Feeling a bit overwhelmed here

[Dovahkiin]

I'd generally advise against installing onto an external drive any system files such as Steam. The same would probably apply with the games as well. Since you're using MO there is an easier way to keep storage problems under control. In MO's settings point the 'Mods' storage to your external drive, or your largest internal drive.

 

I have 3 drives, 2 SSD's @240Gb and a HDD@2Tb. I have a ton of games installed and all the mods from all the guides hosted here on STEP installed and stored and I am nowhere near getting close to a drive limit.

All my downloads and game mods are on the HDD and Steam, MO and all my games are on a SSD.

 

OK, so I install Steam, MO, TES5Edit, Skyrim, Loot, WryeBash onto my computer (not under //C:) and direct MO's mod storage onto the external HD (1000Gb should be enough) OR to another place on my computer (also not //C:). 

[Dovahkiin]

Reading the requirements, I'm afraid I currently do not have the system specs. :'(

GPU-Vram = 1GB. Installing S.T.E.P.-Core later, when my system can actually deal with it, is that possible? I mean installing the Core-Mods into an excisting savegame, which already has a few gameplay-mods (as many as my system can take, possibly even a few textures). Of course, only Mods that work with Step:Core.

[Dovahkiin]

Apologies for the triple-post.

 

I just realised I haven't got the 

 

 

Skyrim: High Resolution Texture Pack (Free DLC)

Released: 7 Feb, 2012

 

 

Do I need to install it, even though it's long surpassed by mods?

[TechAngel85]

There are still hundreds of textures not covered by mods, so if you want higher quality vanilla textures install it.

[Dovahkiin]

There are still hundreds of textures not covered by mods, so if you want higher quality vanilla textures install it.

Ok, thanks.

 

A question concerning MO and profiles.

 

Since my system is currently not compatible with STEP (don't meet the requirements), could I download the mods required for S.T.E.P.: CORE into a profile, of course without changing Skyrim's ini files and then, when I have a good graphics card and processor (and whatever else I need concerning hardware), change the .ini files and activate those mods step by step? Or would that break my game? I would not use the STEP-Profile for anything before meeting the system requirements and making the INI file changes. 

 

(Regarding the ini-file changes: could someone point me to a step-by-step instruction to create those ini tweaks as a mini-mod (which I would then load into the STEP Profile). Its just that I don't want to have to delete my characters for other profiles (because I will play the game before I can properly start with STEP) because I am assuming those ini tweaks lead to a CTD when not combined with STEP?

At least that is the only explanation we could find for my friends game CTD-ing at the loading screen when she launched the game without any mods but the tweaks. Of course, neither of us is particularly well versed in computer things so it's entirely possible we missed something.)

 

What I mean to ask - and apologies that it was so long winded - can those ini tweaks break my game when I use them without the STEP-Setup? What if I don't like a mod that builds the STEP:Core? Is it all right if I do not install those that I really don't like? (I can't imagine there will be many if indeed any STEP: Core Mods I do not want to install though)

 

 

EDIT: when I want to ask whether someone knows about a Mod's compatibility with STEP, do I post it in the subforum "Mods"? I am thinking of creating a Thread called "Do you know whether this Mod is compatible with STEP?" I would (and will, as soon as my system can handle STEP) test those mods myself but it would be great to collect them in one thread either way. If such a thread already exists...I did not find it. Might very well be my internet, it has behaved oddly these days.

Edited October 9, 2016 by Dovahkiin

[TechAngel85]

You might just try installing STEP:Core with the lowest quality options available for the mods that have options. This will likely get you playing the game. I would recommend running BethINI to sort out your INIs and choose either the Medium or Low profile when it comes to that step.

 

Our specs are to get you playing the game at 1920x1080 on High to Ultra settings with a base of 1K-2K textures. I would recommend you installing with no more than a 1K base were possible. I also recommend using the Performance version of the STEP Optimized Vanilla Textures and the Normal version of the STEP Compilation, when you get to those steps.

[TechAngel85]

Updated post above...

[LordOfLA]

Tony's Optimised textures are superior to the HRDLC - I would install those and not the hrdlc. Get them at https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/57353/?

[Dovahkiin]

Thank you @TechAngel, I will try this. Can I later - after playing x hours/day/whatever - update the texture quality options  without corrupting my save games? Meaning I deinstall them (including), then re-download and re-install higher quality textures? When I choose BethIni, I won't need to manually change the files, right? Would be no problem, just checking.

