SFSE for Microsoft Store / Game Pass version?

[DemonwolfC6]

Unfortunately, the Starfield Script Extender only works for the Steam version of Starfield, and there's just enough differences in how Steam handles the game versus how the game his handled when purchased from the Microsoft Store on PC or obtained with the Game Pass.

Going to the discussion in the SFSE mod only has a nice big and fairly frustrating pinned comment that basically says the SFSE creator will not be making a version that works with GP/MS, even though SFSE is a fairly essential mod that is required before most other very useful mods can be installed.

I can see both sides of the issue, it's frustrating for the mod developer to have to basically pay multiple times for the game to get all the different versions and then do the same work over and over to get the mods to work on the various independent versions. I truly understand that frustration.

However, at the same time, I also see (and am directly experiencing) the frustration of having what is viewed as the 'lesser' version (since the vast majority of PC players likely purchased the game through Steam and therefore can use the Steam versions with ease) and being unable to enjoy the very helpful and incredible mods that require SFSE to work.

My question is this: Is there anyone who would be amazing enough to grace us 'lowly' GP/MS version players with a variant of SFSE that works for us? I unfortunately have no experience at all in anything close to modding in any in-depth way.

Or, if the SFSE creator reads this thread, is there any reasonable amount that could be reached in donations that would incentivize you to work on a GP/MS version of the SFSE?

[FokkeTale]

From what I've read from the SFSE thread, it wouldn't just be a matter of adapting SFSE to work for the gamepass version. But any mods using native code that requires the SFSE would have to be updated by the author to function with a gamepass SFSE. So even by getting this, you still probably wouldn't even have access to all the same mods as the Steam version. At least for now.

[smr1957]

The reason that script extenders do not and will not work on GamePass or Console, is because the applications are locked down and will not allow the APIs necessary for script extenders to work. Unless Microsoft or console manufacturers unlock it and allow the APIs, there is no way that script extenders can be used - it has nothing to do with Ian Patterson and his team.

[DemonwolfC6]

It appears that myself and any other MS/GP variant players will have to wait until later in 2024. Apparently they are working on getting the Creation Engine for Starfield ready just like they did for Fallout and Skyrim, it's just going to take a while. I would guess they would unlock the APIs then? One would hope, otherwise it would be pointless to have a creation engine and 'mod support' without actually being able to make meaningful mods that work for everyone.

[pwntax]

The reason that script extenders do not and will not work on GamePass or Console, is because the applications are locked down and will not allow the APIs necessary for script extenders to work. Unless Microsoft or console manufacturers unlock it and allow the APIs, there is no way that script extenders can be used - it has nothing to do with Ian Patterson and his team.

SFSE "can" and "does" work with GamePass version if you know your way around Windows internals/permissions. Give it some more time for a 1-click solution to become available, though.

 

Speaking of consoles ... that's probably not going to ever happen unless bethesda/M$ allow it to happen when they officially introduce mod support.

[smr1957]

 

The reason that script extenders do not and will not work on GamePass or Console, is because the applications are locked down and will not allow the APIs necessary for script extenders to work. Unless Microsoft or console manufacturers unlock it and allow the APIs, there is no way that script extenders can be used - it has nothing to do with Ian Patterson and his team.

SFSE "can" and "does" work with GamePass version if you know your way around Windows internals/permissions. Give it some more time for a 1-click solution to become available, though.

 

Speaking of consoles ... that's probably not going to ever happen unless bethesda/M$ allow it to happen when they officially introduce mod support.

 

What you are stating is called "hacking," and while perhaps a person can do so on their own machine, it would be illegal to publish anything that did what you describe. Microsoft has gone after people for far, far less. And, most certainly, the script extender team will never do so without the express consent of Microsoft or the console manufacturers, and anyone else attempting to use the team's script extender works would also be shut down as the team does not allow their work to be uploaded by anyone other than themselves.

 

So, it is a moot point whether or not it is theoretically possible to create a version that works on Gamepass or consoles, as without Microsoft or console manufacturers changing permissions, making one publicly available would not be legal.

[celexie]

There is absolutely nothing illegal about changing a file permissions. This is just SFSE devs having some sort of grudge.

[ianpatt]

This is not a donation issue. Before anything else, it's a workload issue for the mod developer community. The executables for Game Pass and Steam are different, and SFSE/plugins work by directly manipulating the internals of the executables. Any difference in the executable is an incompatibility. Supporting two different executables is a lot of work, especially this early in the life cycle of native code modding. We don't even have a way to support using the same plugins across different patches of the game, or a solid well-tested library for building plugins. For that matter, we don't even have an official editor. I also would never ship a destructive method of installation, like what you need to do to take control of the file permissions of Starfield.exe on Game Pass.

 

... comment that basically says the SFSE creator will not be making a version that works with GP/MS

 

Please read the comment carefully.

 

Since these issues are purely technical, there isn't anything useful that the non-technical community can contribute to solve them. All of the removed posts have just been complaining that Game Pass isn't supported. I know that people want support for Game Pass, there's nothing constructive to add. Hence discussion of Game Pass is not allowed in the mod thread.

 

Do you genuinely think that I don't want to make as many people happy as possible?

[ianpatt]

SFSE "can" and "does" work with GamePass version if you know your way around Windows internals/permissions.

 

No, it doesn't. You think that it does because people have made kludges that let the plugin manager sort of work. Currently there are no mods using Papyrus or most of SFSE's features (or the current feature set of SKSE) because there's no editor. All of those would be broken if you tried using them with the hacks to make it launch on the GP build. People who enable a partially-working version of SFSE on GP now are selling you a false promise that it will continue to work. Guess who the users would complain to when that hack stopped working?

[fleeZyppc]

I can see both sides of the issue, it's frustrating for the mod developer to have to basically pay multiple times for the game to get all the different versions and then do the same work over and over to get the mods to work on the various independent versions. I truly understand that frustration.

 

or seek the assistance of someone in discord with a GP v. for testing after patches...