User:DrPharmDawg/SkyRem Guide Home: Difference between revisions

From Step Mods | Change The Game
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 233: Line 233:
  - Attempting to disarm a trap can result in the trap being triggered.
  - Attempting to disarm a trap can result in the trap being triggered.
  - Crafting requires that you have the right tools, which can be purchased through dialogue conveniently.
  - Crafting requires that you have the right tools, which can be purchased through dialogue conveniently.
----
== {{Fc|#ddd|HOW TO}} ==
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Clean Mod}} ===
Mods tagged with {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Clean}} need to be ran through SSEEdit's Auto Quick Clean function.
  - Open MO2.
  - Select {{Fc|White|SSEEdit QuickAutoClean}} in the executables drop-down box and click {{ui|Run}}.
  - In the mod list that opens, check the mod that you want to clean and click {{ui|OK}}.
  - SSEEdit will run for a few moments. Once you see the the completed message, {{Fc|White|Close}} SSEEdit.
  - In the final pop-up, make sure the mod you cleaned is selected so it will save.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Sort Load Order}} ===
It is recommended to sort your load order and test your setup following each step. LOOT will do the majority of your sorting automatically, and any manual adjustments needed will be noted in the final steps prior to the final sorting.
Note that LOOT will identify plugins that need to be cleaned and keep a tally by the {{Fc|#e6b69e|Dirty Plugins}} header near the top. If this number is anything other than {{Fc|#e6b69e|0}}, scroll through your mods in the right pane and find which mod requires cleaning and take the necessary steps. Also research any {{Fc|#e6b69e|Errors}} noted. The {{Fc|#e6b69e|Warnings}} can be ignored as they pertain to compatibility which is largely addressed with '''''{{Fc|White|Merges}}''''' throughout the guide, and because they are merged, LOOT will not find them.
To sort your Load Order:
  - Open MO2.
  - Select {{Fc|White|LOOT}} in the executables drop-down box and click {{ui|Run}}.
  - In the window that opens, click the {{Fc|#e6b69e|Sort Plugins}} button in the upper right (three lines).
  - If LOOT determines any mods need to be rearranged, {{ui|Apply}} will appear in the tool bar where the Sort Plugins button was.
  - Click {{ui|Apply}}.
  - Exit LOOT.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Extract BSA}} ===
Mods tagged with {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Bsa}} contain at least one BSA (Bethesda Archive files). A BSA contains various assets that need to be extracted from the archive.
There are several options to extract a BSA file.<br />
Allow MO2 to extract BSAs during install:
  - Open the {{Fc|White|Configure settings and workarounds}} (wrench and driver icon) and go to the {{ui|Plugins}} tab.
  - In the upper-left window, click {{ui|BSA Extractor}}.
  - In the window directly to the right, update {{ui|enabled}} to {{ui|true}}.
With this set to true, any mod you install that contains a BSA will prompt you whether to extract it or not. If a mod is tagged {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Bsa}}, select {{ui|Yes}}. If not, select {{ui|No}}. The downside to this method is you have to remember to turn this on and off, or you have to answer the prompt every time a mod is installed containing a BSA, the majority of which you do not need to extract. I prefer to keep it enabled and sacrifice the time of one additional click.
Extract BSA within MO2:
  - Click the {{ui|Archives}} tab in the right pane.
  - Locate the BSA you want to extract. Right-click it and select {{ui|Extract}}.
  - Navigate to the location you want to extract the BSA (extract to the mods folder).
  - Delete the BSA.
This option is good as you do not have to remember to turn a setting on/off or constantly be asked, but the navigating to the mods folder can be even slower, and you must delete/hide the BSA afterwards.
Utilize external BSA extractor. I will not be covering these, but there are a couple out there. Their respective pages provide all the information you need to install and utilize the tool.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Optimize Meshes}} ===
