Modding:Coding An Item

You have made a mesh for a human man, a circlet. We are going to add it to the game. Remember to check your naming conventions for .lsf.lsx files so the multitool correctly converts them, and keep in mind that some lsx files should not be converted to lsf at all.

File Overview

Your mod is MySweetMod

• MySweetMod
  • Generated
  • Public
    • • MySweetMod
        • Assets <- models and textures
  • Localization*** Language <- usually English
    • • MySweetMod.loca <- text for items and spells
  • Mods
    • MySweetMod
      • meta.lsx <- See Creating meta.lsx Do not convert to lsf!
  • Public
    • Game
      • Assets
    • MySweetMod
      • Assets
      • Content
        • • Assets
            • Characters
              • [PAK]_Armor <-- material and mesh LSX for custom outfits and weapons
      • GUI
        • RootTemplates <--- Your Roottemplate lsx goes here. MySweetMod.Lsx
        • Stats
          • • Generated <--- TreasureTable.txt - This tells the game where the item will spawn.
              • Data <--- Armor.txt, Object.txt, Passive.txt, Weapon.txt and other TXT files. These contain stats.

Meshes.lsx

We export the mesh, HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A, we created to the MySweetMod/Generated/Public/MySweetMod/Assets Folder.

We now create 2 lsf.lsx for our MySweetMod\Public\MySweetMod\Content\Assets\Characters\[PAK]_Armor. In these will be a visualbank (meshes),a materialbank (material) and a texturebank(textures). You can split them into or combine them all, when the multitool converts them they will all get merged together anyway. This seperation is for viewer ease as they can become very long. For our needs we are putting them into 2, a meshes and a texture/material one. First, we add a meshes.lsx.

 <version major="4" minor="0" revision="4" build="602" />
 	<region id="VisualBank">
 		<node id="VisualBank">
           <children>
           (START OF ITEM MESH)
 <node id="Resource">
<attribute id="AttachBone" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="AttachmentSkeletonResource" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="BlueprintInstanceResourceID" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="BoundsMax" type="fvec3" value="0.08509202 1.868147 0.04280814" />
<attribute id="BoundsMin" type="fvec3" value="-0.08422767 1.793357 -0.1403362" />
<attribute id="ClothColliderResourceID" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="HairPresetResourceId" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="HairType" type="uint8" value="0" />
<attribute id="ID" type="FixedString" value="00000000000000000000000000001" /> (This UUID links up to the Roottemplate)
<attribute id="MaterialType" type="uint8" value="0" />
<attribute id="Name" type="LSString" value="HUM_M_CLT_MySweetCirclet" /> Referenced nowhere else but try to make it unique so you don't potentially ess up another item's toes.
<attribute id="NeedsSkeletonRemap" type="bool" value="False" />
<attribute id="RemapperSlotId" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="ScalpMaterialId" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="SkeletonResource" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="SkeletonSlot" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="Slot" type="FixedString" value="Headwear" />
<attribute id="SoftbodyResourceID" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="SourceFile" type="LSString" value="Generated/Public/MySweetMod/Assets/HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A.GR2" /> (Remember to set your own filepath for your meshes correctly.)
<attribute id="SupportsVertexColorMask" type="bool" value="False" />
<attribute id="Template" type="FixedString" value="Generated/Public/MySweetMod/Assets/HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A.Dummy_Root.0" /> (Remember to set your own filepath for your meshes correctly. Dummy Root may need to be renamed in Blender as a bone part depending on what you are making)
<attribute id="_OriginalFileVersion_" type="int64" value="144115207403209020" />

<children>
<node id="AnimationWaterfall">
<attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="" />
</node>
<node id="Base">
<children>
<node id="Tags">
<attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="Never Hide Hair" />
</node>
</children>
</node>
<node id="ClothProxyMapping" />

<node id="Objects">
<attribute id="LOD" type="uint8" value="0" /> 
<attribute id="MaterialID" type="FixedString" value="06cee86f-8ca8-a19b-69ea-6fbac8b7516f" /> What material it links up to.
<attribute id="ObjectID" type="FixedString" value="HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A.HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A_Mesh.0" /> The .0 denotes mesh load order.
</node>


<node id="Objects"> Extra entry for a Level of Detail mesh, which will be seen from a certain distance from the camera. In this case the LOD1.
<attribute id="LOD" type="uint8" value="1" /> What level of LOD it is
<attribute id="MaterialID" type="FixedString" value="06cee86f-8ca8-a19b-69ea-6fbac8b7516f" /> 
<attribute id="ObjectID" type="FixedString" value="HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A.HUM_M_CLT_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A_Mesh_LOD1.1" /> The .1 denotes mesh load order.
</node>

Note that this is a circlet, so it doesn't need to hide any part of the body. But if it had that code, it would go here. Example:

<node id="VertexColorMaskSlots">
<attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="feet" />
</node>

And this code would stop the body's feet from loading in and clipping, ideal for boot items. See here for a full list of Vertex Mask Slots for the body.

