[Toolset] How to make a Qunari sized character and customizable characters

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I've been looking around for ways to mess with the toolset and create characters with custom tattoos and I've stumbled upon something really interesting: Dragon Age: How to use a Qunari sized main character.

I've tested it in game and it works really well.

Besides, the way that you switch between files and use a custom .mrh is great if you want to change the appearance of a character during a game.

All you have to do is create the character, define the portrait (not the appearance) pick a soundset and wait until you can make a regular save.

Then open the toolset, make a new morph that matches the race type of the character you want to replace. Customize as many things as you want. Save (with the right heading for race) and right click export to local.

Then open your save, find the appearance line and type in the name of your custom file in the value box.

Save, exit the toolset, load the game and Bob's your uncle.

The real advantage is that this way all you have to do is edit the custom .mrh file that you've created to change your character's face, give him or her a scar or glowing eyes or even add a tattoo.

EDIT: I've been changing my character's appearance with toolset. With a Quanri type body you're stuck with Sten's haircut, balding hair, receding hair, the buzz cut or being bald. The game still considers you to be human and it works in dialogues and cutscenes as well. Ser Gilmore and Iona do look small in comparison to a Qunari sized character. It's also funny for your character to be called "little brother" by Fergus.

The same principle could be applied to other races, for instance a Dwarf character who would look like a Qunari but still be a Dwarf, albeit a giant sized one (funny idea isn't it). It should be possible to create a Mage who would look like a Dwarf but be considered Human by the game (that may introduce a few problems with gear as I'm not sure the Mage robes would work, I know the Chasind Robe does so maybe they will work but that will require some testing just to be sure).

EDIT2: I've made some tests and gave a Dwarf a Qunari look, now he is the biggest Duster in town.

I've also made a new Human Noble modified to look like a kid (the reference for savegame appearance is 38). The "little brother" comment makes a lot of sense, I'd suggest sticking to daggers to avoid a ludicrous look. Armours don't show but the bonuses still apply.

EDIT3: I've tested this on a Dwarf made from a Human Mage, the character is still "human" but he looks quite good. Spells and Mage gear are working by the way (only the appearance is changed and the game support robes for dwarves).

 

I'm still at odds at how to even work the toolset. I've read the wiki and other information on it, but I can't get it to do jack squat for me and I've made sure it's not sitting on tutorial. I think this is the first bit of software I've had no luck with when it comes to messing around and figuring out the ins and outs so I can use it, or if stuck, can usually pick up enough info from instructions elsewhere to give me the boost I need. Any tips/tricks you can give me would be much appreciated.

 

Ok, it's not that hard, you just have to make sure you have the latest version of the toolset and not the previous one (that was released at the same time the game was released).

If you follow the link I've posted above you'll find screenshots for every steps and that helps a lot.

Truth be told I can't get much out of the toolset myself so far but making a custom face is really not that hard. You have to select "new" "morph" and then choose a base (one that matches the character you're devising the head for unless you want to replace the character with another character type).

From then on it's rather easy, just move the sliders around and see how it changes the face you're making. Press control, click your mouse's right button and move the mouse around to get views from different angles and see exactly how your changes work.

In the end all you have to do is save (choose a name that follows the naming convention, first letter for race, second letter for gender underscore and type a specific name) and right click in the display window and then select "post to local" and you're done.

Well, almost, then you'll have to open your savegame (a regular savegame preferably). Click open and go to Documents/Bioware/Dragon Age/Characters/[character name]/Saves/Slot# and open the .das file then expand until you get to the SAVEGAME APPEARANCE MORPH NAME. You'll just have to enter the name of the morph you want to use in the value box (no need to type the file extension).

The good thing is that the .mrh file can be modified after you've been playing the game for hours and hours without any need to further tamper your save. You only need to edit the .mrh file to change your character's hairdo, add a tattoo, a scar or introduce more radical alterations. The savegame will look for the .mrh file to define your character's appearance so no need to worry about running into memory problems with editing larger savegames.

I hope this helps, I'm not an expert (far from it) but you should definitely be able to make a face in the toolset (there are many more sliders to mess with than in the character creator) and once you've managed that there is nothing really difficuly in using the toolset to get a save to use a different morph (once again, the link I've posted goes into great length giving a detailed list of things that have to be done).

If you get an "unable to load module" error, it means that you have been messing around too much but that can be easily fixed, check this thread. All you have to do is remove the (empty) Single Player folder from the Module folder (the one in My Documents, NOT the one in Program Files). If you don't feel sure about deleting it you can rename it or cut and paste it. It worked for me when I eventually messed things up and did an unecessary export in the toolset.

Anyway I hope this thread helps. If anyone can provide useful tips and ways to make things easier that would be appreciated indeed.

EDIT: I've found a video tutorial on the Nexus that may help covering the basic elements of making faces in the toolset, Tutorial-CustomPresetMorph, there are many video tutorials on You Tube as well.