One of the most common causes of CTDs - Meshes. This step needs to be done with any mod flagged {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Cao}} or {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Port}}. The problem is that NIF files (mesh files) need to be optimized to be used with SSE (if you are using LE mods containing NIFs).<br />
Optimize NIF Files:
  - Navigate to your {{Fc|White|Tools/Asset Optimizer}} folder.
  - Run {{ui|Cathedral_Assets_Optimizer.EXE}}.
  - Click {{ui|Open Directory}}, navigate to the mods folder, and click {{ui|Select Folder}}.
  - Unless otherwise explicitly stated, you only want the {{ui|Necessary optimization}} option checked under both {{ui|Meshes}} and {{ui|Textures}}.
  - Click {{ui|Run}}.
  - When complete, simply close the window.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Port Mod [from LE]}} ===
Mods that are flagged {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Port}} need to be completely converted to SSE. This is a two step process.<br />
Fix the Form Number (from 43 to 44):
  - In MO2, use the executables drop-down to run the {{ui|Creation Kit}}.
  - Once open, select {{ui|File}} and {{ui|Data}} in the tool bar.
  - In the window that comes up, double click the mod you are converting, and click {{ui|Set as Active}} and {{ui|OK}}.
  - This may take a few moments to load. Ignore any errors that show in the additional window.
  - After the mod is loaded, re-save the file by going to ({{ui|File}} and {{ui|Save}}.
  - Make sure you see {{Fc|White|Saving... Done!}} in the bottom bar. If you do not, the plugin did not save in Form 44.
  - Exit CK.
Optimize Assets:
  - Use the procedure above for optimizing NIFs.
  - If the mod has a BSA, check the {{ui|BSA}} option with {{ui|Extract old BSA}} and {{ui|Create BSA}} checked.
  - Exit optimizer when complete.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Merge Mods}} ===
Mods tagged {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Merge}} will contain at least one plugin that will ultimately be merged with zMerge to condense your plugin count. Several steps will contain a merge card instructing you to merge all of the tagged files in that Step / Part.
In MO2:
  - Run {{ui|zEdit}} from the executables drop-down.
  - On the opening screen, select {{ui|zMerge}} in the first drop-down and click {{ui|Start Session}}.
  - Click the {{ui|Create Merge}} button.
  - In pop-up's {{ui|Details}} tab, name the merge (the filename will update automatically. Leave the Merge Method as the default.
  - Go to the {{ui|Plugins}} tab, select all the plugins to be merged, and click {{ui|OK}}.
  - There is no need to change anything under the {{ui|Load Order}} or {{ui|Data}} tabs if following the guide.
  - Find the box containing the merge you just created. In the upper-right area of that box, click {{ui|Build}}.
  - When zEdit finishes running, exit.
  - In MO2, the new merged mod will be located at the bottom (you may have to {{ui|Refresh}} your view.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Flag Plugin As ESL}} ===
Mods flagged with {{User:DrPharmDawg/Tag|Esl}} can be flagged as an ESL, thereby keeping it from counting towards your plugin limit of 255.
It is safe (and faster) to wait until the end and flag all plugins at one time. This does not have to be done as you install them (just do not forget to do so).
- In MO2, open SSEEdit.
- Select the plugin in the left pane.
- Right click the field next to {{ui|Record Flags}} in the right pane (do not click on Record Flags, but the field to the right of it).
- Select {{ui|Edit}}, check the {{ui|ESL}} box in the pop-up, then click {{ui|OK}}.
- Exit SSEEdit.
=== {{Fc|#ddd|Find Plugins That Can Be Flagged ESL}} ===
While not technically something that is required for the guide, this is a good tool to use if you are nearing the plugin limit and want to find plugins that can be flagged as ESL to reduce the count. Handy if you are adding to the guide (or doing an extensive amount of the Core + Extended).
- Ensure all your plugins are activated in the Right Pane of MO2.
- Launch SSEEdit from MO2.
- In the pop-up, hold {{ui|Shift}} and click {{Fc|OK}}.
- Once loaded, right click anywhere in the left pane and select {{ui|Apply Script}}.
- In the pop-up, find {{ui|Find ESP plugins which could be turned into ESL}} in the {{Fc|#e6b69e|Script}} drop-down box and click {{ui|OK}}.
- Review the output messages for any plugins that include {{Fc|#e6b69e|Can be turned into ESL by adding ESL flag in TES4 header}}.
- Use the {{Fc|#e6b69e|How To >> Flag Plugin as ESL}} to flag all plugins with this message.
- Exit SSEEdit.

