alt3rn1ty

There was a problem with the FTP server too DR found last week and sorted out, apparently that was after site software update putting back a default setting or something .. Maybe there are other defaults, I also cannot edit my own posts seconds after posting them - Even though the edit button is there between the Report and Quote buttons, I am not a noob to the site, and I have not logged out before trying. Also mentioned the same here http://tesalliance.org/forums/index.php?/tracker/issue-117-awards-not-showing/ in the support feedback part of the forum ( though now I think my awards are showing, it depends how big my post is whether they show or not ). There is also this issue http://tesalliance.org/forums/index.php?/tracker/issue-116-featured-download-anim-annoyance/ .. All part of the same software update ? Edit : Well damn, I just clicked edit out of curiosity, and now it works <<-- Those awards too .. I think the site is just having a laugh with me

I think the damned thing has updated 4 times in the last week and a half, probably starting to get much more opportunity for attack vectors so its harder to keep secure, more advertising mechanisms and more online capability with its browser and in game features means more attack vector surface to exploit I made a Skyrim Tweaks post ( under the description for Vanilla Reduced Textures ) .. Part of that is a post I have been putting around the bazaars since early 2012

Hana - OT but thought you might have a use for these .. http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/45355/?

Like the OP, dont spread the word though it would put us Wrye Bash nuts out of something to do on rainy days A recent discovery (last night), something which has come to light with the latest game beta patch 1.6, it has introduced something in the update.esm which Wrye Bash did not recognise .. Fixed since in the svn (2377 was the fix) So when 1.6 game goes live, everyone using Wrye Bash will need at least that version of the svn.

Well I guess Ethatron is too modest to mention it but DDSOpt is maturing very nicely http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5755 And BSAOpt http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=247 Certainly up there as very useful tools IMHO BOSS deserves a mention, though the masterlist still needs to develop with time after the CK is released and mods start filling it up its already stable and what will become an essential http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=6

IS here's another little beauty for the list ... Reference the last bastion of BSA manipulation which Wrye Bash does not handle (Extracting and re-packing BSAs) - The only thing left a dedicated user of Wrye Bash would ever need OBMM for is now available in one nice little utility instead (and its portable, installation is just a case of extracting it and running from wherever you put it (with enough space for extracted BSAs ofc)). I think if you havent seen it you will all be interested in BSAOpt You can extract BSAs to the default 'out' folder (located in the folder you extract BSAOpt to), or you can paste the name of the BSA into the out path and it will re-pack the source BSA with the compression level you choose to the destination filename. It retains filenames with leading spaces (for all you Pyffi fans, those meshes which dont work if the leading space of the filename is removed ... not a problem), and the optimization part of the name really is not BS, it has a new trick up its sleeve. I have repacked ALL of my Oblivion BSA's, with 0 (no) compression, and not one of them exceeds the 2gb limit If you get any hash check errors with individual files from the source BSA then the utility you packed the source BSA with was at fault - There's a Skip Hash Check option which you can enable for a problem BSA which successfully copies the problem file across to your new BSA and then you have no further problems. A note from the author .... I found a couple of hash error files in BSAs which I had packed a while ago with OBMMex. Ethatron has done a really good job of this, supports Skyrim too, read the comments while its no so big (no Bethsoft topic) Windows XP not supported, only runs on Vista or 7. The speed of this thing is stunning. Sold ?

Oooh and - One of the Body types has been removed It still has BodyBuilder, but the Wide neck options Bodybuilder have been removed - The wide neck option needed Throttlekitty Head 07 and a few more files from resources (egm egt) After one user pointed out the problem with wider neck bodybuilder I looked into trying to provide it properly, but then realised it also creates a wide neck problem for anyone using the Robert Male BAIN that are ALSO using for instance HGEC / EVE ... insert your favourite female bod here - and imagine it now having a wider neck also. Then theres the textures ... Considering all the options in the BAIN in this regard, then add a Throttlekitty head in the mix and consider it again .. Wider neck got dropped. BodyBuilder is still available as an option, just not the wider neck variety.

