.esp
Shas' Equipable Handnails_VersionYps.esp
WetFunction.esp
iWant Status Bars.esp
SLWidgets.esp
Azurite Weathers III.esp
Azurite III - HDR.esp
StandardLightingTemplatesUSSEP.esp
FSMPM - The FSMP MCM.esp
ParallaxGen.esp
PG_1.esp
 

 

[traison]

1 hour ago, Sawapine said:

I disabled all possible mods related to makeup, body textures, skeletons etc.

 

What about head mesh? Also how did you determine which mod is related, by name or by inspecting the files they provide?

 

1 hour ago, Sawapine said:

I also tried ENB and Community Shaders to solve it in post-processing

 

I would have done the opposite and disabled these.

[Ricordi]

6 minutes ago, traison said:

What about head mesh?

 

I used both the default head mesh and the high poly one – the gap is visible in both cases.

 

9 minutes ago, traison said:

Also how did you determine which mod is related, by name or by inspecting the files they provide?

 

I assumed that these mods might be causing incorrect neck rendering. These mods were my primary suspects.

 

7 minutes ago, traison said:

I would have done the opposite and disabled these.

 

I've tried it. It became less visible, but it didn't disappear.

[traison]

17 minutes ago, Sawapine said:

I assumed that these mods might be causing incorrect neck rendering

 

These are the files related to your problem. Inspect or test the mods providing them:

1. meshes\actors\chracter\character assets\femalehead.nif
2. textures\actors\character\female\femalehead.dds
3. textures\actors\character\female\femalehead_msn.dds
4. textures\actors\character\female\femalehead_n.dds
5. textures\actors\character\female\femalehead_s.dds
6. textures\actors\character\female\femalehead_sk.dds
7. meshes\actors\chracter\character assets\femalebody_0.nif
8. meshes\actors\chracter\character assets\femalebody_1.nif
9. textures\actors\character\female\femalebody_1.dds
10. textures\actors\character\female\femalebody_1_msn.dds
11. textures\actors\character\female\femalebody_1_s.dds
12. textures\actors\character\female\femalebody_1_sk.dds

I only know that CBBE and 3BAv2 are compatible with the vanilla head mesh. Letting CBBE provide the head and body textures leaves no seams. For instance, if I wanted to use high poly head, I'd either make sure it is compatible with the vanilla body (i.e. the neck vertices are in the exact same location as the vanilla head) or that the body I'm using is made for high poly head. If this is not explicitly mentioned in the mod descriptions then you'd have to test compatibility yourself. My point being, just because you have a body and a head does not mean they go together.

 

21 minutes ago, Sawapine said:

I've tried it. It became less visible, but it didn't disappear.

 

Considering floating point errors and the fact that there is no fusing mechanism in the game i.e. the body and the head remain 2 separate meshes, I'd say that's already within the marging of error.

 

Its difficult to tell with the colors in that image but it kinda looks like some of the head textures are more detailed than the body texture. If that's the case then fixing that could make it even less obvious.

[Grey Cloud]

1 hour ago, traison said:

Its difficult to tell with the colors in that image but it kinda looks like some of the head textures are more detailed than the body texture.

That's what I thought.

 

@Sawapine which skin texture mod are you using and have you tried a different one? Have you looked at any of the Bijin NPCs as they should be using their own Bijin skin rather than your default.

Edited March 15, 2025 by Grey Cloud

[Ricordi]

6 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

@Sawapine which skin texture mod are you using and have you tried a different one? Have you looked at any of the Bijin NPCs as they should be using their own Bijin skin rather than your default.

I used the default CBBE body skin, Fair skin and ZhiZhen skin. Bijin NPCs have the same problem - microscopic gap in the neck area.

[Grey Cloud]

1 hour ago, Sawapine said:

I used the default CBBE body skin, Fair skin and ZhiZhen skin. Bijin NPCs have the same problem - microscopic gap in the neck area.

I'm currently using the ZhiZhen skin and I've not got the problem with the vanilla head or the HPH. Are the Bijin gels using their Bijin skin or your default skin?