Revision as of 14:35, October 18, 2019

Skyrim Roleplay Enhancement Mod Guide for Special Edition
(SkyRem Guide)
Changelog   |   Release Date: September 20, 2019
Current Version: 2.1.1
Created and maintained by DrPharmDawg
Last Update: 23:43:43 28 March 2024 (GMT)

Home Page


Template:TOC right
SkyRem Guide Pages

Home Page: Introduction <-----
Section I: Stability
Section II: Mechanics
Section III: Content
Section IV: Aesthetics
Section V: Final Steps

SkyRem Guide Support

Discord: Discord Channel for all things SkyRem (Guide and Mods).
Patreon: Support SkyRem development via Patreon.
PayPal: Support with a one-time donation via PayPal.
Trello: See guide development progress on Trello.

INTRODUCTION[edit | edit source]

What is SkyRem? Yes - SkyRem is an acronym (if you have delved into any of my mods, this is probably very apparent) for Skyrim Roleplay Enhancment Modding.
The SkyRem concept began with the desire to tweak character creation and development and has since developed into two (currently) series of mods and now a guide as I work to put it all together. The goal: the ultimate roleplay experience in Skyrim. Alone, it is a great game. With the involvement of the modding community, it has become a phenomenal game. This guide, along with the few mods I have authored, is my attempt to give back to that community (or at least contribute in some way).

There are great guides available already, with different focuses, different objectives, varying degrees of difficulty, etc. After countless hours of using other guides, adding, subtracting, altering... this guide is my "finished product" based on the concept above and the priorities below.

This is not a difficulty or beautification focused mod guide by design. One could argue that difficulty is incorporated simply by the nature of the roleplay focus and modifications, but the intent of the guide goes far beyond just making Skyrim more difficult. As for beautification - I include plenty of mods specifically for this, but do not spend an inordinate amount of time determining which texture from this mod should overwrite this one, etc. I have also incorporated these into the guide in a way that will make it easy for you to add / subtract / substitute... whatever you prefer (or whatever your system prefers).

Guide Priorities:

(1) Stability
(2) Mechanics
(3) Content
(4) Aesthetics

SYSTEM INFO[edit | edit source]

DrPharmDawg's Rig Spec
Motherboard ASUS® G751JY
CPU Intel® Core i7 4710HQ @2.50GHz
GPU Nvidia® GeForce GTX 980M 4GB GDDR5
System RAM 24 GBs
Operating System Windows 10 64-bit
Monitor Resolution 1920x1080

GUIDE INFO[edit | edit source]

The guide is divided into several Sections:

  • Section I: Before You Start - Introduction, general information, preparing your setup, and "how to's" for modding.
  • Section II: First Steps - The beginning of the mod list and installation. Primarily covers priorities 1-3.
  • Section III: Next Steps - Continuation of Section II. Primarily covers priority 4.
  • Section IV: Optional Steps - Continuation of Section III. Primarily covers priority 5.
  • Section V: Final Steps - Patching and in-game setup, such as MCM settings.

This guide provides:

  • A stable and Performance Friendly setup.
  • Installation and instructions for the using various modding tools and techniques.
  • Patches to make the various setups work together (available on Nexus).
  • Support via Discord and regular updates (but hopefully not so many that you spend more time modding than playing).

This guide does not:

  • Include ENB or Reshade: I do not use them nor do I care for them. The trade-off for performance is (IMO) not worth it.
  • Include Dead Mods: Mods that need updating or mods with excessive (or unanswered) bug reports/comments) without simple solutions.
  • Include CBBE: What little I do in this regard is UNP.
  • Include 4k+: Whenever possible, I use 2k at the most. There are a few exceptions in which 2k is not available however.

