doveman

Looking again I see it is indeed empty. I was looking at the installed folder and saw weapons/elven/shield in there but I presume that comes from one of the other parts.

Yeah, sorry you're right, it seem I'd messed up installing the Weapons part properly. Looking at the download, there is a 07 - Elven folder but this isn't presented as an option by the installer, so I presume it gets installed by default.

Ah, thanks.

Ah got it, thanks :)

https://wiki.step-project.com/Oblivion_Gates "STEP Recommends: Base install of this mod without add-on texture pack and the "without markers" ESP." So does "without add-on texture pack" mean the optional "Models with Speculars enabled" because if so it would be clearer to say that? If the "without markers" version is recommend, it would be better grammar to write it this way round "Base install of this mod using the "without markers" ESP. Don't use the optional "Models with Speculars enabled" download", as currently it reads as if to say NOT to use the "without markers" ESP.

OK but what is this MCM menu? It's not something I see in Mod Organiser.

https://wiki.step-project.com/Weapon_%26_Armor_Fixes "If using the aMidianBorn Skyforge Weapons component of Book of Silence, Improved Closefaced Helmets, and Guard Dialogue Overhaul, use the "Multi-Mod Compatibility Patch" is a bit confusing, as the last two of those don't have any Weapons component. Perhaps it would be clearer to re-arrange the order to say "If using Improved Closefaced Helmets, Guard Dialogue Overhaul and the Weapons component of Book of Silence, use the "Multi-Mod Compatibility Patch""

What does this mean "but do not click "start mod" in the MCM options"? https://wiki.step-project.com/Trade_%26_Barter

The note here https://wiki.step-project.com/Book_of_Silence doesn't specify that all three parts should be downloaded, so it might be useful to say that. Seems the Weapons part no longer has the Elven component recommended either. I guess this is why we have Elven Weapons for Silence mod now, so the note just needs updating. EDIT: As the note also says "There is a conflict with Guard Dialogue Overhaul and the aMidianborn Skyforge Weapons ESP" I presume the latter is meant to be part of Book of Silence. However, after installing it as recommended, there is no such file and BOSS says "WeaponsArmorFixes_MultiMod_DLCPatch.esp ActiveError: aMidianborn_Skyforge_Weapons.esp is not present or is not active. Skyrim will CTD when loading if using this file without aMidianborn_Skyforge_Weapons"

I'm a bit confused by the instructions for this. It suggests using Mod Organiser (which I do) but then says "IMPORTANT: After installation of all mods, run "GenerateFNISForUsers.exe". Now, when using MO the mods aren't really installed (in the Skyrim folder), they get installed virtually at runtime, so if this exe needs all the other mods installed first to work on, then this isn't going to work. If it doesn't, then saying to run it "After installation of all mods" is redundant. EDIT: Also it says "Users only need to run Fore's New Idles for Skyrim if also using the Maximum Skeleton, or other mods that support/require Fore's New Idles. For STEP, this applies to Dual Sheath Redux, which will be installed downstream of this mod. Disregard this mod if that mod will not also be used." Should that not say "if those mods are not used" as there appear to be two (Maximum Skeleton and Dual Sheath Redux) which require FNIS?

