STEP Guide 2.0 for use with non-AE 1.6xx SSE

[joober]

So I currently use non-AE, 1.6xx Skyrim Special Edition. I believe this comment left by @easyrider1988 is the correct process for reverting the guide for use with regular SSE. (I had to take a snip of it and attach it; it wouldn't take me back to the source for some reason. It was left on page 2 of Feedback and Bug Reports for v2.00)

I'm currently in the process of doing this, but I also wanted to ask a bit about the STEP Patches and what they aim to accomplish.

What types of conflicts do the STEP Patches resolve that cannot be also done through the various mod patches that solve their own respective conflicts? Is the CR Patch mainly for the CC content found in the new edition, or is there also a large focus on general compatibility and polish that one can't find elsewhere?

This is my first attempt at a large modding setup, and I'm still learning about managing all the nitty gritty stuff like compatibility, so I'd greatly appreciate some clarification here. Thanks so much for your hard work!

 

[z929669]

First off, if you never backed up your 1.5.97 SSE prior to Nov 11, 2021, this is the process you should use to do so. you should also understand the game versions.

Historically and presently, the Step Patches essentially do three things:

1. Forward changes from the USSEP for plugins from mods we use that fail to do so (these mods change from guide to guide)
2. Fix plugin issues in mods that we use (mostly for mods that may not be up to current standards as known today)
3. Resolve conflicts among plugins from mods that we use

The Step Patches are therefore essential for a stable and trouble-free game when installing a Step guide. Anyone can do this patching for any mod list (within reason), but it requires a lot of knowledge about the mods being used, what they do, and how they do it ... not to mention some level of proficiency with xEdit and rudimentary understanding of how to save plugins in the CK, compress plugins, and flag plugins as ESL/M where necessary. There is a ton of room for error, so patching a lengthy plugin/mod list will result in a trade-off of issues if you don't know what you are doing. Our patches are constructed by hand (not using Smashed, Bashed, or Merged Patches tools), because automated tools never do the job without committing some errors (either qualitative or quantitative), so even with such tools, there is inevitably some validation and manual labor involved.

Why do you want to revert to 1.5.97 exactly? I can tell you for certain, that this will be much harder a game to mod, as all guides I know of are essentially more/less 'broken' for this version without implementing some deviations and doing some novel work not mentioned by these guides. It's far simpler to stick with the latest version of SSE (1.6.xxx).

My advice would be to follow our SAE guide linked in the top nav. If for whatever reason you don't want to spend $20 on the Anniversary Upgrade DLC, then all you will need to do is remove the inapplicable CC masters and records from our patch. Everything else will just work and no further plugin work will be necessary. There may even be a topic around here for user-user support for doing this (our staff don't officially support it, since we have plenty to do just maintaining and supporting our official guides.

I created a topic for those that want to assist one another in modding SAE without the Anniversary Upgrade. Please post your questions there and maybe knowledgeable community members will contribute.

[DoubleYou]

There are additional items included in the Step Patches besides mentioned above. You can examine the plugin to see all the changes, but it is somewhat more than just conflict resolution. 

[joober]

Okay, sorry, I realize now that the Anniversary Edition is not necessarily a name for the paid upgrade. I don't plan to revert to 1.5.97, only to use the current Anniversary Update version without purchasing the upgrade, so I'm fine with running 1.6.353.

Understood, I absolutely want to take advantage of that kind of work done for the patches, and I will make sure to get them working. And thanks for making that topic. It will be very helpful to many in the future.

Thanks for the replies!

[z929669]

38 minutes ago, joober said:

Okay, sorry, I realize now that the Anniversary Edition is not necessarily a name for the paid upgrade. I don't plan to revert to 1.5.97, only to use the current Anniversary Update version without purchasing the upgrade, so I'm fine with running 1.6.353.

Understood, I absolutely want to take advantage of that kind of work done for the patches, and I will make sure to get them working. And thanks for making that topic. It will be very helpful to many in the future.

Thanks for the replies!

This is why I included the game versions link above.

