Breathing animation

[TrollAutokill]

Hi fellow loverslabbies,

 

Something I'm missing in Skyrim compared to more modern games is continuous breathing motion.

 

Without it, NPCs feel like living statues. I believe the current state of SKSE would allow a skilled programmer to hook into the animation update process and apply subtle, shaped sinusoidal chest movements to two or four upper-body bones.

 

The breathing rate could then be adjusted to reflect different states (resting, sleeping, scared, in combat, swimming, etc.).

 

Or am I mistaken, and is this kind of layered or additive animation simply impossible with Skyrim's engine?

 

 

[Durante]

 

Is something like this what you had in mind? Probably something more complex though? Granted, I am surprised no one tried,  or at least converted these idles to SE.

Edited July 23 by Durante

[traison]

Not sure the bones exist for this. Also you definitely don't want to do something like this with Papyrus. Last time I saw someone do this was in pre-LE Skyrim back before we had physics. It was done with idle animations, meaning no breathing during walking, running and so on. It became popular because it had bouncy boobs included. I do not remember the name of it, other than that the author name was included first.

 

It's possible it's already in the linked YouTube video above. These things do not load for me because of my security policies.

 

Edit: It was somehow related to the CHSBHC body; as in, included in, same author or same era.

Edited July 23 by traison

[TrollAutokill]

On 7/23/2026 at 3:41 PM, traison said:

Not sure the bones exist for this. Also you definitely don't want to do something like this with Papyrus. Last time I saw someone do this was in pre-LE Skyrim back before we had physics. It was done with idle animations, meaning no breathing during walking, running and so on. It became popular because it had bouncy boobs included. I do not remember the name of it, other than that the author name was included first.

 

It's possible it's already in the linked YouTube video above. These things do not load for me because of my security policies.

 

Edit: It was somehow related to the CHSBHC body; as in, included in, same author or same era.

You're right we don't have dedicated bones and 2 to 4 new bones would allow for better effects. But the existing bones are sufficient.

 

I will investigate CHSBHC body. Maybe replacing the main idle would be a first step.

Edited July 28 by TrollAutokill

[TrollAutokill]

On 7/23/2026 at 3:04 PM, Durante said:

 

Is something like this what you had in mind? Probably something more complex though? Granted, I am surprised no one tried,  or at least converted these idles to SE.

Thanks, I found the link for the Nintendo Switch:

 

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimnintendoswitch/mods/39

 

Maybe it could be converted and adapted to current skeleton and bodies.

 

I also found:

 

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/22752

 

And I am not sure but EVG Idles might include some breathing:

 

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/34006

 

 

Edited July 28 by TrollAutokill