Guide Organization[edit | edit source]

The guide is organized as follows: Sections >> Steps >> Parts

These three levels are used to organize the guide into increasingly smaller and more specific groups of information and mods.

Section 1: Before You Start Introduction, information about the guide and how to use it, and setting up your Skyrim to be "modding-ready".
Section 2: First Steps Modding with a focus on the priorities #1 - #3 (Stability, Performance, and Mechanics).
Section 3: Next Steps Continuation of Section 2 with the focus on priority #4 - Content.
Section 4: Optional Steps Remaining mods for priority #5 - Aesthetics.
Section 5: Final Steps Patching and any final touches before doing in-game setup (such as recommended MCM settings).

In addition to this three tier approach, Parts (the lowest tier) are tagged as follows:

Red (Core): Required (Either because they are key to the concept of SkyRem, or incorporated into the provided patches).
Blue (Extended): Recommended but not necessary. Generally include content that should NOT be added/removed mid-game (so plan ahead).
Green (Visual): Optional. Consist only of textures, meshes, and/or other assets that can be easily added/removed based on preference (or performance) at any time.

One final note on this organization: Mods may contain patches or FOMOD options that are based on your choices made about Extended (Blue) mods. Watch for mods, options, or information highlighted in YELLOW. This indicates you need it if you choose to use that mod, or not need it if you choose not to use it.

Mod Legend[edit | edit source]

Each mod utilizes this template:

Mod Name & Link[edit | edit source]

  • Author of Mod
  • Version used by SkyRem Guide
  • Tags (See below)

FILES: File(s) to Download and Install

Note: Any additional installation instructions or steps to take following installation.

Template:Notice

Mod Tags[edit | edit source]

Tags are described below. Read through the mods "card" prior to starting installation of that mod to prevent having to back track. Dark Tags with Light lettering indicate new or updated mods and download and/or installation needs, such as Newly added or BSA extraction.
Light Tags with Dark lettering indicate post-installation needs such as optimizing meshes, ESLifying, merging, porting, or cleaning).

  • TOOL
     : Tool utilized during the modding process. Not actually a Mod, but required for proper guide installation.
  • NEW
     : Newly added Mod since previous version.
  • UPDATE
     : Mod has been updated since previous version.
  • BSA
     : During installation, select YES to extracting the BSA.
  • CAO
     : Run the Cathedral Asset Optimizer (CAO) to properly convert the files for use with SSE.
  • ESL
     : Plugin (ESP) can safely be tagged as an ESL using SSEEdit.
  • : Plugin will be included in a Merge using zEdit.
  • PORT
     : Mod needs to be completely converted from LE to SSE.
  • CLEAN
     : Mod needs to be cleaned using SSEEdit.
  • PATCH
     : Mod contains patches (either separate files or in a FOMOD) that need to be installed as an individual Mod.
  • CORE
     : Mod contains a Master for the Core Patch.
  • : Mod contains a Master for the Extended Patch.

Merging Mods[edit | edit source]

Merging is essential to adhere to the 255 plugin rule. ESLs help with this also, but not all tools are setup to handle ESL files, so we still want to keep the total number of plugins under 255.

Some Parts of the guide include Merged in the header. Mods within that Part will include the tag as well. Following Parts that include mods intended to be merged will be a Merged ***** "mod". At most there will be one merge per Step (one merge for Fixes, one for Gameplay, one for Immersion, etc.)

Versions[edit | edit source]

  • The format for the Guide version is X.Y.Z.
  • Z indicates minor changes such as small fixes, mods moving, minor mod version updates, etc.
  • Y indicates changes that may require rebuilding merges/patches, mods added or removed, major mod version updates, etc.
  • X indicates changes that may require a new game such as larger overhauls of the guide, etc.

Guide Notes[edit | edit source]

  • Following completion of each Step, sort (Loot) and test your setup. This is much easier than troubleshooting after completing the guide if something goes wrong.
  • Remember, anything highlighted YELLOW indicates a selection to be made if using the associated mod from an Extended Part.

