Automatic Variants patcher settings for MO

[redirishlord]

I'm creating an Automatic Variants skyproc patch from within Mod Organizer, but I'm not sure the appropriate settings to select in the patcher, specifically; use base as variant, move files, exclusive zones. I have encountered missing textures on horses in the Helgen intro, but am not sure which setting is the culprit.

 

Anyone have experience with this and insight into which I should select?

[DoubleYou]

Automatic Variants and Mod Organizer are a tough beast. We probably ought to write a guide between the two.

 

Reinstall the texture packages you used in AV and rerun it and it should be fixed.

[redirishlord]

Thanks for the tip, but I'm still confused.

Do you know if I should be checking the box (inside the AV patcher) to use the base texture as a variant? checking the box to relocate the files (the AV pop up description seems to allude to "no" for MO, but doesn't say so directly)? selecting the drop down for no zones/zones okay/exclusive zones?

As for "reinstalling", I have the texture packages as mods in the left pane of MO and "checked" making them active/installed. Should I be using Windows to navigate my MO diretories and relocating these textures somewhere (like from the overwrite directory to my "overwrite mod" folder or to the original texture mod folder within MO, or are you referring to moving files within the <skyrimdata> folder)?

Sorry for my confusion, my brain may be full as I am a first time MO user just switching over from BAIN.

[EssArrBee]

Does SR or SRLE still use AV? Those pages might have MO instructions on them.

[redirishlord]

SRLE gave skins to enable / disable and I followed that. My primary concern is whether selecting exclusive zones would cause missing texture or CTD, and if I should have the patcher move the textures (default) or not (possibly appropriate for "mod managers") or if I should be doing that my self (which was DoubleYou's suggestion if I understand correctly) and if moving them myself - where to?

[Judassem]

Sorry for resurrecting this thread but I have the same question. What is the prodecure if I want to add Automatic Variants on top of my STEP setup, using Mod Organizer?

[hishutup]

I thinks its better to resurrect a thread rather than create a new one because history and previous testings.

Hmm, basically the same as DSR in almost every aspect.

You'll download and installing AV and several (or however many you want) AV packages.

 

After doing so, I start AV through MO  and look through all the files and disable any textures I don't like and ones that don't display. 

I don't know if the textures are bugged or something but some textures refuse to display in the image preview thing. 

Is it bad, I don't know...

I hate the odd purple textures that are added by some packages.

 

Last, close the program or click patch.

 

There was a problem with the old versions so I don't know if its still around but the mod esp will break because it can't properly check to see if it needs updating.

So always check the little box in the corner next to the cancel button.

The side effect is purple animals... Which means missing textures

 

Does this answer your question?

[koumooo]

I want to add my two cents here. I;ve toyed a lot with using Automatic variants within Mod organizer, for use with multiple profiles, and I believe I've found a very good way of doing it, that:   Makes it possible to have as many A.v. profiles as you like.   Takes up minimal space on disk as you use the power of hardlinking   Leaves you with a very manageable mod order even if you have multiple  (I have 6!!) profiles.Detailed instructions.   Download the latest automatic variants file and install it as a mod in ModOrganizer   IF you want to have multiple profiles, now or in the future give it a name linking it to your current ModOrganizer Profile. Say "Automatic Variants STEP-Extended"   Download the 3 core AV texture packages and Install all 3 of them in a DIFFERENT mod. Lets call this "AV Core Textures". You will need to merge them when M.O. asks you what to do. It is critical not to put the Core AV textures along with the main mod, as stated in the 2nd step of this guide. you wan to treat hem as any other texture packs, and separate the core mod itself is less than 10MBs of space..   Download any other Texture Packs and install each of them in a separate Mod (or maybe all of them in one mod named "AV Extra Textures"A) As you know you will need to run the AV Skyproc patcher to generate the patch itself, so add the executable of this particular AV mod ( as you remember we called it "Automatic Variants STEP-Extended".B) Run it. Pick the textures you want. take note that it is extremely important that you follow the mod-authors instructions on running under M.O. When you are in the patcher, choose "Texture Variants" on the left, then choose the "Other Settings" at the bottom. Then Uncheck "Move Package Files". With that box unchecked AV will create Hard Links, effectively making the file be two (or more, 4,5,6,,,) places at once.C) Make sure that the "Automatic Variants STEP-Extended", and all the Texture Pack Mods are checked as active in M.O ( otherwise the patcher, wil not see them.)D) Then run the patcher as normal. pick what Skin textures you want ( I leave out some funky pink mammoths :p) It will run and  create the necessary files in the overwrite folder. Right click, choose "create new mod", and give it a descriptive name, linking it to your profile, say "A.V.- STEP Profile - Overwite"E) Put that new mod in your load order, at this point it should be dead last, and definitely after the generator mod, aka "Automatic Variants STEP-Extended". You are done.F) now you can disable the texture packages themselves,to lighten the clutter in your  however if you do that and you want to run the patcher again you will need to activate them.Advantages:You can have as many patched collections as you need , and they wont take extra space on Disk, as the patcher will create harlinks to the original textures located in the textPack mods. These are windows hardlinks, and so even if you have these TextPacks disabled in the future ( not erased!!!) wehn Mod organizer Loads it virtual file system, it will read the hardlinks from the Active "A.V. - Profile X- Overwrite' mod, and present them to Skyrim to use normally.I currently have 6 such profiles, each taking between 1 and 2,3 GBs of space  seemingly, while in reality  space used on disk is just the 2,3 GBs of the TextPack Mods themselves.You can deactivate the text pack mods for a less cluttered Left panel in M.O.Improvements / hacks:A) If you are adamant you are not going to use some of the skin textures in any of your AV patches, you can prune them out BEFORE running the patcher. they will never show up, and you wont have to deactivate them all the time.B) If you check the "generator mod, aka ""Automatic Variants STEP-Extended"', you'll notice it creates the Overwite mod and puts most useful things in there. The onyl things that are potentially of use in game are the two .pex scripts in the "Scripts" folder. Everything else is just Readme's the jar that creates the mod and its blocklist , aka things skyrim will not use. So you can create a new Pseudo-mod in M.O.  named  "A.V. Scripts" containing ONLY a folder named "Scripts", with the 2 pex files in it. activate it and keep it active in all the profiles you want to have A.V. This way you can deactivate the "generator" mod, along with the textPack' mods. 

