Merging Followers

[badcock]

I'm trying to merge multiple followers into a single mod and am having issues with all but the most basic followers. What I would like to do is get input from others who've done this successfully and also have the information available for those who wish to share in the pain.

 

First I started with using the Merge Plugins script, but now I'm trying the Merge Plugins application.  So what I've done so far is:

 

PreMerge:

1. Extract all BSAs using Mod Organizer to the mod's folder
2. Change the extension of the newly extracted BSA to something other than BSA. I've been appending a 2 (i.e. BSA2)

 

Create or update a merge file defined in MergePlugins. It appears that MergePlugins does NOT rename files that use the FormID as the filename.

 

PostMerge, for each NPC copy and rename to the new FormID, the following files:

1. In Meshes/.../FaceGenData/FaceGeom/...nif files
2. In Textures/.../FaceGenData/FaceTint/...dds files

 

Can anyone think of anything else that should be done?

 

I've seen issues that the merged NPCs are bald and a texture mismatch between face and body. I have an idea on the texture mismatch, but need to confirm.

[A She-Wolf]

If you're letting MO manage archives then you shouldn't have to extract your follower's BSAs. that's the beauty of MO. it can read them as loose files. So there's one thing. 

 

Another thing is that it sounds like you're merging your followers mid-game.... If the esps are being changed(merged) after you've already met those characters whose esps you're merging... Well all sorts of things might happen. Have you tried starting a new game and looking at the characters you merged? And don't worry about extracting anything if you're using MO and that archive box is checked.

 

Merge Plugins actually IS the TES5edit script but in its own app. Which is beautiful because it simplifies an essential process for people like me. It's also pretty colors. xD 

[orgs1n]

I run with 23 followers merged into 1 package. This works well.

 

As with other mods to merge, just:

- don't merge more than 1 navmeshed mod;

- don't merge mod with scripts that fail to recompile.

 

The only freak occurrence I ever had was that I had set up Kamille Shy's patch .esp in a separate MO folder, and that led to her head mesh missing, as if MO finding the .esp in one folder causes it to not see the meshes in another. I resolved it by placing the patch .esp in the original folder (overwriting the original .esp).

 

[Arizona_Steve]

Like the poster above I generally avoid merging mods with navmeshes, and merge all follower mods with scripts into their own mod file. I run with around 400 followers merged into half a dozen mod files (yes, I have a serious follower addiction) and remove armors/weapons from the esps, textures and meshes to reduce bsa size.

[Guest MonsterFish]

Okay just to be clear when you say 'Followers', do you mean standalones? Replacers? Or a mix of both?

I've been using merged standalones for some times and get no problems, a few missing textures sometimes but nothing a redownload and patch can't fix. I tend to stay away from merging replacers since it tends to fuck up one thing or another.