[Mod-Request/Question] Admiral's NPC Model for Argon Gamestart

[NilusBavarius]

Greetings,

While we've finally got a new "neutral" Argon Face to start with (Wayward Scion) we still don't have some Avatar, an older player would be able to bond with.

However, thanks to the re-introduction of the Admiral (I always forget his name) who features a couple of times in the Timelines Missions (the attack of the XEN 0 f.e.), once in jounger form and once in older form (with beard), I wonder how hard it would be to make his model available in the dropdown selection of an creative start?
If possible, how much additional work would it be to add a texture swap on the model to "silver" up his hair to have an even older variant of him?

Kind Regards,
Nilus

[Realspace]

The easiest way is to replace the model with that of the dlc. The files you need are in libraries folder: gamestarts and character. Find the same in the timelines dlc libraries folder to see which one is used there. Then recall that model in the gamestart doing a patch. Changing models with one that already exist is very easy, doing new models I don't know bc I never tried either, somebody else can answer.

[NilusBavarius]

Greetings Realspace,

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

The easiest way is to replace the model with that of the dlc. The files you need are in libraries folder: gamestarts and character. Find the same in the timelines dlc libraries folder to see which one is used there. Then recall that model in the gamestart doing a patch. Changing models with one that already exist is very easy, doing new models I don't know bc I never tried either, somebody else can answer.

If I understand you correctly here, this route would be a simple diff patch by reroute to the alternate NPC data?

Does X4 actually store the raw data in the respective Save-File or does it reroute to the defined gamestart?
I mean, would the loaded save (ingame) still show the new model with hair-/ clothing assets and face morp if the patch is deactivated later on or would it refer to the values of the vanilla choice (Argon Male IV for example) and display the legacy model?

Kind regards,
Nilus

[Realspace]

Good question, I did not test if the model is applied to an existing save, I suppose not. But you can replace the model at macro level, character_macro.xml and characters.xml.
Take a look at how this mod changes player's model in some starts at macro level, they look so much better:
https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/561