[Robert Devlin]

Sorry too be a bother.n.but could somone tell me which packages are safe too use? Or not use if that's easier? I tried this a week ago and it gave me ice skating giants but didn't have time too test it elsewhere yet. Thanks!

Skating animation is a common problem... it's more of an issue of how Skyrim's engine works (or does not work properly ) with AV. I've seen skaters with the following creature packages: chickens, cows, draugr, skeletons. The best way to avoid skaters completely is to start a new game with AV. With existing saves it's kind of a hit-and-miss, you won't get skaters in newly discovered areas but you may see them in areas which you already visited.

[Nick Swan]

Skating animation is a common problem... it's more of an issue of how Skyrim's engine works (or does not work properly ) with AV. I've seen skaters with the following creature packages: chickens, cows, draugr, skeletons. The best way to avoid skaters completely is to start a new game with AV. With existing saves it's kind of a hit-and-miss, you won't get skaters in newly discovered areas but you may see them in areas which you already visited.

ah, makes sense. Thank you! I guess until that problem is fixed or I start a new game ill hold off on using this.

I'm also curious how it will work with monster mod...since that just adds new creatures too existing lists. Would this only replace the vanilla spawns and not interfere with MoMod spawning its new monsters?

[Abel Vazquez]

He has mainly dealt with the vanilla wildlife. He did recently ask about adding boars in his thread, as I recall, but his mod is really aimed at the vanilla wildlife. One of his main purposes was to bring back lore-related diseases that various creatures carry.

You may want to drop him a line to see if the two of you can brainstorm some ideas. It would be helpful if the various community members who are working on wildlife and creatures communicate with each other so as to avoid conflicts. In my view, AV seems to have a lot of potential uses, so it's just a matter of people working together rather than winding up with stuff that conflicts with each other.

Sounds cool! I'll give him a holler. 8)

ah, makes sense. Thank you! I guess until that problem is fixed or I start a new game ill hold off on using this.

I'm also curious how it will work with monster mod...since that just adds new creatures too existing lists. Would this only replace the vanilla spawns and not interfere with MoMod spawning its new monsters?

Since AV is dynamically made, it would actually make variants for a good deal of MoMod's creatures. In the same way vanilla Skyrim creatures get variants, so would MoMods.

[cosmo valerga]

Sounds cool! I'll give him a holler. 8)



Since AV is dynamically made, it would actually make variants for a good deal of MoMod's creatures. In the same way vanilla Skyrim creatures get variants, so would MoMods.

So I apologize if I understood that wrong but say since he replaces a chance of a troll spawning with a cyclops (a monster he made and implemented into the leveled list). The variants would overrule and give him a new skin? PR only if it spawned as a troll would it get a new skin?

[vanuza]

Excuse me, this mod is awesome, but I want to know if it works with Skyrim's Monster Mod?

[phil walsh]

All I can say is that I eagerly look forward to this getting to the point where it's usable in a game where I'd tried it once already, saved, then later taken it out, and saved again. Because I really, really love AV, but not enough to lose 20+ levels on my character.

[YO MAma]

So I apologize if I understood that wrong but say since he replaces a chance of a troll spawning with a cyclops (a monster he made and implemented into the leveled list). The variants would overrule and give him a new skin? PR only if it spawned as a troll would it get a new skin?

Excuse me, this mod is awesome, but I want to know if it works with Skyrim's Monster Mod?

Yes, it works fine with SkyMoMod, and SCA, and Real Wildlife - Skyrim, and Realistic Animals & Predators. I use all of those plus PISE plus ASIS plus AV. They work together in various ways. There might be some overriding or something, but overall it improves my game, at least.

[sw1ss]

I am so out of touch with what's been going on with AV. Will someone give me a recap of what's going on? I'm sorry for asking. Do we install AV the same way as earlier versions? Would I need to redo directories for my packages and upload them again?