Eager beaver Yup have a look now - Changes; Robert has been a perfectionist and removed more sparklies noticeable at hi res (there were a lot of files updated in the pre-release 5.2 files he linked us on CanadianIce & Howndogs site, which I updated in the BAIN prior to Robert releasing on TESNexus), since then there have been additional changes .. Those are also now included along with the pants changes necessitated by the above.... I have been through every single file and compaired against the previous release creation dates replacing with all changed files. Robert still needs to update the v5 Resources, but he provided the updated hobbit feet link on CanadianIce site .. Included in the BAIN. The only thing left I need to update I think are the Sandals feet meshes which will come along in v52 Resources - will update the BAIN again thereafter (hopefully with more than just the sandals warranting an update). -------------------------------------------- Also for any mod authors here who also have files on TESNexus - The new Nexus Mod Manager has a 'Download With Manager' button we have all become accustomed to seeing .. Which may be in-appropriate for your files if they are Wrye Bash BAINs for instance, or archives with un-usual folder structures necessitating manual installation etc Basicly if you think an updated OBMM in the form of NMM should not be trying to install your files .. You can turn off the Download With Manager button, either at time of upload, or go to Manage Files, Edit File, and put a check in the box to stop it for that file.

BAIN revision 10 uploaded (V5.1 files) - Robert worked on seam reduction by adjusting all normal maps slightly Also remade all the 1024 normal maps from the new ones, and updated all options throughout the Wizard accordingly. Probably not the last update - Robert seems still interested in tweaking every aspect of his files to his satisfaction. And I would like to make more shaved options out of Roberts PubBlank files - Given up for now, lack of knowledge converting his Photoshop advice into something I can relate in GIMP (I dont own Photoshop) - Will get back to it later unless Robert does a set before I get round to it.

The shared headrace.dds and headrace_n.dds textures which both male and female use - If the female head textures have been made to match the female body for some races (most noticeable on dark elfs sometimes, Robert initially in the WIP thread on Canadian Ice site had a Lighter DElf male texture set to download, after seeing my screenshots of the effects on females with hgec compatible textures he dropped the light version, now there is a dark version, and slightly darker. http://s1.bild.me/bilder/030611/2938968Dark_Elf_New_Textures.png http://s1.bild.me/bilder/030611/3055491Dark_Elf_With_EVE-HGEC.png The rest were brilliant (though none of the following screenshots have female comparisons they are good, considering this was on the laptop with medium game setting texture size) http://s1.bild.me/bilder/030611/7718564ScreenShotComp.png http://s1.bild.me/bilder/030611/5283322ScreenShotComp2.png

Weell ... I think Robert is still working on some additional HGEC and Ozmo compatible face textures to get every race neck seem matched tonally if using hgec female instead of Roberts female. He's also possibly going to include another body type Aaand I think he might be looking at doing his own shaved textures ... Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings Taking a break for a week or two though, give Robert time to update, I want to have a nosy in Room207's omod too when that is released (we gave each other go ahead to include whatever from each others installers)

Wrye Bash BAIN - Revision 9 uploaded. Please use the Wizard for installing, a lot of changes to sub-package naming once again necessitate this. New to this revision - Aswell as Roberts V5 2048 sized Hi-Res body textures, you now have another option of 1024 Reduced Hi-Res body textures (and associated normal maps) for every body texture option. The only ones that were not touched were the Room207 Shaved body textures - These are already 1024 size, and scaling them up would be pointless because it would not increase the detail. I still include them as a choice though even if you take the 2048 path in the wizard. All the main body textures have now moved out of the early Core files sub-package, to sub-package 035. The wizard forks about half way through, depending on whether you choose 2048 or 1024 all the following options are offered in the same resolution.

