ACCEPTED The Ruffled Feather (By SparrowPrince)

[Xaviien]

Discussion thread:

The Ruffled Feather by SparrowPrince

Wiki Link

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Replacement all-in-one mod for:

• Enhanced Distant Terrain 2
• Enhanced Distant Terrain
• Moss Rocks
• Stalhrim of Skyrim-Fixes

as well as some others that are not included in STEP.

 

Includes an easy to use FOMOD installer updated for STEP by TechAngel85.

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Accepted for 2.2.9.1, and previous, due to the removal of the above mods from Nexus.

[TechAngel85]

Since we have full access to the mod, I'll probably be adding a "STEP Installation" option into the FOMOD that will install all of the STEP mods in two steps rather than having our users go through the entire process. Simplicity!

[Xaviien]

Since we have full access to the mod, I'll probably be adding a "STEP Installation" option into the FOMOD that will install all of the STEP mods in two steps rather than having our users go through the entire process. Simplicity!

After spending a little while trying to write out the Fomod instructions for this, nothing makes more sense than this, especially since 4 out of the first 5 options are irrelevant to STEP (I think). The recommendations page will be an absolute mess without a simple install.

 

Would it be easier to strip out the parts of the mod we don't need and have an optional STEP file on Nexus instead? I tried learning how to make/modify FOMOD and gave up fairly quickly due to not being much of a code monkey.

[TechAngel85]

No, a simple option to install the STEP recommendations will only take 15mins to code.

[Xaviien]

Do you know of a good tutorial or guide on FOMOD besides the "for dummies" one?

[EssArrBee]

No, a simple option to install the STEP recommendations will only take 15mins to code.

You should code certain parts for individual textures than for the whole folder. It would make it easier than hiding files later on and we could install it anywhere we want.

[TechAngel85]

You should code certain parts for individual textures than for the whole folder. It would make it easier than hiding files later on and we could install it anywhere we want.

That is very possible. I've downloaded the mod, just having done anything with it yet. It would seem I have a lot of tasks to do this weekend.

[Xaviien]

Some things that might help relieve your workload a tiny bit:

 

If Ruffled Feather replaces EDT2 in the install order, all conflicts seem to remain as they were, except The HD Enhanced Terrain page will need to be updated to hide /textures/terrain/noise.dds, or move HDET up the load order to before RF (which seems to be simpler.)

 

I don't see anything conflicting with QWM, is there any reason some mods are higher up the install order in STEP, other than conflicts which are shown in the MO information window?

EDT2 DB also doesn't seem to conflict with anything other than HRDLC, so could stay where it is, or move out of conflicting graphics to it's rightful place in Landscape.

 

From Terrain Bump:

• textures\landscape\fieldgrass01_n.dds <Still needs to be hidden/removed in RF, but the next 2 files are not in RF. It doesn't SEEM like any other files would need to be hidden/removed.
• textures\landscape\mountains\mountainslab01_n.dds
• textures\landscape\mountains\mountainslab02_n.dds

I have updated the mod wiki page as much as I can. I assume the esp is clean based on LOOT, it seems Lore friendly, and I'm pretty certain the textures are optimised. As always, feel free to smack me upside the head if I need it.

 

This is all based on the fact that I think RF replaces only the following:

• EDT

• EDT 2

• Moss Rocks

• Stalhrim of Skyrim

• Terrain Bump

But doesn't replace:

• EDT 2 DB
• Moss Rocks DB

 

I also installed Hairy Furry Pelts and I Hold Silver just for the hell of it. Will do a comparison some other time. It's 9am, I start work at 3pm and I haven't slept. Now is NOT the time to patch everything and fire up Skyrim

[xSJx]

I just decided yesterday that I should install skyrim since it's been a while. I was lucky enough to find out about the STEP, have been going through the 2.2.9 guide. So far so good, despite never modding skyrim at all until today. I just got to Enhanced Distant Terrain, and the link didn't work so I searched around a bit and found out it is now a part of The Ruffled Feather mod collection. I was just wondering how I would go about proceeding at this point. Seeing as how I have no idea what I'm doing, I really don't want to have to make any judgement calls and risk screwing up the process of getting STEP up and running.

