How to create a custom companion?

[Frozen Esper]

I spent a few hours trying to create a custom companion both trying to edit a follower mod that someone created and from scratch, but I'm not having any luck. I figured it would be easier if I edited a character already created. So, I downloaded the standalone mod Mia. When I open it and make some changes such as the name, height, etc most of it works for the pre-made companion. However, the hair and skin no longer remain the same after saving. The hair ends up going blue and it looks like it's missing a mesh. However, if I don't edit and leave the mod as it is, the companion works as it should as shown n the screenshots.

After giving up on the editing the pre-made companion, I downloaded the following mods to create my own custom companion from scratch.

1. BodySlide and Outfit Studio
2. Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer
3. HN66s Long Eye Lashes SE V2
4. Hvergelmir's Aesthetics - Brows 4.0.1
5. KS Hairdos SSE
6. RaceMenu Special Edition
7. The Eyes Of Beauty
8. XP32 Maximum Skeleton Special Extended

I tried just creating a random character so see if it worked and placed it into the world to meet, but the hair doesn't use the hair from the mod which showed it working in the creation engine, and the face doesn't match the color of the body. I created a new mod and set it active and I included all of the above mods into it as well. So, I am not sure why the hair isn't changing and the color of the face isn't matching the rest of the body. I am also not sure why I can't just edit the standalone mod Mia without her skin and hair messing up as well. The package is supposed to include the appropriate mods in it already.

Anyways, does anyone have any tips on how I can make a custom character and getting working properly?

[Ambugaton]

First thing to try might be a simple fix. When you get the hair and face where you want, highlight her in the Actor list, and export her face gen data by using ctrl+f4

This part I'm much less sure of, but it's what I had to do to make some changes stick if they weren't part of what got exported as face gen data. I needed to set the relationship between a follower in one esp (esp 1) with another in a different esp (esp 2). Problem was even loading both in the creation kit wouldn't keep that relationship after I saved.

Turns out that Creation kit requires a plugin to be seen as a master file in order for other plugins to use its data. It's why you'll see some things like hair mods done by good modders saved as esms, So I had to temporarily make the creation kit think esp 2 was a master (esm) file. I followed this: https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/754151-tutorials-without-youtoob/page-2#entry6035531

[MysticMalevolence]

How are you editing this NPC? It sounds like you are using the CK. Without CK Fixes, the CK will regenerate facegen on saving, which will screw up the previous facegen--you'd need to move it someplace save while working and replace it later.

As far as creating goes, did you flag all of the master mods as ESM with xEdit? CK without CK Fixes will not let you set an .esp as a master unless it has an ESM flag set with xEdit. It will revert any changes made involving those files.

[Ambugaton]

Originally posted by MysticMalevolence:

As far as creating goes, did you flag all of the master mods as ESM with xEdit? CK without CK Fixes will not let you set an .esp as a master unless it has an ESM flag set with xEdit. It will revert any changes made involving those files.

I just tested this out and holy crap that was a lot easier. I just added an esp as a master for another in xedit. Showed as a master in CK for that esp, let me use the "master" esp's data, etc. Showed up in game just as expected... and took 1/10th the time and less risk.

[Frozen Esper]

Thanks for the tips guys. I copied the Mia's texture and mesh folder to a new location. After making the adjustments, I copied the textures back and everything worked. However, I still can't use any of the hair that's in that hair mod. After doing some tests, that was the cause of the different colored faces as compared to the body.

[Ambugaton]

Originally posted by Frozen Esper:

Thanks for the tips guys. I copied the Mia's texture and mesh folder to a new location. After making the adjustments, I copied the textures back and everything worked. However, I still can't use any of the hair that's in that hair mod. After doing some tests, that was the cause of the different colored faces as compared to the body.

Just looked at the list you gave. KS hairdos is set as an esp. Might try apachii, set as esm, I personally liked the options better and was easy to use on my custom follower. Just loaded it as a master when editing.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1838890646

[Frozen Esper]

Originally posted by Ambugaton:

Originally posted by Frozen Esper:

Thanks for the tips guys. I copied the Mia's texture and mesh folder to a new location. After making the adjustments, I copied the textures back and everything worked. However, I still can't use any of the hair that's in that hair mod. After doing some tests, that was the cause of the different colored faces as compared to the body.

Just looked at the list you gave. KS hairdos is set as an esp. Might try apachii, set as esm, I personally liked the options better and was easy to use on my custom follower. Just loaded it as a master when editing.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1838890646

Thanks for the tip and the share. That apachii hair set looks great. Downloading now.

EDIT: I made the hair mod as an esm and the hair now shows up, but the characters face is still dark even after I copied the meshes and textures back.

EDIT2: I think I figured it out. It has to do with Mia's textures and setup. I think it will work if I start a new NPC from scratch.