The Creation Kit is the primary tool for creating and editing Data Files. Here you can find information about all the windows and dialogs you may encounter while using the toolset.

ToolbarEdit

The main toolbar includes a set of buttons as shortcuts for commonly used functions from the menus.

• Version Control: Opens the Version Control Window.
• Load Master/Plugin Files: Opens the Data Window.
• Save Plugin: Saves any changes you've made to the current Active file.
• Save Plugin, then hot-load it into game on (PC, Xbox, Playstation):
• Go to Selection on (PC, Xbox):
• Preferences: Updates CreationKitPrefs.ini with user preferences.
• Open Material Editor: Website this links to is currently defunct. All JQuery files for it are located within Tools folder. Material files can be built with 3DS Max Slate Material Editor or with Community-Created Third Party Tools.
• Undo: Used to undo last command. There are certain commands that cannot be undone.
• Redo: Used to redo last command undone. There are certain commands that cannot be redone.
• Snap to Grid: Grids determined by Preferences. Default is 64 units. Settings with values of 2 and 4 seem to work best for precision placement for beginners. You will need to find your favorite way of moving things around in the Render Window.
• Snap to Angle: Angles determined by Preferences.
• Snap to Connect Points: Snaps to Workshop Connect Points on model.
• Toggle Local/Global Translation: Toggles Local/Global Translation of Gizmos in the Render Window. (Especially helpful in the Commonwealth where the local axis is off-center.)
• World (Heightmap) Editing:
• Landscape Editing:
• Run Havok Sim: Toggle to examine ragdoll behavior of clutter or dead bodies.
• Animate Lights and Effects: Toggle to examine effects in Render Window.
• Toggle Lights: Toggles placed lights on or off.
• Toggle Sky: Toggles sky cell visibility.
• Toggle Grass: Toggles visibility of grass.
• Force render window weather:
• Open Filtered Dialogue Window:
• NavMesh Mode:
• Set Up Default Lights: Sets up 4 defaultLight objects around the area which can be deleted if necessary.
• Create Trigger: Creates Trigger volume
• Create a Multibound Cube:
• Create a Multibound Sphere:
• Create an Occlusion Plane:
• Create an Occlusion Cube:
• Join/Break Occlusion Planes:
• Create a Roombound:
• Enter Portal Mode:
• Create a Portal:
• Link Portal to Room:
• Detach Portal from Room:
• Join Rooms:
• Create a Sound Emitter:
• Create an Acoustic Space:
• Create a Box Light: Creates a Light Box for single placed light object to keep light from passing through walls.
• Create a Collision Plane:
• Create a Collision Cube:
• Create a Collision Sphere:
• Create a Current Plane:
• Create a Current Cube:
• Create a Current Sphere:
• Create an LOD Clip Volume:
• Time of day: Will adjust the time of day within the Render Window.

StatusbarEdit

The status bar is located at the bottom of the editor window. The various application status and progress reporting are displayed here.

Menu BarEdit

The menu bar is located at the top of the Creation Kit window. Navigating the drop-down menus will reveal many commands, preferences, and settings.

FileEdit

This menu is used for managing Data Files, checking data validity and managing Archive Files. The editor Preferences window and import/export data menus data are also here.

• Data...: Opens the Data Window.
• Save: Saves any changes you've made to the current Active file. If you haven't specified an Active file in the Data Window, you will be prompted for a new filename to save your changes to. All changes will be saved to a plugin file (FILENAME.esp) based on the current master file.
  • Note: Plugin files cannot contain any reserved characters, such as "(" or ")", or when attempting to select them the loader will not recognize them as valid plugins. To remove this error, simply rename the plugin to not contain reserved characters.
• Save and Push Plugin to PC:
• Version Control...: Opens the Version Control Window.
• Import/Export: Allows you to export data into tab delimited text files. Used for localization during development.
• Preferences: Allows you to set Preferences for various aspects of the editor. These preferences mainly having to do with the Render Window.
• Validate Loaded Data: Validate Loaded Data runs a check through the loaded plugin and master files to check for errors in how the data is set up. This check is also run automatically when the Creation Kit finishes loading the data selected; this is just a way to run that check without having to reload the data.
• Create Archive: Opens up the Archive Browser window. The Creation Kit includes a rudimentary tool for gathering Game Files and bundling them into an Archive Files.
• Upload Plugin and Archive to Bethesda.net: Uploads the mod to Bethesda.net for the selected platform.
  • PC: Selects the PC platform for upload.
  • XB1: Selects the Xbox platform for upload.
  • PS4: Selects the Playstation platform for upload.
• Compact Active File Form IDs: Compacts all form IDs in the Active file. This will invalidate any saves made off this file.
• Convert Active File to Light Master: Converts the Active file to a light master file. This will only work for small files.
• Login to Bethesda.net...: Opens the Bethesda Login Window.
• Logout: Logs the editor out of any logged in Bethesda.net accounts.
• Exit: Closes the editor. If you have made any changes since your last save, you will be prompted to save before exiting.