Having just updated, installing "Even Better Quest Objectives" I've had a nasty feeling I misunderstood the Merge/Replace option in Mod Organiser and used Replace when installing STEP before, which I now understand completely deletes the existing files and just installs the new ones, rather than just replacing any existing files. If this is what I did, then obviously any mods with optionals will be completely screwed up, so I need to go through and reinstall those mods. Going through STEP, it looks like these are the mods that have optionals/patches: Skill Interface (I installed the Dawnguard patch as a separate mod though, so won't need to reinstall this) Not Another Colored Map Icon Mod Serious HD (from the size of the folder, 857MB, I can see I must have used Merge correctly on this one) Tobe's Hi-Res Textures (again, I installed the SMIM patch separately, so this one's OK) Lanterns Of Skyrim (I'd actually not installed any optional for this, so the main file was intact) Realistic Mushrooms (I'd done this one correctly) Birds & Flocks (this is OK too) Footprints (I hadn't installed the Ash Supplemental, so needed to add this) Better Male Feet (This one I had screwed up by replacing the main files with the Dawnguard patch. Just as I was starting to think I'd actually installed everything using Merge!) Book of Silence (is a bit confusing as it says "also install all available optional files" but there aren't any shown on it's page, just Armour and Weapons. I needed to update it to 1.5 anyway. Also, only the Armour mod offers the suggested "Elven Gold" if I select Custom, so I assume for Weapons we're meant to leave it on "Install all"?) Explosive Bolts Visualized (seems to be OK) Closer Quivers & Longer Arrows (reinstalled to be sure but it doesn't offer a Closer Bolts or Explosive Bolts Visualised options as suggested for Dawnguard users in the Detailed Instructions) Weapon De-LARP Project (seems OK) Greatsword Sheaths & Scabbards (needed reinstalling) Improved Closefaced Helmets (OK) Ultimate HD Torch (OK) Better Turn Animation (OK) Burn Freeze & Shock Effects (OK) Enhanced Blood (OK) No Spinning Death Animation (OK) Ultimate HD Fire Effects (needed to install SMIM patch) Silly Level of Detail-Wine Cellar (needed to install optional) More Salt Please (Dragonborn patch installed separately) The Choice is Yours (Dawnguard patch installed separately) Traps Make Noise (optional installed separately) So I think I've got them all sorted now but if there's anything I've overlooked please let me know. I've learnt from this that it makes life easier (certainly easier to check things anyway) if I install any optionals as separate mods, because Mod Organiser will just overwrite the files on the fly if necessary. Certainly with the Dawnguard and other DLC patches it makes sense to have them installed separately, as then I can easily modify the MO profile to share it with a friend who might not have the DLC.

Thanks, I think that should help :)

OK, thanks. It was just a bit confusing as that page appears to be just patches rather than mods but I guess it's more of a patched mod! Perhaps a note to explain that it links to a patched version of the mod might help avoid confusion?

In section J, STEP links to Warmer Magic Lights with this link https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/26230 but that goes to Sharlikrans Compatibility Patches. STEP recommends the normal version but the only thing on this page is "Warmer Magic Lights v2 Compatibility Patches". I assume this was a typo and it should link to https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/4419 although that doesn't have a Normal version eitherÂ

I said I "just unpack manually into the MO folder". Not sure where he got the idea I unpack into the Data folder from.

That's just silly, there's loads of features of MO that I use and benefit from even with manually unpacking. Yeah, Mod Organizer. You don't install into the Data directory with MO, but into Mod Organizer/mods/modname. Oh yeah. I knew this once and used it before for several mods but totally forgot about this, so thanks for the reminder :)

OK, thanks I'll see how it goes with XCE then.

I don't use any installers, just unpack manually into the MO folder.

Are these other mods you use available in performance versions? If so, perhaps you could let me know what they are and I'll try those instead of XCE.

Ah, in that case it needs the green (FPS) removing from the guide.

As with SMIM, XCE doesn't really give any instructions on how to install the performance version. Could someone clarify please?

Yeah sorry, I thought the filename just said SMM. I'm using the manual version, so I don't get that option for half-size textures, although I'm sure they're in there if you know where to look.

I'm not sure what to install for the performance version of SMM. Should it just be the Core folder?

OK thanks, I'll get him to try 16x AF and 8x if necessary. He'll be playing at 1366x768 (his TV's native res).

Yeah, 4770 is pretty low end. Probably was mid-range when he bought it! You may be right that RCRN, with it's postprocessing, will be too much for it though and I don't want to be changing mods again once he's re-started the game, having read and been terrified by the troubleshooting guide. Probably RLwC and standalone SMAA will be best for him but if the SMAA dll can't be chained with the antilag dll (assuming the latter's useful) it'll have to be RLwC and ingame FXAA. I thought AF probably did have some performance impact. It's certainly a lot less than AA in my experience, but I have a good card so I don't know what it's like on a low-end card. He can experiment with AF I guess as it won't mess up the game, which changing mods can.