Characters with the exact same DNA but look different

[jelf]

Hi all,

I have two characters in the game - one is created from the ruler designer, the other one was generated by the game but with DNA pasted from the one created from the ruler designer (via editing save game).

The two characters look similar but they are still different slightly. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Thanks in advance!

See screenshot below - they have the exact same DNA, same mass, same traits, same age, etc, but e.g. the eyes, chin, mouth, face shape are still somewhat different

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2993023171
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2993023151

[jelf]

I'm trying to make a pre-existing character look exactly the same as one that would have been created from the ruler designer. Except even with the exact same DNA copied across, they are still somewhat different

[Luckyleol]

yea i barely saw that difference. you got a good eye. like i can discount the hair being slight different. but that the faces are in slightly different heights by millimetres or pixels is kinda weird.

[VipreRX]

Even real life identical twins tend to have a slight variation in appearance as they age.

[drake_hound]

Fat distribution it happens, the one created with the ruler designer is the closest to the original.

The one paste into savegame has a random fat distribution based on character ID.

then comes the beauty trait who can slightly alter the fat distribution in a different way.

[Mo0on]

Originally posted by drake_hound:

Fat distribution it happens, the one created with the ruler designer is the closest to the original.

The one paste into savegame has a random fat distribution based on character ID.

then comes the beauty trait who can slightly alter the fat distribution in a different way.

The eyes are oriented completely differently. The mouth is considerably larger in the first image. The jaw is much longer in the second image. The nose in first image is also slightly bigger. Second image has larger space between nose and mouth, probably just because lips got smaller.

The first image looks like a hand crafted character, the second looks like the game generating your hand crafted character with a few defaulted options like eye angle and lip thickness.

Edit: Did you happen to create the first image with the beautiful trait and paste that onto the second image without the beautiful trait?

Because that could do that. The beautiful traits literally change the shape/color of certain parts of the face. It might not load those changes onto someone who doesn't have the traits.

There is also a bug in the character creator where you can add the beautiful trait, get the appearance on your character, SAVE the character. Load the character, remove the trait, keep beautiful appearance.

[jelf]

Originally posted by Mo0on:

Originally posted by drake_hound:

Fat distribution it happens, the one created with the ruler designer is the closest to the original.

The one paste into savegame has a random fat distribution based on character ID.

then comes the beauty trait who can slightly alter the fat distribution in a different way.

The eyes are oriented completely differently. The mouth is considerably larger in the first image. The jaw is much longer in the second image. The nose in first image is also slightly bigger. Second image has larger space between nose and mouth, probably just because lips got smaller.

These are pretty big differences, and if the rest of the game is any indication to go by then it is probably a bug and the feature is broken.

The first image looks like a hand crafted character, the second looks like the game generating your hand crafted character with a few defaulted options like eye angle and lip thickness.

Yes exactly! (though actually the second one is from the ruler designer and first one is via pasted DNA but still )

[jelf]

Originally posted by drake_hound:

Fat distribution it happens, the one created with the ruler designer is the closest to the original.

The one paste into savegame has a random fat distribution based on character ID.

then comes the beauty trait who can slightly alter the fat distribution in a different way.

If this is the case is there a way to fix it? Surely the fat distribution or other facial / physical attributes are saved somewhere?

[Mo0on]

If the second image is the custom character, then I don't think its a fat distribution problem or beautiful trait problem, its most likely a bug.

The first character looks very unique, as in random sliders/custom made. The second looks more like the regularly generated characters in the game. I've never seen a character look like that first picture in hundreds of hours.

If the first picture is not the custom character, then it looks like it butchered your custom character and randomized some of the options.

Did you happen to save the second character in a previous update? And are applying it to a newer game version?

[jelf]

Originally posted by Mo0on:

If the second image is the custom character, then I don't think its a fat distribution problem or beautiful trait problem, its most likely a bug.

The first character looks very unique, as in random sliders/custom made. The second looks more like the regularly generated characters in the game. I've never seen a character look like that first picture in hundreds of hours.

If the first picture is not the custom character, then it looks like it butchered your custom character and randomized some of the options.

Did you happen to save the second character in a previous update? And are applying it to a newer game version?

Both characters are in the same save and in the same (latest) version of the game, i.e. one created via ruler designer, and the other one with DNA and mass and traits, etc completely copied across from the first one.

[kalanyr]

Are you using any mods that effect appearance / portraits ? Many of those store extra data outside the DNA string (eg in character variables) which you'd be losing here.

[jelf]

Originally posted by kalanyr:

Are you using any mods that effect appearance / portraits ? Many of those store extra data outside the DNA string (eg in character variables) which you'd be losing here.

Yes I am using some mods that might affect appearance / portraits.

Is there a way to make sure these character variables are copied across as well?

[jelf]

Originally posted by kalanyr:

Are you using any mods that effect appearance / portraits ? Many of those store extra data outside the DNA string (eg in character variables) which you'd be losing here.

And I am using your spouse designer and safe gene mods as well - great mods btw!

[The Former]

That'd be my supposition too, that it's probably mod-related.

[kalanyr]

Originally posted by jelf:

Originally posted by kalanyr:

Are you using any mods that effect appearance / portraits ? Many of those store extra data outside the DNA string (eg in character variables) which you'd be losing here.

Yes I am using some mods that might affect appearance / portraits.

Is there a way to make sure these character variables are copied across as well?

Unfortunately I can't think of a good way to do it that wouldn't require you to learn a chunk about how those appearance effecting mods work and that also wouldn't probably carry over information you don't want too.

Thank you, btw.

[drake_hound]

Originally posted by jelf:

Originally posted by drake_hound:

Fat distribution it happens, the one created with the ruler designer is the closest to the original.

The one paste into savegame has a random fat distribution based on character ID.

then comes the beauty trait who can slightly alter the fat distribution in a different way.

If this is the case is there a way to fix it? Surely the fat distribution or other facial / physical attributes are saved somewhere?

The question is which of the two faces do you want, the ruler creator or the save game DNA one.

if you want ruler creator one. just created a new character, load into the game.. save the game, go to their DNA check the flags for any mod alteration.. if not there any flags.
There you go the Ruler Creator one DNA .

If you want the altered DNA one cause it is savegame, and want to turn it into Ruler creator codes.
Give the altered DNA one a county, switch character ,save game and go to the savegame file to see all the alteration done in the character (since it gives everything and more in readable codes what changed in numbers etc). instead of a DNA string.

Disclaimer if people don't know how to unzip and edit savegame this info isn't for you.