[NSFW] STEP Female Body Replacer

[plaGGy]

Yeah, skipped the NPC module, dont like it to mess around too much with beloved characters =).

 

So, any suggestions for facial textures?

Im about to tweak my ENB settings/mods anyway and if i can spare a few minutes i can switch between some of these and make comparision shots.

[z929669]

Not sure, but i have an annoying glow in sunny weathers appearing in the face with WCSO, that does not appear with the XCE pack.

 

Have done two comparision shots.

This is the fact of vanilla lighting: In many interior or overcast lighting situations, XCE will look gray and drab and dirty and SG will look normal, but in bright light, XCE will look more normal and SG will look too radiant.

 

I prefer the details and quality of XCE look, but I prefer the color of SG look. It is tough. I would be in favor of using XCE with a very slight color change though.

 

Yeah, skipped the NPC module, dont like it to mess around too much with beloved characters =).

 

So, any suggestions for facial textures?

Im about to tweak my ENB settings/mods anyway and if i can spare a few minutes i can switch between some of these and make comparision shots.

I am looking for 'imperfect' face and body textures for vanilla. It is very slim pickings (lots of stuff for UNP/CBBE but not vanilla), so I am thinking of using XCE textures (or SG) as source and altering some of the color and/or specularity ... depends on which I use as a source.

[TechAngel85]

I've gather a couple shots from the NPC optional and have looked at a good part of them. These changes are purely personal choices and can be skipped (should be skipped for STEP). Here are a couple examples of the changes:

 

Vanilla >>  NPC optional

 

We will be skipping the NPC optional during installation for WSCO if it is chosen. Dawnguard changes several characters from normal to vampires when installed. WSCO seems to reverse some of this and makes their appearance closer to vanilla Skyrim without Dawnguard again. Other changes follow simple cosmetic alterations.

[plaGGy]

FYI, the XCE-Folder has additional optional textures. Seems like there is a option for cleaner face and indeed in a quick comparision it looks like the dirt on the face is gone.

Im sadly not into that whole stuff regarding problems of different models, meshes and textures.

[TechAngel85]

My god... could Diverse Muscle Tone have a more complicated install?

 

Z, why don't you explain what you're doing with this mod exactly so others can follow suit. This thing adds up to an additional 8 ESPs! YIKES!

[z929669]

Yes indeed. DMT is a highly complex install, but it could be vastly simplified with instructions for a specific install. The mod is currently configured with many options and each is described for flexibility. In STEP, we would recommend one option. Also, there are several merged plugins, and it looks like the mod really only would install four when all said and done (if we wanted the variation).
 
Instructions for DMT (STEP:Core 2.2.9 testing)

[*]Download & Install (be certain Cutting Room Floor is installed!)
[*]Diverse Muscle Tones 5-1f Core (mod behavior)
• 00 Core (variation of body musculature by race only)
• 03 Merged NPCs USKP-CRF (variation of body musculature by race AND NPC body weight, both males and females)
• 35 Dawnguard Dragonborn UDBP (DLC support)
• 50 Player Muscles Full Extended OR any of the '50' static options (player character options varying by PC weight OR static as chosen)
[*]Diverse Muscle Tones 5-1a Normal Vanilla (variable female msn)
• 10 Vanilla SG Default
[*]Diverse Muscle Tones 5-1 Normal Males (variable male msn)
• 15 Sundracon (or 15 Favoured Soul if using that version of Better Males)

Just activate the plugins and experiment with various races, body types, etc.

[TechAngel85]

Yes indeed. DMT is a highly complex install, but it could be vastly simplified with instructions for a specific install. The mod is currently configured with many options and each is described for flexibility. In STEP, we would recommend one option. Also, there are several merged plugins, and it looks like the mod really only would install four when all said and done (if we wanted the variation).

 

Instructions for DMT (STEP:Core 2.2.9 testing)

[*]Download & Install (be certain Cutting Room Floor is installed!)

[*]Diverse Muscle Tones 5-1f Core (mod behavior)

• 00 Core (variation of body musculature by race only)
• 03 Merged NPCs USKP-CRF (variation of body musculature by race AND NPC body weight, both males and females)
• 35 Dawnguard Dragonborn UDBP (DLC support)
• 50 Player Muscles Full Extended OR any of the '50' static options (player character options varying by PC weight OR static as chosen)
[*]Diverse Muscle Tones 5-1a Normal Vanilla (variable female msn)
• 10 Vanilla SG Default
[*]Diverse Muscle Tones 5-1 Normal Males (variable male msn)
• 15 Sundracon (or 15 Favoured Soul if using that version of Better Males)

Just activate the plugins and experiment with various races, body types, etc.

Thanks. We use the Favoured Soul version for STEP.

[z929669]

I am actually wanting to look at the diffs between the faces and the bodies of Better Males. XCE also covers male faces, so it would be good to see what options look best. We are currently deferring to Neo's recommendations, but we should verify.

[Winterlove]

Thanks. We use the Favoured Soul version for STEP.

