Geck CTD when saving (unsuccessful) an esm

[laclongquan]

I dont know why it sudden CTD like that when I save an esm after adding some terrain asset (canyon cave entrance or even a shackdoor basement). Unlike normally, it dont even do the saving, just ctd after pressing save button.

First, this is an WIP esm file I've been doing for a while without trouble. I completed about 6 cave cells with exterior doors. Then it suddenly turn to CTD this way. I dont update anything, because this is a WIP, see. 

Second. it is a cave pack I've been doing for Salt Lake Stories, which is an old venerable module. There should have been no trouble.

Third, as an esm, to do terrain on it I turn off the esm tag in fnvedit, add several terrain assets, going to Geck to do sheesh, then save. It will turn to esm after that. This procedure worked fine  for six caves before.

So please help~ Any of you guys know why?

@madmongo , @MuteSignals , @JimboUK , @M48A5 , 

Edited December 29, 2024 by laclongquan

[madmongo]

Since the goal is to make an esm anyway, you might try using version control instead of fiddling with the esm flag. The GECK stores things differently when you check things in using version control.

Take your existing mod that works and convert it back to an esp, then check that in to create a new esm. Then make your new changes with an esp and check those in to your new esm.

If you are not familiar with version control, instructions can be found here: https://geckwiki.com/index.php/Version_Control

I personally keep a backup folder with my original ini files and a folder with my modified version control ini files, and I just copy whichever version I want to use into my documents folder to switch between normal mode and networked version control mode.

 

[laclongquan]

"A note to anyone intending on using Version Control. Version control is NOT for casual modders or for people who just want to merge a couple of mods. Version control is intended for teams of people who KNOW what they're doing."

I am a steennkeeng noob who like to mod alone, cause I am foulmouth lorefag. Version control doesnt seem to be the thing for me. Thanks, madmongo, but this route doesnt go well with my methods.

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I will stop working on this mod and release it as 1.0beta. The other 4-5 caves will have to wait until I can do it successfully.

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This is an experiment to create esm that dont go so well for me.

I might have to turn back to esm-ed esp thingy after this. The whole esm thing prove to me that we dont want to do esm unless we really really really need to. Cause there's several limitation on this sheesh, both while modding, and while playing. And the guys that promote doing esm, I suspect they dont know what they dont know.

Edited December 30, 2024 by laclongquan

[madmongo]

Pffft. I've never worked on a team and I mostly make mods for myself. To be fair, I am a hardware and software design engineer in real life, so I'm very familiar with the concept of using a repository and checking changes into that. But I don't think version control is all that difficult. In a real team environment your repository will be on a server somewhere on the network. The instructions I linked to basically fake out your computer with a local shared folder so that the GECK thinks it is checking things in to a network share, when in reality it's just checking things in to a local folder on your PC. You absolutely do not need to be part of a team in order to use version control.

I will admit though that it is a step up from noob level.

Version control is an absolute necessity if you are creating a larger mod (i.e. anything that involves a new worldspace). It's the only way to avoid the dreaded 16MB bug that will completely brick your mod if you aren't aware of it.

Don't completely discount it. Version control is a good thing to learn if you ever want to create worldspaces or create more complex mods. You will limit yourself if you never use it.

[laclongquan]

Possibly you are right. Thing is, I dont really want to learn so much new things if there's no absolute need. Even navmesh are troubling me~ I dont find that version control going to be necessary for me until I can do any esm beyond 2mb (currently 1.5-)