STEP:ModGroup Flowchart
Mod Groups
Mod Group | Current Description | Proposed Description |
---|---|---|
01-Tools | Standalone applications that aid in the management of the modding process | Helper applications that aid in the management of the modding process |
02-Extenders | Mods that expand on the inherent functionality of a game or another mod without themselves affecting content | Applications or mods that extend the game engine or mechanics |
03-Resources | Mods solely providing assets intended specifically for use by other mods without themselves affecting content | Applications or mods that provide additional functions or resources used by other mods |
04-Foundation | Baseline mods that should be overridden by other mods AND/OR that make widely-accepted programmatic changes expected by other mods | Mods with high conflict rates that should be overridden by other mods |
05-Animations & |
Mods that alter animations or physics | |
06-Models & Textures | Mods that replace existing models or textures | Mods that alter materials, models, textures, or shaders |
07-Sounds & Music | Mods that add or alter game audio | |
08-Character Appearance | Mods that affect the appearance of the player character or NPCs | Mods that add or alter any aspects of player or NPC appearance |
09-Fixes | Mods have a programmatic component that fixes various bugs and/or inconsistencies | Mods that fix various bugs and/or inconsistencies |
10-Gameplay-General | Mods that affect general or multiple gameplay mechanics | Mods that add or alter gameplay mechanics |
11-Gameplay-AI & Combat | Mods that alter AI, combat mechanics, or NPC stats | |
12-Gameplay-Economy | Mods that affect currency, rewards, values, rates, or any other economy-related mechanics | Mods that alter currency, rewards, values, rates or any other economy-related mechanics |
13-Gameplay-Immersion | Mods that help to improve game immersion and role-playing scenarios | No changes proposed |
14-Gameplay-Quests | Mods that alter aspects of quests and/or related lore | No changes proposed |
15-Gameplay-Skills & Perks | Mods that alter player or NPC skills and perks or related leveling | |
16-Interface | Mods that affect any aspect of the user interface | No changes proposed |
17-Locations | Mods that programmatically add new or alter vanilla locations | No changes proposed |
18-Lighting & Weather | Mods that affect lighting and/or weather systems **installation is optional** | Optional mod group that alters lighting and/or weather systems |
19-Utilities | Mods that generate derived mod output from load-order-specific assets | Tools used to aid in the creation or management of vanilla or load-order-specific assets DynDOLOD (and possibly others) fit this, so we may need to move this one up/down in the flow chart below. ~z929669 Talk 17:45, July 27, 2021 (UTC) |
20-Patches | Mods that programmatically resolve load-order conflicts | Mods that resolve incompatibilities between mods |
21- Post-Processing |
Mods that perform or contribute to post-processing visual enhancement |
Mod Group Sorting Flowchart
Following this flowchart will result in mods being filtered into the correct ModGroups, irrespective of the guide Curator.
Foundation Group
04-Foundation is reserved for mods that should be installed early so that they can be overridden by downstream mods. Hence, these mods are considered the "foundation" of the mod list and are not included in the flowchart. These mods are typically large model or texture overhauls. This ModGroup may include mods having conflicts discovered during guide development that cannot be easily resolved by correct ModGroup placement without patching. In other words, this ModGroup can be treated as a 'catch-all' in certain edge cases.
Lighting and Weather Group
18-Lighting & Weather is designed to be an optional mod group, meaning users should be able to choose whether or not to install the mods within the Group. Mods included within this group primary purpose is to alter aspects of the game's lighting and/or weather systems. Thus, if a mod edits these systems, they should automatically be placed within the Lighting & Weather group, regardless of other groups they may fit into. Since lighting and weather is such a subjective topic, the goal is to allow users the option of using the Guide's mods or installing their own personal choices.
ENB Group
21-ENB is also designed to be an optional mod group, meaning users should be able to choose whether or not to install the mods within the Group. Mods included within this group primary purpose is to aid or enhance ENBSeries. The only mods that should be sorted within this group are those that require ENB to work; thus, they are entirely "ENB mods". Mods that work without ENB, but have ENB options should be sorted using the flowchart below.
NOTE
Starting from the top, with 04-Foundation being the only exception, a mod belongs in the first ModGroup having applicable criteria. A given mod may alternatively be placed into the next applicable ModGroup ONLY to resolve edge-case conflicts.Tools
Is the mod a helper application used in the modding process?
Yes add to 01-Tools
No
Extenders
Does the mod extend a game mechanic without adding content to the game?
Yes add to 02-Extenders
No
Resources
Does the mod extend other mods or provide resources solely for use by other mods without adding content to the game directly?
Yes add to 03-Resources
No
Animations & Physics
Does the mod add or alter animations (character movement) or physics (graphic effects, NOT models/textures)?
Yes add to 05-Animations & Physics
No
Locations
Moved up, due to some mods that could otherwise be first included into one of the 'earlier' groups ~z929669 Talk 17:45, July 27, 2021 (UTC)
Does the mod add new locations and/or alter vanilla locations without solely using models and/or textures?
Yes add to 17-Locations
No
Utilities
Moved up, due to some mods that could otherwise be first included into one of the 'earlier' groups ~z929669 Talk 17:45, July 27, 2021 (UTC)
Is the mod a tool that aids in the creation or management of in-game content?
Yes add to 19-Utilities
No
Sounds & Music
Does the mod add or alter only game audio (music, sounds, voices, etc.)?
Yes add to 07-Sounds & Music
No
Character Appearance
Does the mod add or alter any aspects of the player character and/or NPCs (NOT armor/clothing and/or models/textures)?
Animals, creatures, etc. are not considered NPCs.
Yes add to 08-Character Appearance
No
Fixes
Does the mod fix or correct anything without solely using models and/or textures?
Yes add to 09-Fixes
No
Interface
Does the mod change the UI (HUD, minigames, map, etc.) without solely using models and/or textures?
Yes add to 16-Interface
No
Patches
Does the mod only resolve incompatibilities between other mods?
Yes add to 20-Patches
No
Models & Textures
Is the mod adding new or altering vanilla models, shaders, or textures?
Yes add to 06-Models & Textures
No
Gameplay Groups
By this point users should have completely filtered out any mods that aren't strictly game-play-altering mods. Mods filtered into the Gameplay ModGroups should only effect aspects of various game-play mechanics. These mods often include scripts or rely on mods installed/loaded upstream.
Order matters below, and I wonder if some of these might need to be reordered in cases where mods fit into two groups.~z929669 Talk 17:45, July 27, 2021 (UTC)
- If it fits in two or more it goes in General. TechAngel85
Gameplay-Skills & Perks
Should this be above AI/Combat? ~z929669 Talk 17:45, July 27, 2021 (UTC)
Not sure why...they are completely different, but it would be fine there if it's confusing for some reason.
I think I know where the confusion could be here so I've moved it up. TechAngel85
Does the mod alter player or NPC skills and perks or related leveling?
Yes add to 15-Gameplay-Skills & Perks
No
Gameplay-AI & Combat
Does the mod alter AI, combat, or NPC behavior?
Yes add to 11-Gameplay-AI & 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?
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!