What's skating? The only thing I can come up with is no walking animations. I've only experienced this weeks ago inside a fort when an NPC would just slide as he was moving instead of walking. Basically just standing still as he moved, lol.

[Matt Bigelow]

I am so out of touch with what's been going on with AV. Will someone give me a recap of what's going on? I'm sorry for asking. Do we install AV the same way as earlier versions? Would I need to redo directories for my packages and upload them again?

What's skating? The only thing I can come up with is no walking animations. I've only experienced this weeks ago inside a fort when an NPC would just slide as he was moving instead of walking. Basically just standing still as he moved, lol.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?rsm84y859ofy201 is a video of skating. It can affect any creature replaced by AV like draugr, skeletons, chickens, cows etc. I did a lot of research into exactly why it happens and it seems like it's related to: 1) using AV with an existing save, not a new game 2) traveling to an already-visited cell (which you entered before installing AV in this save) by any means. It also causes some funny stuff to happen, like http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ps9gng2hnr160uk. This seems like an issue with Skyrim's engine rather than AV. The only permanent solution is starting a new game with AV.esp active.

[Rachel Briere]

All I can say is that I eagerly look forward to this getting to the point where it's usable in a game where I'd tried it once already, saved, then later taken it out, and saved again. Because I really, really love AV, but not enough to lose 20+ levels on my character.

It will once Bethesda fixes their SetRace() function, or SKSE comes out with a comparable one.

I am so out of touch with what's been going on with AV. Will someone give me a recap of what's going on? I'm sorry for asking. Do we install AV the same way as earlier versions? Would I need to redo directories for my packages and upload them again?

What's skating? The only thing I can come up with is no walking animations. I've only experienced this weeks ago inside a fort when an NPC would just slide as he was moving instead of walking. Basically just standing still as he moved, lol.

Hehe, we've figured out that AV is most safely installed on a new game (rather than adding it to an existing one). Bethesda seems to bug out with all the additions in areas that have already spawned in a savegame (even if you reset your cells). Lots of other mods are reporting similar results and also suggesting they be installed on fresh games. Unfortunately it's just due to Bethesda's unreliable save system. 8\

Skating is what happens sometimes when AV is installed on an already existing game. Existing spawned areas bug out and result in creatures that move around with no animations (sometimes even after death, following you around, like daugr). This seems to not ever appear if you start AV with a fresh game.

EDIT: seems like Karellan was typing the same thing. 8P

No, you do not need to reupload your packages yet, but soon 1.3 will be released which will feature a more powerful (but different) package structure. Fortunately I'll have a converter program for you guys, so you can just plop your packages in and have them converted to the new setup and then reupload. 8)

[rae.x]

I understand now. Thank you both.

[Nomee]

It will once Bethesda fixes their SetRace() function, or SKSE comes out with a comparable one.



Hehe, we've figured out that AV is most safely installed on a new game (rather than adding it to an existing one). Bethesda seems to bug out with all the additions in areas that have already spawned in a savegame (even if you reset your cells). Lots of other mods are reporting similar results and also suggesting they be installed on fresh games. Unfortunately it's just due to Bethesda's unreliable save system. 8\

Skating is what happens sometimes when AV is installed on an already existing game. Existing spawned areas bug out and result in creatures that move around with no animations (sometimes even after death, following you around, like daugr). This seems to not ever appear if you start AV with a fresh game.

EDIT: seems like Karellan was typing the same thing. 8P

No, you do not need to reupload your packages yet, but soon 1.3 will be released which will feature a more powerful (but different) package structure. Fortunately I'll have a converter program for you guys, so you can just plop your packages in and have them converted to the new setup and then reupload. 8)

Hi Leviathan1753, in 1.3 skating will be fixed with other spawn method or leveled list method? Thx again, I'm waiting skating fix for play with my old savegame XD

[Marine x]

No, skating will not be 100% fixed. I was saying it hopefully will when someone fixes the SetRace function.. which could be ages down the road or next week, for all I know.

