STEP:ModGroup Flowchart

This document describes the methodology that Step Curators should use to maximize consistency in categorizing mods into ModGroups. Since ModGroups serve a strategic purpose in determining prioritization of changes introduced by mods in addition to serving as a logical tactic for associating like-purposed mods, consistency of grouping mods across games is critically important. Although it is not foolproof, we believe it eliminates much of the subjectivity otherwise introduced. Please ask Staff or another Curator if a second opinion is needed for a given mod.

Select Terms & Definitions

The following terms are defined here to provide context needed for consistency in classifying mods into ModGroups. Whenever one of these terms is used in this document, recall these definitions.

Assets: Files, folders, or other digital media for use by or in support of a Game or a Mod
Mod: New or altered Assets that: 1) affect a change to OR 2) extend the functionality of ...a Game or another Mod
Content: Rendered Game elements, entities, or constructs observable to the player while playing the Game.
Programmatic Change: An automated change implemented with code or script interpreted by the game, another application, or another mod (i.e., via plugin, DLL, or potentially other methods) rather than by replacement of an existing non-programmatic Asset.

Quick Reference

Mod Group	Current Description	Proposed Description	Current Question	Proposed Question
01-Tools	Standalone applications that aid in the management of the modding process	N/A	Is the 'mod' really a standalone application that aids in the management of the modding process?	N/A
02-Extenders	Mods that expand on the inherent functionality of a game or another mod without themselves affecting content	N/A	Does the mod expand on the inherent functionality of the game or another mod without itself affecting content?	N/A
03-Resources	Mods solely providing assets intended specifically for use by other mods without themselves affecting content	N/A	Does the mod solely provide assets intended specifically for use by another mod(s) without itself affecting content?	N/A
04-Foundation	Baseline mods that should be overridden by other mods AND/OR that make widely-accepted programmatic changes expected by other mods	N/A	N/A	N/A
05-Animation and Physics	Mods that affect animations or physics	N/A	Does the mod affect any animations (character movement) or physics (graphic effects)?	N/A
06-Models and Textures	Mods that replace existing models or textures	N/A	Does the mod solely replace existing models or textures?	N/A
07-Sounds and Music	Mods that affect sounds or music	N/A	Does the mod only affect game audio (music, sounds, voices, etc.)?	N/A
08-Character Appearance	Mods that affect the appearance of the player character or NPCs	N/A	Does the mod affect any aspect of the player character or NPCs appearance without solely replacing models or textures?	N/A
09-Fixes	Mods have a programmatic component that fixes various bugs and/or inconsistencies	N/A	Does the mod fix or correct an inconsistency without solely replacing models or textures?	N/A
10-Gameplay-General	Mods that affect general or multiple gameplay mechanics	N/A	N/A	N/A
11-Gameplay-AI and Combat	Mods that affect AI, stats, or combat mechanics of NPCs	N/A	Does the mod alter AI, combat, or NPC behavior?, or Does the mod add new armor or weapons?	N/A
12-Gameplay-Economy	Mods that affect currency, rewards, values, rates, or any other economy-related mechanics	N/A	Does the mod alter game currency, rewards, values, rates, or other economy-related mechanics?	N/A
13-Gameplay-Immersion	Mods that help to improve game immersion and role-playing scenarios	N/A	Is the mod meant specifically and exclusively to improve immersion or role-playing scenarios?, or Does the mod add new accessories or clothing?	N/A
14-Gameplay-Quests	Mods that alter aspects of quests and/or related lore	N/A	Does the mod alter aspects of quests and/or quest-related dialog or lore?	N/A
15-Gameplay-Skills and Perks	Mods that affect the player character's or NPC skills and perks or related leveling	N/A	Does the mod alter player or NPC skills and perks or related leveling?	N/A
16-Interface	Mods that affect any aspect of the user interface	N/A	Does the mod affect the user interface content in any way?	N/A
17-Locations	Mods that programmatically add new or alter vanilla locations	N/A	Does the mod add new locations and/or alter vanilla locations without solely replacing models or textures?	N/A
18-Lighting and Weather	Mods that affect lighting and/or weather systems *installation is optional*	N/A	N/A	N/A
19-Utilities	Mods that generate derived mod output from load-order-specific assets	N/A	Does the mod generate load-order-specific output that will itself be used as a mod or a game/mod resource?	N/A
20-Patches	Mods that programmatically resolve load-order conflicts	N/A	Does the mod only resolve incompatibilities between other mods?	N/A
21-Post-processing	Mods that affect post-processing graphics *installation is optional*	N/A	N/A	N/A

ModGroup Assignment

Exceptional ModGroups

04-Foundation This ModGroup is reserved for mods that should be installed early and overridden by downstream mods or for mods that need to be installed early because of downstream mod requirements. These are mods that typically include large-scale model/texture overhauls OR mods that make broad, sweeping changes that tend to be effectively 'forwarded', adopted, or included in many other more specialized mods; hence, these mods are considered the "foundation" or "baseline" of the mod list. For these reasons this ModGroup is not included in the flowchart. Placement into this ModGroup is often determined by conflicts discovered during guide development that cannot be easily resolved without patching or via significant asset conflict resolution.

18-Lighting and Weather Because lighting (and often weather by proxy) is highly subjective, this ModGroup is optional for installation by the user. The primary purpose of this ModGroup is to alter aspects of the game's lighting and/or weather systems. Regardless of what other ModGroup(s) may apply, a mod belongs here if it edits these specific systems. This allows lighting of any Step build to remain compatible with user preference.