[Judassem]

 

-snip- 

Sorry for the late reply. I have been tinkering with my modlist to reach an ultimate setup.

 

I have done everything as you said; I've even used the same names you recommended for my mods packs :D However, there seems to be a weird problem. You say we can deactivate the texture packs from the left pane after Automatic Variants Patcher is done with them. When I did so, and launched Skyrim, everything went downhill at the cart ride. That cart ride turned into the wildest rollercoaster ride imaginable. Together with my cart-mates, we were ALL OVER the place. And we finally reached Helgen, we stopped at a wrong place and nobody (including me) could move.

 

So I exited the game, then loaded a game that was saved before installing Automatic Variants (exactly the same mod setup, but no Automatic Variants were used in that game). It loaded successfully and I was able to make my way through dragon-blasted Helgen.

 

Then, I thought maybe there was a problem with my Automatic Variants setup, and started searching the net. I found this topic

 

https://forum.step-project.com/topic/3489-thank-you-step-automatic-variants-and-other-problems/

 

There, DoubleYou recommends keeping the Automatic Variants texture packs active anyway. So I activated the texture packs, started the game and voila! The cart ride returns to its normal track.

 

Now, before jumping to any conclusions, I must say that I haven't thoroughly tested this occurence. Maybe there was something else interfering with that cart ride, but for now, it seems like the culprit is the deactivated Automatic Variants texture packs.

 

For reference, here is my load order:

 

Active Mod Files:

