Using vortex -- Skyrim 202x installed and enabled but not working [SKYRIM SE]

[EtherLord129813]

Title. I have been working at this for a while. I decided I wanted to install some graphical mods to make my Skyrim look better and settled on Skyrim 202x and Realistic Water Two (mentioned because it will be relevant in a sec). Installing all the mods went totally fine, though I received some file errors with 202x pertaining to manually setting the load order for conflicting files (I had Vortex handle most of this automatically except one which it could not do for some reason, and I handled manually).

After all was said and done, I had everything installed and went to hit deploy mods. I did not get an error back, but looking at my plugins tab, only the realistic water mod shows up. Additionally, launching the game and looking at the content folder where mods show up, only realistic water is shown (though I have been led to believe that this is expected due to the file types of Skyrim 202x). Also concerning is that realistic water, despite showing up in the mods tab, plugins tab, AND in game, does not appear to be actually working. I am SUPER lost and confused right now and would love some help from those more experienced than myself. If it is helpful, some of the common fixes that I have seen and tried are listed below:

 

1. Mods are enabled

2. I have clicked deploy mods (and verified that all related settings are what they should be according to other forum posters)

3. I have verified that Vortex and Skyrim SE are on the same drive

4. I made sure that SkyrimCustom.ini was present in my Skyrim SE folder

5. I have downloaded the script extender (possible issue: doing this led to a warning in Vortex : The primary tool for Skyrim SE is not available. Quick launch has reverted to the games executable. This did not seem to change anything, but still possible source of concern.)

6. I have tried using the downsized Skyrim 202x version (had same issue) and uninstalling/reinstalling Vortex (also had same issue).

 

Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

[ScizorWizard]

Hi, I am having this same exact issue - any chance you found a resolution?

[7531Leonidas]

Any mod that installs meshes and textures into the game without an .esp (sometimes with a .bsa as companion) will not show up in the plugins list, since it does not have a plugin (.esp, .esm, .espfe, .esl).  Skyrim 202x (both standard and downscaled) are such mods.

To the OP - you may well have some other cosmetic mods that block (or overwrite) their use/display in Skyrim.  Vortex should alert you to such conflicts in most cases.  Your script extender may not be installed/configured properly (including the Tools configuration on the dashboard), and you should not have to start it through Vortex, just through a shortcut directly to the SKSE launcher.  If the launcher is not properly configured, then the behavior you cited is quite possible.