[OB] Best practice to create LIP against NPC dialogue

[KWITS]

Good Day,

I heard since the SE patch to TESIV, that the CS LIP feature no longer functions. In fact, I have never been able to create LIP files through CS. However, I discovered a work around using a binary file editor like Visual Studio to develop mock LIP files for general use. This work around is a good approach except TESIV limits the byte file size to 19kbs. That may seem large for a LIP file but CS allows for length dialogue text. Also, I heard that the pre-SE version of TESIV has a CS tool that will create LIP files automatically. However, I don't know if I can export and import my dialogues between the respective versions of CS. This is the focal point for my topic discussion.

Cheers,

KWITS

Developer of Word and Void Plug-in

[DarkRider]

If you are sticking to the standard 150 characters per line your lip files should always be around 8-12kb. Yes you CAN extend the length of a line beyond 150, but you shouldn't, unless just adding in maybe one more word. Even though it's POSSIBLE to add longer lines, it does interfere with playback and subtitles in game. Better to break long lines into chains of small lines, it will give you better results in game and the player will never know it's not one continuous line.

This mod can automate the process of creating lip files, it works for Oblivion even though it's on the FO3 site: http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/12767

[Sigurd Stormhand]

For creating lip-sync I recomend the Construction Set Extender by shadeMe.

It's also generally awsome.

[KWITS]

A very innovative TES developer by the alias of ShadeMe has developed a new CS extension for TES IV; it utilizes OBSE v0020. This tool incorporates many debug features and enhancements to the original v1.2 CS tool. To download the latest version of CSE v5.1, go to: http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/mods/36370#content. CSE v5.1 supposedly has fixed the LIP generation issue that ceased working when the SE mod was released.

[KWITS]

Amen my fellow TES brethren!

[KWITS]

Very disappointing, after testing CSE v5.1 I discovered that the previous record feature is missing within CS. Also, I am receiving errors when attempting to generate any LIP files.

CSE] Error Message: The file exists.

[CSE] Interop manager not initialized!

[CSE] Interop manager not initialized!

[CS] CreateFile('Data\WaV.esp') in CreateTES failed with error:

The system cannot find the path specified.

[CS] Unable to complete operation due to failure removing previous file.

Temp file remains.

[CS] CreateTES failed for file 'WaV.esp'. Save aborted.

[CSE] Interop manager not initialized!

[CSE] Error Message: The file exists.

[KWITS]

Through several experimental efforts by modifying my plug-in under CS and then making changes under CS with CSE activated, I am now finally able to do LIP synchronization against all of my dialogue. I have even been successfully with going beyond 150 characters.

[KWITS]

However, since there is no recording option under CSE v5.1, I have to make my recordings outside of CS v1.2.

[KWITS]

ShadeMe informed me that the recorder under CS v1.2 was disabled in support of CSE v5.1 due to coverage for a vanilla bug in the Oblivion engine.

[KWITS]

CSE v5.1 works fine now with LIP file generation past 150 text characters.