Vortex/LOOT: METADATA and RULE HELP, Load Order

[sterekseeker]

@sterekseeker

 

You were right about the Alternate Start glitch after all! My apologies for causing you so much consternation about Alternate Start and ELFX Hardcore.

 

When I had started my current game I immediately opted for the "left for dead" start without paying attention to anything else in the prison cell. I encountered no problems. However, after reading your original post again, I wondered if I should investigate further. I therefore set up a test profile, and lo and behold! something was weird beyond the cell door. I chose the "escape the cell" option and walked into a void absent structure. After one or two steps, however, I was back in the Abandoned Prison and climbing some steps. Everything was fine after that except for the prisoners killing me. :sad:

 

The glitch is not a game breaker, but it is annoying. I tried several other alternate starts, and there were no issues there. The glitch seems to affect the cell door area only.

 

Having discovered my mistaken analysis of your problem, I spent some considerable time using SSEEdit to examine "Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp," "ELFXEnhancer.esp," and "ELFX - Hardcore.esp." My conclusion at this point is that "ELFX - Hardcore.esp" is simply incompatible with the prison cell configuration records found in "Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp." Load order adjustment will not solve the problem. Placing ELFX Hardcore after Alternate Start overwrites its records and therefore creates the void outside the cell door. On the other hand, if it were possible to place ELFX Hardcore before Alternate Start, the cell configuration records in Alternate Start would cancel out the ELFX Hardcore features for the cell.

 

Try as I might, I could not construct a patch that would overcome these obstacles. However, that doesn't mean that one can't be constructed. Perhaps there's a kind and knowledgeable soul out there who would help a damsel in distress and at the same time solve your problem.

 

Summary: Alternate Start and ELFX Hardcore have incompatible records relating to the Abandoned Prison cell, thus resulting in an "anomaly" at the prison cell door.

 

EDIT. Your load order looks fine. Also, the ELFXEnhancer option works well with Alternate Start. Finally, there's a patch "Enhanced Lights and FX - Alternate Start Patch," but it doesn't solve the record incompatibilities between Alternate Start and ELFX Hardcore.

 

What a bittersweet chapter close! Though I'm glad it isn't anything more than an odd incompatibility, and there isn't something broken in my game, it always is a bummer when two great mods have slight issues against each other.

 

I'll try the ELFXEnhancer option and install the Patch again (I tried it out and didn't notice a change - that must have been why!).. I liked the darkness Hardcore added but there are other mods out there for similar effects, that I hope will work with both mods and not cause the same irritation with the cell door.

 

Thank you for figuring this out for me! I really appreciate your hard work!!

 

[Edit]/ Hey!! It works like a charm now!

Edited September 30, 2019 by sterekseeker

[HadToRegister]

@sterekseeker

 

 

Having discovered my mistaken analysis of your problem, I spent some considerable time using SSEEdit to examine "Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp," "ELFXEnhancer.esp," and "ELFX - Hardcore.esp." My conclusion at this point is that "ELFX - Hardcore.esp" is simply incompatible with the prison cell configuration records found in "Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp." Load order adjustment will not solve the problem. Placing ELFX Hardcore after Alternate Start overwrites its records and therefore creates the void outside the cell door. On the other hand, if it were possible to place ELFX Hardcore before Alternate Start, the cell configuration records in Alternate Start would cancel out the ELFX Hardcore features for the cell.

 

Try as I might, I could not construct a patch that would overcome these obstacles. However, that doesn't mean that one can't be constructed. Perhaps there's a kind and knowledgeable soul out there who would help a damsel in distress and at the same time solve your problem.

 

Summary: Alternate Start and ELFX Hardcore have incompatible records relating to the Abandoned Prison cell, thus resulting in an "anomaly" at the prison cell door.

 

EDIT. Your load order looks fine. Also, the ELFXEnhancer option works well with Alternate Start. Finally, there's a patch "Enhanced Lights and FX - Alternate Start Patch," but it doesn't solve the record incompatibilities between Alternate Start and ELFX Hardcore.

@Agusta

 

Two options,

 

1. Try just deleting the Prison Cell from ELFX in Exedit. BACKUP the Original First!

 

-OR-

 

2. Barring that, did you just try highlighting the affected cell in Alternate Start esp, and rich clicking and picking "Copy As Override" into as new esp, the Cell from Alternate Start and putting the NEW esp at the end of your load order so by extension, Alternate Start Prison Cell would override the ELFX Hardcore prison cell?

 

Two would be quickest and easiest, and non-destructive, if it doesn't work, just delete the new esp

 

 

[AugustaCalidia]

@HTR

 

 

1. Try just deleting the Prison Cell from ELFX in Exedit. BACKUP the Original First!

 

-OR-

 

2. Barring that, did you just try highlighting the affected cell in Alternate Start esp, and rich clicking and picking "Copy As Override" into as new esp, the Cell from Alternate Start and putting the NEW esp at the end of your load order so by extension, Alternate Start Prison Cell would override the ELFX Hardcore prison cell?

Two would be quickest and easiest, and non-destructive, if it doesn't work, just delete the new esp

 

I tried both options. They didn't work. Apparently, the cell records of ELFX - Hardcore are one element needed to achieve the dark shadow effect of the mod. However, those records also create an empty silvery gap just outside the prison cell door. If you overwrite the records with those of Alternate Start, the gap disappears but so do the dark shadow effects. The options you suggest allow the Alternate Start records to win in both cases, thus nullifying ELFX - Hardcore.

[HadToRegister]

@HTR

 

 

1. Try just deleting the Prison Cell from ELFX in Exedit. BACKUP the Original First!

 

-OR-

 

2. Barring that, did you just try highlighting the affected cell in Alternate Start esp, and rich clicking and picking "Copy As Override" into as new esp, the Cell from Alternate Start and putting the NEW esp at the end of your load order so by extension, Alternate Start Prison Cell would override the ELFX Hardcore prison cell?

 

Two would be quickest and easiest, and non-destructive, if it doesn't work, just delete the new esp

 

I tried both options. They didn't work. Apparently, the cell records of ELFX - Hardcore are one element needed to achieve the dark shadow effect of the mod. However, those records also create an empty silvery gap just outside the prison cell door. If you overwrite the records with those of Alternate Start, the gap disappears but so do the dark shadow effects. The options you suggest allow the Alternate Start records to win in both cases, thus nullifying ELFX - Hardcore.

 

 

Only nullifying ELFX - Hardcore for that one particular cell though

Not for the entire game

[AugustaCalidia]

@HTR

 

 

Only nullifying ELFX - Hardcore for that one particular cell though
Not for the entire game

 

You're correct. ELFX - Hardcore works for the rest of the game. I'm just irritated that I couldn't make it work for the prison cell.

[HadToRegister]

@HTR

 

 

Only nullifying ELFX - Hardcore for that one particular cell though

Not for the entire game

 

You're correct. ELFX - Hardcore works for the rest of the game. I'm just irritated that I couldn't make it work for the prison cell.

 

 

I overlook stuff like that, I see it as a "set up" for my actual game, so I don't consider it part of the actual game, plus, I'm not an 'immersion person' so I'm not really bothered by that stuff. :)