Merging or Compiling Armor/Clothing mods

[Razarkis]

I've got more than a few armor/clothing mods for DMRA floating around, and I'd like like to turn them into one (or only a few) esp file(s).

 

For instance, there is HanPL's DMRA Complete compilation, Mailamea's BBB store, and 2pac's temple, which is contained in Han's compilation. I've already streamlined/merged all of the apachii edits into one zip file for BAIN, so that's not an issue - what is an issue is that I have 20+ additional esps for armor/clothing to get things looking the way I want.

 

What I have seen suggested is merging various armor mods together using either Gecko or TES4Edit - I found a decent tut on gecko, but it neglected to mention that you can't merge mods with differing locations. (I tried.) That's cool, I can deal with that. However, say I want to put things in, say, 2 locations - for instance, all of the DMRA complete stuff (sans the reworked esps for SI and Knights, and Colourwheels, the latter I don't usually install) in 2Pac's temple, in various chests within, and some/all of Thorazine's stuff along with Mailamea's in his store. Is there a tutorial for moving stuff around from existing esps to particular containers referenced in yet another esp, then merging them in either Gecko or TES4Edit? I've spent a good bit of time searching, and I can't seem to find anything that tells you exactly how this works/how to do it - plus, they all seem to run on what you have in your current game folder; even though I have it backed up, borking that repeatedly gets tiresome, and playing "hit or miss" really gets to be a pain that way.

 

Another question, along a similar vein, is how I would go about merging NPC partner mods. I would be more than happy managing them all with MCS - but most (closer to all) of the companions I (want or like) seem to be CM-based. I've used as many compilations as I can, but there are about 10 individual or duo CM mods that I want to merge with 3 large ones to get the correct population I want, as well. I like lots of people, and I can run lots of people - and with all of the compilations only, it runs just fine. Add in all of the solo/duo additions, and it starts going to pot fairly quickly. Basically, I just want to put them in one big pot and stir vigorously.

 

What is the best way to go about doing such a consolidation of either set of esps? I know it's done/has been done, because I've seen y'all talk about it - I just thought it might be more help (and not just for me) to just ask for some pointers for where to look on how to do it. I've searched, but apparently not with the right terms, or in the right places. I have full faith that LL can point me in the right direction Heck, after I'm done, I'd be more than willing to zip the results up for anyone who wants it - I just need to know where to look for the how-to, first

[Razarkis]

Okay, since there aren't any bites yet, let me outline the two major things I want to do a bit more clearly. 1) I I want all of the armor mods (at least as much as they can be) consolidated into the smallest amount of esp files. 2) I want all of the armor mods in the minimum number of places, not counting the Apachii stores. I'm tired of running all over Tamriel every time I have to reload my Obl. or start a new game with a new character.

 

Now, I can do 1) just with gecko, methinks. However, what I can't/don't want to do is leave them scattered all over Tamriel in umpteen million chests. I know which armor mods I like/will use, but the ones I like or will use are scattered all over the place - there are two store/location mods I know of just for DMRA items - 2pac's temple and Mailamea's store. How do I accomplish 1 *and* 2 Do I merge first in Gecko, then add all of the "content" to chests in one (or both) of those places in TES4Edit/TESCS, or do I add all the content to those places in TES4Edit/TESCS THEN merge in Gecko? Or, neither?

 

Companions, as I outlined above, looks like it can be taken care of with Gecko fairly easily - still pending testing, of course.

[gregathit]

No really sure how to merge those without breaking things. The only thing I can tell you that will definitely work is to pick the largest mod (like say Apachii stores) and using the geck load each and every armor/clothing into it manually. I realize it will be a shitload of work but once it is done then you won't ever have to mess with it again. Then you would just populate the Apachii vendors with the new items (you can add additional chest too if you like very easily).

 

Perhaps you "could" skip this by merging all of the mods and then deleting all the added chests and other modifications (like locations and such) and then populate the Apachii vendors with the new items and add any additional chests to place things in.

[Razarkis]

So, I merged ALL of the non-store mods last night, with Gecko - it worked fine - I hopped around and spot-checked the more easily accessible chests. So, I know that works just peachy - at least theoretically. I don't mind multiple store mods - the Apachii stores are a bit busy as they are, and trying to track even more stuff through there sounds like a royal pain 2pac's is similarly "busy."

