STEP:Versioning

Step Versioning Scheme

Scheme used for official Step Game Guides

by: Step Modifications  | Forum Topic

Implemented as of Step SkyrimLE Guide v2.10.0

Major.Minor.NexusUpdate

• Major - introduce new functionality, mod groups, guide section, tools, or methods. (e.g., fundamental changes to tools or methodology, adding a new mod group, etc.)
• Minor - changes to guide mod list or tool instructions. (e.g., adding/removing/repositioning mods, significant changes to settings or methods, etc.)
• NexusUpdate - changes/fixes that impact the Nexus files and require immediate remedial action. (e.g., Patch updates, asset changes, etc.) NOTE: The third slot is no longer used in the versioning on this website as of Jan, 2023. This slot is ONLY used on Nexus to indicate a hotfix to an existing file for the Step guide with matching major/minor versioning. Past Step guides will retain the third slot in the versioning scheme.

Additionally ...

• New Step guides will always begin at 1.0 (1.0.0 on Nexus).
• A vewrsion increment to NexusUpdate will always be indicated in the Post-Release Changes section at top of the changelog of the guide with major/minor version matching the Nexus page.

No Man's Sky Exception

Since No Man's Sky is not a Bethesda game it has slightly different rules regarding incrementing Minor versions. The following will cause a minor-version increment:

• changes to guide mod list or tool instructions (e.g., adding/removing mods, switching a mod from MO installation to AMUMSS, etc.)
• changes to the game's version name (e.g., NMS:Frontiers becomes NMS:Expeditions, NMS:Sentinel becomes NMS:Outlaws, etc.)
  • Expedition updates do not trigger Minor version updates
  • Game updates without a version name change (e.g., NMS:Sentinel v3.83 to NMS:Sentinel v3.84) are updated in-place and do not increment any version numbers.
    This is due to HelloGames patch release conduct, which are quick and multiple patch releases following any major update (version name changes). It's common for these updates to happen twice a week or more, therefore these minor patch updates are handled without implementing a new guide version.

Examples

Hypothetical Step-guide version example: 6.2.(0)

• Increment of the major version from 5 to 6 brought changes to lighting, added post processing, and introduced methodological changes to the LODGen process.
• Increment of the minor version from 1 to 2 brought changes to the mod lineup, some BethINI settings, and DynDOLOD settings.
• Increment of the NexusUpdate version from 0 to 1 was due to a hotfix of select Step patches.

Nexus File/Version Maintenance

File Nomenclature

Rule: File naming & organization conventions are IDENTICAL across Game guides.

Plugin File Names

• Required Conflict Resolution (CR) Patch: Step Patch - Conflict Resolution.esx
• Optional CR patches: Step Patch - ABBR.esx
• Optional Lighting & Weather (LW) Patch: Step Patch - Lighting and Weather.esx
• Optional Post-Processing (PP) Patch: Step Patch - Post Processing.esx

Nexus File Labels

• Required Conflict Resolution (CR) Patch: Step Patch - Conflict Resolution
• Optional CR patches: Step Patch - ABBR
• Optional Lighting & Weather (LW) Patch: Step Patch - Lighting and Weather
• Optional Post-Processing (PP) Patch: Step Patch - Post Processing
• Miscellaneous files: Step WhateverThisFileIs

Rule: Nexus mod 'global' version, Nexus Main File version, and Step wiki Guide version remain in sync for any particular Guide iteration.

   Nexus mod & Guide version string (see Step Versioning)
       ONLY changes with the wiki Guide version string
       Sets the Nexus page version string until the Guide version itself is incremented
       Syntax: #.#.# (the third slot may be redundant ... see note further below)
   Nexus file label & upload archive name (these always remain in sync but for the upload archive 7z extension)
       NEVER change on updates to Nexus file
       Main File names are IDENTICAL across Game guides
       Must be unique within Nexus page/Game
       Use file descriptions (NOT file labels) to provide further info about the file. This minimizes the length of file labels.
       Match plugin nomenclature where practical
   Nexus file version string
       ALWAYS change on updates to Nexus file UNLESS it's the Main File (which is updated only with new guide release)
       Nexus appends -modID-fileVersion-Timestamp to all downloads. Adding to the uploaded file name is REDUNDANT.
       Should be unique within a Game Nexus page/Guide (but we still need to determine this ... see note further below)
       Syntax: #.#.#.ABBR (append .Update## on update; or : .#.#.# version string for things like ENB)

Examples (SSE)

Key: fileLabel | archiveName.7z | {guideVersionString}.{fileString[Version]}

Main Files

   Step Patch - Conflict Resolution    |    Step Patch - Conflict Resolution.7z    |    2.2.0

Update Files

Update Files most likely behave as Main Files, so include only changed files rather than all assets. Indicate version increment using the third slot, and DO NOT increment the global version likewise (i.e., the global and Main File versions are always in sync and only change with a new guide release). So NEVER update the Main File in place. Always add the incremented version update to Update Files, since these should always include only changed assets (e.g., the plugin is updated, and the Main File is still required).

We know this will not update the global version, but will MO flag this version? If it does, then the version must remain 2.2.0, and the 'hotfix' version in the third slot is basically redundant, since it will never change unless we want to release a new wiki guide with hotfix version increments (no way!).

   Step Patch - Conflict Resolution    |   Step Patch - Conflict Resolution.7z    |    2.2.1

Optional Files

Optional Files versions increment independent of the global version, so these are tracked by MO. Always tick the box for "This is a new version of an existing file (optional)" when updating Optional Files. This will archive the previous version without having to manually clean it up.

   Step Patch - CACO   |    Step Patch - CACO.7z   |    2.2.0.CACO
   Step Patch - CCOR   |    Step Patch - CCOR.7z   |    2.2.0.CCOR
   Step Patch - TCIY   |    Step Patch - TCIY.7z   |    2.2.0.TCIY
   Step Patch - Lighting and Weather   |    Step Patch - Lighting and Weather.7z   |    2.2.0.LW
   Step Patch - Post Processing        |    Step Patch - Post Processing.7z        |    2.2.0.PP

Miscellaneous Files

Miscellaneous Files versions increment independent of the global version, so these are tracked by MO. Always tick the box for "This is a new version of an existing file (optional)" when updating Miscellaneous Files. This will archive the previous version without having to manually clean it up. Arguably, GRASS could also be under Optional Files.

   Step ENB - Heavy          |    Step ENB - Heavy.7z          |    2.2.0.ENB.HV.0.4.0
   Step ENB - Light          |    Step ENB - Light.7z          |    2.2.0.ENB.LT.0.4.0
   Step ENB - Milk Drinker   |    Step ENB - Milk Drinker.7z   |    2.2.0.ENB.MD.0.4.0
   Step Grass          |    Step Grass.7z                |    2.2.0.GRASS