how many mods is too many?

[yeet2222434]

i just want to know

[Ophiucus68]

Once upon a time, it was 255 esp mods. 256 limit and Fallout4 esp counts as one.

Esl mods do not count to the mod limit.

Personally, once I go over 200, I start to see small distracting issues and I have a fairly high end system.

[showler]

The traditional answer is "has your computer caught on fire yet?"

[Karna5]

It's not really a problem with number of mods. You can have 600+ mods without issue so long as they're well written and efficient mods. And yet one inefficient mod with excessive script loops or too many loose files in single directories, then you may have issues.

With regard to loose files, they aren't really an issue so long as they're spread out across multiple directories. But loose files are not indexed by your operating system, so if you have too many (several dozen or maybe hundreds) in one directory, then your PC will pause while searching the files, and you'll start noticing issues. You may even crash if you have a couple of hundred large, loose textures in one directory.

With regard to scripts, you can usually trust mods which have been around a while and have many users as issues usually get identified and resolved. For instance, Random Overlay Framework or Family Planning Enhanced are examples of mods which scan NPCs periodically but have been optimized not to cause lag or instability over several years of use. With newer mods, especially with new modders, just be careful to install only one mod at a time and test them in game. Don't install dozens or more at a time. That's just asking for problems.

How many are too many? If you install one at a time carefully, there really isn't a limit.

[363rdChemicalCompany]

On 5/4/2024 at 2:21 AM, yeet2222434 said:

i just want to know

As other posters mentioned the 255 mod hard code limit for .esp can be exceeded through the running some as .esl (thank Bethesdas creation kit for that)

I think the hard code limit for .esls is something like 4000

I am at 320 mods on my desktop and 260 mods on my laptop.

Whether they put too much of a load on your system is really an issue of the KIND of mod.

Texture mods are sometimes heavy, script running mods (Quest mods) can also be heavy , I would not want to be too short on RAM for texture mods, or CPU muscle for script heavy mods

But a great many mods run real light and you may not notice any difference even with 100 of them on a  ho-hum machine.

On my old rig which was i7 9700, 16 GB, old SSD, GPU was only a 760ti, I ran 300 mods and it ran good enough.

 

I am about to upgrade my desktop to become a really good gaming rig and then I will not be afraid of even 1000 mods , though I am not sure i can find that many that fit my play style, for example I am not into having dozens of weapons mods just a couple is fine with me.

But new Lands mods, I download every one that gets published

 

 

[Jazzfrezi]

When the game stops working.

[showler]

Another common answer is "just one more."

[dumbkoala]

Asking this question in this form is quite stupid. Quantitative knowledge of the esm-esp file limit will give you absolutely nothing. It is much more important to know how to bypass the limit.

Try asking your question in the search field of your browser and you will definitely find answers and advice on this topic. To be honest, the question is not new at all and has already been discussed so many times that I’m too lazy to describe everything here again.

p.s. And keep in mind that the game has a couple more limits, exceeding which will also prevent the game from starting. It will also be useful for you to know about them.

[Fallout4original]

Hello. Use this mod manager and only at version of the game 1.10.163

https://www.nexusmods.com/site/mods/305?tab=files

The update of this manager is count some mods like they are not visible, so they don't cost to the final 255 moda, before you can add.

All the esl mods continue not to count also.

You see a 266 final number but i don't think this is the final new number of mods you can add. Left of that at mod manager you see a number like 224/264 of mods, if you install so many mods - i do. Try not to skip the 226/266 final maybe count of mods. i don't know if after that the game even work.

That's all. Thanks.

[dicere]

it's too many when you're more into modding than actually playing the damn game, lol