Guide Stats[edit | edit source]

Upon completing the SkyRem Guide (assuming a full install of Core + Extended + Visuals) as of v2.1.0:

  • Total Mods (Left Pane of MO2): 816
  • Total Plugins (Right Pane of MO2): 249
  • Total ESMs + ESPs: 207
  • Total ESLs: 42

This leaves room for 48 non-ESL plugins - Enough to further customize your mod load.


SKYRIM ROLEPLAY ENHANCEMENT MODDING[edit | edit source]

This section is intended to explain some of the major changes made by this guide. Before using the guide, read through to make sure this is how you want your Skyrim to behave. This guide is not for everybody - it is geared toward those looking for a more realistic and immersive roleplay experience.

After using the guide, refer to this for unexpected behaviors to check whether they are intended by the guide.

Difficulty[edit | edit source]

SkyRem is not intended to be a "difficulty" setup. However, by the nature of many of the mods used it offers a more challenging experience. Combat needs more strategy. Adventuring requires more planning. NPCs act and react more realistically. Character development is more dynamic. While you can play SkyRem on any difficulty, keep in mind that the vanilla difficulty settings impact (primarily) how much damage you deal and receive.

You will not be able to rush up to a group of 10 bandits and hack and slash your way through. Setting out on a quest ill prepared without food, water, a tent, tools, etc. can lead you to a quick demise. If you go after collecting every Daedric Artifact, do not expect Vigilants of Stendarr to be cordial. Making choices regarding Attributes, Abilities, and Perks without giving thought to how you want to build your character may result in a character fated for failure.

Is SkyRem more difficult... by design - no. But it is more challenging, regardless of how you set difficulty.

Leveling[edit | edit source]

- Experience to Level has nothing to do with your 18 Skills.
- Experience to Level is gained by adventuring, completing quests, and killing.
- Leveling will not provide a set 2 points to H/M/S (instead of the Vanilla 10).
- H/M/S (and Carry Weight) will grow with your character, naturally based on how you play and your attributes.

Equipment[edit | edit source]

- Deleveled: Any non-unique item can be found anywhere at anytime - Loot is based on Rarity and Abundancy.
- Bosses and Locks: You will still receive better stuff based on Boss and Lock difficulty (for the most part).
- The ability to use a Weapon properly is governed by its Skill (One Handed, Two Handed, Archery).
- The ability to use Armor properly is governed by its Skill (Block, Heavy Armor, Light Armor).
- If unskilled, Weapons can be dropped, cause you to stagger on impact, and be ineffective at blocking.
- If unskilled, Armor may not provide as much protection.
- Both Weapons and Armor can break if not maintained.

Everything is deleveled to a degree. This means you may find any piece of equipment at any time regardless of your level. It is possible to find an Ebony Sword at level 4. It is also possible that you spend an hour clearing a dungeon, defeating an epic boss, only to find the best weapon in that Boss Chest is a Steel Warhammer at level 60.

The above mods primarily govern what and when you find items. The goal is to make everything available at any time, but that Ebony Sword is extremely rare whereas Steel Warhammers are relatively common, therefore the above scenarios are intended. The intent is also to provide something worthwhile for your feat of clearing that dungeon, which all three mods take in to account. You will not hit level XX and find that suddenly everybody now wears orcish and glass armor.

Will this make you overpowered too early if you luck out and find that rare item at level 5?

Most non-unique items may not last forever. Weapons and armor can break. They can also be too advanced for you to use properly. Finding that Ebony Sword is one thing. Being able to use it properly is something else. At level 4, your best bet is to tuck it away for later or sell it. If you attempt to use an item before skilled enough to do so, you will find that it does not deal much damage. You may fumble with it, swinging it slower or even dropping it on impact. Blocking with it may prove futile. Armor may not protect you as well as a piece in which you are properly skilled.

To keep items from breaking, temper it. If you are not skilled enough to do so you can always pay a smith that is skilled to make it stronger (and therefore last longer). To learn to properly use it, simply level up the skill governing its use.

