Oh the pain of testing mods!

[InDarkestNight]

Regarding using graphics mods with non-graphics mods, it would seem most youtubers do in fact do that. In particular, playing LotD without ANY graphics mods for the first time, I've been shocked by how different the npcs look. I never would've suspected that, playing the mod myself nor seeing other people play it on youtube.

Also, most re-textures do change up the aesthetic quite a bit. Armor retextures are infamous for this, which is quite annoying. Virtually all skin mods do the same thing. I mean, playing without my graphics mods now my game barely looks the same, and I wasn't even using any head replacers (though I was using quite a few mods to keep my elves from looking like Klingons, which would probably explain why Auryen looked so different).

One major problem I'm having though, is that I play LE. I've only posted in the SE board because the LE board doesn't get much attention. Besides, most things that could be said here would be applicable to both games anyway. Point is, my game doesn't look too stellar without upgrades. Also I've been thinking I may have to somehow disguise that I play LE, because I'm afraid this may turn people off. Of course, there's another problem in that LE versions of mods are often several versions behind their SE counterparts. I was thinking I was going to have to specialize in telling people how to run this game on linux, or with crappy computers. Though I was contemplating BRIEFLY returning to SE to play v5 of LotD at some point. Does that thing even work anymore after the recent update? I have seen a lot of people complaining about how no mods work anymore. Regarding playing on LE, both MxR and Sinitar play on LE and they get away with it. So maybe I don't have to worry about it? Though its obvious they're both running a lot of graphics mods. Also, MxR has been around since long before SE, so his fans are probably used to it. Besides, I can't upgrade my graphics much; you can't run ENBs on linux for instance. I couldn't run them without too much an fps hit anyway though. I was looking into upgrading my computer to fix this, but I've since lost interest in due to me finding out that I can't run ENBs regardless of my performance anyway. So I'm stuck with my old methods of retextures, smim, and lighting mods (though there's not much available for LE, you really only have a choice between ELFX and RLO, that's it, no Lux or ELE or anything else). And yes, that's another reason why I'm thinking about making videos recommending 'budget' graphics mods. I was also thinking of making install guides all the stuff you need, though I would have to figure out how to uninstall all my stuff if I want to showcase how to install it in a video. Yeah, I have a lot to think about regarding this.

[scorrp10]

For what's it worth (and mind, I don't really watch house mod reviews much), but in those I've seen, the reviewer is primarily commenting on the house layout, appointment, facilities, included inhabitants if any, and quest to obtain, if applicable.    Looks generally get mentioned only when author includes their own meshes/textures, and  sometimes maybe how well the house fits the surrounding landscape.    It is generally understood that the look is heavily dependent on texture choice.  Heck, even without touching a single texture, the look and feel can be quite different depending on weather, lighting mods, and ENB used.     People add mods into their game because they don't like  how something in the game looks/moves/works/sounds and want to change it to how they like it.    By extension of your own logic, your mod house has no place in Skyrim because it completely changes the look of some area designed by original Bethesda devs.     In fact, no mods should be allowed as it is really original game creator's choice what to do, and mods destroy their original vision.

Yes, agreed, when someone is making a review of someone's mod, they should try to present it as close to author's vision as possible,  but they should do it at their own discretion.    Same way as someone specifically reviewing the original game should do so with no mods installed.    But trying to 'circumvent'  retextures  on the slim chance some less scrupulous reviewer decides to publish a mod video with 'wrong' textures  feels like a whole lot of wasted effort.

But I will ask again - just how are you seeing yourself doing it?    I.e. "Skyrim - Textures3.bsa"   contains  file:  textures/clutter/common/rug05.dds
However, I have a RUGNAROK mod installed, which contains a higher quality, more ornate textures/clutter/common/rug05.dds file which completely hides the original vanilla texture.
If somewhere in your house mod, you have a rug that uses that texture,  how can you 'circumvent'  me using a different texture for it?    You would have to extract that rug05.dds from the Skyrim .bsa, include it in your mod at some other  location,  and make the rug in your house point to that file instead.    But you cannot do that.    You are not allowed to extract any of game's original assets, package them in your mod and then distribute it.   It is an EULA violation.     

[NexBeth]

I'm specifically referring to architectural textures for the most part.  Not rugs, furniture, landscaping, trees, npcs, attire, etc.  Architectural retexturing can change the entire aesthetics of a house mod.  I do not just put kit pieces together.  I built from the ground up, every wall, every room is put together uniquely.  And I also do my own retexturing using vanilla and 3rd party textures.

This is not a "by my logic" thing.  This is my preference for my mod as a mod author.  I don't advocate that texture mods shouldn't be used.  I use them myself.  And, just as important is the fact that some architectural retexturing mods do break the lighting effects which I painstakingly spend a great amt of time attempting to get right.  (Particularly Skyrim problems with blinking interior lighting).

There are a good many of house mod reviews that don't even mention that they are using a texture mod, or the fact that those textures are causing blinking lights right in their reviews.   And this can lead to the viewer assuming that the blinking they are seeing is a fallacy of the mod.

The point to my commentary here was to encourage the OP to follow his instincts in thinking through the way he plans to implement his reviews.  It is a good thing to do this, particularly respecting mod author's work.  I have no motivation to encourage players not to use retexture mods--I use them myself.  However, where I feel it necessary, I will implement practices to preserve the vision I had in mind for my own work.