Adding Follower mods causes no mods to load

[primem0ver]

Uh... Is it a problem with mods not loading or a problem with a save game? Stuff gets locked into the game via save game, an short of a MCM script for it, it won't change until a new game is started. I mentioned Skyedit because it will display messages as the whole order loads. Cause in the title it says "causes mods not to load" If you don't like me or what I say, that's fine, but we can keep trying to fix it anyway. :D

 

it has nothing to do with liking you or not liking you. If I didn't like you I would have been much more curt (less patient) in my PM. It has everything to do with the fact that you really don't seem very familiar with how the game actually works or with troubleshooting that is relevant to a particular problem. This is simply an observation based on advise you have given. Another observation is that you seem to be young. Not sure. Just a guess. That is not a bad thing. Everyone starts somewhere. But I would really like to encourage you to learn more about how the game works and the tools available (and how they work) before giving advice you aren't qualified to give.

 

I have a background in programming and several years experience, including working with games. So a correction to your post:

 

Nothing is locked in a save game. The programmer can choose to save whatever he wants in a save game. This is what makes SKSE saves possible. It is normally easy to add mods without a hitch. It is possible to successfully remove mods without a hitch as well. The only time this does not occur is if there is no programming provided by a mod programmer or a lack of following correct procedure by a mod user for a specific situation. For example, if a mod programmer creates a mod that does not provide cleanup functionality for uninstallation or a gamer does not follow the correct procedure for uninstalling a particular mod, a script that has been attached to an object can be left behind when a mod is uninstalled. Since the mod is no longer functioning, the script can refer to things that no longer exist. Or call a function that has been replaced by another function (during the reordering of mods). This is where things "glitch out" as you say.

 

Now... to answer your question on what is happening (again... more clearly).

The problem is not with the save game. There has only been one in my test game. The problem is that something is occurring in the mod load process that causes the process to completely fail without crashing the game. Usually in programming when a process fails, it returns a fail code so that a programmer can provide functionality for different situations. The fail code in this case prevents ANY mods from loading. In such a case, it looks like the game only loads Skyrim.esm and Update.esm. It doesn't even load any of the official expansions. I own all 3 and all 3 are set to load.

 

So when SKSE runs its initialization code it only detects two loaded modules: Skyrim and Update and that is all it reports.

 

I have never seen this behavior before and so far no one else who has read this post has either. At least not that they have reported. Until someone who has experienced this reads this post, I am stuck. About the only thing I can do is disable mods that are likely interfering (which only consists of a few). The other thing I might do is try testing my theory regarding resource overload. I can do this using a working game and adding a bunch of different mods that have hair and eye resources. But that will take some time. I am hoping someone will have an answer more quickly.

Edited January 28, 2015 by primem0ver

[KimberJ]

I worked in diagnosis in my trade, but became disabled. I'm 37 an spent the last 6 years working exclusively with gamebyro. I started with data entry an testing. Then manipulating meshes in nifscope, mostly weapons. I did tech support an trouble shooting back then, but cause of my mental problems I pretty much have trouble with everything. After the first release of a mod, (cause it was kind of thrown together) I just got into development an experiments. Then building an failing things. Editing things to work together an learning. Doing crazy stuff never been done before, but not clean an mixed up too much or unfinished/polished. At some point I spent 1,700 hours making armors, but at the time did a bunch of data entry to. Injured my wrist an the whole arm hurt, so I spent the last year just playing games, an thinking more about development itself. Cause I couldn't really play games with a injured arm. Skyrim didn't have 3rd party tools to really do anything with it, so I just played it after I realized just how much we need all that. I messed with it sure, but decided to wait on the tools. Whatever I said was based on everything we learned after Fallout 3 launched, then New Vegas, then skyrim, an then this last whole month building a 150ish list of mods an getting it to work. Though currently I'm struggling with the idea of moving to setting up a studio an relearning using pro tools *burp* along with the stuff on CK Offical Webpage mostly workflow additions to the SKD or the papyrus additions to obscript. *burp* there's more, but I tried to make it short. u get the idea though.

 

There is a limit to the amount of mods you can load, an that will cause flaky odd problems. Save games used after something is changed can go flaky. Overwriting saves an so on. It's always been a problem. Anyway, the first thing to do when there's a problem is to duplicate it. Then start a new game because it will rule out the save game as a potential cause. I'm only speaking of what we know in the real world usage of Bethesda games. Sure it's adopted to Skyrim, an creation engine now, but it wasn't changed that much. Further, the easy thing to do would be not to use the mod, because it's obviously broken the rest of the mods. That could happen for any number of reasons, maybe it's outdated, corrupt, or the download went corrupt. It's possible, but follower mods is pretty much the follower overhawl, commentary overhawl, an then pick a group overhawl that changes all or many of them. Just saying, you could have just gotten a mod that there's a better version or more well developed version of. Also, since it's a weird problem, most of the really werid stuff is caused from either having too many mods, or a bunch of deactivated mods in the load order (cause it's in the data folder) The games flake out an go landmine. Save games also cause that, so there's really only 3 causes for the really weird stuff. Hope it helps.

