Cheat Sheet: Arms

Arms are why we can't have nice things.

The player base body does not come with arms attached — this made it easier for the developers to switch out the different kinds of cyber arms. It makes everything harder for you.

Default Arms

You can look up the component names and their properties in the .ent files per body gender in these folders (the file names will start with a0_).

Female

Female arms are using different meshes for the first person perspective. You will find this is a common theme.

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
First Person	base\characters\common\player_base_bodies\player_female_average\fpp	left_arm right_arm
Third Person	base\characters\common\player_base_bodies\player_female_average\arms_hq arms_full is only used by character creator!	a0_001_pwa_base_hq__full a0_001_pwa_base_hq__full8640

An in app example how to include Component Names and hiding them via chunkmask (untick the submesh numbers to hide the mesh).

Male

Folder or .ent files	Component names
base\characters\common\player_base_bodies\player_man_average\arms_hq arms_full is only used by character creator!	a0_000_ma_base__full_ag_hq1491 a0_000_ma_base__full_ag_hq6168

Cyber Arms

Cyber arms are complex, with active and inactive states, and in the case of the female body, separate entities and meshes for the inactive state in First and Third Person Perspectives.

They also have separate Rigs and Animations, which are not included here to avoid complete information overload.

To add insult to injury, if you dig into the actual meshes in use, you will find some cases of wa meshes being used by ma components and vice versa. But there's a mod for that.

Monowire Arms

Female

Note that the same component name is used for all arm states, even when declared in different .ent files.

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_002__monowire_whip\entities\a0_002_wa__monowire_whip.ent	a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_l_cableless a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_r_cableless
Inactive FPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_holstered.ent	a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_l_cableless a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_r_cableless
Inactive TPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_tpp.ent	a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_l_cableless a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_r_cableless

Male

Note that it is not a typo on this page that the inactive component names use wa instead of ma. That's just how it is.

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_002__monowire_whip\entities\a0_002_ma__monowire_whip.ent	a0_002_ma__monowire_whip_l_cableless a0_002_ma__monowire_whip_r_cableless
Inactive	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_002_ma__monowire_whip_holstered.ent	a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_l_cableless a0_002_wa__monowire_whip_r_cableless

Mantis Blade Arms

This is the first cyberarm type where we see the arm split across multiple .ent files.

Female

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_wa__mantisblades_cyber.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_wa__mantisblades.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_wa__mantisblades_edge.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_wa__mantisblades_nails.ent	a0_003_wa__mantisblade_left a0_003_wa__mantisblade_upperarm_left a0_003_wa__mantisblade_left_blade a0_003_wa__mantisblade_left_mechanisms a0_003_wa__mantisblade_left_mechanisms6263 a0_003_wa__mantisblade_nails_l a0_003_wa__mantisblade_right a0_003_wa__mantisblade_upperarm_right a0_003_wa__mantisblade_right_mechanisms a0_003_wa__mantisblade_right_mechanisms2035 a0_003_wa__mantisblade_right_blade a0_003_wa__mantisblade_nails_r
Inactive FPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_wa__mantisblade_holstered.ent	a0_003_wa__mantisblade_holstered_left a0_003_wa__mantisblade_holstered_upperarm_left a0_003_wa__mantisblade_holstered_right a0_003_wa__mantisblade_holstered_upperarm_right
Inactive TPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_wa__mantisblade_photomode.ent	a0_003_wa__mantisblade_photomode_left2804 a0_003_wa__mantisblade_photomode_upperarm_left a0_003_wa__mantisblade_photomode_right a0_003_wa__mantisblade_photomode_upperarm_right

Male

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_ma__mantisblades_cyber.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_ma__mantisblades.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_ma__mantisblades_edge.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_ma__mantisblades_nails.ent	a0_003_ma__mantisblade_left a0_003_ma__mantisblade_upperarm_left a0_003_ma__mantisblade_left_blade a0_003_ma__mantisblade_left_mechanisms a0_003_ma__mantisblade_nails_l a0_003_ma__mantisblade_right a0_003_ma__mantisblade_upperarm_right a0_003_ma__mantisblade_right_blade a0_003_ma__mantisblade_right_mechanisms a0_003_ma__mantisblade_nails_r
Inactive FPP and TPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_003__mantisblade\entities\a0_003_ma__mantisblade_holstered.ent	a0_003_ma__mantisblade_holstered_left6562 a0_003_ma__mantisblade_holstered_upperarm_left a0_003_ma__mantisblade_holstered_right a0_003_ma__mantisblade_holstered_upperarm_right