</children>
</node>
(END OF ITEM MESH)
 </children>
 </node>
</region>	
</save>                          

Now, we move on to our materialbank.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <save>
 	<version major="4" minor="0" revision="4" build="602" />
 (Beginning of materialbank)
 <region id="MaterialBank">
   <node id="MaterialBank">
   <children>
(BEGINNING OF MATERIAL)
<node id="Resource">
<attribute id="DiffusionProfileUUID" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="ID" type="FixedString" value="00000000000000000000004" /> ID links up to Meshes visualbank.
<attribute id="MaterialType" type="uint8" value="13" />
<attribute id="Name" type="LSString" value="CircletMaterialName" /> Again this is never referenced anywhere else, but it is best to keep it as unique as you can to prevent clashes.
<attribute id="SourceFile" type="LSString" value="Public/Shared/Assets/Materials/Characters/CHAR_BASE.lsf" /> This is a fairly standard material without transparency or glow. Transparent materials have 'alpha' in the title.
<children>
<node id="ScalarParameters"> x7
(Cut for length)
There should be 4 Texture2DParameters in your material, for 
<node id="Texture2DParameters"> NM cape
<attribute id="Enabled" type="bool" value="True" />
<attribute id="ExportAsPreset" type="bool" value="True" />
<attribute id="GroupName" type="FixedString" value="01 Texture Map" />
<attribute id="ID" type="FixedString" value="00000000000000NM" /> Generate new UUID- this links to texturebank.
<attribute id="ParameterName" type="FixedString" value="normalmap" />
<attribute id="UniformName" type="FixedString" value="Texture2DParameter_normalmap_DefaultWrapSampler" />  These parts tells you what it is.
Look for normalmap, physicalmap, basecolor and MSKColor. We are just going to list the normalmap here.

<node id="Vector3Parameters"> You can use these to set an inherent colour to your material.
<attribute id="BaseValue" type="fvec3" value="0.7667436 0.7667436 0.7667436" />
<attribute id="Enabled" type="bool" value="True" />
<attribute id="ExportAsPreset" type="bool" value="True" />
<attribute id="GroupName" type="FixedString" value="02 Colour" />
<attribute id="IsColor" type="bool" value="True" />
<attribute id="ParameterName" type="FixedString" value="Metal_Primary" /><attribute id="Value" type="fvec3" value="1 1 1" />
</node>
(Cut for length)
</node>
</children>
</node>
(End of material)
</children>
</node>
</region>
(End of MaterialBank)

We now add a texturebank to the same lsx.

   <region id="TextureBank">
   <node id="TextureBank">
   <children>
   (texture begins here)
   <node id="Resource">
   <attribute id="Name" type="LSString" value="Generated/Public/MySweetMod/Assets/MSW_CoolCirclet_NM" /> The name is never referenced anywhere else but try to keep it unique.
   <attribute id="ID" type="FixedString" value="00000000000000NM" /> This
   <attribute id="SourceFile" type="LSString" value="Generated/Public/LathanderArmory/Assets/MSW_CoolCirclet_NM.DDS" /> Capitalisation is IMPORTANT. Make sure your is not named MSW_CoolCirclet_NM.dds or it won't load.
   <attribute id="Format" type="uint32" value="64" /> 
   <attribute id="Width" type="int32" value="1024" /> These dimensions don't need to be exact. I believe if it is smaller than listed, the texture will tile.
   <attribute id="Height" type="int32" value="1024" />				
   <attribute id="Depth" type="int32" value="1" />
   <attribute id="Localized" type="bool" value="False" />
   <attribute id="SRGB" type="bool" value="False" /> This does things. I am not sure what.
   <attribute id="Streaming" type="bool" value="True" />
   <attribute id="Template" type="FixedString" value="" />
   <attribute id="Type" type="int32" value="1" />
   </node>	
   (texture ends here)
   		</children>
           </node>
           </region>	
           </save>

If there is anything wrong, your item may simply refuse to show up, so it is worth double checking everything here.