 

 

Tony's Optimised textures are superior to the HRDLC - I would install those and not the hrdlc. Get them at https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/57353/?

Thank you.

[TechAngel85]

Yes, you can update textures at any time without issues. So if you find you're running okay with 1K textures, you might be able to bump a few up to 2K. Remember that landscape textures will have a larger effect on performance than other things like clutter.

 

No manual editing required. You can do all your editing inside of BethINI, if you need to change anything. Usually after selecting the desired preset, there is no need to edit any further unless there are just a few custom things you like to set.

If you install Tony's texture, you can skip the STEP Optimized Vanilla Textures and replace them with one of Tony's choices.

[Dovahkiin]

Yes, you can update textures at any time without issues. So if you find you're running okay with 1K textures, you might be able to bump a few up to 2K. Remember that landscape textures will have a larger effect on performance than other things like clutter.

 

No manual editing required. You can do all your editing inside of BethINI, if you need to change anything. Usually after selecting the desired preset, there is no need to edit any further unless there are just a few custom things you like to set.

If you install Tony's texture, you can skip the STEP Optimized Vanilla Textures and replace them with one of Tony's choices.

Good to know. Thank you :)

 

I think I made two mistakes:

1) I did the Skyrim.ini- and SkyrimPrefs.ini- Tweaks (and enblocal.ini, too) already (I thought I had to install BethIni afterwards, alongside mod installation)

2) ...er...I did download Skyrim Performance Editor, but I never ran it (don't know why, I was probably a bit too tired to really do this

-Can I fix those mistakes without reinstalling skyrim?

 

 

3) not a mistake...yet. But: PapyrusUtil...I read a few times while browsing (another topic, not papyrus logging and stuff), that Papyrus logging was actually dangerous and should not be done and on the PapyrusUtil nexus page, theres a warning that only advanced TES users should use it. I am probably being paranoid, but is it really safe to install?

 

 

EDIT:

And another question (did not install any mods yet): Natural Eyes. They look great, but I still prefer Xenius' Eyes...can I install Xenius' Eyes instead of Narutal Eyes? Like with Tony's texture, where I can skip the STEP Optimized Vanilla Textures?

Edited October 12, 2016 by Dovahkiin

[Dovahkiin]

Sorry, double post again :/

 

If I skip STEP Optimized Textures in favour of Tony's Textures, should I skip the High Res DLC and the Unofficial High Res Patch? I assume they ARE needed, but I wanted to check before installing.

 

Another thing...the Main Menu...is it normal, that I get this information:

 

first, in white font:

 

 

ENBSeries 0.308 for TES Skyrim

visit site for updates, users configs

and other modifications:

https://enbdev.com

Copyright © 2007-2016 Boris Vorontsov

 

current videoadapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750

 

 

then, in red font:

 

 

PATCH SPEEDHACK ENBoost turned on in enblocal.ini, graphic modification disabled

 

 

I am currently not using an ENB

Edited October 12, 2016 by Dovahkiin

[TechAngel85]

That text you get from the main menu is normal.

 

Just install and run BethINI instead of doing the INI Tweaks. It's redundant to do both. Don't run BethINI through MO. MO should be closed when you run it.

 

You don't really need Skyrim Performance Monitor unless you're needing to keep an eye on things like CPU/GPU usage, RAM usage, etc.

 

PapyrusUtils is perfectly safe and needed for DynDOLOD. Logging is something completely different and not necessary.

 

You can replace Natural Eyes with any eye texture replacer. They're just textures.

 

Unless Tony incorporated the HRDLC and UHRP, you should still get them.

[Dovahkiin]

@TechAngel85: Thank you again for your help.And goo to know- thought the text was appearing because I did something wrong.

 

I installed BethIni now - so far everything runs fine. Up to the main menu- have not tested further.

 

I will install PapyrusUtil then, thank you for the clarification.

 

Ok, will double check whether it's needed and then install if it is ;-)

 

STEP Extended means all mods that are not included in the Core, with the Packs (as far as I understood it, always optional?) combining mods that have been tested with STEP and each other, right? Meaning if I want a mod that is not included in any pack it has not been tested yet, is not safe to use or simply not compatible with STEP/redundant because STEP:Core includes it's changes.

Edited October 13, 2016 by Dovahkiin

[TechAngel85]

STEP:Extended is the entirety of the Guide...meaning that you install all mods in the Guide in the order they are listed. Packs are not part of STEP:Extended. They are separate mod guides which are, or should, run on top of either STEP:Core or STEP:Extended.