[SKY] Filenames

[Tigersong]

All right, so... Do Skyrim meshes and textures have to be replaced with files of the same name? The reason I ask is that I was disappointed to learn how Oblivion precludes the use of multiple replacers. Am I making any sense?

[BrettM]

The file names are not important.

 

For a texture, the mesh can be changed to point to that texture instead of the original, or you can use texture sets in the CK to change the texture at run time without modifying the mesh file. For a mesh, the form record in the Object Window can be changed to point to a file of a different name and/or in a different location.

 

Overwriting the Bethesda files with textures or meshes of the exact same name in the exact same location is the easiest way to make a replacer because you don't need to distribute meshes for changed textures or an esp file with revised form records for new meshes or records for texture sets.

 

It isn't clear to me what you mean by "multiple replacers," though. If I'm looking at a bucket, that bucket can't have several different meshes and/or textures applied all at the same time, and it can't be different every time I look at it. A form can only point to one mesh, whether it has the same name or a different one. A mesh can only point to one set of texture maps whether they have the same names or different ones. How could this possibly be otherwise, whether in Oblivion, Skyrim, or any other game?

 

The most I can do while keeping the old bucket is to add a new kind of bucket. The new kind of bucket -- which will have a different form ID -- may use the same mesh as the old one but different textures, or may use a different mesh with the old textures, or may have both new mesh and new textures. Then I have to place the new buckets where I want them in the game.

Edited December 2, 2013 by BrettM

[Tigersong]

By "multiple replacers" I only meant that I'd like to be able to download more than one mod and choose between them. For instance, I might have one character with textures from mod X, while another uses mod Y. It seems that that's possible if I rename some files...

[InsanitySorrow]

Skyrim works the same way Oblivion did, only one set of replacers will work at a time.