RootTemplate

Now for the game recognise the circlet as an item, we add it to the root template lsx:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<save>
   <version major="4" minor="0" revision="6" build="5" />
   <region id="Templates">
       <node id="Templates">
           <children> 

(START OF ITEM)
<node id="GameObjects"> Beginning of Circlet item. You may wish to annotate this with a title
<attribute id="Description" type="TranslatedString" handle="HANDLE2" version="1" /> Generate a handle for this in your .loca file.
<attribute id="DisplayName" type="TranslatedString" handle="HANDLE1" version="1" /> Generate a handle for this in your .loca file.
<attribute id="EquipSound" type="FixedString" value="ea27b98e-5fc0-4b0d-8602-e4a421dd481e" /> Not necessary but you may wish to specify one or it will use whatever default sound is in the parent template.
<attribute id="Icon" type="FixedString" value="Item_Cloth_Headwear_Circlet_Silver_A" /> Sets it up to use a base game icon- custom icons  require addition lsx and texture work
<attribute id="LevelName" type="FixedString" value="" />
<attribute id="MapKey" type="FixedString" value="0000000000000000000000000002" /> This links up to the armor.txt to form the armor.
<attribute id="Name" type="LSString" value="MY_COOL_NEW_CIRCLET" /> This links up to the armor.txt to form the armor.
<attribute id="ParentTemplateId" type="FixedString" value="4d2e0931-3a01-4759-834b-8ae36749daab" /> This tells the game roughly what kind of item it is, such as in this case a helmet. You should use the right kind for your item to avoid inherited problems.
<attribute id="PhysicsTemplate" type="FixedString" value="327039da-0827-811f-24e8-fc57e86c7ba2" />
<attribute id="Type" type="FixedString" value="item" />
<attribute id="UnequipSound" type="FixedString" value="f4c24367-83af-484e-bcc5-0438b8e64dec" />  Not necessary but you may wish to specify one or it will use whatever default sound is in the parent template.
<attribute id="VisualTemplate" type="FixedString" value="2136f57a-a35f-c2fe-69fb-29afa9ebc8db" /> This is the mesh mapkey to the LOOT model (the one that appears when you examine it, or throw the item. For a weapon, the LOOT model and the item model are the same. 
<attribute id="_OriginalFileVersion_" type="int64" value="144115207403209032" />
	<children>
		<node id="Equipment">
			<children>
				<node id="AfroLongHair" />
				<node id="AfroShortHair" />
				<node id="CurlyLongHair" />
				<node id="CurlyShortHair" />
				<node id="DreadLongHair" />
				<node id="DreadShortHair" />
				<node id="LongHair" />
				<node id="ParentRace"> The parentrace nodes set the item to use race-specific meshes for githyanki, Dragonborn and Tiefling.  Unless this line is added and  specified, they  will use Human Body or Strong Human Body. (Which may be fine for some races such as Tieflings.)
					<children>
						<node id="Object">
							<attribute id="MapKey" type="guid" value="6503c830-9200-409a-bd26-895738587a4a" /> Tiefling Male
							<attribute id="MapValue" type="guid" value="00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000" /> This zeroes it out.
						</node>
(Removed for length as these all follow the same format)
					</children>
				</node>
				<node id="ShortHair" />
				<node id="Slot">
					<attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="Headwear" />
				</node>
				<node id="Slot">
					<attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="Hair" />
				</node>
				<node id="VisualSet">
					<attribute id="BodySetVisual" type="FixedString" value="" />
					<attribute id="ShowEquipmentVisuals" type="bool" value="False" />
					<children>
						<node id="MaterialOverrides"> Sets colours for this one specific
							<attribute id="MaterialResource" type="FixedString" value="" />
							<children>
								<node id="MaterialPresets" />
(We can add any colour available to us (cloth, leather, accent) but this circlet is only metal 1 so we only need to list metal 1.)

