Modding Skyrim on Mac

[Ossuras]

Hello everyone, I've been having some issues modding on my mac. So far i've been able to install a number of mods onto my game successfully. However there are a number of mods which i have not been able to install (ex. Coverwomen, SkyHair, and UNP base bodies) I've noticed a trend with these files that i am not able to install, as whenever i un RAR them they do not contain an ESP file, which is my primary way of plugging the mod into the game. I'm not quite sure what to do, as i'm missing out on a number of mods i'd really like. Any advise as to how i should proceed would be greatly appreciated. :confused: Edited February 22, 2012 by Ossuras

[MShoap13]

These mods are simple resource replacers and belong under the \Skyrim\Data\ folder.

 

Any textures belong under \Skyrim\Data\textures\ and any meshes belong under \Skyrim\Data\meshes\. Most mods should come prepackaged with the proper file structure from this point on, as the game looks for specific resources, that are named specifically, in a specific place. The game's vanilla resources are all packed (with their file structure in-tact) in the .bsa archives (Bethesda Softworks Archives). Any time a replacer texture or mesh is present in the classical file structure though, it should choose to use them instead of the resources packed in the archives.

[Ossuras]

But that's the thing, i have these textures and meshes all in their according folders within the data file, but no difference in game (as if it's not even reading them?) All of them are DDS files without an EPS or an ESM. the only thing i can think of working now is putting in every single DDS into my plugins.txt file. And I'm not even sure if that will work :confused:

[MShoap13]

That won't work.

 

However, there may be a relevant config setting.

 

In Skyrim.ini under the [Launcher] heading add this line:

bLoadLooseFiles=1 

 

It must be capitalized properly and under the correct header of the correct Skyrim.ini. On Windows this .ini is stored at \My Documents\My Games\Skyrim\ and I'm pretty confident it's in a similar place on Mac though I can't confirm this for sure.

[Ossuras]

That won't work.

 

However, there may be a relevant config setting.

 

In Skyrim.ini under the [Launcher] heading add this line:

bLoadLooseFiles=1 

 

It must be capitalized properly and under the correct header of the correct Skyrim.ini. On Windows this .ini is stored at \My Documents\My Games\Skyrim\ and I'm pretty confident it's in a similar place on Mac though I can't confirm this for sure.

 

I'll give it a shoot and let you know how it works! :happy:

[Ossuras]

(Please excuse my double posting)

 

But i believe i've found the correct ini file...within my program files i found a file that went >My Documents> My Games> Skyrim > and within that file i found Skyrim.INI (ini in caps.) i pulled it up in text edit and here's what was inside line for line:

 

[General]

sLanguage=ENGLISH

 

uExterior Cell Buffer=36

 

[Display]

fShadowLODMaxStartFade=1000.0

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=2000.0

fLightLODMaxStartFade=3500.0

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

bAllowScreenshot=1

 

[Audio]

fMusicDuckingSeconds=6.0

fMusicUnDuckingSeconds=8.0

fMenuModeFadeOutTime=3.0

fMenuModeFadeInTime=1.0

 

[Grass]

bAllowCreateGrass=1

bAllowLoadGrass=0

 

[GeneralWarnings]

SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

 

[Archive]

sResourceArchiveList=Skyrim - Misc.bsa, Skyrim - Shaders.bsa, Skyrim - Textures.bsa, Skyrim - Interface.bsa, Skyrim - Animations.bsa, Skyrim - Meshes.bsa, Skyrim - Sounds.bsa

sResourceArchiveList2=Skyrim - Voices.bsa, Skyrim - VoicesExtra.bsa

 

[Combat]

fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0

fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0

 

[Papyrus]

fPostLoadUpdateTimeMS=500.0

bEnableLogging=0

bEnableTrace=0

bLoadDebugInformation=0

 

-----------------

 

Is this the correct ini file i'm looking for? and if so it is locked, but i assume unlocking it and putting in that line of code shouldn't effect any other settings?

 

EDIT: accutally i found another ini file in that same directory labeled SkyrimPrefs.ini and it contains a [launcher] heading within in it unlike this one, is that the correct one or this one?

Edited February 22, 2012 by Ossuras

[MShoap13]

I'm sorry, it belongs in SkyrimPrefs.ini, not Skyrim.ini. It should be located in the same folder.

 

You may want to lock it again after altering it as these configs have a tendency to "repair" themselves (at least on Vista and 7, I'm on XP so I haven't experienced this, and I'm not sure about Mac).

 

Here's a snippet of my config file:

 

[TerrainManager]
fTreeLoadDistance=75000
fBlockMaximumDistance=250000
fBlockLevel1Distance=70000
fBlockLevel0Distance=35000
fSplitDistanceMult=1.5
bShowLODInEditor=0

[blurShaderHDR]
bDoHighDynamicRange=1

[blurShader]
bUseBlurShader=0

[Launcher]
bShowAllResolutions=1
uLastAspectRatio=3
bEnableFileSelection=1
bLoadLooseFiles=1

[Water]
iWaterReflectHeight=512
iWaterReflectWidth=512
bUseWaterDisplacements=1
bUseWaterRefractions=1
bUseWaterReflections=1
bUseWaterDepth=1

 

Edited February 22, 2012 by MShoap13

[Ossuras]

Arrgh...that ini text file is the exact same as mine so i know it's in the right place...made sure code is case sensitive and locked the file afterwards...nothing still on those textures and meshes...is there anything else i can try? :confused: :wacko: Edited February 22, 2012 by Ossuras

[MShoap13]

I just googled a very basic guide (only pertinent thing I could find) about modding Skyrim on Mac, and it has no special directions regarding replacer textures and recommends them, so they must work.

 

Link

 

You did unzip the texture replacers correct?

Edited February 22, 2012 by MShoap13

[Ossuras]

*sigh*...i've triple checked everything and it SHOULD work. I guess i'll have to re-install those texture files and figure why out they're not being applied...anyway, thanks for your help though mate :happy: , kudos to you.