dstansberry

Should we be concerned that, after running loot, WryBash says the STEP Extended Patch.esp has it's masters all cattywampus?

That all makes perfect sense! Thank you for explaining it. I didn't mean to take up so much of your time. I was just led astray by my own assumptions of what I thought "add to merge" sounded like it should do.

Thanks for the reminder about Block Steal Redux. As I mentioned in my post though, I never intended to merge it for the very reason you described - It was merely a convenient way to illustrate to you what I was experiencing and why I was confused. I think I understand a little better. It just doesn't work the way I intuitively imagined it would. I guess I thought the entire point of adding a mod to an existing merge meant that you didn't have to reload all of the original plugins / mods. In my mind, I thought the new mod was one mod, the existing merge was another mod, and all the assets required to join them together were already present. I was almost sure I'd done it that way with the script version (or maybe I've lost both of my remaining marbles). So... since I need to reactivate all of the mods contained in the existing merge in order to add something to it, I'm fuzzy on exactly how that's any different than just starting over and building a new merge from scratch. Either way, it's a great tool! And thanks again for your time. [Edit] I meant to add that I originally did try to read the documentation by following the link at the opening post of this thread - but it didn't appear to lead anywhere, and the help menu within the program isn't quite ready yet. So I just sort of "winged it". It's a testament to the great design that I was able to get as far as I did! LOL

You know, the one thing I really, really liked about running across this wasn't so much the automatic entry of tweaks, or even the removal of useless options from within the ini files themselves. It was that single, simple moment of clarity: alphabetizing the entries within the .ini file itself! In all the years I've been poking around in there, it never even once occurred to me that the entries could be organized for easier editing. It was like an lightbulb suddenly lit up! And then promptly exploded into the depressing realization that I'm an idiot for not having thought of that myself.

Clearly, I'm doing something wrong. The Rebuild Status option is not available for me to select. Here's the process (with pics!) that I'm following. The mod indicated is Block Steal Redux, and I'm attempting to add it to the already successful merge, "~(Merged) 08 - Character Development" (Note that the merge I'm using to demonstrate isn't one I actually want to do - according to the dictionary, it's not compatible - but the process and results were the same for Take Notes. Take Notes is part of the merge, because I redid the whole thing when I couldn't make the "add to merge" thing work. The esp is called "PreventsAccidentalPickUp.esp. 1) Not in Merge 2) Adding to Merge 3) Added to Merge 4) Tool Tip - Nothing to Rebuild 5) PreventsAccidentalPickUp.esp Shown as Included 6) No Rebuid or Toggle Status Options. This is exactly what happened when I tried to add TakeNotes to the existing merge, too. I ended up simply deleting the merge, restoring the original mods, and building the merge from scratch. Thank you, by the way, for taking time to look at this and putting up with all the questions!

Hmmm.... that doesn't seem to work for me. Here's an example of what I'm seeing: 1) I have an existing merge named "~(Merged) 08 - Character Development" consisting of four mods: Viewable Faction Ranks, Living Takes Time, Smart Training - Tweaked, and Achieve That. 2) I later decided to add the "Take Notes - the Dragonborn Journal" mod to the merge. 3) I check TakeNotes.esp for errors, and it comes up clean. 4) I right-click on TakeNotes.esp, and select "Add to Merge..." and choose ~(Merged) 08 - Character Development from the list. 5) The main window of the tool shows TakeNotes.esp is now part of the merge (the 08 merge is listed in the under the merge column, when it wasn't before). 6) If I hover over the hammer icon, a tool tip says "There aren't any merges to rebuild or build" 7) If I click on the Merges tab, I see the merge at the bottom of the list. Selecting it shows the .esp's inside the merge in the right hand pane, and TakeNotes.esp is listed there, along with the other .esp's already inside the merge. 8) If I right-click on the merge, Rebuild Merge is grayed out. I have choices to Create New Merge, Edit Merge (which appears to let me rename it), Delete Merge, Plugins > Resolve Errors, or Open in Explorer. 9) Closing the program doesn't appear to do anything to the merge (I was thinking maybe the changes were saved on exit, like after a cleaning in TES5Edit, but nothing happens. Other than the program closing, of course). So... I'm pretty sure I've done something screwy here, but I don't know exactly what.

