A FF/FFVTR question

[kirk55555]

I'm really new to FF (although I've wanted the game since I first heard about it around 2002, I didn't have a PC that could play it until recently) and I have a question that may be stupid, but I can't really find an answer. I can use meshes and skins easily enough, but is there an obvious way to distinguish between stuff for FF and stuff thats only for FFVTR? Its annoying to visit some websites that only say their stuff is for Irrationals's Freedom Force series, DL some stuff, and then realise its for FFVTR only when it doesn't work and you've exhausted every option. I'm thinking stuff with DDS files is skopes for FFVTR, but I'm not sure. Is there an obvious thing to look for in a file when the site you DL from doesn't make it clear if its for FF or FFVTR?

[Randomdays]

I never found an easy way either, if its not mentioned in an obvious way. I'll download it, check to see if theres a readme file in the zip and then load it up in the character viewer to see if it works. If not, I'll try the character viewer for FFvtTR. TGA and DDS files are usually the skins and while TGA usually means FF1 and DDS usually means FFvtTR, this is not always the case.

Another I've seen that you might want to look for is with scopes. A scope is usually taking an existing mesh and changing it by adding or replacing something in it. I did a character from the Walking Dead for example and a scoper here added a gun to it. Sometimes I've download a scope that only has the skin for the the new item and the figure will appear white. You'll have to find the original mesh and add the rest of the skins to the scope to make it appear right. A lot of the downloads are also missing the kf animation file to safe space as well and sometimes its hard to dig those up.

[BentonGrey]

Yeah, .DDS files are a giveaway, plus when you get enough experience you'll be able to tell by screen shots.  Almost anything made in the last several years will be FFvTTR, though it may also have an FF1 version.  The mod list has mods divided by game, so that will help on that front.  When in doubt, though, you can always ask.  As a rule of thumb, the community knows.

[stumpy]

Another way to check a mesh is to open the NIF in a hex editor and look at the top of the file. If it says something like "NetImmerse File Format, Version 4.0.0.2" then it's FF. If it says something like "Gamebryo File Format, Version 10.1.0.0" then it's FFvT3R. The FF files can usually be used in FFvT3R (possibly needing a simple conversion and lighting change), but it doesn't work in reverse.

[daglob]

Another way to check a mesh is to open the NIF in a hex editor and look at the top of the file. If it says something like "NetImmerse File Format, Version 4.0.0.2" then it's FF. If it says something like "Gamebryo File Format, Version 10.1.0.0" then it's FFvT3R.

Nobody told me this before! And I did ask (several years ago...).

However, Kirk55555, you can also load them in the appropriate Character Tool first and see if they will show up (or maybe crash the application). Some of the newer meshes will work in either game, athough the Hulk scopes by HMarrs (was it?) look VERY interesting in FF1...