Setting up a *fresh* Skyrim installation

[FiftyTifty]

The problem about adding mods mid-game, is that there will be all sorts of havoc, as far as scripts are concerned. You see, even when you start a new game, scripts are being run. Hell, start a new game and save as soon as possible. Check the size of it. Should be around 2-4MB.

 

That size is all due to scripts. And when the save-embedded scripts are different from the scripts that have been installed AFTER starting a new game...Well, all manner of things can happen. You can get, say, CTDs when adventuring in Riften when all you've got is a script that conflicts with the woodcutting sequence.

 

So yah; start a game with your mods enabled. Don't install any mods mid-save unless you want to run the risk of CTDs, freezes and general buggery with Skyrim.

 

And even then, chances are Skyrim's engine will just bug out because it's poorly programmed and can't handle mods that well :P

[AlexZander40]

Sounds like you have a good plan. I would also recommend using Arthmoor's Alternate Start - Live Another Life mod. It will allow you to do a quick start by avoiding the lengthy Helgen intro sequence. Combine that with a 'Stress Test' to test your mod load out. If you have not done a Stress Test, in the Console type:

 

player.setAV speedmult 1000

tgm

 

Then run around the game world at high speed, testing the stability of your game from a fresh state. I found six or seven mods this way, that I used to play, that just would not play nice with my heavy mod load out. And the great thing about Alternate Start - Live Another Life, when you are ready to play a fresh game, you can still choose the Helgen sequence if you want to.

 

Also, I recently came across the thread about this Memory Patch. I had been using Safety Load to get rid of Infinite Loading Screens, but removed that SKSE plugin. Instead, the past couple of days I have been using the Memory Allocation Patch with great results. And the patch can be used with or without ENBoost and ENB mods.

 

Just last month, I did a fresh install and tweaked my mod load out. Also was looking to get into finishing the Main Story and Quests. And so far so good.

[Sekigahara]

Most problems with unstable games come from removing mods, not adding them.

 

Having said that, if you are ok to start a new game from scratch then decide on what mods you want to play with (like you did in the OP), remove all skyrim files from your PC and do a new install. Then start your game and add the mods you want (via NMM or WB). If your serious about a stable game then don't add any more and don't delete any more. If you can't resist the temptation for new mods during a playthrough then ask yourself if you will keep it all the way through. If you aren't sure or just want to try a mod out then do it on another unimportant saved game.

[Belandriel]

Once again: Thanks for your help! I am really happy about every hint you guys can give me! Just can't say that often enough...

 

@FiftyTifty: I heard, that scripts in savegames from "old" mods, that were once used and then removed can lead to serious stability problems.... but there are even mods, that are recommended by the author to install AFTER the intro sequence. Did you experience problems by yourself after installing a mod and keeping it? No offense, it's not that I don't trust you... but as Sekigahara said in the post before this one, I also heard, that installing a mod in midgame "normally" isn't a problem (as long as you stay with it).

 

@AlexZander40: I already heard about this miraculous "Memory Allocation Patch" :smile: But thank you anyways! Don't get me wrong... I don't mean it like *Yawn... I already knew that*. Hints like these are exactly the reason, I opened this thread. You can't know EVERYTHING and I just wanted to be sure that I don't miss anything important. And I will definitively give that one a try. I also plan to use the "Stable Ugrids"-Plugin for SKSE... I won't raise ugrids, but I heard that it also helps with the vanilla setting in terms of stability. Not sure about that, though. I wish you luck on successfully completing the game... hopefully without ANY problems!

 

Edit: And thanks for the links!

 

@Sekigahara: Thanks for your help, too! That is pretty much exactly what I want to do... making a mod list BEFORE starting the game and then make no alterations. Maybe I have to disable the nexus for that reason somehow... so I won't get any stupid ideas :D It's really tempting.... but after three unsuccessful attempts, I'll try to be reasonable *g*

Edited January 23, 2014 by Belandriel

[FiftyTifty]

Belandriel, the Civil War Overhaul mod made by ApolloDown is a prime example; it changes a hefty script so the instability and whatnot can be readily observed.

 

If the mod author specifically states that it's to be loaded afterwards, it either uses standalone scripts or the author doesn't know what he's doing. And you will not want to remove the mod once it's been embedded in your savegame. Otherwise madness awaits.

[Belandriel]

Ok... since I already know, which mods I want to use, I will start a new game with all of them activated just to make sure, there are no problems due to activating them in an already existing savegame. I think, I have everything set up now and will begin testing stability with the wellknown speedmult option. Wish me luck and thanks again for all your efforts helping me :) I will keep this thread updated and report how things work out from time to time. Feel free to post whenever something comes to your mind that might help me!

[Belandriel]

I'm giving up on this game.... I did everything like the S.T.E.P guide told me to do... I checked all incompatibility issues, used BOSS and Wrye Bashed patches. I even used the stable ugrids plugin and the ENBoost plugin with the memory patch and I installed every mod right from start. When I went up the mountain to recover the golden claw for the trader in Riverwood it just crashed to desktop. I think, I've had it with this annoying game :sad:

Edited January 26, 2014 by Belandriel

[FiftyTifty]

Wait, STEP? Boss?

 

Yeah-no. You're much better off using tes5edit to check the records that are added/modified, group the mods accordingly (one group that changes quests, another that adds NPCs, another that adds constant script effects, etc.) and then clear up any conflicts with Tes5edit.

 

Once you've gotten rid of the conflicts, load up the mods in the CK, then save each of them individually.

 

Tip: Don't modify .esm files. Especially the official ones and the unofficial patches.

 

You also appear to be new to Bethesda games. When there's a conflict between two mods, you get a ctd. So that means you installed incompatible mods.

[Belandriel]

Thanks again for still trying to help me! Hm... but now I'm somewhat confused.

 

Ok, what I meant was... I first installed vanilla... then I cleaned the original files with TES5Edit (apply filter for cleaning... remove identical to master records and resstablish deleted files, or whatever the correct term is). Everybody says, that you should to that... Not Skyrim.esm and the unofficial patches, of course. I know about that. Or do you mean, I shouldn't clean up the official files as it is recommended everywhere?

 

Then I downloaded the mods I wanted to use... there are a bit more now, then I first intended to use. But most of them are really well known mods and I checked compatibility notes as far as I could and also downloaded compatibility patches if there were any.

I used BOSS to get my load order right and then made a bashed patch with Wrye Bash (1 merged file, which I then unchecked in my loadlist plus it patched the leveledlist).

 

1. If you want (i.e. if you would be so kind), I can post a list of my mods here. Maybe you can tell me how to make it a spoiler, so the post won't be too long.

2. Can you tell me, how I can check the records with TES5Edit and grouping and clearing them up? Or maybe post a link with some kind of tutorial? I'm not really an expert, as you have noticed right, but I'm definitely willing to learn how to get things right (that's my intention with this topic). I have played and modded Fallout 3, New Vegas and Oblivion before... and I never had SO many problems, and no problem that i could not get fixed somehow. But I already heard, that this was a completely different thing than with Skyrim now. I even heard about random crashes with only the vanilla version running (especially with Dragonborn DLC, if it's right what they say),

 

Edit: If this isn't too much work for you... maybe you can also tell me your setup? I don't mean system specs, but programs you use for getting your version of the game to run (i.e. what kind of mod manager, tools, skse-plugins such as cell stabilizer or ENBoost or whatsoever)

Edited January 26, 2014 by Belandriel

[Belandriel]

Could you please give me a hint on how to do, what you told me about TES5Edit?