Thank you for your reply! Are we able to add new mods to an existing merge? Or is that something planned for down the road a bit? I made an attempt to do so by selecting the .esp and "add to merge" selecting an existing merge from the list, and while it does show itself as part of the merge, it doesn't appear to rebuild the merge or copy any of the assets. It's easy enough to start over with the merge, but I doing something wrong?

I have three questions. I think I know the answer to two of them, but I thought I'd ask it just in case I'm wrong. 1) Suppose I want to merge three complete mods. It seems simple enough - the utility will copy over and merge all the assets from all the mods into one combined mod along with the newly created .esp file. Afterwards, if I understand correctly, I can safely delete / disable the three original mods, because all the required assets will have been included in the merger. Is this generally a safe assumption? 2) If I want to merge .esp's that are all part of a larger mod (for instance, additional DLC patches or other options that are installed as a result of choices made during the larger mod's installation), can I safely move those .esp's into a separate folder and merge them by themselves (without any additional assets that might belong to them) so long as I leave those other assets enabled as a part of the original mod? Is this generally a safe assumption? 3) I know this may be bad form, but would it be possible to ignore mod master dependency when loading mods to merge, yet have the masters carry over into the merger? I tend to install by category. Sometimes, when working through a complicated installation, it would be really handy if I could, say, merge Vividian's presets and patches right away, before installing the mods they depend on, and yet still have that dependency intact. Understanding, of course, that if the merged .esp is active, the game won't run until those masters are eventually installed. I guess I'm asking if there's a technical reason why the masters have to be present in order to complete the merge, as long as the masters can be identified and added to the merged file. (I apologize if this is a stupid question. I just know it would streamline things for folks like me if I didn't have to wait until after mod #230 is installed before merging .esp's from mods #12 and #13. :o)

I just loaded up my Skyrim Revisited MO profile, started a new game and COC'd to WinterholdTheFrozenHearth for a quick test. Wandered in and out of the various curtained rooms and then down to the cellar to take a peek around - but never saw any flickering lights at all. I didn't try it while carrying a light of my own, though - no wearable lantern or anything that might have pushed the number of lights beyond those already in the inn. I don't know if that's relevant or not, but there you have it.

That great news! I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl! And, as an aside, I just want to say, completely apart from all of your hard work making the game that much more enjoyable, thank you for being so accessible and approachable! I still find it surprising that mod authors bother with us users, who are often an unappreciative and demanding lot. But there are so many mod authors who are simply great, who go above and beyond in putting up with our questions and general ignorance. It's surprising how many of them hang out in the STEP forums! Thanks again!

I'm looking forward to giving this a try, and i personally love the idea of near-infinite variety of loot, nuances in crafting - even adding weight to coins is perfectly fine by me! My one and only concern is this line from the mod page: However, every other piece of jewelry in the mod looks best with CBBE I've always been a fan of UNP, and as a Skyrim Revisited LE user, I'm currently giving UNPB a try. I play in 1st person mode, so I'm not particularly worried my character wearing them - but how much of a dealbreaker is it for the rest of the jewelry-wearing world? I'm envisioning NPC's walking around with amulets jutting out like rhino horns. It doesn't have to be screenshot perfect for me - i just don't want it to be immersion-breakingly ridiculous. I have no experience with the way these things work. Is it hugely, glaringly noticeable to mix jewelry and body types?

You know, I once made separate BOSS rules for Every. Single. Mod. I installed, so that I could play around with load orders to solve land tearing issues and easily put them back when I lost track of how they should have been. I tend to plan mods in geographic areas - so I have a category for "Whiterun Hold" (for example) and would add all the location mods I liked from that hold, play around with load order to get as close as I could, then merge them and create a patch to take care of any obviously broken areas. Then I'd adjust my load order rules in BOSS and move on to the next area. Talk about tedious! My mod list was insane. It's no wonder I have 957 hours into the game, and have only ever met the graybeards once.

Wow - that's impressive!