1.3 WILL feature an "AV Prepping" option/step which hopefully will prime a new savegame so that adding new packages later on won't cause skating at least, but that's the best I can do, atm.

[Queen of Spades]

I was going through the latest files from the source code repository (may be fixed by now since that looks a bit bit dated), and the link in the readme to Java points to the OBSE download page. I think that's a bit of an error.

I could very well be wrong on that, methinks. >_>

[~Sylvia~]

Hey, interesting ttidbit for Leviathan:

Wrye Bash's Installers doesn't see AV or AV packages as ... well, as packages for installation. I'm sure it's because the new patchers concept is outside of what Bash is coded to detect, so the new elements just have to be added (alongside the existing structures such as textures, meshes, etc.).

Yes, it's a Bash issue and I'll post about it over there, but I wanted to mention it here, too, just as a head's up and the hope for good communication.

[Lizbeth Ruiz]

*snip*

The readme covers it. It's because of the folder structure, as I understand it from my skimming of it.

[Ashley Tamen]

The readme covers it. It's because of the folder structure, as I understand it from my skimming of it.

Yes, I know it's the folder structure. That's what I was referring to when I said that Bash just needs to be updated to include the patcher elements alongside the existing textures, meshes, et al. The main issue is that Bash cannot install anything related to patchers until Bash is updated. Right now, it sees the patcher items (including just AV, and any specific packages such as Bellyaches) as greyed-out package headers rather than actual packages. The only manager installation is through NMM because it doesn't bother doing any checking.

I just posted this over on Bash thread so they know, too.

[JUan Martinez]

*snip*

Ah, I thought you meant that you thought it was a bug that the additional stuff wasn't recognized.

[Lizzie]

@Everyone. Back from a small holiday. I was curious how many NPC's have at this moment been AV-tized. Created a simple Excel sheet with three tabs. Its my intention to keep the sheet updated. I have included all public available AV packages - packages from StarX, Insanity, Porscha, Bellyache, Sounaipr (ports). Its nothing short of amazing.

In short: 35 NPC's for been AV-tized.
Total number of variants: 266
Some NPC's have been AV-tized quite a lot while others have zero or one variant (especially wildlife like Deer/Elk).

For more information see my homepage: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1366638-relwip-wolverines-collection-of-av-packages-ports-examples-skeletons-and-tools/

@Leviathan1753. Would it be possible for an upcoming version of AV (perhaps 1.3.x) to use the vanilla textures as an variant as well. This way the NPC's with zero variation (Deer/Elk) will at least have two variants (assuming the Bellyache Deer/Elk do not look the same as Skyrim vanilla's counterparts). It would be great if for all variants this could be enable and not for variant sets only.

[Juanita Hernandez]

@Everyone. Back from a small holiday. I was curious how many NPC's have at this moment been AV-tized. Created a simple Excel sheet with three tabs. Its my intention to keep the sheet updated. I have included all public available AV packages - packages from StarX, Insanity, Porscha, Bellyache, Sounaipr (ports). Its nothing short of amazing.

In short: 35 NPC's for been AV-tized.
Total number of variants: 266
Some NPC's have been AV-tized quite a lot while others have zero or one variant (especially wildlife like Deer/Elk).

For more information see my homepage: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1366638-relwip-wolverines-collection-of-av-packages-ports-examples-skeletons-and-tools/

@Leviathan1753. Would it be possible for an upcoming version of AV (perhaps 1.3.x) to use the vanilla textures as an variant as well. This way the NPC's with zero variation (Deer/Elk) will at least have two variants (assuming the Bellyache Deer/Elk do not look the same as Skyrim vanilla's counterparts). It would be great if for all variants this could be enable and not for variant sets only.

Yep, I already asked Lev to contact EtaYorius about vanilla stuff, and asked him to contact Lev, because he is the author of the Real Wildlife - Skyrim mod and is mostly focused on vanilla wildlife/creatures.