<node id="Vector3Parameters">
<attribute id="Color" type="bool" value="False" />
<attribute id="Custom" type="bool" value="True" />
<attribute id="Enabled" type="bool" value="False" />
<attribute id="Parameter" type="FixedString" value="Metal_Primary" />
<attribute id="Value" type="fvec3" value="0.7667436 0.7667436 0.7667436" /> The colour code in Hex form, you can use BG3 Minitool to convert a value.							
</node>
</children>
</node>
<node id="RealMaterialOverrides" />
</children>
</node>
<node id="Visuals">
<children>

<node id="Object">
<attribute id="MapKey" type="guid" value="71180b76-5752-4a97-b71f-911a69197f58" /> Human Male Race IUUD example. Others Here					
<children>
<node id="MapValue">
<attribute id="Object" type="FixedString" value="00000000000000000000000000001" /> Your Mesh for Human Male
</node>
</children>
</node>
	(Removed for length - all the other mapkeys/mapvalues of every race this item is available for)
					</children>
				</node>
				<node id="WavyLongHair" />
				<node id="WavyShortHair" />
			</children>
		</node>
	</children>
</node>						
 </node>
(END OF ITEM)
           </children>
       </node>
   </region>
</save>

Loca

Now, let's see how this links up to the localisation. You can generate a handle by ticking the Handle box next to 'GENERATE' on the Multitool. It is much like an UUID but it starts with an H.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><contentList>
<content contentuid="HANDLE1" version="1">Circlet</content> 
<content contentuid="HANDLE2" version="1">My circlet is cool.</content>
</contentList>

Armor and Passives

Meanwhile in your Armor.txt, they link up like this: You can look at the games own armor.txt for ideas of what to put here. You can delete a lot of this, all you really need is the entry, the type, what slot it uses and the RootTemplate.

Armor.txt
new entry "MY_COOL_NEW_CIRCLET"
type "Armor"
data "ValueOverride" "4000" (It's a very cool circlet and we want it to cost a lot!)
data "Weight" "0.01"
using "_Head_Magic_Circlet" (This tells it what slot to equip in. Ideally this should match up with the ParentTemplate you set up.)
data "RootTemplate" "0000000000000000000000000002" Matches up to the rootemplate Mapkey.
data "Rarity" "Rare" This effects what colour it is in your inventory, rarer things get a different colour outline. Note that if you set things as common they may spawn in generic containers, which is not optimal for clean uninstalling.
data "Boosts" "UnlockSpell(Target_MAG_HealingWord);UnlockSpell(Shout_MAG_HealingWord_Mass)" This forces it to give us these spells. Note that the character needs spell slots in able to use them! If you want it for everyone you may be better off setting it up as a custom passive.
data "PassivesOnEquip" "MAG_Radiant_Radiating_Helmet_Passive;CUSTOMPASSIVEIMADE" (The ; seperates passives.)
data "Unique" "1" (These may cause you a headache if you put it multiple places, as they won't spawn for people who overlooked the first one. So I don't recommend using these!)
data "MinAmount" "1"
data "MaxAmount" "1" 

If adding a custom passive, your Passive.txt will look like this.

The example passive code is borrowed from Isobel's armor.

new entry "CUSTOMPASSIVEIMADE"
type "PassiveData"
data "DisplayName" "PASSIVEHANDLE1;1" (Generate a handle for this in your .loca file.)
data "Description" "PASSIVEHANDLE2;1" Generate a handle for this in your .loca file.)
data "Icon" "CUSTOMPASSIVEICON" (we can set this up in the same way an item icon is set up)
data "DescriptionParams" "DealDamage(1d4, Radiant)"
data "StatsFunctorContext" "OnAttacked"
data "StatsFunctors" "IF(context.HasContextFlag(StatsFunctorContext.OnAttacked) and HasStatus('MAGE_ARMOR') and IsLastConditionRollSuccess(ConditionRollType.ConditionSavingThrow) and not Self() and IsSavingThrow()):DealDamage(SWAP, 1d4, Radiant,Magical)"

TreasureTable

Now, you need to put it in the treasuretable. Your treasuretable should look like this:

new treasuretable "TUT_Chest_Potions"
CanMerge 1
new subtable "1,1"
object category "I_MY_COOL_NEW_CIRCLET",1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 (Do not forget the I_ prefix!)

This will make it spawn in the tutorial chest.

If something goes wrong, it is recommended to overwrite a custom mesh from someone else's mod. When you know the fault is not with your mesh, you can fix things one step at a time. No one can fix it better than you- sometimes it is best to just leave things a day or two and come back to them with a clear head.

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