Can i get some help from experienced SSEEdit users?

[Geargrinder]

There's this awesome helmet, the dawnguard full helmet, that I want to wear, but I'm specced into light armor.

Now I've opened up SSEEdit and found the helmet, but I don't know which parameters I should change to switch the helmet from heavy to light armor. Anyone can help me with that?

Also, what folders should I back up in case I still manage to screw up?

Thanks.

[smr1957]

First copy the original plugin file from the data folder and paste it somewhere in another location/folder on your PC - now if something goes wrong, you have the original plugin saved, and can just swap it back in.

To change the armor to light armor. in the right hand pane, scroll down to BOD2 - Biped Body Template and expand it. You will see a record listed as Armor Type which lists what the armor currently is. Double-click on the record contained in the mod the box will then show a downwards arrow which when clicked on will show the 3 possible types - Clothing, Heavy Armor, Light Armor. Click on Light Armor - you will see that that has now replaced Heavy Armor in the record.

The next step is to scroll down to where you see KWDA - Keywords (sorted). You will see that the record for the mod contains something like ArmorHeavy [KYWD:0006BBD2]. To change this to Light armor, right click on the record and select Edit from the drop down menu. A box will appear with the listed keyword in it. Replace that with the following:
ArmorLight [KYWD:0006BBD3]
Click okay. The box will disappear and you will see the new keyword.

Then, make sure nothing else is overwriting that, and if something is, just drag and drop the changes you made in the original set of records into the next mod's equivalent records.

Once that is done, that piece of armor will be shown as light armor and the game will see it as light armor due to the keyword edit.

Once you have done all the editing you wish, right click the X in the upper right corner to close xEdit. A box will come up saying Save changed files - make sure that the file you edited is checked (by default it should be) - you should also check the box marked Backup plugins at the bottom of that popup box (this saves the original unedited file as a backup). Click the X in the upper right corner of the Save changed files popup. xEdit will now close, saving all your changes.

You can check this guide as well, for additional information:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2660673605

Guide is from the PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References in the following section:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2882868252

Good luck!

[Geargrinder]

Thanks for informative response!
I should be able to do it with these instructions.

One more question:

Originally posted by smr1957:

First copy the original plugin file from the data folder and paste it somewhere in another location/folder on your PC - now if something goes wrong, you have the original plugin saved, and can just swap it back in.

I don't know what a plugin is, nor what the original plugin file is?

For now, I'll just copy the whole data folder just in case.

Thanks again!

edit: is it the dawnguard.esm file?

[smr1957]

Originally posted by Geargrinder:

Thanks for informative response!
I should be able to do it with these instructions.

One more question:

Originally posted by smr1957:

First copy the original plugin file from the data folder and paste it somewhere in another location/folder on your PC - now if something goes wrong, you have the original plugin saved, and can just swap it back in.

I don't know what a plugin is, nor what the original plugin file is?

For now, I'll just copy the whole data folder just in case.

Thanks again!

edit: is it the dawnguard.esm file?

A plugin is anything that says .esm/.esp/.esl, for example. So, yes, Dawnguard.esm is a plugin, and it is that one which you would be editing. Also, it is a good idea to save copies of the plugins that are in your Data folder, so that you have all the original ones backed up if you should need to restore them.

Directly editing the original is the easiest way to go about this (as described in my above instructions)- but you should always first make sure that everything is backed up to a separate location - just in case you make a mistake.

For instance, I have copies of all my original plugins saved to a separate folder on my PC, so should I need to restore the originals, I do not have to redownload anything.

[Geargrinder]

Will do thanks.

But the edit doesn't seem to work.
I followed your instructions but the helmet still shows up as heavy armor in the game.
I just checked the dawnguard.esm file and in there it still has the changes to light armor.

I edited the DLC1DawnguardArmorHelmetHeavy to be precise.

Any ideas?

[smr1957]

If you are using the Unofficial Patch (or have any other mod that also edits that helmet) it will be overwriting changes made. So you would need to carry forward the changes made in Dawnguard.esm to them (as last loaded plugin wins all conflicts).

[smr1957]

By the way, there is a Light Dawnguard helmet:
0201989EE DLC1ArmorDawnguardHelmetLight

[Geargrinder]

Originally posted by smr1957:

If you are using the Unofficial Patch (or have any other mod that also edit that helmet) it will be overwriting changes made. So you would need to carry forward the change made in Dawnguard.esm to them (as last loaded plugin wins all conflicts).

I do use the unofficial patch. Guess, I'll have to figure out how to change the load order with vortex.

Originally posted by smr1957:

By the way, there is a Light Dawnguard helmet:
0201989EE DLC1ArmorDawnguardHelmetLight

Yeah but that one is ugly. I guess I could also try to change the model to use the heavy helmet one, but I think I'd still need to change the load order.

thanks for your time.

[smr1957]

You can't change the load order. Simply make the same changes in the Unofficial Patch as you made in the Dawnguard.esm

[smr1957]

In fact, if you make the changes in the Unofficial Patch, the changes in the Dawnguard.esm will no longer be needed, as the Unofficial Patch overwrites the original records.

[smr1957]

You can, of course, just create a new plugin as a patch - how to do so is covered in the guide I linked in the How To Edit Records In xEdit section.

That is actually the very best way to do things - but as you are making a permanent change to your game, changing the original records is not really an issue.

[Geargrinder]

Allrighty. Thanks.

edit: modified the helmet in the unofficial patch. Now it's working!

[smr1957]

Originally posted by Geargrinder:

Allrighty. Thanks.

edit: modified the helmet in the unofficial patch. Now it's working!

Excellent!!

Enjoy!

[smr1957]

Just a note - if the game updates and the Unofficial Patch updates (provided you haven't protected your game from updates), those changes will be reverted back. Which is a major reason to make a separate plugin as a patch - or else you will need to edit the records again (simple enough to do, now that you know how) after any update.

So, as good a time as any to make sure your game is protected - see the following:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2872091273

Linked guide is from the Introduction section of the following PINNED TOPIC:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2888888400

Good luck, again!

[Geargrinder]

Thank you! I did manage to lock my game on 1130, a few hours befor the 1170 patch was scheduled. I got lucky with that one. My Skyrim is safe.