AMM: Custom NPC appearances

How to add appearances to existing NPCs (via AMM)

Summary

Created: Nov 27 2023 by mana vortex Last documented update: Jan 02 2025 by mana vortex

This guide makes use of ArchiveXL: Resource patching to add appearances to an already-existing NPC.

The process for this mod is exactly like it is with AMM: Custom NPCs, just that instead of adding a new NPC, we tell AMM and ArchiveXL to add our appearances to an existing NPC.

Do not overwrite an NPC's original files! This will cause compatibility issues for every single modder out there, and risk breaking the NPC with every game update. (Some people had naked Judy on the phone in Phantom Liberty, which was wildly inappropriate for the context)

You can check the AMM Appearances for Takemura Goro mod for a live example of this.

The .lua file

After completing the custom NPC guide, you should have the following file in your project's Resources directory:

- bin
    - x64
        - plugins
            - cyber_engine_tweaks
                -mods
                    - AppearanceMenuMod
                        - Collabs
                            - Custom Appearances
                                - your_custom_file.lua

Open it in a text editor like Notepad++ and add the following line (check Finding files: AMM NPCs for a step-by-step guide on finding the correct entity ID):

  entity_id = "0xF43B2B48, 18",

Example .lua (Takemura's custom appearances)

return {
  -- Your beautiful name :)
  modder = "manavortex",

  -- This must be UNIQUE so be creative!
  -- NO SPACES OR SYMBOLS ALLOWED
  unique_identifier = "mana_Takemura_extra",

  -- You can find this using AMM's Swap tab
  -- and looking at the NPC
  entity_id = "0xF43B2B48, 18",

  -- Here you add a list of appearances you added
  -- It has to be the exact name you added
  -- to the entity file
  appearances = {    
	"goro_takemura_finale_white_shirt",
	"goro_takemura_saburo_bodyguard_shirt",
	
	"goro_takemura_kimono_pants", 
	"goro_takemura_kimono_hakama",
	"goro_takemura_haori_pants",
	"goro_takemura_haori_hakama",
  }
}	

The .xl file

1. Create the file

Directly in your project's Resources directory, create an empty text file called your_project_name.archive.xl, and open it in a text editor like Notepad++.

Paste the following text (we'll adjust it together):

resource:
  patch:  
    path\to\your\app_file.app:
      - base\characters\appearances\main_npc\goro_takemura.app 
    path\to\your\ent_file.ent:
      - base\quest\primary_characters\takemura.ent

Do not change the indent (number of spaces at the beginning of each line). If that happens to you, check 4. Optional: Fixing that damn indent

2. Adjust the .app file path

1. Replace path\to\your\app_file.app with the relative path to your .app file (right-click it in Wolvenkit, then select Copy Relative Path)

2. Replace base\characters\appearances\main_npc\goro_takemura.app with the relative path to the NPC's original .app file. Check Finding files: AMM NPCs for how to find the .app.

This tells ArchiveXL to add all appearances from your .app file to the original NPC's file, making them available for the game.

3. Adjusting the .ent file path

• Replace path\to\your\ent_file.ent with the relative path to your .ent file (right-click it in Wolvenkit, then select Copy Relative Path)

• Replace base\quest\primary_characters\takemura.ent with the relative path to the NPC's original .app file. Check Finding files: AMM NPCs for how to find the .app.

This tells ArchiveXL to add all appearances from your .ent file to the original NPC's file, making them available for the game.

4. Optional: Fixing that damn indent

If your custom appearances aren't working, run your .xl file through yamllint and fix any mistakes.

That's it! You should now have more NPC appearances!