First off, I can work in C# and xml, so I'm just looking for a direction to go in, not "how to" advice.

I've seen custom sliders, ways to expand the color windows for additional skin options, and so on. What I'd like to do it start with something "simple" (har, har).

I would like to learn how to add a field in the CAS window for a middle name.

Obviously, having this middle name used in the game would require a lot more work, so let's not worry about that now. In fact, it might not even be necessary to tie the field to a saved variable, but I suspect it might. I want to use this as a starting point for modifying the CAS windows.

Since there are already two name fields, I would like to change their positions so the three are stacked on top of each other instead of beside each other, and move the "First Name" title to the side of the field.

Since this will increase the height for this area, I will need to make sure the window is taller, and that the fields below it are pushed down.

It really shouldn't matter if they even fill in a middle name, and if they do, it won't be used anywhere. This is really about restructuring the CAS windows.

If there is a tutorial to do something like this, please let me know. If there isn't, any help pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated, and I would repay the favor by WRITING a tutorial for how to do such a thing, which others could use in the future.

I'm hoping I can build on this for future mods (perhaps with titles like Dr. or Jr. or III), but I wanted to start here. The end goal will be to add other genders (neuter, hermaphrodite), ages (tween), choose a life state from the window (mummy, vampire, simbot), races (human vs dwarf or elf), body types (fat/fit), all using new mesh groups, perhaps a 2D skin color slider, random name generator worked into the CAS, etc.

Thanks!

UPDATE: Ok, I found this thread for adding a new tattoo location. It describes LAYO files for changing the windows and something about ControlIDs for connecting them to information. I suspect this is where I need to start!

UPDATE #2: This thread discusses "a default replacement of the CASBasics.LAYO found in the UI.package file". Looks like I'm on the right track.

Sorry if I sound like a spoilsport, but pretty much all the things you mentioned can only be done with a core mod and will definitely break the savegame compatibility to the vanilla game.

ok, so i'm making a core mod then?

As for savegame compatibility, you mean you can't load old saves if you use this mod? I'm fine with that.

I don't know. Are you? You know that you need to do core modding basically in CIL, don't you? You can access code you've written in C# (that's what Pescado does in his AwesomeMod, although I'm not sure if he codes in C#), but you need to alter the core scripts in CIL.

The vanilla game won't be able to load a savegame from a game with such a mod and vice versa. Additionally, every patch will become a great great pain in the backside. A responsible person will never release a mod that violates savegame compatibility.