 

I have had this problem a long time ago in LE but I can't remember what caused it or how I got rid of it.

 

Have you looked in XEdit or nifskope to see where the head is getting the texture from?

 

Straws being clutched here: Have you set up BS correctly with extra step required by MO2?

Settings - Advanced - Output Path - MO2\mods\Bodyslide Output\

[You can call the 'Bodyslide Output' folder anything you want.]

Edited March 15, 2025 by Grey Cloud

[Dm0n]

There is a mod on nexus called "Neck seam fix" or something like that

Found it :
maybe try this (bottom of the load order)

 

[Ricordi]

21 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

I'm currently using the ZhiZhen skin and I've not got the problem with the vanilla head or the HPH. Are the Bijin gels using their Bijin skin or your default skin?

 

I have had this problem a long time ago in LE but I can't remember what caused it or how I got rid of it.

 

Have you looked in XEdit or nifskope to see where the head is getting the texture from?

 

Straws being clutched here: Have you set up BS correctly with extra step required by MO2?

Settings - Advanced - Output Path - MO2\mods\Bodyslide Output\

[You can call the 'Bodyslide Output' folder anything you want.]

 

Bijin NPCs use their own meshes and textures, and even then a micro gap is visible. 

 

6 hours ago, Dm0n said:

There is a mod on nexus called "Neck seam fix" or something like that

Found it :
maybe try this (bottom of the load order)

 

Already tried – no changes.

[Grey Cloud]

38 minutes ago, Sawapine said:

Bijin NPCs use their own meshes and textures, and even then a micro gap is visible.

Okay, if they are using their own meshes and textures then there should not be a gap.

 

What about:

On 3/15/2025 at 8:39 PM, Grey Cloud said:

Have you looked in XEdit or nifskope to see where the head is getting the texture from?

and

On 3/15/2025 at 8:39 PM, Grey Cloud said:

Have you set up BS correctly with extra step required by MO2?

Settings - Advanced - Output Path - MO2\mods\Bodyslide Output\

[You can call the 'Bodyslide Output' folder anything you want.]

 

[Grey Cloud]

I've jut realised you mentioned UBE in the thread title. I've never used it myself and looking at the description page I never will.

 

My advice at this stage would be to uninstall anything UBE and uninstall anything to do with CotR.

I would also uninstall 3BA and Whatever skin mod you have installed. Then I would uninstall and reinstall CBBE and BodySlide.

I would then go into a new game and see how things look.

 

[Ricordi]

10 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

I've jut realised you mentioned UBE in the thread title. I've never used it myself and looking at the description page I never will.

 

My advice at this stage would be to uninstall anything UBE and uninstall anything to do with CotR.

I would also uninstall 3BA and Whatever skin mod you have installed. Then I would uninstall and reinstall CBBE and BodySlide.

I would then go into a new game and see how things look.

 

 

I did that and now I can't seem to see those plaques around my neck. But as soon as I turn on the regular CBBE body, they show up, and the more I turn on body texture mods, makeup mods, etc, the better that gap shows up.

 

11 hours ago, Grey Cloud said:

Okay, if they are using their own meshes and textures then there should not be a gap.

 But the gap persists anyway.

 

On 3/15/2025 at 10:39 PM, Grey Cloud said:

Have you looked in XEdit or nifskope to see where the head is getting the texture from?

Spoiler

 

Idk what should i see here.

 

On 3/15/2025 at 10:39 PM, Grey Cloud said:

Straws being clutched here: Have you set up BS correctly with extra step required by MO2?

Settings - Advanced - Output Path - MO2\mods\Bodyslide Output\

[You can call the 'Bodyslide Output' folder anything you want.]

 Did as you said. Generated to another folder “Bodyslide Outputs” and activated as a mod in MO2.

[Grey Cloud]

Sorry, I'm out of ideas. Either there are things you aren't mentioning or things you are doing badly wrong but some of what you are describing seems unlikely, e.g. the Bijin women using there own mesh and texture yet having the gap.