My load order is quite a bit different - though I'm uncertain in what ways that might be significant. I'm not sure how to post it here - is there a way to export it from MO? [Edit] I think I figured it out. [spoiler=Load Order] 0 0 Skyrim.esm 1 1 Update.esm 2 2 Dawnguard.esm 3 3 HearthFires.esm 4 4 Dragonborn.esm 5 5 Skyrim Project Optimization - No Homes - Full Version.esm 6 6 Falskaar.esm 7 7 Wyrmstooth.esp 8 8 Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch.esp 9 9 EFFCore.esm 10 a RSkyrimChildren.esm 11 b Campfire.esm 12 c ClimatesOfTamriel.esm 13 d notice board.esp HighResTexturePack01.esp HighResTexturePack02.esp HighResTexturePack03.esp 14 e Cutting Room Floor.esp 15 f FISS.esp 16 10 Auto Unequip Ammo.esp 17 11 SkyUI.esp 18 12 Extended UI.esp 19 13 AMatterOfTime.esp 20 14 iHUD.esp 21 15 AHZmoreHUD.esp 22 16 RaceMenu.esp 23 17 RaceMenuPlugin.esp 24 18 RaceMenuOverlays.esp 25 19 UIExtensions.esp 26 1a towConversation.esp 27 1b EnhancedLightsandFX.esp 28 1c ELFX - Exteriors.esp 29 1d ELFX - Dawnguard.esp 30 1e ELFX - Dragonborn.esp 31 1f BetterQuestObjectives.esp 32 20 Atlas Compass Tweaks.esp 33 21 FCO - Follower Commentary Overhaul.esp 34 22 EFFDialogue.esp 35 23 RSChildren - CRF Patch.esp 36 24 TheChoiceIsYours_Dragonborn.esp 37 25 Paarthurnax_Bypass.esp 38 26 Thieves Guild Requirements.esp Vividian - Lanterns of Skyrim Preset.esp 39 27 Better Dynamic Snow.esp 40 28 Moss Rocks - Legendary.esp 41 29 ELFX - NoBreezehome.esp 42 2a EpisodeParallax.esp 43 2b RUSTIC SOULGEMS - Unsorted.esp 44 2c AshRocks.esp 45 2d SulfurRocks.esp 46 2e mintylightningmod.esp 47 2f MoonGlow.esp 48 30 WondersofWeather.esp 49 31 BFSEffects.esp 50 32 Footprints.esp 51 33 Convenient Horses.esp 52 34 ORM-Arvak.esp 53 35 ORM Convenient Alsvid.esp 54 36 Beards.esp 55 37 Brows.esp 56 38 TheEyesOfBeauty.esp 57 39 The Eyes Of Beauty - Elves Edition.esp 58 3a NB-Scars.esp 59 3b MatureSkinComplexions.esp 60 3c DSAMG - Greybeard Fix.esp 61 3d DSAMG - Miraak Music Fixes.esp 62 3e FNIS.esp 63 3f dD-No Spinning Death Animation Merged.esp 64 40 dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp 65 41 XPMSE.esp 66 42 Dual Sheath Redux.esp 67 43 Book Covers Skyrim.esp 68 44 Skyrim Immersive Creatures.esp 69 45 RealisticRoomRental.esp 70 46 Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp 71 47 Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp 72 48 GuardAnimationsGDO.esp 73 49 Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp 74 4a Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp 75 4b WetandCold.esp 76 4c Point The Way.esp 77 4d BFT Ships and Carriages.esp 78 4e WATER Plants.esp 79 4f RealisticWaterTwo.esp 80 50 AOS.esp 81 51 aMidianBorn_ContentAddon.esp 82 52 Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp 83 53 Traps Are Dangerous.esp 84 54 WM Trap Fixes.esp 85 55 WM Flora Fixes.esp 86 56 Complete Alchemy & Cooking Overhaul.esp 87 57 RealShelter.esp 88 58 SkyrimCoinReplacerRedux.esp 89 59 RBB - SR Merge.esp 90 5a OBIS.esp WeaponsArmorFixes_ImmersiveWeapons_Patch.esp 91 5b Skyrim Immersive Creatures - DLC2.esp 92 5c RRR_ELFX-Patch.esp 93 5d Holidays.esp 94 5e RelightingSkyrim-FULL.esp 95 5f DeadlySpellImpacts.esp 96 60 dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp 97 61 DeadlyDragons.esp 98 62 Wyrmstooth - Notice Board.esp 99 63 TheChoiceIsYours.esp 100 64 notice board - dragonborn patch.esp 101 65 SMIM-Merged-All.esp 102 66 Atlas Legendary.esp 103 67 Falskaar - Notice Board.esp 104 68 WetandCold - Ashes.esp 105 69 SFO - Dragonborn.esp RRR_3DNPC-Patch.esp 106 6a Bring Out Your Dead - Legendary Edition.esp 107 6b WAF_CCF_SIC Patch.esp PrvtI_HeavyArmory.esp 108 6c Immersive Patrols II.esp 109 6d Book Covers Skyrim - Lost Library.esp 110 6e Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp 111 6f Frostfall.esp 112 70 Provincial Courier Service.esp 113 71 TimingIsEverything.esp 114 72 PilgrimsDelight.esp 115 73 HoldBorderBanners.esp 116 74 BooksOfSkyrim.esp 117 75 iNeed.esp 118 76 Gildergreen Regrown.esp 119 77 TheChoiceIsYours_Dawnguard.esp 120 78 PreventsAccidentPickUp.esp 121 79 dD-DG-DB-Immersive Creatures EBT Patch.esp 122 7a High Level Enemies - SIC.esp 123 7b High Level Enemies - SIC Falskaar.esp 124 7c OBISDB.esp 125 7d imp_helm_legend.esp GQJ_DG_vampireamuletfix.esp 126 7e Mage Outfit Texture Overhaul.esp 127 7f NightingaleArrows.esp 128 80 Hothtrooper44_Armor_Ecksstra.esp 129 81 Chesko_WearableLantern.esp CACO_Disparity_Patch.esp CACO_ETaC_Patch.esp 130 82 CCO_SIC_Patch.esp Clothing & Clutter_3DNPC_Patch.esp 131 83 Dual Wield Parrying_SKSE.esp 132 84 NPC Knockout Overhaul.esp 133 85 VioLens.esp 134 86 TradeBarter.esp 135 87 Better Vampires.esp 136 88 Brevi_MoonlightTalesEssentials.esp 137 89 Bathing in Skyrim - Merged.esp 138 8a CoT - Patches.esp 139 8b Vividian ENB.esp 140 8c CACO - Patches.esp 141 8d RSChildren_CompleteUSKP.esp 142 8e Vividian ENB - Extended Weathers.esp 143 8f Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp 144 90 Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul.esp 145 91 Immersive Citizens - CRF patch.esp 146 92 Immersive Citizens - PCS patch.esp 147 93 BetterQuestObjectives - Patches.esp 148 94 ELE_Legendary_Fs_Wt_Lite.esp 149 95 Complete Crafting_TrueWeaponsLvlLists.esp 150 96 SR Conflict Resolution.esp 151 97 Bashed Patch, 0.esp DynDOLOD.esp RSPatch.esp Vivid Snow.esp ASIS-Dependency.esp ASIS.esp 152 98 Dual Sheath Redux Patch.esp