21-Post-Processing Similar to Lighting and Weather, this ModGroup is optional. Unlike Lighting and Weather, mods that relate to post processing should not necessarily be placed into this ModGroup. Only mods that require post-processing to work properly should be grouped here. Mods that work without post-processing but have post-processing options, like Realistic Water Two, should be sorted using the flowchart below.

Gameplay ModGroups 'Gameplay' alterations can take a great many forms and mods that impact gameplay and can make content changes that overlap significantly with content changes made by other ModGroups. These mods often include scripts or other programmatic game assets (e.g., plugins) and often rely on mods installed/loaded upstream. For our purposes, "Gameplay" mods are mods that programmatically alter content in terms of affecting specific vanilla gameplay 'mechanics' (e.g., a quest line) or gameplay mechanics of a specific gameplay regime (e.g., crafting, economy, etc.). Another use case are mods that solely add new content. For these reasons, mods that affect gameplay should be sorted independently using the Gameplay Flowchart.

Sorting Rules

Alphabetization Rule Unless another rule applies, mods within a given ModGroup are sorted alphabetically (0-9, A-Z).
New Content Rule Mods that solely add new content not present in the vanilla game, should be placed within the applicable Gameplay ModGroup.
"Yes" Rule Using the flowchart, sort the mod into the first ModGroup where "yes" is the answer.

Sorting-Rule Deviation

Sorting deviations are desirable ONLY to maximize efficiency for Curators or users without compromising efficiency for either. The following deviations are acceptable:

Deviate from the Alphabetization Rule to minimize conflict resolution and support a desired outcome.
Deviate from the "Yes" Rule to support downstream mod requirements when default sorting 'breaks' one or more requirements:
1. Sort the mod into the second ModGroup where "Yes" is the answer. Never go beyond this to a third "Yes".
2. As a last resort add the mod to 04-Foundation.

Non-Gameplay Mod Flowchart

Only mods that don't impact gameplay should be considered in this sorting process. For gameplay mod sorting, see the next flowchart. Starting from the top of the flowchart, read each question and think carefully about the mod being sorted.

Gameplay mod filter
Does the mod solely add new content not present in the vanilla game, and
Is the mod's primary purpose to change some aspect of the way the game is played or how content is interpreted?
Yes STOP use the Gameplay Flowchart.
No

Tools
Is the 'mod' really a standalone application that aids in the management of the modding process?
(e.g., Mod Organizer, LOOT, BethINI, etc.)
Yes add to 01-Tools
No

Utilities
Does the mod generate load-order-specific output that will itself be used as a mod or a game/mod resource?
(e.g., FNIS, Nemesis, No Grass In Objects, etc.)
Yes add to 19-Utilities
No

Extenders
Does the mod expand on the inherent functionality of the game or another mod without itself affecting content?
(e.g., SKSE, .NET Framework, Papyrus, etc.)
Yes add to 02-Extenders
No

Resources
Does the mod solely provide assets intended specifically for use by another mod(s) without itself affecting content?
Yes add to 03-Resources
No

Animations & Physics
Does the mod affect any animations (character movement) or physics (graphic effects)?
Models and textures do not apply to this ModGroup UNLESS animations are also present.
Yes add to 05-Animations & Physics
No

Locations
Does the mod add new locations and/or alter vanilla locations without solely replacing models or textures?
Yes add to 17-Locations
No

Sounds and Music
Does the mod only affect game audio (music, sounds, voices, etc.)?
Yes add to 07-Sounds and Music
No

Character Appearance
Does the mod affect any aspect of the player character or NPCs appearance without solely replacing models or textures?
Yes add to 08-Character Appearance
No

Fixes
Does the mod fix or correct an inconsistency without solely replacing models or textures?
Yes add to 09-Fixes
No

Interface
Does the mod affect the user interface content in any way?
(HUD mods, minigames, maps, etc.)?
Yes add to 16-Interface
No

Patches
Does the mod only resolve incompatibilities between other mods?
Yes add to 20-Patches
No

Models and Textures
Does the mod solely replace existing models or textures?
Yes add to 06-Models and Textures
No

Gameplay Mod Flowchart

Only gameplay mods should be entered into the following sorting process. Starting from the top of the flowchart, read each question and think carefully about the mod being sorted. Observe the following rules for this flowchart:

Mod that add new content should always follow the "Yes" Rule with respect to the new content ONLY.
If a mod is known to associate with > 1 of the gameplay ModGroups and does NOT add new content, place it into 10-Gamplay-General.

Gameplay-Skills and Perks
Does the mod alter player or NPC skills and perks or related leveling?
Yes add to 15-Gameplay-Skills and Perks
No

Gameplay-AI and Combat
Does the mod alter AI, combat, or NPC behavior?, or
Does the mod add new armor or weapons?
Yes add to 11-Gameplay-AI and Combat
No

Gameplay-Economy
Does the mod alter game currency, rewards, values, rates, or other economy-related mechanics?
Yes add to 12-Gameplay-Economy
No

Gameplay-Quests
Does the mod alter aspects of quests and/or quest-related dialog or lore?
Yes add to 14-Gameplay-Quests
No

Gameplay-Immersion
Is the mod meant specifically and exclusively to improve immersion or role-playing scenarios?, or
Does the mod add new accessories or clothing?
Yes add to 13-Gameplay-Immersion
No

Gameplay-General
Reserved for game-play mods that don't fit well into any (or too many) of the preceding Gameplay ModGroups. Verify that is the case for the mod(s) in question before adding to this ModGroup!

Resources