"DLC" .esp files crashing the Construction Set for Remastered

[ChampagneAndOj]

I'm looking at modding some of the "DLC" .esp files, but I'm finding that adding any file (other than oblivion.esm) to the Construction Set as a plugin will cause a crash when saving the .esp file I created.

So, I can create .esp files and mod anything based off of the oblivion.esm. Adding something like "AltarDeluxe.esp" and trying to save will result in a crash, and the mod will not be saved with changes. 

I'm guessing that since AltarDeluxe.esp is the last in the load order of all the "DLC" content, because it uses all the "DLC" as parent masters, and based on the results and crashes so far, I can't modify DLCFrostcrag.esp (for example) because AltarDeluxe.esp would overwrite any changes due to load order; and trying to create a mod based off of AltarDeluxe.esp (or DLCFrostcrag.esp for that matter) crashes the construction set.

Again, I can create mods with oblivion.esm for remastered without issue. I cannot create mods using "DLC" .esm files.

I'm not seeing any logs with why AltarDeluxe.esp (or other DLC) is crashing the construction set, so if anyone finds info as to why the construction set would crash like this, I'd be happy for details.

Edited April 27 by ChampagneAndOj
phrasing

[Krest00]

I had been having the same issue till I noticed that it's because the load order gets messed up. 

Clean load order

Oblivion.esm
DLCBattlehornCastle.esp
DLCFrostcrag.esp
DLCHorseArmor.esp
DLCMehrunesRazor.esp
DLCOrrery.esp
DLCShiveringIsles.esp
DLCSpellTomes.esp
DLCThievesDen.esp
DLCVileLair.esp
Knights.esp
AltarESPMain.esp
AltarDeluxe.esp
AltarESPLocal.esp 
Mods here.

For some reason, the Vortex program tries to put them in alphabetical order and that will make your game crash. So I just add my Mods after this, and the game then works.

[ChampagneAndOj]

On 4/27/2025 at 6:19 PM, Krest00 said:

or some reason, the Vortex program tries to put them in alphabetical order and that will make your game crash. So I just add my Mods after this, and the game then works.

I'm not using Vortex. No real reason to currently. This also doesn't have to do with load order, only that load order affects which .esp file I select for mods. Also to clarify on load order: I'm not seeing changes to the "DLCFrostcrag" because it's being overwritten by the "AltarDeluxe", when "DLCFrostcrag" is used as the parent file. Using "AltarDeluxe" as the parent file for the mod causes the game to crash on load.

I am currently looking into turning the .esp files into master files (.esm) to see if that resolves this issue, though I don't know how that would affect the resulting .esp mod and loading the game when the .esm files are reverted after the mod is established.
 

[7H3LaughingMan]

On 4/27/2025 at 5:19 PM, Krest00 said:

For some reason, the Vortex program tries to put them in alphabetical order and that will make your game crash.

Make sure you update the Vortex extension, there was a bug where it was putting them in alphabetical order and then another bug where it was enabling certain files that came with the game that were disabled. Once updated you just have to go into the mod order menu and reset the list and it will fix it.

[ChampagneAndOj]

Ok so I got this to finally work, and load correctly without a crash. Took some jerry rigging of the Construction Set to get it to load properly, and creating a blank .esp file before saving any changes.

However now it looks like any mods that I've created through the CS have ZERO effect on anything in the Remastered version. I deleted the entirety of the Frostcrag building within the DLCFrostcrag.esp file (don't worry, I made backups) just to test it out, and it's still sitting there in the game. I'm not sure what's going on here.

Conversely, I was able to load up the modded DLCFrostcrag.esp file into the original Oblivion game, and see all the changes just fine. Not sure what I'm missing here.