 

I just double checked on the MO, it says I have "Enhanced Distant Terrain" and "Enhanced Distant Terrain 2 - Dragonborn", but I'm pretty sure that's just how it named the two files I was supposed to download from the EDT 2 page on nexus.

 

Should I just hang tight until you guys update, or is there some kind of simple workaround that a newbie like me could manage? Thanks!

 

BTW, very much appreciate the effort you guys have put into this, certainly makes it easier to get into modding when I have a detailed guide to follow.

[Nozzer66]

The Ruffled Feather is a bit of a conglomeration of mods. Not all of which are in STEP.

 

so xSJx, what I'd do in your situation is download The Ruffled Feather and install it. Have the STEP guide handy when you do and follow the suggested install options for the STEP mods that are in the package.

 

I cant see there being a huge issue that way, and LOOT should sort out the esp files fine.

 

Another option is to install just Enhanced Distant Terrain from the Ruffled Feather now, and re-run the installer again when you get to the next STEP mod that's covered by the Ruffled Feather (Moss Rocks I think that is...) 

[xSJx]

I'll make a copy of my MO profile and try messing around with it tomorrow. Thanks for the reply :)

[Xaviien]

The Ruffled Feather is a bit of a conglomeration of mods. Not all of which are in STEP.

 

so xSJx, what I'd do in your situation is download The Ruffled Feather and install it. Have the STEP guide handy when you do and follow the suggested install options for the STEP mods that are in the package.

 

I cant see there being a huge issue that way, and LOOT should sort out the esp files fine.

 

Another option is to install just Enhanced Distant Terrain from the Ruffled Feather now, and re-run the installer again when you get to the next STEP mod that's covered by the Ruffled Feather (Moss Rocks I think that is...)

The order needs to be tweaked slightly due to EDT and EDT2 being combined.

 

Easiest way for now, imo, is:

• Install HD Enhanced Terrain (mod 7 from section 2.G. Landscape & Environment) when STEP says to install Enhanced Distant Terrain 2;
• Install The Ruffled Feather. Do not select any of the options, or select None, except the following;
  • EDT
  • Moss Rocks
  • Stalhrim of Skyrim
  • Terrain Bump
• In The Ruffled Feather, hide the file textures\landscape\fieldgrass01_n.dds;
• Install Enhanced Distant Terrain 2 - Dragonborn;
• Install Moss Rocks - Dragonborn as normal when it appears in STEP.

[xSJx]

Thanks Xaviien, just finished step 4, will install moss rocks - dragonborn later.

 

Edit: I just got to terrain bump on the guide, the wiki page says:

 

hide the following files:

textures\landscape\fieldgrass01_n.dds
textures\landscape\mountains\mountainslab01_n.dds
textures\landscape\mountains\mountainslab02_n.dds

 

You already mentioned fieldgrass01_n.dds, so that is already hidden. The mountains folder isn't there at all, I'm gonna assume it's safe to not worry about hiding those since they don't exist, just wanted to clarify :P. Hopefully this works, sketches me out when I can't follow the directions exactly lol.

Edited March 2, 2015 by xSJx

[Xaviien]

Yeah, those files seem to have been removed.

 

I know exactly what you mean about wanting to follow all the instructions. Hopefully it's all clear enough for everyone to follow until the guide gets updated properly.

[xSJx]

I've benchmarked twice since following your directions, seems to have worked fine if you were wondering. Maybe add those directions to the wiki page for EDT so people have a heads up about the issues a bit later on in STEP? I'll post again after I have some more playtime, I might CTD later on, a few minutes of play time by one person isn't the best guarantee that something works, especially a newbie like me lol. Just wanted to let you know that those directions are good so far from what I can tell.

 

Thanks again for all the support.