By the way, did you want to specify NPCs versus Creatures? Most people do not equate NPCs to Creatures, but that's how we've been talking about them for AV, I think. It might be clearer to consider them separately.

Also, did you want to track versions? That might be useful right now since it seems that the next AV will use a somewhat different folder format (or something, anyway) and some packages may wind up being updated to match the newer version.

[anna ley]

In an earlier version of AV, I tried to create a variant folder for werewolves. This was only on the vanilla Skyrim werewolves, and the thing is they don't actually 'spawn' in any level list etc. So I wasn't sure what it was going to do.

I was just hoping to give the Companions different color werewolf skins, but I didn't even know if they changed into a new color every time they or my character shifted.

I also didn't touch actual formids in mods where they spawn like normal creatures.

So this was the .json file I made:

{"Type" : "NPC","Target_FormIDs" :[["0A1976","Skyrim.esm"],["0A092C","Skyrim.esm"],["10F509","Skyrim.esm"],["0136AC","Skyrim.esm"],["0A1974","Skyrim.esm"],["023ABC","Skyrim.esm"],["0A1972","Skyrim.esm"],["0A092D","Skyrim.esm"],["07871B","Skyrim.esm"],["0A092B","Skyrim.esm"],["0A1975","Skyrim.esm"],["0A1973","Skyrim.esm"],["032896","Skyrim.esm"],["0A092E","Skyrim.esm"],["01B150","Skyrim.esm"],["0A092F","Skyrim.esm"]],"Apply_To_Similar" : true}

Thing was I was loading several packages and custom .json files at the same time. I probably did something wrong in there because I had a crash with Skyrim from the main menu and I decided to not make custom packages until I figured out what went wrong.

So I'm asking, does anyone know what happens if you try to apply variants to vanilla-style werewolves? They're not monsters from a level list since they're basically an alternate form of an existing NPC, so I wasn't sure at all what would happen. Or it's not possible with the way werewolves are usually implemented and it's better to not try to change them (although I probably could use them if they're treated like normal 'spawned' creatures in Skyrim Monster Mod for example).

[sara OMAR]

Yep, I already asked Lev to contact EtaYorius about vanilla stuff, and asked him to contact Lev, because he is the author of the Real Wildlife - Skyrim mod and is mostly focused on vanilla wildlife/creatures.

By the way, did you want to specify NPCs versus Creatures? Most people do not equate NPCs to Creatures, but that's how we've been talking about them for AV, I think. It might be clearer to consider them separately.

Also, did you want to track versions? That might be useful right now since it seems that the next AV will use a somewhat different folder format (or something, anyway) and some packages may wind up being updated to match the newer version.

I think you made a slight mistake. Etayorius is the author of 'SkyTEST - Realistic Animals and Predators'', The author of 'real wildlife skyrim' is Nedius.

About NPC's and Creatures. Do you suggest to replace the name NPC's by Creatures. ATM the moment the potential readers of sheet are ppl who know AV and know what an NPC id. Still its easily changed into creatures. Thanks for the feedback. Its nice to know that ppl actually read a bit of the stuff I write (costs quite a lot time actually). Its a real encouragement to continue cranking up that stuff...

According to tracking versions. Not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean the name of mods or do you mean the version number of the sheet. When the directory structure of AV changes I don't think the name of the mod really changes, at least the actual number variants doesn't AFAIK. But if it does I think I change it as well in the excel sheet.

To prevent pollution of this thread perhaps its better to continue in my own thread. Not to lure ppl there, but I think its perhaps better to keep this thread clean.

[Kortknee Bell]

I was going through the latest files from the source code repository (may be fixed by now since that looks a bit bit dated), and the link in the readme to Java points to the OBSE download page. I think that's a bit of an error.

I could very well be wrong on that, methinks. >_>

Thanks! 8) Definitely a wrong link. Thanks!

