Some NPCs have truly horrible neck seams, can anyone spot why?

[theallmighty2]

Hi guys, sorry for the somewhat vague post. Lots of my NPCs have awful neck seams, as illustrated in the picture:

 

Many NPCs look great, some instances of races will look awful and others good, so it's not a specific race or anything (never seen a bad high elf, probably Ethereal Elven Overhaul). I'm using UNPB, SG textures renewal UNP, and probably a few other bits and bobs that could affect this (I moved my skyrim install from one machine to another, and nexus didn't put green ticks next to installed mods, and I have so many in there I have no idea really what's going on).

 

I used a mod that had a tool to blend the textures but that didn't work either. On the one hand I'm happy that I've seemingly finally got my
350+ modded game stable, on the other hand this face thing is pretty immersion breaking. Any ideas how I've got it SO wrong? I wouldn't really mind if it was even slightly close, but some people look absolutely ridiculous. I get the impression that some sort of neck seam is generally accepted is inevitable, but this is mad.

 

Does FaceGenData contain face colour information? I'm pretty sure I've had some mods overwriting other mods FaceGenData...

[zzz72w3r]

This looks like the darkface/greyface bug.  The only way to fix it is using CK AFAIK, or remove the mods responsible for the bug.

 

http://www.creationkit.com/Dark_Face_Bug

 

You may have to start a new game after you applied the fix. 

 

EDIT: Your saves will be fine if the offending mods are removed.

[FastestDogInTheDistrict]

It's probably not texture-related. More likely it's being caused by conflicting or broken NPC overhaul-type mods if you're using any. Either remove them, or change their position in your NMM load order until the problem is no longer evident.

[theallmighty2]

Thanks w3r.... That was enough info for me to dig into.

 

In the past I'd installed ApachiiHair for NPCs mod, which after some reading caused this issue and came with a patch to fix it... Which didn't work. Removed these mods again.

 

I then did the whole CK thing on "Inhabitants of Skyrim - NPC Overhaul", exported facegendata for nords bretons imperials and redguard, removing facetint from skyrim.esm.

The problem is not entirely fixed, however it is MUCH better:

http://i.imgur.com/DwATGk7.jpg

 

It's still rubbish, really, but definitely a lot better.... Any other suggestions?

[zzz72w3r]

With my extremely limited CK knowledge, my approach would be to isolate the specific NPC and apply the darkface fix to the beauty mod's esp.

 

I don't use Inhabitants of Skyrim but here is an interesting discussion of it on STEP: 

http://forum.step-project.com/topic/5197-inhabitants-of-skyrim-npc-overhaul-by-rops1981/

 

I have ran into conflicts with NPC beauty mods before and now I refrain from using blanket NPC cosmetic overhauls and look for precision strikes instead.

[yatol]

I then did the whole CK thing on "Inhabitants of Skyrim - NPC Overhaul", exported facegendata for nords bretons imperials and redguard, removing facetint from skyrim.esm.

The problem is not entirely fixed, however it is MUCH better:

http://i.imgur.com/DwATGk7.jpg

 

 

try loading the game without your npc overhaul to see if there's still a neck seam

 

if a mod edit the body color of a npc, it need a custom tintmask so the head color match the bodie

you probably override that by generating the head in ck, then delete it, so skyrim is loading your new npc with vanilla head tintmask

 

don't reinstall your npc overhaul if that's it, only put back the tintmask folder (or you will override your new heads)

[Khanshark]

Put uskp patch for version 1 of inhabitants of skyrim at the bottom of the line of the load order.

[sorsharavenwing]

That looks to me like Version 3 of Inhabitants of Skyrim. Ysolda only has vanilla hair in version 3. It is NOT compatible with the USKP version 1 patch. That patch can only be run with version 1.

 

The FaceGenData for Inhabitants was exported correctly by the mod author and is in the mod package in the correct location. In all likelihood the issue is load order. Inhabitants likes to be pretty close to the bottom after any other mods that alter NPCs. Technically EEO and Inhabitants conflict, but can be used together. Per Rops1981:

 

 

Q: Is this mod compatible with Ethereal Elven Overhaol (EEO)?
A: Since both mods are changing elf NPCs they will directly conflict. Depending on the load order one mod will overwrite the other. I use both mods without issues.

 

Since Ysolda seems to be one of the afflicted characters, try moving Inhabitants so it's the last of your mods altering NPCs. Start a new game and see if she still has the seam.