You might want to consider just using the female variants, then. In my opinion the FS male muscle-tone maps don't look quite right on the legs. I'm not a texturing artist, so my options to do something about this are limited, but I am giving some thought to it. I use the FS male body replacer myself, so I am motivated to look into this :)

[TechAngel85]

You might want to consider just using the female variants, then. In my opinion the FS male muscle-tone maps don't look quite right on the legs. I'm not a texturing artist, so my options to do something about this are limited, but I am giving some thought to it. I use the FS male body replacer myself, so I am motivated to look into this :)

Females are being discussed in this thread. Males are being discussed here: https://forum.step-project.com/topic/3832-better-males-by-chris57-and-favoredsoul/

 

Keeping these two apart is going to be annoying but essential for testing and keeping track of everything.

[Winterlove]

Females are being discussed in this thread. Males are being discussed here: https://forum.step-project.com/topic/3832-better-males-by-chris57-and-favoredsoul/

 

Keeping these two apart is going to be annoying but essential for testing and keeping track of everything.

Understood. I was merely responding to the comments made here in this thread.

[phryxolydian]

You guys were testing SG Females, right? I think it's high quality work, I mean, look at lovely Aela.

 

I am not sure if I did anything wrong here however, dirty girls don't really work nicely at all, do they? 

[z929669]

... and I am finally done with my meticulous initial catalog of options. The following are all of the different vanilla body skins that I could find that actually work. The screens were taken with all being equal but for the body textures. I will present compares of other attributes once we determine what skins are most realistic.
 
Compare Options
All compares effectively use the STEP:Core female body as a base. Vanilla underwear was used in the WSCO screens in order to prevent bias for or against that mod (WSCO is using AOF hair only I think though ... I was too lazy to go back and change change that). All is equal in these mods but for the textures (except the body normal maps, which are from DMT mod ... either SG vanilla or UNP vanilla version, depending on textures used. DMT normals actually make vanilla textures compatible with FemFeet). The screens are of three poses under consistent lighting ... all is equal but for the textures.

•  
• XCE High Resolution Scars
• Natural Eyes
• FemFeet
• Diverse Muscle Tones (The mid muscular version [4 or 6, I think] is being used in all of these, since my character weight is at 0.50)
• Nausicaa - Photo Studio (This is the best screenshot mod I have seen. It is the only one that provides good quality lighting options and backgrounds).
  


Order within each set:
 
1. vanilla  >  2. XCE  >  3. XCE clean skin  >  4. WSCO (occidental)  >  5. Mature Skin  >  6. Women of Skyrim  >  7. SG Renewal

(there are 3 rows of images, so increase the width of your browser window to accommodate or just look at the image names to decipher)
 




My Assessment


• All but Vanilla and XCE have very subtle wrist seams, but all are acceptable, IMO
• XCE is just too gray under most indoor or overcast lighting. This really comes out here
• Mature Skin, WSCO, and SG Renewal all have a more natural skin tone
• WSCO is too reflective and shiny, particularly on the face (with the 'beauty' forehead glow action) ... too much makeup in general on the face.
• WoS looks really good, IMO, but has a bit too much of that beauty glow to the skin ... a bit too porcelain and perfect (but nice nonetheless). Face looks good (zero makeup option being used here)
• SG Renewal also uses too much makeup and makes her look too much like a doll face. Skin is waaay too shiny for this setting. Imagine what she'd look like in the sun.
• Vanilla is obviously too bronzed and gritty.
• Mature Skin is the clear winner for me, and this woman looks pretty realistic if not just a tad too pretty for the Dragonborn (but that is just the vanilla preset I used :P )

[TechAngel85]

I agree that the wrist seams are all very subtle and acceptable here.

 

Vanilla has a nice color but is too dirty.

Both XCEs are out for me as they are way too gray in color.

WoS is far too clean and perfect for my tastes, but it is nice nonetheless.

SG Renewal is far too glowy. (we do have permission to alter these textures if it comes to that)

 

That leaves two; WSCO and Mature Skin. Both are very well done, aren't "perfect" textures so as to leave some realism. WSCO is a bit glowy so it would seem that Mature Skin is the victor in my opinion. (this is strictly for skin textures...a vanilla body, XCE with a texture on top or a WSCO body with a texture on top will be the winner for the body mesh in my opinion...of course these would be the only ones that work with vanilla armors as well...lol)

[skaryzgik]

My opinions, some of which may sound a little harsh, and for this, I apologize in advance to the models:

 

Vanilla: does she *ever* bathe???XCE: see aboveSG: by far the shiniest of these.XCE clean: looks washed out, possibly anemic or vampire in disguise.WSCO: possibly also too shinySeems to come down to Mature Skin or Women of Skyrim. Mature skin appears to have a bit more dirt to it, but no where near as badly as vanilla. But the dirt hides the makeup a little. I didn't notice how much makeup she was wearing till I looked closer.I think Women of Skyrim may be the winner, except that I'm not sure if she might also be too shiny. She looks a little shiny in the chest and arm area, and I'm not sure how much more shiny there would be in actual sun. That might tip the balance to Mature Skin.I think I would like to see a face-off between Mature Skin and Women of Skyrim in a variety of lighting conditions, to get a better idea of whether the slightly-more-dirt or the slightly-more-shine is likely to be more problematic.