@Leviathan1753. Would it be possible for an upcoming version of AV (perhaps 1.3.x) to use the vanilla textures as an variant as well. This way the NPC's with zero variation (Deer/Elk) will at least have two variants (assuming the Bellyache Deer/Elk do not look the same as Skyrim vanilla's counterparts). It would be great if for all variants this could be enable and not for variant sets only.

Yup yup! That's on the list for the 1.3 release, and actually the feature I'm coding up right now. 8)

In an earlier version of AV, I tried to create a variant folder for werewolves. This was only on the vanilla Skyrim werewolves, and the thing is they don't actually 'spawn' in any level list etc. So I wasn't sure what it was going to do.

The current Bellyache's package offers werewolves. Have you tried looking at that structure to model your own?

Even if werewolves don't spawn via LLists, the way AV handles variants they SHOULD become variants however they end up being created. This, however, may result in changing wolf colors every time your shift to a werewolf, depending on how Bethesda handles the transformation.

Yep, I already asked Lev to contact EtaYorius about vanilla stuff, and asked him to contact Lev, because he is the author of the Real Wildlife - Skyrim mod and is mostly focused on vanilla wildlife/creatures.

By the way, did you want to specify NPCs versus Creatures? Most people do not equate NPCs to Creatures, but that's how we've been talking about them for AV, I think. It might be clearer to consider them separately.

Also, did you want to track versions? That might be useful right now since it seems that the next AV will use a somewhat different folder format (or something, anyway) and some packages may wind up being updated to match the newer version.

I'll be including a quick program that transforms any old package to the new structure, and will be sending it to all known package authors when it's released. I think the change will go over smoothly, and there won't be any old package structures to track. But we'll see. 8)

[brandon frier]

Leviathan1753, fantastic mod!!! Can i ask a question? Is it possible to add various AV packages of clothes/armors (with their meshes and textures) to various NPC in the game so they will equip random clothes/armors?

[Ashley Clifft]

I think you made a slight mistake. Etayorius is the author of 'SkyTEST - Realistic Animals and Predators'', The author of 'real wildlife skyrim' is Nedius.

Oops... yes, my bad. I meant Realistic Animals & Predators. That was what I was thinking, but I typed RWS. It was probably too early for me when I replied.

About NPC's and Creatures. Do you suggest to replace the name NPC's by Creatures. ATM the moment the potential readers of sheet are ppl who know AV and know what an NPC id. Still its easily changed into creatures. Thanks for the feedback. Its nice to know that ppl actually read a bit of the stuff I write (costs quite a lot time actually). Its a real encouragement to continue cranking up that stuff...

Yes, that's what I would suggest. Managers such as Wrye Bash and even categories on sites like Nexus normally differentiate between NPCs and creatures, so things could get confusing otherwise. I'd suggest tracking them as separate categories because that's how it's done on Nexus and elsewhere. Actually, it would probably be a good standard to try to follow the categories on Nexus as much as possible, including the eventual weapons, armor, etc.

I also know about taking a lot of time to write.

According to tracking versions. Not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean the name of mods or do you mean the version number of the sheet. When the directory structure of AV changes I don't think the name of the mod really changes, at least the actual number variants doesn't AFAIK. But if it does I think I change it as well in the excel sheet.

Lev already answered about future plans, an automated updater, etc. However, I think it's important for your own sources to state the version that is available, very similar to how mods do (or are supposed to, anyway). By version, AV packages would need to state the version of AV they were made for just like mods state the version of the game/CK they were made for. Right now, this might not be a big deal, or seem not to be, anyway, but I think it would be good to track it for future reference, anyway, as a way to plan for potential future changes. It doesn't hurt and can only help. A structure change in AV changes the package even if the name doesn't change. It changes compatibilty of the package with specific versions of AV. Think about it fromt the viewpoint of the average user who just wants to plug-n-play.