Is there some trick I don't know?

[BigDaddyRat]

Hats off to anyone who can mod Skyrim SE and not have any problems and can keep all their hair. I quit playing the game years ago over mod problems, and just recently thought I'd give it another go. BIG mistake. I took my time, made sure I had all requirements and patches, and still had missing Master files...and no way to figure out which ones. I use Vortex to install my mods and check FNIS after each install, as well as checking LOOT for any messages (have found out I needed a few patches that way). Now, I can mod Fallout 4 all day long with no problems. In fact, I'm running close to 500 mods with no problem whatsoever. But Skyrim? Nooooo! Half a dozen mods in and I'm pulling my hair out!!!! I gtfu!!!!

[gnarly1]

I recommend using STEP. It includes all the 'essential' bug/engine fixes, QoL enhancements and stays as true to vanilla as possible. You can then use it as your default foundation on which to build your preferred Skyrim experience.

 

And a great community exists to help you with any aspect you have trouble with.

[BigDaddyRat]

Thanks for the reply. I've read over the STEP guide, and it recommends MO, which I've tried in the past and never could get the hang of. Being a little older than your typical gamer (I'm 65) I prefer Vortex because it automatically uses LOOT during installation of mods and is easier for me to use. The only thing tripping me up[ is that the last time I installed mods I had LOOT messages that I was missing 5 or 6 mod Master files, but never told me which ones I was missing. Every mod I installed, I took great care to load every required mod, even following each one's required mods as well until I had all the requirements installed and still got a missing master error. Would be no problem if the error told me which master I was missing. I'm no beginner at modding as I've been modding Fallout 4 for years with very little problem, but Skyrim is a whole new set of headaches and I actually quit playing the game for years because of it, but I would really like to get back into it but not if it continues to be such a pain.

[gnarly1]

<snippity>

It recommends MO, but you can easily use Vortex instead and many people do with minimal issues. If you're competent at using Vortex then you should have no problem - STEP's instructions are easy to 'convert' to Vortex.

 

As I indicated, the community at STEP is very helpful or someone on the NM Discord will likely render assistance if you need it more-or-less in real time.

[HadToRegister]

 

Hats off to anyone who can mod Skyrim SE and not have any problems and can keep all their hair. I quit playing the game years ago over mod problems, and just recently thought I'd give it another go. BIG mistake. I took my time, made sure I had all requirements and patches, and still had missing Master files...and no way to figure out which ones. I use Vortex to install my mods and check FNIS after each install, as well as checking LOOT for any messages (have found out I needed a few patches that way). Now, I can mod Fallout 4 all day long with no problems. In fact, I'm running close to 500 mods with no problem whatsoever. But Skyrim? Nooooo! Half a dozen mods in and I'm pulling my hair out!!!! I gtfu!!!!

 

LOOT is built into Vortex, it's not needed, besides, you can have those loot messages shown right in the PLUGIN Tab of Vortex, like this:

 

 

 

 

 

First of all, if you're MISSING MASTERS then Vortex will pop up a warning that says MISSING MASTERS and if you click on MORE, it tells you exactly What Masters are missing

It also shows up in the Bell Notification Icon at the top of Vortex.

Like this

 

 

 

 

 

Now, you need to click on MORE so it will show you which Masters are missing

(I purposely disabled a mod in my load order to show you what you see if you click on MORE)

 

 

 

 

 

From this list I can clearly see that the Missing Master is RS Skyrim Children.ESM

 

 

If you don't get either of those notifications, you can also find out what the missing master is this way:

 

Go to your PLUGINS Tab in Vortex, double click on the first ESP or ESM etc...a panel opens up on the right, scroll down in the panel a little bit until you see a section called

MASTERS

 

Now, click on each ESM, ESP ESL one at a time until other entries show up in MASTERS, like this.

(The missing master is the highlighted Plugin)

 

 

 

Then it's just a matter of downloading the Missing Master and installing it.

Then starting a New Game.

[BigDaddyRat]

Thanks for the advice. It's a little late for me here (2 am) so I'll get into it soon as I wake up later today. I seer it has a printable version so I'll probably do that ( don't have multiple monitors) so that should make it easier for me to use. I've been using Vortex ever since it came out and I've been using the LOOT messages like you've shown. I've had no pop up messages so I clicked on the error bell for each plugin and found the missing master messages. I've done every step you've mentioned and found a lot of missing patches that way, as well as updates the normal pop-ups didn't show. As I've said, it's a little late at night for me, so I'll dig back into it with a little fresher mind later. Thanks again for the help!!