By gsgun: How to use Skyrim Textures Optimizer and Mods Complex Optimizer with MO

[wolverine2710]

Originally gsguns posted this in the Nexus MO forum. So that this discussion will not get buried on the nexus forums I created the question here and will respond to it here. I've edited the question very slightly and only removed the ATTK part of the question. gsgun wrote:

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I need help trying to use Skyrim Textures Optimizer , Mods Complex Optimizer with this.

 

How can I use these two mods to optimize my mods that have been installed through Mod Organizer. I can't seem to find textures and meshes paths to place in Texture Optimizer, it's all virtual.

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Not sure what you mean with 'it's all virtual.' In principe an external program should find its data in the /data directory, see below Just browse to here.

 

Two solutions and I suggest using solution 1 because imho its easier.

 

Solution 1

Skyrim Textures Optimizer (STO) , Mods Complex Optimizer (MCO) are standalone windows programs. All MO mods are in directory /mods. Each mod is a directory. If you want to optimize a mod select in STO/MCO this mod/directory and optimize. You could also optimize all mods at once BUT I should do them one by one (much safer).

 

Solution2

When a program is started by MO it sees the virtual filing system of MO. The VFS combines the normal /data directory and all mods you have activated in MO into one. In effect an external program thinks it operates on the normal /data directory.  If you want to see what is exposed to an external program use Free Commander. An explanation can be found here . Almost certainly the files which are compressed by STO/MCO end up in the 'overwrite' directory. A good explanation can be found here.

 

Tannin said on  on 04 February 2013 the following:

 

Personally I wouldn't want the textures from many mods to be placed in the overwrite directory. My suggestion right now if you want to use a texture optimizer would probably be:

a) Ensure overwrite is empty

b) create a new profile

c) activate only one texture mod

d) run the optimizer

e) move the textures from overwrite to the mod directory

f) deactivate the mod and activate another

g) goto d)

 

As an alternative, activate all texture mods you want to optimize at once, run the optimizer, move the textures from overwrite to a new mod (called optimized textures or something) then reinstall the mods. Of course the new mod needs higher priority than the other mods. This way is probably faster but you can't disable individual texture mods anymore.

 

I've tried to be concise. If you need more information please use 'view forum thread' in the Nexus MO forum and search for the words VFS and/or Optimizer. This will result in quite a few very relevant posts. If you have additional questions feel free to ask.

 

Edit: corrected url links.

[johnnyboy88]

That's just overly complicated.

 

Just point the texture optimizer to the mod folder in the mod install directory. Don't even bother running it through MO.

[Aiyen]

Yeah... kinda amazed how complicated you can make a process so simple sound lol! Solution one kinda sums it all up.

 

Why it would even be a problem to begin with is beyond me... all textures etc. are in the mods folder.. you can use all these programs directly on those. Guess there just are some people that think everything need to be run though MO when it does not.

[Tannin]

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That's just overly complicated.

 

Just point the texture optimizer to the mod folder in the mod install directory. Don't even bother running it through MO.

If Texture Optimizer (which I have only ever touched once half a year ago) works like this (recursing through all mod folders), then this is the way to go. The only thing that speaks against that is that you have no control over which mods get optimized, even mods that aren't active would be optimized but I guess that makes little difference..

[deathneko11]

i'm personally all for the idea of just pointing the optimizer to the specific textures that need optimization, and doing it one mod at a time.

 

takes longer but this way you have better control over the stuff that really NEEDS it and also won't accidentally optimize or compress textures that will make everything look funny (such as compressed skin textures, BAD IDEA)