One note for GIMP users - I think I can add an addendum ... When you load Roberts nmaps in GIMP they already have an alpha channel. The default background for GIMP is a checkerboard, so any image which is transparent shows this checkerboad through. With Roberts nmaps you see the whole image as a checkerboard. So after scaling the nmap, if you flatten the image, then GIMP aswell as removing the mip-maps flatten also removes the alpha channel ... save it DXT5 and generate mip-maps - Result is .. When you load it back into GIMP you can now see the image which is now mostly bright white (along with the mip-maps) instead of it being transparent as the originals are. So revised it a little for nmaps, I think it should go like this - Scale it, then instead of flatten just right click and individually delete the mip-maps, then save as DXT5 and generate new mip-maps. Now when I reload its all exactly as the original roberts nmap (transparent with mip-maps), but scaled to the new size. Something else makes me think I am onto the right path with nmaps - Robert has a couple of footmale_n.dds which are already 1024 (argonians for instance which have not changed textures from v4) ... the resulting file size of my experiments here is exactly the same as those.

Yep, just going with 1024, besides the quality the amount of options for the BAIN could go a bit silly - and only one scale/save (I remember reading somewhere DDS are lossy similar to jpgs, so probably best to mess as little as possible). Oh and enjoy http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=milky+bar+kid&aq=f - Nostalgia is probably overrated in this case

<assumes voice of the milky bar kid> "The cookies are on me!" ... (erm, if you are not of a certain age and dont live in the UK that may fly over peoples heads and plop against the wall) In other words, thank you very much - OMG the possibilities, SAVE ME!

One more question, for the normal maps, there are a few DXT5 options ... DXT5 / DXT5n / Alpha exponent / YCoCg

Oh yeeeeESS!, that is so easy once you know how .. Thank you. Re-scaled, then In GIMP, there's a layers boxout always open, so you just right click on the Main Surface, and choose Flatten Image ... Then have a mild heart failure when all the mip-maps layers vanish ... walk of faith time Save-as (new filename), choose DXT1 and checked generate mip-maps, cross fingers .... Reloaded new dds into GIMP and - Success Most excellent - Now I just need to talk myself into committing to providing all the possible options

Question for the grafix experts - Particularly in using GIMP. Robert uses Photoshop so decided not to bug him with this question ... Robert has provided hi-res footmale.dds files which are 2048 resolution - Just about all the V5 default setup textures are this size. For personal use on the laptop (and if I am very successful with them may offer up more options for everyone in the BAIN, say 1024 and 512 (although probably wont need to do a 512 version) options of each aswell as the 2048) - I want to reduce those without reducing quality too much (hopefully not at all) and keeping Roberts recent work on skin tones between head and body matching. I dont have Photoshop, but do have GIMP installed with the dds plugin. So loading them up in GIMP is fine, all the necessary mip-map layers are present, and I know if I link all the layers (those little toggleable link icons next to each layer thumbnail) prior to doing an image scale down .. Everything can be successfully scaled .... Problem comes in how to save the result. GIMP gives a warning that the image seems to be a volume map, and of course there's the compression type to consider - What do I need to select to create problem free oblivion dds files in GIMPs save dialogue? Edit: Ooh, and .. Would I have to do the same with the associated normal maps?

Wrye Bash BAIN uploaded - Revision 8. When upgrading from the previous revision, run the wizard again - A lot of sub-package renaming/re-organisation plus additional sub-packages in this revision. Enjoy Just in time for Reclaiming Sancre Tor release by the sound of things, I might actually be able to get back to gaming and enjoy this long awaited and highly anticipated epic now.

Thank you kindly Sir, cookie in-coming - Nice work on The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary too News - Wrye Bash BAIN installer revision 8 will be up either tonight or tomorrow - Cut down on file duplication a fair bit in the sub-packages, however its grown a bit again providing quite a comprehensive choice of normal maps for every one of the human like races (8 choices for each of the following - DarkElf, DarkSeducer, Dremora, GoldenSaint, HighElf, Imperial, Nord, Orc, RedGuard, and Wood Elf). More news - If anyone is experienced at beta testing omods look for Room207's link on this page - Any feedback before it goes live you could either join Canadian Ice forum or pm Room207 on TESNexus. ... he needs help getting a flawless version on the streets.