Gorilla Arms

Female

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005__strongarms\a0_005_wa__strongarms.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005__strongarms\entities\a0_005_ma__strongarms_knuckles.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005__strongarms\a0_005_wa__strongarms_cyber.ent	a0_005_wa__strongarms_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_int_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_cyberware_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_r a0_005_wa__strongarms_int_r a0_005_wa__strongarms_cyberware_r
Inactive FPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005_wa__strongarms_holstered.ent	a0_005_wa__strongarms_holstered_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_holstered_cyberware_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_holstered_r a0_005_wa__strongarms_holstered_cyberware_r
Inactive TPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005_wa__strongarms_photo_mode.ent	a0_005_wa__strongarms_photo_mode_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_photo_mode_cyberware_l a0_005_wa__strongarms_photo_mode_r a0_005_wa__strongarms_photo_mode_cyberware_r

Male

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005__strongarms\a0_005_ma__strongarms.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005__strongarms\entities\a0_005_ma__strongarms_knuckles.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005__strongarms\a0_005_ma__strongarms_cyber.ent	a0_005_ma__strongarms_l a0_005_ma__strongarms_int_l a0_005_ma__strongarms_cyberware_l a0_005_ma__strongarms_r a0_005_ma__strongarms_int_r a0_005_ma__strongarms_cyberware_r
Inactive	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_005_ma__strongarms_holstered.ent	a0_005_ma__strongarms_holstered_l a0_005_ma__strongarms_holstered_cyberware_l a0_005_ma__strongarms_holstered_r a0_005_ma__strongarms_holstered_cyberware_r

Launcher Arms

The Launcher is asymmetric and only present in the left arm. The right arm component just re-uses the default mesh.

Female

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_nails.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_mechanisms.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_cyber.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_ammo_fire.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_fragment_fire.ent	a0_006_wa__launcher_upperarm a0_006_wa__launcher_shells8722 a0_006_wa__launcher_mechanisms a0_006_wa__launcher_muscles a0_006_wa__launcher_nails_l a0_006_wa__launcher_fragment_fire6227 a0_006_wa__launcher_ammo_fire2326 a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered_right a0_006_wa__launcher_nails_r
Inactive FPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered.ent	a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered4156 a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered_upperarm a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered_right
Inactive TPP	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered_photo_mode.ent	a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered_photo_mode8630 a0_006_wa__launcher_upperarm_photo_mode a0_006_wa__launcher_holstered_photo_mode_right

Male

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
Active	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher_nails.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher_mechanisms.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher_cyber.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher_ammo.ent base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher_fragment.ent	a0_006_ma__launcher_upperarm a0_006_ma__launcher_shells1525 a0_006_ma__launcher_mechanisms a0_006_ma__launcher_muscles a0_006_ma__launcher_nails_l a0_006_ma__launcher_fragment_fire4806 a0_006_ma__launcher_ammo_fire2714 a0_006_ma__launcher_upperarm_right a0_006_ma__launcher_nails_r
Inactive	base\characters\cyberware\player\a0_006__launcher\entities\a0_006_ma__launcher_holstered.ent	a0_006_ma__launcher_holstered1283 a0_006_ma__launcher_holstered_upperarm a0_005_ma__strongarms_holstered_r

Ballistic Coprocessor and Smart Link

These two items are represented identically by a game item internally called the `weapon_grip`. However, the Weapon Grip is not a normal component, added or removed from the body, in the way that the arms themselves are. Instead, it is placed into an attachment slot. This has big implications for anyone hoping to manipulate them. As it is not part of the player puppet, you cannot manipulate it using Part Overrides, or Hiding Tags. Additionally, the game itself has weird and inconsistent rules for when to show the grip, and when the actually put the item into the attachment slot.

As a result, most people give up and use a mod that deletes the actual Weapon Grip meshes. It is possible to manage the visibility via Codeware scripting, but even that isn't straight forward.

Type	Folder or .ent files	Component names
All	base\gameplay\cyberware\smartgun_link\player_smartgun_link.ent base\gameplay\cyberware\subdermal_grip\player_subdermal_grip.ent	a0_004__weapon_grip_device a0_004__weapon_grip_decal_01 a0_004__weapon_grip_decal_02

Hiding Arms

There's no easy way to hide arms except by getting rid of everything - The ArchiveXL hide_Arms tag actually hides everything with an a0_ prefix. For more information, check ArchiveXL tags

If you want to selectively hide arm meshes or sub-meshes you will need to become familiar with all the contents of this page, and the chances that you can do anything elegantly are slim.

Remember: Arms are why we can't have nice things.