Picked up the Skyrim:AE edition for Christmas, and I have no idea what to DL first.

[AkaranSkyrim]

Hiya!

I'm a modding lowbie - as in, I know a few things about mods, but not much. A few years ago, I ran a bunch of different things - CBB, a few ENBs, a blacksmithing mod, other 'content' style patches. I haven't played skyrim in about five years, but I was really anxious to get my hands on the full AE (including the 'purchased' version, not just the update patch.

I've read a lot of conflicting information - and some of it even on the mod pages themselves. I'm not sure what I need to download to get a stable client running and I want to make sure I get it right on the first time through. When I go to grab the SKSE, it says it's not supported with the 1.6 patch, but Vortex seems to think it's mandatory. When I look at the Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition patch, it's recommending that I grab a second patch for the creation club fixes but those same fixes will be adopted into a build in early 2022.

I'm not complaining about the modders. At all. The work you amazing people do is absolutely incredible. I know that Bethesda did ya'll dirty in the alley.

So, given that I am a modding idiot, and honestly, utterly exhausted - can someone help me out with a base list of the things that I "should" grab that are required for current gen mods to work? My only mod plans are for a body mod, some mid-range ENB, and the skyrim texture pack (if that's still a thing).

Thank you, and happy new year!

[anjenthedog]

It's tough to say "what you should have", aside from the baseline "tooling" (fundamental "dependency" or "requirement" mods) that makes everything else work and similar content.

 

So.... Base-level things like

• XPMSSE skeleton
• HDT-SMP, CBPC
• FNIS and or Nemesis
• SKSE64
• Address Library
• JContainers
• Papyrus Extender SSE
• MFG Fix
• Engine Fixes
• Netscript Framework
• UI Extensions
• Console Util
• Racemenu
• USSEP
• and even stuff like Fuz Ro D'oh, I'd include in the "chassis" level mods.

Secondaries like

• A Quality World Map
• SkyUI
• SkyHUD
• Quick Light
• A Matter of Time (in game clock display)
• Better Dialogue Controls
• Better Message Box Controls
• Some enhanced camera mod (I use customizable camera. It's old, but it works ok for me)
• More Informative Console
• LazyTools, The Manipulator, BOSSE, etc (general purpose in-game tweakers)

Offboard tools like

• SSEdit
• Bodyslide & Outfit Studio
• Fallrim Tools
• NifSkope SSE
• Nif Optimizer
• NPC Visual Transfer
• Skyrim Performance Monitor
• BAE (Bethesda BSA file extractor)
• xVASynth
• as well as 7Zip or similar for manually prying open zipped" archives
• A photo editor if you're gong to tweak anything yourself (I recommend Paint Dot Net...a solid, free donationware app that works well with skyrim graphics files), an above average text editor like Notepad++

News lands -added just because we run out of space eventually. May as well be prepared up front.

• Beyond Skyrim Bruma
• Reyond Reach
• Folkstead and the Border of Hammerfell
• Elsewhere ***** this is not technically an expansion, so tread lightly
• GomaPeroLand
• As well, I'd recommend disabling the invisible boundaries to expand the land you can travel through (solo for the most part unfortunately, as land outside the borders isn't navmeshes for followers)

All the rest is pretty subjectively chosen, so the normal method of keeping an eye on the "new mods" page, as well as perusing the mod categories, trending, and top downloads sections (see main Skyrim SE page menu : Mods> ...) , and watching various showcasing YT vids for ideas.

 

Last thing most important. Resist the urge to bulk install mods. Tedious as it might be, installing in a onesey/twosey approach with a little in game play afterwards to ensure all is still well is far more likely to end with you playing the game instead of letting the game turn you into a semi-professional debugger, or worse, a disgruntled former player.

Edited December 31, 2021 by anjenthedog

[AkaranSkyrim]

Okay, so the current build of the SKSE64 and the USSEP are still functional with the SKAE? I don't recall using any of the other 'under the hood' style patches before.

(Also, major, MAJOR thanks for that list - that's a huge step in starting out. I sincerely appreciate it!)

Edited December 31, 2021 by AkaranSkyrim

[anjenthedog]

 

Okay, so the current build of the SKSE64 and the USSEP are still functional with the SKAE?

 

Dunno. There might be slightly changes on that list based on the new version, but my reply was as general as I could make it and still, afaik, applies overall.