Since you have 1.6.xxx, why not upgrade to the full AE for reduced price of $20?

Isn't the avoidance of the hours of work you will inevitably put in trying to learn how to reconfigure our patches worth $20? I find this position very curious (and not uncommon).

[joober]

4 hours ago, z929669 said:

Since you have 1.6.xxx, why not upgrade to the full AE for reduced price of $20?

Isn't the avoidance of the hours of work you will inevitably put in trying to learn how to reconfigure our patches worth $20? I find this position very curious (and not uncommon).

Well, if you wouldn't mind helping me out there too: I've just been skeptical from all the Steam reviews and such that claim the upgrade broke their game. Does the upgrade make the game any less mod-friendly than the 1.6 update that is already out for everyone? I would expect that the update itself, which is already available to all, would be the largest challenge for modders, not the DLC's additions, but I wanted to make sure before I purchase.

I know it's not the people's favorite update in general, so it might mostly be exaggeration and drama.

Also, would the use of something like the Anniversary Content Picker cause any problems with the STEP patches?

Edited March 23, 2022 by joober

[z929669]

14 minutes ago, joober said:

Well, if you wouldn't mind helping me out there too: I've just been skeptical from all the Steam reviews and such that claim the upgrade broke their game. Does the upgrade make the game any less mod-friendly than the 1.6 update that is already out for everyone? I would expect that the update itself, which is already available to all, would be the largest challenge for modders, not the DLC's additions, but I wanted to make sure before I purchase.

I know it's not the people's favorite update in general, so it might mostly be exaggeration and drama.

Also, would the use of something like the Anniversary Content Picker cause any problems with the STEP patches?

The update to SSE 1.6.xx from 1.5.97 is what broke things. This is because the code base version changed and deprecated many engine-level mods (e.g., SKSE-related and the like). The AE CC DLC content doesn't 'break' anything. They are just officially-provided mods from the Creation Club like any mod on the Nexus but validated by Bethesda as being content they thought was appropriate to offer at the source.

If you are debating running 1.6.xxx vs 1.5.97, we encourage you to let Bethesda update your game. That's the future of modding, and staying behind is harder and will grow even harder over time. If you upgrade, we recommend grabbing the Anniversary Upgrade CC DLC as well if you can afford the $20. They are good additions that fit the vanilla game by definition. What you don't like will inevitably be corrected by mods now and in the future.

Then you can run our 2.0.0 guide and have a SSE build better than any previous Step build and likely as good or better than any other vanilla-friendly SAE mod build. Then you can expound upon this as desired. Far less work and allows you to mod at a reasonable pace to pick up the knowledge.

I would recommend not using the mod you linked. It will very likely cause issues with the Step build, but IDK. We don't use it.

[joober]

5 hours ago, z929669 said:

The update to SSE 1.6.xx from 1.5.97 is what broke things. This is because the code base version changed and deprecated many engine-level mods (e.g., SKSE-related and the like). The AE CC DLC content doesn't 'break' anything. They are just officially-provided mods from the Creation Club like any mod on the Nexus but validated by Bethesda as being content they thought was appropriate to offer at the source.

If you are debating running 1.6.xxx vs 1.5.97, we encourage you to let Bethesda update your game. That's the future of modding, and staying behind is harder and will grow even harder over time. If you upgrade, we recommend grabbing the Anniversary Upgrade CC DLC as well if you can afford the $20. They are good additions that fit the vanilla game by definition. What you don't like will inevitably be corrected by mods now and in the future.

Then you can run our 2.0.0 guide and have a SSE build better than any previous Step build and likely as good or better than any other vanilla-friendly SAE mod build. Then you can expound upon this as desired. Far less work and allows you to mod at a reasonable pace to pick up the knowledge.

I would recommend not using the mod you linked. It will very likely cause issues with the Step build, but IDK. We don't use it.

Alrighty. Thanks for the info, I'll go ahead and grab the upgrade. I fully looked over the list of content it adds for the first time and I'm a fan. Thanks again.