I just downloaded it once, let MO extract it, then deleted all the other textures (so all that was left was textures/architecture/solitude/sdoorgate.dds and sdoorgate_n.dds). Once that was done, I copied the folder from the mods directory to a "Skyrim SafeKeeping" directory I have. That way it's always available when I rebuild my game and I don't have to worry about downloading it again - or worse, trying to remember where I got it in the first place!

I've no idea, though I think some of them can use dragon shouts. I remember reading that they were supposed to be servants of the dragon priests, so maybe it's some form of dragon(ish)? Hopefully a lore-monger will pop by and clear it all up for us!

I didn't start the whole Elder Scrolls thing until Morrowind, so I missed out on Daggerfall completely! But apparently, they had some pretty wicked skeletons! I ran across this mod while browsing through the "Acclaimed mods list" at the Sands of Time website (I don't personally use the Sands of Time mod, but the website is pretty interesting).

Understandable Draugr (by Pandora) Mod page description: Ever got curious about what the Draugr keep saying every time you fight them? This mod adds English subtitles to the Draugr dialogues. You can finally understand what they are saying! (If you open the Draugr's dialogue properties via Creation Kit, you can see that Bethesda's developers have inserted commentaries explaining the meaning of each sentence the Draugrs say. I simply inserted those translations into the subtitles themselves. In other words, these translations are 100% official.) --------- This is one of those little oddities I'm fond of. I had no idea those noises the Draugr make conveyed actual meaning (though in retrospect, lore-wise it stands to reason). Armed with this little mod and the copious application of subtitles, I'm able to understand the insults they're hurling at my character. Or perhaps ignorance is bliss. Your mileage may vary. Whether it's worth the extra esp (though easily merged with nearly everything) is open for debate.

