Making a patch, FormList trouble

[Valykry]

[sOLVED]

 

I'm in the process of making a patch to make ModA and ModB play nicely.

 

 

 

ModA performs actions on an NPC and allows these actions based on if the NPC in question is a member of a Race stored in a FormList.

 

 

 

ModB is a race replacer. I assume you see why they don't play nicely.

 

 

 

I am able to directly alter ModA by adding the new race to ModA's race list. Everything works perfectly, both mods now play nicely together.

 

 

 

But as neither of the two mods are mine, and I'm patching this with the idea of releasing it in mind, I'd rather build a separate patch to do the same thing.

 

 

 

I open CK, load both mods as usual, but this time don't select an active file, so save creates a new file. I am able to add new race to the FormList and save, but it doesn't work.

 

 

 

Vortex seems to think the patch adds nothing and is redundant.

 

 

 

For testing, I also used the patch to change a nearby NPC's equipment (specifically an NPC added by ModA to wear a piece of equipment from ModB), so I can tell at a glance if the patch itself is loaded. In this case, vortex doesn't call it redundant, and NPC from ModA is indeed wearing item from ModB, but despite the edited FormList, the two mods still don't play nice.

 

 

 

Is there a different way I need to go about this? All I need to do for this patch to function is add the race from ModB into the FormList in ModA.

 

Easy to do directly editing ModA, but apparently doing so indirectly isn't so simple.

 

 

 

Load order isn't the issue, as I've ensured the patch loads last.

 

 

 

I've also tried creating a new FormList, renaming it to be easy to find, checking the "use info" of the original list, and changing everything that used the original list to use the new list. No effect.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Valykry

[IsharaMeradin]

FO4 is similar to Skyrim in this regard. The Creation Kit cannot use ESP files as master files. Use FO4Edit to change the header flag to ESM on all ESP files needed as parent masters. Do not change the file extension! Use the Creation Kit to make your modifications. Go back to FO4Edit and change the header flags back to ESP. Then test in game.

 

If Wrye Bash works with FO4, you can use it to "esmify" and "espify" as needed instead of using FO4Edit.

 

The important thing here is that all testing must be done while the master ESPs are flagged as ESP and all editing done while they are flagged as ESM. Also, you will need to adjust load order each time you want to test. Changing the flag to ESM will cause the plugins to change load order position as well.

 

There may be a specific FO4 solution, like the SSE Creation Kit Fixes mod, that I do not know about. If there is, hopefully someone can point that out. In the meantime, the old method of "manually" changing the header flag will still work.

[Valykry]

Thanks.

This prompted me to look up the difference between esm and esp files. So esp files can't be modified, esm files can, but because of the role they play it is still best to save most small mods/patches as esp.

Am I understanding that right?

 

And to be clear, do you mean ass ESM to the "record flags" under the file header tab? From what I can tell it still saves it as an ESP. I'm ASSUMING not, if it still saves as ESP, but I have to ask.

 

[Edit] A rather helpful video answered this for me.

Assuming this works, this issue is solved. Thanks much!

 

Just downloaded FO4Edit, so I'm pretty new.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Valykry

[lee3310]

There may be a specific FO4 solution, like the SSE Creation Kit Fixes mod, that I do not know about. If there is, hopefully someone can point that out. In the meantime, the old method of "manually" changing the header flag will still work.

There is: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/51165/?tab=files

[Valykry]

As I wasn't able to get the FO4Edit method to work, what does this fix do relevant to my situation? Does it provide a way for me to convert a file to/from ESM, or does it simply allow me to make the edits without needing to change anything?

[IsharaMeradin]

As I wasn't able to get the FO4Edit method to work, what does this fix do relevant to my situation? Does it provide a way for me to convert a file to/from ESM, or does it simply allow me to make the edits without needing to change anything?

From the description page of the linked mod:

 

 

• Ability to edit plugins with .ESP files as masters without them being removed;

This means that with that fix in place on the FO4 Creation Kit, you will be able to create your patch plugin without needing to fiddle with the parent ESP files. It will as they say "just work".

[Valykry]

Thanks. I love it when "It just works".

I had installed it, I'll play with it when I get back from work.