EditEdit

Undo/Redo, Copy/Paste and other essential functions live here, which we will mostly access via Creation Kit Interface Cheat Sheet.

• Undo: Negates the last action taken in the Render Window. For example, an object that had just been moved will be returned to its prior location.
• Redo: Re-applies an action undone with the Undo action.
• Cut Render: Removes any selected references from the Render Window.
• Copy Render: Copies any currently selected references in the Render Window. Note that relative position and orientation will be maintained.
• Paste Render: Pastes any previously copied reference, or multiple references, into the Render Window at the cursor's current position. All references copied into the window will be selected.
• Paste in Place: Pastes in any selected reference(s) at the position of the initial location copied from.
• Duplicate: Create a new version of any currently selected references in the same location as the original. The newly created reference is immediately selected.
• Search & Replace...: Opens the Search & Replace window.
• Find Text: Opens the Text Search window.
• Render Window Hotkeys: Opens the Render Window Hotkeys dialog. Shows a listing of all Render Window commands and their associated hotkeys.
• Render Window Picking Preferences: Allows the user to select what types of objects can be picked in the Render Window.

ViewEdit

Options here largely control how the Render Window behaves, and will be useful during more complex tasks.

• Toolbar: Toggles the Toolbar at the top of the screen.
• Statusbar: Toggles the Statusbar at the bottom of the screen.
• Object Window: Toggles the Object Window.
• Cell View Window: Toggles the Cell View Window.
• Scene Info Window: Toggles the Scene Info Window.
• Open Windows...: Displays the Open Windows dialog which is a list of all opened windows in the Creation Kit.
• Preview Window: Displays a window to preview objects selected in tree.
• Show/Hide Window: Displays a set of checkboxes to toggle elements in the Render Window.
• Reference Batch Action Window: Enables data changes to a collection of References.
• Layers...: Displays a window to show the individual Layers of the Render Window to keep workspace neat and to avoid accidental breakage of precomputed Visibility while working in the Render Window.
• Material Palette:
• Object Window Layouts: User-customized colors for organizing workflow
• Current Cell Only: Displays only the navmesh of the Cell in focus. Only functions when editing Navmesh.
• Markers: Toggles markers in the Render Window.
• Light Markers: Toggles the markers used for Light sources (typically a light bulb) in the Render Window.
• Sound Markers: Toggles the markers used for Sound sources in the Render Window.
• Light Radius: Toggles display of Light radius in the Render Window.
• Wireframe: Toggles between Wireframe and normal rendered view in the Render Window.
• Bright Light: Toggles Bright Light view in Render Window.
• Sky: Toggles the sky in the Render Window.
• Grass: Toggles grass on and off in the editor.
• Fog: Toggles fog on and off in the editor.
• Collision Geometry: Toggles Collision Geometry display in the Render Window.
• Leaves: Toggles leaves on or off in the Render Window.
• Trees: Toggles trees on or off in the Render Window.
• Occlusion Planes: Toggles display of occlusion surfaces.
• Isometric: Rotates through three perspective views (top, front, and left) of the selected object in the Render Window.
• Top: Moves the camera to a top view of the selected object in the Render Window.
• Depth Biasing: Forces the depth biasing to function as it would in game. This is a great way to see which objects will Z-Fight in the game, even if they aren't in the editor.
• Refresh Render Window: Refreshes the Render window, this will make all hidden objects visible again as well as update anything that has been changed from outside of the editor, like a new .nif.
• Warnings: Opens the Warnings window.
• Properties: Opens the Properties window.

WorldEdit

This menu collects many tools for manipulating aspects of the game world.

• World Spaces...: Opens the WorldSpace window.
• Regions: Opens the Region window.
• Cells: Opens the Cell window.
• World LOD...: Used for generating LOD Model Files for WorldSpaces.
• World Testing And Reports: Brings up the World Testing sub-menu .
  • Test Models:
  • Test Icons/Textures:
  • Test All Cells:
  • Test Interior Cells:
  • Output Model Size List:
  • Update Distant LOD Data:
  • Update Model Bounds:
  • Update Model Texture Lists:
  • Update Object Visibility Data:
  • Update Obstacle Cover Data:
  • Analyze Archive Data:
  • Recalc Land Normals:
  • Find equipment with 100% condition rating:
  • View all locks:
  • View leveled actors by encounter zone:
  • Validate water geometry:
  • Output MapMarker Data:
  • Global Loot Preview:
• View Render Test Failures...:
• View BetaComment Data...:
• Run Havok Sim: Toggles Havok physics, lighting, and vfx simulation in the Render Window.
• Update Lighting and Effects: Toggles Havok lighting and vfx simulation only. Unlike Run Havok Sim, objects and Actors will not settle while this mode is on.
• Landscape Editing: Used to edit the local landscape in the Render Window.
• Object Palette Editing:
• Heightmap Autopaint:
• Heightmap Import:
• Create Local Maps: This allows local maps to be exported from the Creation Kit. It is not used in creating the local maps seen in game which are automatically generated based on level geometry. This also cannot be used to import a map in place of the generated map.
• Validate room/portal alignment:
• Align tangent space ay NIF intersection:
• Generate LOS:
• Generate Max Height Data For Current Cell:
• Generate Max Height Data For World:
• Generate Max Height Data For ALL Worlds:
• Generate HiRes Heightfield For Cells:
• PreCombine Geometry for Current Cell:
• PreCombine Geometry for Loaded Area:
• PreCombine Geometry For World:
• PreCombine Geometry For Interior Cells:
• Export All Landscape:
• Force Weather:

NavMeshEdit

Users familiar with Fallout 3's GECK will remember navmesh, our central tool for AI navigation through an environment. This menu holds our various tools for creating and manipulating this valuable functionality.

• Generation:
  • Havok-Based Generation: Opens window to auto-generate navmesh based on Havok collision data.
  • Recast-Based Generation:
  • Advanced:
• Auto Generate WorldSpace:
• Check NavMeshes:
• Finalize Cell NavMeshes:
• Find Cover Edges: Finds suitable cover edges for AI seeking cover during combat.
• Precut All Scrappables: Adds navcuts around all scrappable objects in cell so that AI can continue to navigate after objects are scrapped.
• Link All Scrappables:
• Create Precuts for Selection:
• Link Precuts for Selection:
• Clear Precuts from Selection:
• Clear All PRecut Links:
• Move Selection To Separate NavMesh:
• Navmesh Draw Mode:
• Draw Cover:
• Draw Tunnels:
• Draw Waypoints:
• Clear Generated Cover:
• Clear Cover:
• Remove Cell NavMeshes:
• Check Worldspace Cells for Finalize:
• Finalize Loaded Area:
• Finalize WorldSpace:
• Force Finalize Full WorldSpace:
• Finalize All Interiors:
• Force Finalize All Spaces:
• Generate Cover For All Spaces:
• Remove All AutoGen Islands:
• Generate Cell Waypoints:
• Set Cell Auto Generated:
• Clear Cell Auto Generated:
• Audit Navmesh Report:
• Normal Pathing Test:
• Cover Test:
• Dodge Test:
• Flee Test:
• Hide Test:
• LOS Test:
• ClosePoint Test:
• Safe Straight Line Test:
• Navmesh Test Mode:
  • Draw Path Only:
  • Draw Cost:
  • Draw Heuristic:
  • Draw Fitness:
  • Draw PathSmoother Bounds:
• Update Obstacle Manager:
• Select Triangle By Index:
• Export Navmesh as OBJ:

VisibilityEdit

These settings are for generating Precombined References.

• Generate Visibility for Current Cell: Precomputes the Visibility for cell currently loaded in Render Window.
• Generate Visibility for All Loaded Cells: Precomputes the Visibility for all cells currently loaded in Render Window. Amount of cells determined by Preferences UGridsToLoad.
• Generate Precombined Visibility for Current Cell: Precomputes Visibility and Precombines geometry based on that Visibility computation for cell currently loaded in Render Window.
• Generate Precombined Visibility for All Loaded Cells: Precomputes Visibility and Precombines geometry based on that Visibility computation for all cells currently loaded in Render Window. Amount of cells determined by Preferences UGridsToLoad.

CharacterEdit

These tools are mostly for the manipulation of character behavior.

• Filtered Dialogue...:
• Export Relationship Data:
• Export Dialogue:
• Export Dialogue for Specific Voices:
• List Neutral Emotion Dialogue:
• Quest Voice Asset Totals:
• Update NPC Body Tint Colors:
• Update FaceBones Model Availability: Batch updater for Facebone Models to adjust faceware to fit non-default faces. (All models must already be archived in BA2)
• Edit Player Dialogue:
• Quest Aliases:
• Generate Player Address Lip Files:

GameplayEdit

These advanced settings can have game-wide effects.

• Settings: All adjustable Gameplay Settings for the game.
• Papyrus Script Manager: Opens the Papyrus Manager Window.
• Compile Papyrus Scripts...: Compiles any script in the Scripts/User/Source folder
• Migrate Papyrus Property Data...:
• Animations: Opens Behavior Graphs window for all animated Actors.
• Facial Animation...:
• Animation Sound Tag Overrides...: Animation Sound Tag Information as listed on the Havok Behavior file can be overridden on this Window.
• Camera Paths: Stack of all available Camera Paths for setting conditional data. (Camera Shots set up via CameraShot under SpecialEffect in Object Window)
• Default Objects...: List of Default Objects. This list is mostly obsolete for Fallout 4. See DefaultObject under Miscellaneous in Object Window. User cannot add new Default Objects.
• Validate Forms: Validates all forms in currently loaded plugin. Useful for checking for potential warnings and errors.

HelpEdit

The help menu is used to access this wiki and to confirm the version number of the Creation Kit. Simple version information and a link to this wiki!

• Contents:
• About: Selecting this function will bring up a window listing the Creation Kit's current version number. This can be found at the top of the window, just over the logo.