Compass Mod - Immersive Undiscovered Locations (by xackoff) Mod page description: A small compass mod that changes all undiscovered location markers to a generic icon until you have visited the location. Lightweight, highly compatible, script and ESP free, asset-only mod. Doesn't touch map menu and markers at all, affects only mainscreen compass. Fully compatible with SkyUI, no conflicts. Fully compatible with iHUD, no conflicts. Recommended by mod author: Atlas Map Markers with Atlas Compass Tweaks.esp enabled. Even if you don't use Atlas Mod itself, I still recommend using Compass Tweaks to remove marker clutter. ------- This is a nifty little mod I ran across recently. Just as the description says, it provided a generic icon for places you haven't visited yet, so you don't know if that "thing" to the northwest on your compass is a mine or a landmark or a dragon mound until you get there. Once you've visted a location, it displays the appropriate icon from that moment on. It feels sort of natural - you know the place you're heading to is in this general direction, but you can't "zero in" on it with the compass quite so easily. I also like it because it helps separate the places you've been from those you haven't. I may think I've explored an area fairly well, then turn and spot a generic marker on the compass that I hadn't noticed before.

Skeletons of Daggerfall (by Bozzz123) Mod page description: Long ago, in the land of Daggerfall, there lived a creature with such a fearsome screech that all who listened were instantly filled with fear. Now, in the land of Skyrim, the creature has returned. It's name: The Skeleton. Wait a minute. Skeletons make wimpy noises, right? Not anymore! Now all skeletons in Skyrim make the high pitched screeches that are straight from the Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Now all Skyrim skeletons make the same noises as the Daggerfall Skeletons. ------- I know that some of you will probably consider this sort of thing to be cheesy, but I really like it. It's a simple sound file that gives the skeletons in the game an eerier sort of screeching sound (especially atmospheric when dungeon crawling and one comes up behind you). There's an video on the main page to give you a feel for the sound they make. There's also an optional file on the page that applies the audio change to the Draugr as well, but I personally prefer Enhanced Draugr FX for that. I suppose it could be argued no lungs, no vocal chords, no sound - but it could also be argued, no muscle fiber, no nerves, no movement. I have no problem with either of those things in a fantasy game. [Edited to remove a stray thought that never managed to form into a complete sentence]

I realize this is an ancient thread, but that gate has always bothered me. I use the one in Reskin Cities. It's the only thing out of the mod I DO use, but so far, it's the best looking one I've found, both close up and far away. Image from mod page Image from in-game (unmodded)

Thanks for your reply! It's set to do so - and it works fine. There are several places in the guide where Neo indicates that certain files shouldn't be installed, and other places where he indicates that certain files should be removed after the mod is installed (because you can't really remove the files until after the installation of the mod is complete). I was just pointing out to Neo that the instructions for those two mods should probably be amended to remove the files post-installation, as you can't really NOT install them, since they're locked inside the BSA until after they're extracted during the installation. :o)

A couple more installation notes (VERY minor things, really. I'm just hoping to be helpful in page maintenance - feel free to tell me to go very far away if it's more annoying than useful!): The instructions for Campfire - Complete Camping System say that we're not to install certain scripts and a DLL; but they aren't available to be tinkered with until after the BSA is unpacked during the installation (so the instructions should probably tell us to remove them afterwards). [Edit:] Ditto with Frostfall. The requests "do not install" files are not available until after the BSA is extracted. Audio Overhaul for Skyrim adds a readme folder (AOS 2.5 Read Me Files) that you would typically have us delete after the installation. Also, in several places the FOMOD instructions depict a "Next" button where the actual installer button says "Install" (See? I told you these were VERY minor things). Speaking of which, it's absolutely amazing to me that you can do something this comprehensive and complicated, and leave only these tiny little nits for people like me to pick over. Thanks for all that you do for the community at large, and for we Skyrim Revisited followers in particular.

I'd never even heard of Noble Skyrim before this - the screenshots look really great!

XP32 Maximum Skeleton Extended is now at 3.42 You know... I wonder if anyone ever actually makes it through the entire install without something having changed before they get to the bottom of the page. :o)