Factions[edit | edit source]

- You must be skilled in Magic to become a College of Winterhold student.
- You must complete more side quests to advance within the factions.

Combat[edit | edit source]

- Combat is more realistic in how damage is dealt and how NPCs behave.
- Different enemies have natural resistances to different attacks, both physical and magical. If something is not working, try something else.
- Animals behave more realistically. Many can simply be avoided and will not become aggressive unless provoked.
- Bosses are tougher.

Alchemy[edit | edit source]

- You cannot spam potions, so choose wisely. You need time to recover from potion use before another potion will be effective.
- Creating potions and poisons require you have the materials; not just ingredients, but something in which to put your creation.

Character Development[edit | edit source]

- Characters can develop and be enhanced in many ways and in many combinations.
- Things to consider for developing your character: Standing Stones, Diety, Attributes, Shouts, Perks, Class, Race (including Werewolf, Vampire, or Lich).

Survival[edit | edit source]

- You must sleep, eat, drink, and bath to be fully effective.
- Consider your quest be fore starting - will you need a tent, food, water, tools?

Misc[edit | edit source]

- You have options other than picking a lock: Locks can be picked, bashed, or unlocked with the right magic.
- Attempting to disarm a trap can result in the trap being triggered.
- Crafting requires that you have the right tools, which can be purchased through dialogue conveniently.

HOW TO[edit | edit source]

Clean Mod[edit | edit source]

Mods tagged with

CLEAN

need to be ran through SSEEdit's Auto Quick Clean function.

  - Open MO2.
  - Select SSEEdit QuickAutoClean in the executables drop-down box and click [Run].
  - In the mod list that opens, check the mod that you want to clean and click [OK].
  - SSEEdit will run for a few moments. Once you see the the completed message, Close SSEEdit.
  - In the final pop-up, make sure the mod you cleaned is selected so it will save.

Sort Load Order[edit | edit source]

It is recommended to sort your load order and test your setup following each step. LOOT will do the majority of your sorting automatically, and any manual adjustments needed will be noted in the final steps prior to the final sorting. Note that LOOT will identify plugins that need to be cleaned and keep a tally by the Dirty Plugins header near the top. If this number is anything other than 0, scroll through your mods in the right pane and find which mod requires cleaning and take the necessary steps. Also research any Errors noted. The Warnings can be ignored as they pertain to compatibility which is largely addressed with Merges throughout the guide, and because they are merged, LOOT will not find them.

To sort your Load Order:

  - Open MO2.
  - Select LOOT in the executables drop-down box and click [Run].
  - In the window that opens, click the Sort Plugins button in the upper right (three lines).
  - If LOOT determines any mods need to be rearranged, [Apply] will appear in the tool bar where the Sort Plugins button was.
  - Click [Apply].
  - Exit LOOT.

Extract BSA[edit | edit source]

Mods tagged with

BSA

contain at least one BSA (Bethesda Archive files). A BSA contains various assets that need to be extracted from the archive.

There are several options to extract a BSA file.

Allow MO2 to extract BSAs during install:
  - Open the Configure settings and workarounds (wrench and driver icon) and go to the [Plugins] tab.
  - In the upper-left window, click [BSA Extractor].
  - In the window directly to the right, update [enabled] to [true].

With this set to true, any mod you install that contains a BSA will prompt you whether to extract it or not. If a mod is tagged

BSA

, select [Yes]. If not, select [No]. The downside to this method is you have to remember to turn this on and off, or you have to answer the prompt every time a mod is installed containing a BSA, the majority of which you do not need to extract. I prefer to keep it enabled and sacrifice the time of one additional click.

Extract BSA within MO2:
  - Click the [Archives] tab in the right pane.
  - Locate the BSA you want to extract. Right-click it and select [Extract].
  - Navigate to the location you want to extract the BSA (extract to the mods folder).
  - Delete the BSA.
This option is good as you do not have to remember to turn a setting on/off or constantly be asked, but the navigating to the mods folder can be even slower, and you must delete/hide the BSA afterwards.
Utilize external BSA extractor. I will not be covering these, but there are a couple out there. Their respective pages provide all the information you need to install and utilize the tool.