 

What I'm asking about is not really *whether* you can add stuff to new chests, etc - I'm really asking *how* - what program, what method - because I can't find any tutorials about "item X from mod A and place into chest Y from mod B" - is this better with TES4Edit or TESCS, and is there some sort of tutorial for how you would do that? I know Gecko can't do that - but I also don't know how you actually *do* go about that.

 

As for the CM mods consolidating - I've seen several people say they've done it - hopefully one of them will chime in

[gregathit]

To create new chests or to add stuff to them is done via the Construction Set. It is probably the easiest thing you can do in the CS. All you do is open up the esp that has all the merged clothing/armor into it and then find the chests you are after. The chests "should" be under "WorldObjects" and then inside "Container". Clicking on "Container" should show you a list of all the containers in the game. Once you find the right one then just double click on that container to open it, push that box out of your way and go back to the Items catagory and select the clothing, armor or whatever item you want to put in the container and then you click and drag it to the container window and drop it in the container item list. Boom, you now have one of that item in the container. Keep doing that until you have that chest as full as you want it and then close the container window and move to the next container and repeat the above until you are all done.

 

Before closing the container window you need to check or uncheck the box that says "respawns". What that means is if you leave the box checked then the container will respawn a copy of any item taken out of it (so you never run out) after 3 days. If you uncheck the box then once the item is taken it is gone for good.

 

Further notes on respawns: Having the box checked also means that container is NOT safe for you to put anything into it as it will be deleted within 3 days. If respawns is unchecked then that container IS safe for you to store stuff in as long as you want.

 

Hope that helps.

Greg

[Razarkis]

Very much so, thanks.

[Uriel]

The problem is if you put everything into a couple containers/vendors it will be a great mess. Will be impossible to find anything in all those lists of items.

There is this mod though - Try before you buy

Kinda helps with the problem, still no so good though.

[Razarkis]

Ah, but I don't need to *find* anything - I straight up want *every single thing that is in there*. Then, all I have to do is take the whole lot, and I'm good to go.

[Uriel]

All the armors inside one inventory? That will slow your inventory like hell, also, you will be tired of searching really fast.

[gregathit]

Probably the "best" solution is to put a row of chests and organize them by name:

Examples: Heavy Armor, Medium Armor, Light Armor, Hats and Helms, Weapons, Robes, and so on. You can combine things that have few items or break apart things that have many (like if you have tons of heavy armors then "heavy armor chest 1" and heavy armor chest 2" and so on).

 

As Uriel stated, it really does get old looking through hundreds of items to find one or two. Also, unless you modify your weight carrying limit you may max out before you can grab everything (unless you zero weight everything which can cause some problems with other mods).

 

It is your game so do what you like... I am just trying to be helpful.

[Razarkis]

Well, just so you know - most of the armors are going on Companions. I mean, I could go and edit them all to be wearing those, but... bleh. Easier to dump them all in one chest, grab em all, then dole them out like the sugardaddy I am. Word

[Uriel]

Solution to the encumberance problem btw:

http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/mods/5118

The good thing about this is that id does not change anything except the carrying capacity.

[Razarkis]

That's a good link, Uriel, thanks. That makes "deliveries" quite a bit easier. Now all I need are a few castles to put all my minions and their stuff in... hmm... Hoarfrost is one, I need a couple others. Ve shall see.

 

BTW - most CM mods, you CAN merge. I merged about a dozen earlier, and even went to go check if their component people were all where they were supposed to be. They were! Things I learned: DO NOT try to merge the "original" CM mods - such as CM Partners special, or whatever. I didn't think it work, but what the hey

 

You CAN merge just about anything else - as long as it's not too complex - and most CM mods are not. I have one merge with well over 100 NPCs in it now, and it works just fine. That's in addition to 2 other compilations.

 

Do not merge: Firefly's Combined Companions - it has scripted stuff for Hoarfrost that breaks, if you do. Of course, it has like 700 NPCs in it, so... just... don't. Little Lords and Ladies. It didn't like it. At all. YMMV, however.

 

Do merge: DA_Compilation - both Vanilla and SI - AB Compilation, the DAValeria Cute Elf compilation, all of HowAbominable's CM packs.

 

I'm sure you can merge lots and lots of others - I have several individual and duo ones I also merged but didn't list. One day I'll count how many NPCs I have active right now - but the number is terribly, terribly high! I'm trying to see how many NPCs I can really have active before the game explodes.

 

I like a populated Tamriel, what can I say. Also... two words. Chaos mode. But that's a different forum