 

If it's the .esp itself, you can always run it thru the CK, just set it active an load it, then look at the prompts, hit yes, or retry, unless there's one that notes a major problem, sometimes it will autofix things. You could also run Loot but cancel the sorting, which still generates a report, then details tab, filters, hide messageless, an look down the list, your .esp might have information on it's problem or the load order in general. Also you probably should have already visited that .esp's mod description page an posts looking for an answer.

[primem0ver]

Hello Kimberj,

Sorry to hear about all your troubles. And sorry I misjudged you. Here is another conclusion that can be derived from my problem.

 

Remember I said that I added 7 new follower mods. One o f them is a brand new release. It doesn't matter which of them I activate, they all break the game if I activate two or more. Activating one seems to work fine. Since the mod I activate doesn't matter, it stands to reason that one of my existing mods is the problem. Not one of the new mods (unless there really is a limit to the number of resources that can be used).

Edited January 29, 2015 by primem0ver

[KimberJ]

Start a new game an test it, if it was an override in the load order, whatever you had still could be in the game. That or landmined, as in exploded into corruption (weird stuff) Cause that can happen, at least in the mod creation process there's a line that can be crossed that will basically explode the whole load order into "errors". *edit* The limit is around 250 mods, but a large amount of deactivated mods does the same thing, an the difficulty increases drastically from 100 mods to 150, the same going up to 300 it's just a matter of working it, but I don't actually need more than 150ish, just other people that use 300 via merging benign mods. *edit*

 

got a problem

 

1. duplicate it under exact conditions rule out random (don't change anything)

2. test new game start rule out save game

3. if still present, fix it, don't really change stuff until you find the cause.

 

Something like that, but you get the idea. One of the things I mentioned a while back I think was followers an a overhawl for them, you know visual stuff get one that changes them all (or use the character editor that creates .esp for actors) Then the follower overhawl FCO I think, basically the mechanics, an then the commentary which is just the random dialog. At least what I saw. It's hard to find those cause there are so many. I know there is one visual one that changes all the females, but idk if it changes the males. Also there are race overhawls which would fill in the gaps, like in my example the races, armor, an weapons are modded an hence the male followers would fit in there, while not being custom. Then the females are overhawled visually in a single mod (which was also offered in separate .esp, but the idea was to avoid those) That or merge mods that are separated into small .esp like that. I don't know if it matters or not. *burp* I'll look for a link to the mod in question if you didn't give one, put one in, an you can find the load order at users/name/appdata/local/skyrim or something like that, hidden though, there's probably better ways to get it. Since it's a conflicting mod issue, an I can't promise anything. Then the skyedit mention before, it's an editor yeah but it's also a viewer, for example you can apply a filter to only show conflicting navmeshes, an such while difficult, you could look in the mods to see how it changes thru the load order. We talked of tools an such, but most of that stuff is flawed, the actual data is the only real truth as to what is happening, I only mention it because it's a good way to tell which mods to get rid of, but however many mods you got in the load order an if you started a new game to test if it was just a override gone wild landmine in a existing savegame. I don't even understand that an I said it :D zomg... lol...

[primem0ver]

I already started a new game. I told you that.

 

As for your preconceived ideas, some of them are incorrect. I am hoping this will help:

1. I know about the mod limits.
2. You are not limited in how many deactivated mods you can have. I have over 400 esps in my combined data directory. (I use Mod Organizer which builds the data directory for each game when it is run). I have never had a problem with inactive mods.
3. I actually have over 350 mods installed. However, over 100 of them are combined into custom merged files (Using Tes5Edit). This has NEVER been a problem except with a few rare textures. (Textures aren't always merged properly)
4. As I have told you, the problem lies in a mod I have already installed, not in the new mods I downloaded. I have narrowed down the problem through some troubleshooting and I think I know what the issue is. I have to test it to make sure.
5. NOTHING is ever truly random. It just appears that way.

Edited January 29, 2015 by primem0ver

[KimberJ]

Well, you try answering 40 topics that would have gone unanswered, all different an unrelated. With titles that might as well be greek, an switch between the 40 when they get a reply from the OP, an other people come in an hijack an distract, or digress. It's why I only do it for a day or two an just answer replies for until they stop, an then I disappear. I swear you logic flamed me the whole time. :D I don't use that, logically one would look at the data an design, an end user's part, an see that it's not logical at all. If you even want advise from me, I'd say "keep it simple" Community rumor exists for a reason, and it's because we found issues linked to things that become common knowledge, however nobody believes it, just like you probably don't. Most of it is unanswered posts. All I've ever done is put diagnosis practices with community rumor, an dropped what I found in my own experience. It was nice meeting you. I'm going to disappear now, if the problem continues, just make a new topic an maybe you'll get a different result. Then when it goes unanswered, you can PM me an we can talk about beth games or the last crazy thing that happened in Skyrim. :D

[onekrone]

Do any of your follower mods overwrite files in other follower mods.

 

NOT CONFLICT overwrite. There should be a green + sign or a red underscore or both in the left panel. If multiple mods overwrite the same file it can lead to ctd.

 

Also you might try a test game with only your follower mods selected to see if you have the same prpblem.

[bojeb]

Well, I 've the same problem, but with only 42 mods. So it's not about the number of mods !