00  Skyrim.esm01  Update.esm02  Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]03  Dawnguard.esm04  Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]05  HearthFires.esm06  Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]07  Dragonborn.esm08  Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]09  Skyrim Project Optimization - Full Version.esm0A  Falskaar.esm0B  Wyrmstooth.esp  [Version 1.11]0C  ETaC - RESOURCES.esm0D  JSwords.esm  [Version 1.4]0E  Lanterns Of Skyrim - All In One - Main.esm0F  WinterholdDestruction.esm10  SkyMoMod.esm11  ORS_SolitudeGate.esm12  ORS_MorthalPain.esm13  ClimatesOfTamriel.esm14  mannyDragonhead.esm15  mannyBlackRock.esm16  Cutting Room Floor.esp  [Version 1.0.9]17  Auto Unequip Ammo.esp18  ShootingStars.esp19  SplashofRain.esp1A  83Willows_101BUGS_V4_LowRes.esp1B  ORM-Arvak.esp1C  ClamsDropPearls.esp1D  Nausicaa's Tweaker.esp1E  Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp1F  Animated Weapon Enchants.esp20  Soul Gems Differ.esp21  BetterQuestObjectives-Hearthfire.esp22  Beards.esp23  ClimatesOfTamriel Falskaar.esp24  mintylightningmod.esp25  DawnguardRuneWeaponsFXSReplacer.esp26  Brows.esp27  BFSEffects.esp28  DeadlyDragons.esp29  Dead Body Collision.esp2A  ClimatesOfTamriel-Dragonborn-Patch.esp2B  CoT-WeatherPatch_DB.esp2C  DragonShoutVoice.esp++  Traps Make Noise.esp2D  Dual Wield Parrying_SKSE.esp2E  EnhancedLightsandFX.esp2F  3DNPC.esp  [Version 3.06.9]30  ETaC - Complete.esp31  Weapons & Armor_FasterArrows.esp32  Elemental Staves.esp33  Ghosu - Weapon Pack 1.esp34  Convenient Horses.esp35  Chesko_LoreBasedLoadingScreens.esp36  CoT-WeatherPatch.esp37  Supreme Storms - Cot Version.esp38  CoT-WeatherPatch_SupStorms.esp39  Lock Overhaul.esp3A  MintyLightningMod_COT_Patch.esp3B  RaceMenu.esp3C  Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp3D  Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp3E  Moss Rocks.esp3F  Moss Rocks_DB.esp40  Paralyze.esp41  SkyUI.esp42  TradeBarter.esp43  Dual Sheath Redux.esp44  Footprints.esp45  Footprints - Ash.esp46  WWW.esp47  RaceMenuPlugin.esp48  Rainbows.esp49  RealisticRoomRental.esp4A  SMDropLitTorch.esp4B  UnreadBooksGlow.esp  [Version 2.2.0]4C  Weapons & Armor_TrueOrcish&DaedricWeapons.esp4D  ADS.esp4E  Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp4F  Radiant and Unique Potions Poisons and Booze.esp50  CollegeOfWinterholdImmersive.esp51  ETaC - Complete ELFX Patch.esp52  ETaC - Dragon Bridge South.esp53  Prometheus_No_snow_Under_the_roof.esp  [Version 2.3]54  RRR_ELFX-Patch.esp55  ExpandedWinterholdRuins.esp56  Skyrim Immersive Creatures.esp  [Version v6.5.2a]57  ExplosiveBoltsVisualized.esp58  Distant DetailHF.esp59  SkyFalls + SkyMills + DG + DB + FS + WT.esp5A  ETaC - Complete EWDR Patch.esp5B  SkyrimCoinReplacerRedux.esp5C  Bring Out Your Dead.esp  [Version 1.2.7]5D  BetterQuestObjectives.esp5E  Thieves Guild Requirements.esp5F  BetterQuestObjectives-PersidRRentalPatch.esp60  NonEssentialChildren.esp61  REGS - Better Docks.esp62  BFT Ships and Carriages.esp63  RBB - REGS Merge.esp64  RealisticWaterTwo - Waves - Falskaar.esp65  Skyrim Immersive Creatures - DLC2.esp  [Version v6.5.2a]66  Immersive Whiterun.esp67  MoonAndStar_MAS.esp68  ETaC - Complete LoS Patch.esp69  Immersive Solstheim.esp6A  Sky Haven Temple M&M3.esp6B  Hebrock_Der Schatten von Meresis - EV.esp6C  JKs Windhelm.esp  [Version 1.2b]6D  JKs Solitude.esp  [Version 1.2]6E  NoxUE2.00.esp6F  NerniesCityandVillageExpansion.esp70  Oblivion Gates v3 without Markers - Skyrim + Dawnguard DLC.esp71  BetterDGEntrance.esp  [Version 1.0]72  BetterQuestObjectives-Dawnguard.esp73  ETaC - Complete NSutR Patch.esp74  Inconsequential NPCs.esp75  Inconsequential NPCs - CRF Compatibility Patch.esp76  TheChoiceIsYours.esp  [Version 1.4]77  JKs Whiterun.esp  [Version 1.1]78  SDO Full-LOD - Waterfall Effects.esp79  Point The Way.esp  [Version 1.0.3]7A  RealisticWaterTwo.esp7B  RealisticWaterTwo - Falskaar.esp7C  HearthfireChimneysFalskaar.esp7D  CWIDawnDragonPatch.esp7E  ORS_DremoraUpdate.esp7F  WetandCold.esp80  AOS.esp81  ClimatesOfTamriel-Dawnguard-Patch.esp82  ExpandedSnowSystems-CoT.esp83  CoT-WeatherPatch_ESS.esp84  IHSS.esp85  DeadlySpellImpacts.esp86  AOS2_CoT3_1_patch.esp87  WetandCold - Ashes.esp88  When Vampires Attack.esp  [Version 2.0.3]89  aMidianBorn_ContentAddon.esp8A  Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp8B  RealisticWaterTwo - Wyrmstooth.esp8C  Immersive Weapons.esp8D  SBF All In One + DLC.esp8E  WeaponsArmorFixes_ImmersiveWeapons_Patch.esp8F  Lore Weapon Expansion.esp  [Version 1.3]90  Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp91  1nivWICCloaks.esp  [Version 2.3]92  RealisticWaterTwo - Legendary.esp93  Inconsequential NPCs - Enhancement.esp94  Nightingale Hall.esp95  Improved Closefaced Helmets_Legendary.esp96  Inigo.esp97  Run For Your Lives.esp  [Version 2.0.3]98  Understone Keep Repair.esp99  DawnofRiften.esp9A  ORS_ChaptersLinker.esp9B  Immersive Orc Strongholds.esp9C  UniqueBorderGates-All.esp9D  RRR_3DNPC-Patch.esp9E  CCO_SIC_Patch.esp9F  dD - Enhanced Blood Main.espA0  Improved Combat Sounds v2.2.espA1  dD-DG-DB-MM-SiC EBT Patch.espA2  fFastTravelSpeedMult_4.esp  [Version 1.0]A3  iHUD.espA4  quest_nomercy.espA5  JKs Markarth.esp  [Version 1]A6  Immersive Patrols II.espA7  SFO - Dragonborn.espA8  JSwordsDistributionBalancePlugin.esp  [Version 1.4]A9  LostLongSwords.espAA  SkyrimImprovedPuddles-DG-HF-DB.esp  [Version 1.1]AB  SDO Full-LOD - Whiterun Trundra Creeks.espAC  tos_laintardale_hf.espAD  randomthunder.espAE  quest_seaofghosts.espAF  JKs Whiterun exterior.esp  [Version 1.1]B0  tos_amber_guard.espB1  ETaC - Complete CRF Patch.espB2  SPTConsistentOlderPeople.esp  [Version 2.2]B3  CWINPCImprovements.espB4  ETaC - Complete BFT Patch.espB5  tos_granitehall.espB6  Provincial Courier Service.esp  [Version 1.2.4]B7  RealisticWaterTwo - Waves - Wyrmstooth.espB8  ETaC - Falskaar Patch.espB9  quest_pitfighter.espBA  Morning Fogs.esp  [Version 1.0]BB  Skyrim Flora Overhaul.espBC  Better City Entrances - No Whiterun.espBD  Snowbound Acres.espBE  AesirArmor.espBF  REGS Patch - Riften NavFull.espC0  quest_andtherealmsofdaedra.espC1  ETaC - Complete ORS Patch.espC2  REGS Patch - 3DNPC.espC3  REGS Patch - NSutR + RRR.espC4  UniqueBorderGates-All-BetterDGEntrance.espC5  ETaC - Whiterun CRF Patch.espC6  PilgrimsDelight.espC7  The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp  [Version 1.2.8]C8  REGS Patch - STEP Extended.espC9  HearthfireChimneys - ETaC.espCA  Windhelm Lighthouse.espCB  PP_OgmundsTomb.espCC  high hrothgar overhaul.espCD  BlockSparkles.espCE  Gildergreen Regrown.esp  [Version 1.2.6]CF  SDO Full-LOD - Giant Campfires.espD0  Hell Sword.espD1  Prometheus_NSUTR Falskaar Dock.esp  [Version 2.3]D2  TheChoiceIsYours_Dawnguard.espD3  UniqueBorderGates-All-PointTheWay.espD4  Apple garden.espD5  PP_WindcallerPass.espD6  quest_pitfighter_dlc01.espD7  Medusa and Drakul Armors.espD8  My Home Is Your Home.espD9  Chesko_Step418_SN.espDA  Contractor Armor.espDB  RBB - Row Boats - Hearthfire Hotfix.espDC  Mavari Armor.espDD  STEP Extended Patch.esp  [Version 2.2.9]DE  Bashed Patch, 0.espDF  Automatic Variants.espE0  Dual Sheath Redux Patch.esp