 

AE isn't one I've touched yet, so there might be some slight changes or a need for patience (mainly transient while bugs are worked out), but "in general" most of the mods/tools I listed in the first part are things you'll encounter as dependencies from this or that mod at some point. Adding something like Address library, or Netscript Framework or whatever will not harm anything (afaik) or even ones I haven't touched like a math library I saw recently, which likely will show up in this or that mod dependency list downstream...

 

Of course, AE is still in shakedown mode so what's what right now is anyone's guess. I'm idling on 1.5.97 wafting for the dust to settle, as my installation is working well and I don't intend to break it just to have the latest release...

 

Anyway, take from it what you will. I don't think it contains anything that will send anyone careening off a cliff, even if the version needed is "latest" or "Still being ironed out" or "No one is fixing it yet"

 

PS> if you're an old hand at skyrim but just getting freshed up, I'd strongly recommend those land expansions and tearing down the invisible wall around skyrim/etc. It really enhances the world, with the exception of elsewhere, which I *think is an entirely different game applied using thee skyrim engine foundations (I'd hold on that one without a thorough read up. The others can be added without issue as they're treated like expansions. Edited the entry in the original to qualify elsewhere..

Point of note: tearing down the wall will not make going from one region (ex: skyrim >> bruma) seamless like those mods that undo the celll transiton from a city into wild areas. - you still have to use the official transit points to step "into" the other land (including people, animals, etc), it will simply open a large chunk of realestate in a given region's map for wandering outside the normal "arena" , for walking, viewing, enjoying, which you can't otherwise experience. << if you're into that sort of thing... It just means that when you get to those border gates where you can't go any farther become deserted gates where you *can go any further. (although largely unpopulated by wild life, here are some extremely "beautiful" parts of the world you will not see otherwise, especially within a few "miles" of the "invisible wall"... (I just wish there was some clever way of making a follower able to navigate them beyond a very limited distance when they become confused and can't go on)

[Mercury71]

Okay, so the current build of the SKSE64 and the USSEP are still functional with the SKAE? I don't recall using any of the other 'under the hood' style patches before.

 

(Also, major, MAJOR thanks for that list - that's a huge step in starting out. I sincerely appreciate it!)

Yes. Current SKSE version for AE is 2.1.4. And it works just fine

 

About the above list a few comments... bvefore installing any mod... READ THE DESCRIPTION...

XPMSSE skeleton only if neede i think (i dont use it anymore). HDT-SMP or UNP and that type of mods if you are going for a "sexier" game.

Dont go with FNIS, go with more up to date Nemesis if you need it.

NetSCriptFramework is not updated yet and will not work!

Reacemenu for AE is aviable on the authors Patreon page (for free)

LazyTools, The Manipulator and Bosse is nothing i have vere heard about or used for skyrim SE/AE. Also never seen in any guides. Interesting.

Offboard tools: DO NOT GO THERE YET, learn to install basic mods with MO" first

 

I woyuld start with these tools: Install MO2, LOOT, xEdit and BethINI, and maby Nemesis if you will be adding a lot of animations.

 

(To be honest... the list above by @anjenthedog is very strange for a strting point modding SE/AE)

 

Current status for some of the most used SKSE-dependent mods regarding AE: https://modding.wiki/en/skyrim/users/skse-plugins

[anjenthedog]

 

(To be honest... the list above by @anjenthedog is very strange for a strting point modding SE/AE)

 

I agree with your additions and qualifications (nemesis is newer and apparently preferred. I just haven't made the change) but I don't know what's so "strange" about what I listed (overall), considering the OP said they were effectively "returning" to Skyrim after a long hiatus, not a "true newb"

 

The first section describes various "engines" that mods will almost inevitably call for as dependencies, one here, another there....may as well get their installations out of the way as foundational mods in my opinion (if I had to start from scratch, those would be installed before any other added value mods).

 

The second describes at least a subset of offboard software tools that can come in handy for someone who may already have performed some game or resource tweaking or debugging in the past (again came back to skyrim, not a "newb").

 

And the third is a short, subjective set of expansion addon suggestions for expanding the otherwise county-sized, geographically limited world model presented by "Skyrim proper"

 

I wouldn't have offered that to a clueless newb. Or maybe I would, just to give them ideas and reworded a little to make it easier to digest. In any case, I'm not sure what's "strange" about it.

[scipher99]

The best advice I have for a new modder is to read the mod descriptions and pay attention to what is compatible and use LOOT for load order and finding conflicts. SSEedit is your friend learn to use it.