Lighting and Weather mods questions

[NWelf]

I'm still fairly new to modding and I'm just boggled by the amount of lighting mods out there. I won't be using an ENB if I can get away with it as my graphics card sucks lol. But I was going thru the multitude of choices for lighting mods and I am having trouble figuring out which ones to use, which work together the best, etc. So I am hoping that you more experienced modders could help me pick some from a list of the ones I would like to try.

 

Climates of Tamriel -and all modules except DLC's

Enhanced Lights and FX

Lanterns Of Skyrim

Pure Water

Realistic Lighting Overhaul

Realistic Liighting Overhaul- Dark Dungeons and Interiors

Realistic Lighting Weathers RC3

Relighting Skyrim

Skyrim Project Optimization

Ultimate Lighting Overhaul - Fantasy

W.A.T.E.R.

 

I know that the pure water, w.a.t.e.r., and skyrim project optimization arent exactly lighting mods, but they do affect lighting mods so I thought I would include them in the list. So of all of these, which ones are the most compatible/ works best together. Keep in mind I'm not big on realism, I don't mind the colorfulness of a more fantasy color scheme (well unless its like crazy colors lol). Now I know what you saying - I can hear you thinking it as you read this .....you ask yourself "Why not just check the compatibilities lists on the mod pages"??? Well I did that, and unfortunately not all are clear as to which ones work with what mods and which ones dont. It may say that one is incompatible but doesnt mention others, and I would really like to not break my game again trying to figure this out myself with just trial and error. As I have already had to do that a couple of times now, and its a real pain. So any helpful insight would be most welcomed and appreciated.

[lordmonkus]

I use CoT with ELFX, Pure Water, Skyrim Project Optimization and Lanterns of Skyrim without any issues with compatibility. I have used Realistic Lighting Overhaul in the past and it works fine as long as you read the installation notes if you are using it with CoT. Ultimate Lighting Overhaul is a misleading name, it's not a lighting mod at all but simply a SweetFX and works quite well with CoT and ELFX. I have used ULO in the past and I can recommend it without issue but I have since moved on to an ENB.

 

I have used Relighting Skyrim in the past but I can't remember much about it in terms of compatibility. I have never tried WATER at all so no comment on it.

 

I can recommend CoT, ELFX, LoS, SPO and ULO wholeheartedly, great combination in terms of looks and performance.

[projectphotoking]

Pure water is great, Climates is good as well, And I also very much like Enhanced Lights and FX...also try Imaginator. Search most endorsed better yet click link.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13049/?

[NWelf]

I use CoT with ELFX, Pure Water, Skyrim Project Optimization and Lanterns of Skyrim without any issues with compatibility. I have used Realistic Lighting Overhaul in the past and it works fine as long as you read the installation notes if you are using it with CoT. Ultimate Lighting Overhaul is a misleading name, it's not a lighting mod at all but simply a SweetFX and works quite well with CoT and ELFX. I have used ULO in the past and I can recommend it without issue but I have since moved on to an ENB.

 

I have used Relighting Skyrim in the past but I can't remember much about it in terms of compatibility. I have never tried WATER at all so no comment on it.

 

I can recommend CoT, ELFX, LoS, SPO and ULO wholeheartedly, great combination in terms of looks and performance.

 

Wow Thx!! This will really help me out. Thank you for being so detailed in your response :D ! And thx for taking the time to actually respond to my newb questions lol. I have had alot of my questions about various topics never get a response at all. So thank you for responding :) .

 

 

Pure water is great, Climates is good as well, And I also very much like Enhanced Lights and FX...also try Imaginator. Search most endorsed better yet click link.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13049/?

 

Thx for the response I really appreciate it! I've used imaginator before but I didn't really like it much, and it was causeing some nasty save game bloat after I used it for a while, but thx for the link all the same. I appreciate you taking the time to give a response :) .

[NWelf]

I use CoT with ELFX, Pure Water, Skyrim Project Optimization and Lanterns of Skyrim without any issues with compatibility. I have used Realistic Lighting Overhaul in the past and it works fine as long as you read the installation notes if you are using it with CoT. Ultimate Lighting Overhaul is a misleading name, it's not a lighting mod at all but simply a SweetFX and works quite well with CoT and ELFX. I have used ULO in the past and I can recommend it without issue but I have since moved on to an ENB.

 

I have used Relighting Skyrim in the past but I can't remember much about it in terms of compatibility. I have never tried WATER at all so no comment on it.

 

I can recommend CoT, ELFX, LoS, SPO and ULO wholeheartedly, great combination in terms of looks and performance.

 

Ok I figured out which ones I want to use, but now the big question, in which order should I install them ( I always install manually, never liked nmm much). And I've been hopping back and forth between all the mod pages tyring to figure out the install order I should use, but its just giving me a headache lol. Any chance you could tell me in which order these should be installed in??

 

Climates of Tamriel

Enhanced Lights and Effects

Lanterns of Skyrim

Pure Water

Skyrim Project Optimization

Ultimate Lighting Overhaul

 

Any Help would be greatly appreciated!

[LargeStyle]

I'd install them in the order in which you have listed them in your last post (I don't think that there are any file conflicts at all with those mods) with the exception of Project Optimisation which according to its mod description page needs to be placed before CoT in load order.

 

It's always advisable to run BOSS after installing mod(s) to ensure best compatibility / stability with your existing mods too.

Edited September 17, 2013 by LargeStyle

[lordmonkus]

Yeah what LargeStyle said. Load SPO should be the first in your load order then CoT and then ELFX and LoS. You may want to refer to each mods installation instructions for more details. ULO isn't a standard mod so it won't be anywhere in your load order like a regular mod. ULO is simply a dll and config files like an ENB. Like I said previously ULO is a SweetFX which functions like an ENB, they both function in the same way but ENB has more advanced options.

 

Imaginator is a decent mod and I have used it but I have since dumped it. There really is no reason to use it along with ULO if the ULO preset you choose has the colour settings that you like.

[NWelf]

I'd install them in the order in which you have listed them in your last post (I don't think that there are any file conflicts at all with those mods) with the exception of Project Optimisation which according to its mod description page needs to be placed before CoT in load order.

 

It's always advisable to run BOSS after installing mod(s) to ensure best compatibility / stability with your existing mods too.

 

 

Ah ok cool, I wasn't sure cause some mods say to load this one before that one, ya know what I mean. I use BOSS already, but thank you for the info all the same :) .

Yeah what LargeStyle said. Load SPO should be the first in your load order then CoT and then ELFX and LoS. You may want to refer to each mods installation instructions for more details. ULO isn't a standard mod so it won't be anywhere in your load order like a regular mod. ULO is simply a dll and config files like an ENB. Like I said previously ULO is a SweetFX which functions like an ENB, they both function in the same way but ENB has more advanced options.

 

Imaginator is a decent mod and I have used it but I have since dumped it. There really is no reason to use it along with ULO if the ULO preset you choose has the colour settings that you like.

 

 

Ahh kk thx, I will take another look at the mod pages and see if I can't get them organized in the right install order. Thx for all the help :) !