[DoubleYou]

Boy that thread was a long time ago! But I sorta doubt that was causing the cart issues. Did you make some shadow tweaks like I also mentioned on that thread? If so, that might have helped it. Bumpy cart rides can be caused by low fps, and lowering shadows should give more resources, so that would improve your cart ride.

[Judassem]

Boy that thread was a long time ago! But I sorta doubt that was causing the cart issues. Did you make some shadow tweaks like I also mentioned on that thread? If so, that might have helped it. Bumpy cart rides can be caused by low fps, and lowering shadows should give more resources, so that would improve your cart ride.

Nope, I didn't touch anything about the shadow settings. They are what they were before I installed AV. And more frustratingly, I can now confirm that problem is related to activating the AV texture packs in MO. As soon as I deactivate them, the cart ride turns into "weeeeee I'm all over Skyrim dude!!1!1!!". When I activate them again, everything turns normal. Also, this time the cart ride didn't end at all. We sommersaulted into the sky and stayed that way for at least 3 minutes. Then I Alt+F4'd the game.It's really weird, though. What do some textures have to do with a totally scripted event? With nothing but a few NPCs and horses?

[DoubleYou]

Are you sure you didn't accidentally put something besides textures into those folders?

 

Shot in the dark, perhaps this could be caused by hard disk fragmentation???

 

But then, I haven't used Automatic Variants in awhile, so it might do things differently than I remember.