Confused about STEP installation order re: patches

[Bundy714]

I'm not new to mods and Skyrim, but I built a new PC and decided to follow STEP this time around.  This is where I get confused, STEP says to install a long list of stuff in the order presented.  My confusion is this......a lot of mods I'm told to install, have patches for other mods that are also in STEP.  At the time of installation, I haven't installed those other mods yet because I'm doing things in the STEP prescribed order.  So....do I load patches for mods that I don't have installed yet, or do I have to wait till later in the STEP process when I finally install them and then go back and get the patches?  For example Weapons and Armor Fixes, and Even Better Quest Objectives both have long lists of patches for mods that will come later in the STEP installation.  When do I do these patches?

 

Bottom line is this, is it ok to load a patch for a mod BEFORE loading the mod?  Because that is what STEP seems to be suggesting that I do.  Will BOSS sort all this mess out for me?  Or do I have to remember to go back and get patches AFTER I get to the mod in the STEP load order?

 

Forgive me if this has been asked before, I can barely ask it coherently, so it's kind of hard to search for.  STEP is a LONG process and I don't want to screw it up and have to start over.

[rootsrat]

If you will follow STEP to the letter you will be fine downloading and installing patches prior to the relevant patched mods. If you want to skip some STEP mods, the only thing is you may forgot that you installed a patch for the mod you don't want in your install.

 

BOSS will sort everything for you.

 

Just bear in mind that if you want to test your build middle installation, it may crash if you have patches for mods that are not yet installed.

[Luinithil]

Don't worry, you can go ahead and install them. Installation order usually doesn't matter for mods unless we're talking textures and meshes. All these patches are usually ESPs, unless stated they're meshes/textures; thus installation order won't matter-- only the final load order will, and that's where BOSS comes in to sort it out for you. Just don't try to load your game before you get all your mods installed and in order though, you'll definitely CTD.

 

Short version: it's okay to install patches (and run BOSS) for mods you haven't installed yet but will be installing, as long as you don't try to play the game. And of course don't install the patches for mods you won't be using.

 

 

 

Edit: LMAO, ninja'd by rootsrat!

 

 

 

MWAHAHAHA!  

-rootsrat-

[Bundy714]

AWESOME, thank you rootsrat and Luinithil. That's exactly what I needed to know. I kind of find it strange that I couldn't find anyone else asking this question. Maybe I'm the only one dumb enough to let it bother them. I have been loading a couple mods, then I'll let BOSS sort stuff and test....until I got to the situation that was bugging me, cause BOSS gives you an error message if you have a patch loaded BEFORE you've loaded the mod it's supposed to patch.

 

Thanks again, now I'm back to installing mods without worrying about messing everything up by patching too early.

 

Haha, I got an easy answer to my problem, so I'm off to continue loading STEP and the NEXUS is down, lmao.  Par for the course.  Hopefully it won't be down long.

[rootsrat]

Marked as solved, nice and easy :)