Optimize Meshes[edit | edit source]

One of the most common causes of CTDs - Meshes. This step needs to be done with any mod flagged

CAO

or

PORT

. The problem is that NIF files (mesh files) need to be optimized to be used with SSE (if you are using LE mods containing NIFs).

Optimize NIF Files:
  - Navigate to your Tools/Asset Optimizer folder.
  - Run [Cathedral_Assets_Optimizer.EXE].
  - Click [Open Directory], navigate to the mods folder, and click [Select Folder].
  - Unless otherwise explicitly stated, you only want the [Necessary optimization] option checked under both [Meshes] and [Textures].
  - Click [Run].
  - When complete, simply close the window.

Port Mod [from LE][edit | edit source]

Mods that are flagged

PORT

need to be completely converted to SSE. This is a two step process.

Fix the Form Number (from 43 to 44):
  - In MO2, use the executables drop-down to run the [Creation Kit].
  - Once open, select [File] and [Data] in the tool bar.
  - In the window that comes up, double click the mod you are converting, and click [Set as Active] and [OK].
  - This may take a few moments to load. Ignore any errors that show in the additional window.
  - After the mod is loaded, re-save the file by going to ([File] and [Save].
  - Make sure you see Saving... Done! in the bottom bar. If you do not, the plugin did not save in Form 44.
  - Exit CK.
Optimize Assets:
  - Use the procedure above for optimizing NIFs.
  - If the mod has a BSA, check the [BSA] option with [Extract old BSA] and [Create BSA] checked.
  - Exit optimizer when complete.

Merge Mods[edit | edit source]

Mods tagged will contain at least one plugin that will ultimately be merged with zMerge to condense your plugin count. Several steps will contain a merge card instructing you to merge all of the tagged files in that Step / Part.

In MO2:
  - Run [zEdit] from the executables drop-down.
  - On the opening screen, select [zMerge] in the first drop-down and click [Start Session].
  - Click the [Create Merge] button.
  - In pop-up's [Details] tab, name the merge (the filename will update automatically. Leave the Merge Method as the default.
  - Go to the [Plugins] tab, select all the plugins to be merged, and click [OK].
  - There is no need to change anything under the [Load Order] or [Data] tabs if following the guide.
  - Find the box containing the merge you just created. In the upper-right area of that box, click [Build].
  - When zEdit finishes running, exit.
  - In MO2, the new merged mod will be located at the bottom (you may have to [Refresh] your view.

Flag Plugin As ESL[edit | edit source]

Mods flagged with

ESL

can be flagged as an ESL, thereby keeping it from counting towards your plugin limit of 255.

It is safe (and faster) to wait until the end and flag all plugins at one time. This does not have to be done as you install them (just do not forget to do so).

- In MO2, open SSEEdit.
- Select the plugin in the left pane.
- Right click the field next to [Record Flags] in the right pane (do not click on Record Flags, but the field to the right of it).
- Select [Edit], check the [ESL] box in the pop-up, then click [OK].
- Exit SSEEdit.

Find Plugins That Can Be Flagged ESL[edit | edit source]

While not technically something that is required for the guide, this is a good tool to use if you are nearing the plugin limit and want to find plugins that can be flagged as ESL to reduce the count. Handy if you are adding to the guide (or doing an extensive amount of the Core + Extended).

- Ensure all your plugins are activated in the Right Pane of MO2.
- Launch SSEEdit from MO2.
- In the pop-up, hold [Shift] and click .
- Once loaded, right click anywhere in the left pane and select [Apply Script].
- In the pop-up, find [Find ESP plugins which could be turned into ESL] in the Script drop-down box and click [OK].
- Review the output messages for any plugins that include Can be turned into ESL by adding ESL flag in TES4 header.
- Use the How To >> Flag Plugin as ESL to flag all plugins with this message.
- Exit SSEEdit.