Vortex installing mods to AppData\Roaming\Vortex folder and not the game folder

[topeira]

Hi guys.

Didn't have this issue with Skyrim not FO4 but having it now with Starfield.

In Vortex I selected the game folder on my F: drive (F:\games\starfield) with the assumption the game will install all mods into the Data folder there, but instead, all my mods go into C:\Users\topeira\AppData\Roaming\Vortex\starfield\mods\ therefor - do NOT work in game.

I can't seem to convince the game to extract the mod content into the game folder. and I would also like the archived mods to be on my F: drive and not my C: drive.

What should I do?

[Zanderat]

Deploy?

[topeira]

Deploy?

What?

 

I am really not Vortex savy

[Pickysaurus]

You will need to move the mod staging folder (Settings -> Mods) to your F drive then click deploy in the mods tab

[topeira]

You will need to move the mod staging folder (Settings -> Mods) to your F drive then click deploy in the mods tab

That didnt work well.

 

I dont know what I did wrong.

 

In vortex, I clicked "settings" then "mods" and in the staging folder option I chose F:\vprtex mods\starfield

 

but when I go into the mods tap and click "Deploy" nothing happens. and if I download new mods they get extracted into F:\Vortex Mods\starfield\Mod-name, instead of F:\games\Starfield\Data

 

What am I missing?!

Edited September 3, 2023 by topeira

[showler]

Vortex doesn't install mods to the game folder. That is one of it's most important features.

 

It installs mods to a "staging folder" and then creates virtual links to the game folder by deploying. That way the game folder is kept clean.

 

When you add mods to Vortex you need to install them (they should then be marked green in the mods tab) and then deploy them (there will be a brief moment where Vortex shows itself processing the mods). Once deployed you should be able to see the mods in the game folder, but they will actually be virtual links, not the files themselves.

 

You really, really, really should watch some beginners videos about Vortex on Youtube because you are unclear on how the basic functions work.

 

And this is also pretty much how Mod Organizer works as well.

 

Final thought: If the notification bell is showing any unread notifications...read them. They are important.

[topeira]

Vortex doesn't install mods to the game folder. That is one of it's most important features.

 

It installs mods to a "staging folder" and then creates virtual links to the game folder by deploying. That way the game folder is kept clean.

 

When you add mods to Vortex you need to install them (they should then be marked green in the mods tab) and then deploy them (there will be a brief moment where Vortex shows itself processing the mods). Once deployed you should be able to see the mods in the game folder, but they will actually be virtual links, not the files themselves.

 

You really, really, really should watch some beginners videos about Vortex on Youtube because you are unclear on how the basic functions work.

 

And this is also pretty much how Mod Organizer works as well.

 

Final thought: If the notification bell is showing any unread notifications...read them. They are important.

I watched about 4 vortex tutorials, all rather short (about 4 minutes each) and all explained to do exactly what I did and none said anything about Deploying, none about changing the settings->mods folders etc.

So the help I need isn't that basic.

 

And even though I dont know what's happening behind the scenes, I do know that the mods don't work. and when I click the tiny arrow on the mod line in the mods tab, and then click the option "show in file manager" than I expect to see the mod in the game folder (in data, for example) and it isn't there. my folder structure for better HUD, for examples looks like F:\Vortex Mods\starfield\BetterHUD - Disable Enemy Health and Hit Marker-214-0-3-1693581306

now, maybe that's how it's supposed to look like and Vortex doesnt place the files in the actual Starfield/Data folder, but it isn't working none the less. So something is wrong.

 

i can place the files manually inside the game Data folder (and in the interface folder, with the HUD mod) and it works fine. but with Vortex - it doesnt. So I really wish to figure out the Vortex issue before I have 200 mods that I will never know how to manage manually :P

[7531Leonidas]

Here's a copy of the address of a mod in my installation of Skyrim SE - ( G:\Vortex Mods\skyrimse\(ESL) Immersive World Encounters AddOn - High Poly Uniques-50999-V1-2-1633524791 ). Looks to me like your result, above.

 

You do have 'hardlink deployment' set under the deployment method on the 'Mods' tab on the 'Settings' entry on the sideboard?

 

You have a Downloads Folder set on the 'Download' tab on the same 'Settings' entry?

 

The 'Interface' tab on that same settings has several options under 'Automation'. I only use the one that deploys 'Mods when Enabled'. That allows me to d/l mods in anticipation of using them in a later playthrough, or at some other time. I usually use the 'Enable' option to install a mod, anyway.

[topeira]

Here's a copy of the address of a mod in my installation of Skyrim SE - ( G:\Vortex Mods\skyrimse\(ESL) Immersive World Encounters AddOn - High Poly Uniques-50999-V1-2-1633524791 ). Looks to me like your result, above.

 

You do have 'hardlink deployment' set under the deployment method on the 'Mods' tab on the 'Settings' entry on the sideboard?

 

You have a Downloads Folder set on the 'Download' tab on the same 'Settings' entry?

 

The 'Interface' tab on that same settings has several options under 'Automation'. I only use the one that deploys 'Mods when Enabled'. That allows me to d/l mods in anticipation of using them in a later playthrough, or at some other time. I usually use the 'Enable' option to install a mod, anyway.

Yes, I guess the mod structure in your case is also kinda like mine.

Than why won't my mods work in the game if they are installed by Vortex?

 

I am using Hardlink, and my Downloads is F:\Vortex Mods\Dowloaded mods

 

in the interface tab in Automation I have everything set to ON except Run vortex on startup. I Don't think this is the culprit :\

 

I just don't get it. everything looks like it should work, but it doesn't.

 

Here's another peculiarity:

I have a LUT mod installed manually. it doesnt even have a Vortex version.

When I go into my starfield\data\texture folder i see __folder_managed_by_vortex, and inside it I see another folder called LUT and in it there is also a __folder_managed_by_vortex.

However, in my Starfield\data\Interface folder there is no such "file" or "link". If the "__folder_managed_by_vortex" thingy implies that vortex is linked into that folder, than it is linked to folders that i dont have vortex mods for, and it doesnt like to mods that I DID download mods for.

Edited September 4, 2023 by topeira

[showler]

You should probably find a free image upload site and upload some screenshots of your game settings, the mods tab, the plugins tab, your settings page for mods and downloads and your actual game folders.