Mod packs and ... uuuhh?

[CopperBoltwire]

(Not sure what to title this thread...)

 

You know, Skyrim is possibly one of the most modded games on nexes, after al it boass a whole 33k files to go, yet i don't see any mod packs.

Maybe i'm looking in the wrong section or place, but one would think that there would be a section that allows people to "upload" or create threads for mod packs.

 

I know that mod packs are a lot of work, especially with all the "essential" mods followed by the "needed" mods and then comes "fun" mods and so on and so forth.

And then there is the need to update the pack when ever just one of the mods gets updated/patched.

 

But still, with that many mods and this popular game, i can't see why there shoulden't be any mod packs out there.

If nexus does not "host" these, where can i then go to find them?

 

I wouldn't mind just be given a list of mods and links to these mods and have to download them seperately.

Sure it might be a hazzle to install them, but that's where the mod pack designer comes in (s)he can just tell in which order to install, which mods/files to omit.

Sure it's lot of work, but in the end, the mod pack "creator" which hardly did as much as the actual modders did, still get a bit/some prise for suggesting this combination of mods.

 

Well, i might just be blind and unable to use a search function in the correct way, or there simply isen't any "official" mod packs out there.

 

-De'Maep the Loony

[Dhegonus]

the issue is getting the mod author's consent, a fir few modders will flat out refuse and if you upload it anyway it'll get deleted by the moderators/admins and you may get banned for it. What people tend to do, though.. is download their favourite mods and make a single mod out of them all if possible using wyre bash etc, but uploading other people's work with out consent or their work not being modders resource tends to be..well.. inadvisable.Then there is the issue of contacting some modders as a few may have left the site a long time ago,

[CraziJack]

Hothtrooper did that for some of the armors and weapons over Nexus but he got consent, then came Immersive Armors and Weapons. If it's such a problem, you could look on the steam workshop. But as always with steam, as if a lot of good that'll do, considering it's already messed up one of my mods.

[DrakeTheDragon]

Mind the Terms of Service of this site:

 

• Absolutely no copyrighted work is to be used without permission of the original creator. This includes content from other games, from DLCs, music creators or from other file authors. This also includes members from countries that do not recognise copyright laws.
• All files uploaded must have been created by the uploader or used with permission from the original author of the content. Such permission must be indicated in the Readme text attached to the file and/or on the Description page (or in the Description field for images), and must be obtained in advance, before uploading the file. If you cannot provide proof of consent then your file will be removed and your account is likely to be banned.
• Always provide appropriate credit to authors who have given you permission to use their content in your files both within the file description and within your file readme, even if said content was published as free to use.
• Do not upload compilations of other users work irrespective of whether the authors of the work you would like to compile together have agreed to your using their work in your compilation. For example: no "my favourite mods" lists or "best weapon" compilations.

Apart from this mod packs are frowned upon in general for multiple reasons by many authors and users.

 

They may seem like a great thing to get into using many mods at once, already patched to work together, without having to care for compatibility issues and conflicts yourself, and for some they even are, but for everybody else they're just the start into their worst nightmare, as soon as they add a single other mod to their list and all of a sudden conflicts start popping up out of nowhere. You are meant to solve conflicts and compatibility issues yourself, using the many handy tools the community gives you, for a reason.

 

There are means to do this the right way.

Like giving a list of links to the actual mods and their proper install order and the only file uploaded is a huge patch making them work together (not avoiding the 'ask for permission' hurdle and its complications, of course).

Or some automated installer-type way to automatically download and install the individual mods from their individual urls and in the right order, then applying a huge patch to make them all compatible.

Maybe in future there'll even be a way to do exactly this through the Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) automatically, as I've heard talk about it for quite some time now.

 

But even so, using this way of obtaining the mods and playing by the rules, using a huge patch to make it all work together, the other issue still persists.

Every mod 'not' handled inside the patch is bound to conflict and cause issues. The more there is included, the more the conflicts will be.

[CopperBoltwire]

Mind the Terms of Service of this site:

 

• Absolutely no copyrighted work is to be used without permission of the original creator. This includes content from other games, from DLCs, music creators or from other file authors. This also includes members from countries that do not recognise copyright laws.
• All files uploaded must have been created by the uploader or used with permission from the original author of the content. Such permission must be indicated in the Readme text attached to the file and/or on the Description page (or in the Description field for images), and must be obtained in advance, before uploading the file. If you cannot provide proof of consent then your file will be removed and your account is likely to be banned.
• Always provide appropriate credit to authors who have given you permission to use their content in your files both within the file description and within your file readme, even if said content was published as free to use.
• Do not upload compilations of other users work irrespective of whether the authors of the work you would like to compile together have agreed to your using their work in your compilation. For example: no "my favourite mods" lists or "best weapon" compilations.

Apart from this mod packs are frowned upon in general for multiple reasons by many authors and users.

 

They may seem like a great thing to get into using many mods at once, already patched to work together, without having to care for compatibility issues and conflicts yourself, and for some they even are, but for everybody else they're just the start into their worst nightmare, as soon as they add a single other mod to their list and all of a sudden conflicts start popping up out of nowhere. You are meant to solve conflicts and compatibility issues yourself, using the many handy tools the community gives you, for a reason.

 

There are means to do this the right way.

Like giving a list of links to the actual mods and their proper install order and the only file uploaded is a huge patch making them work together (not avoiding the 'ask for permission' hurdle and its complications, of course).

Or some automated installer-type way to automatically download and install the individual mods from their individual urls and in the right order, then applying a huge patch to make them all compatible.

Maybe in future there'll even be a way to do exactly this through the Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) automatically, as I've heard talk about it for quite some time now.

 

But even so, using this way of obtaining the mods and playing by the rules, using a huge patch to make it all work together, the other issue still persists.

Every mod 'not' handled inside the patch is bound to conflict and cause issues. The more there is included, the more the conflicts will be.

Valid point, didn't think this through when i posted this. No wonder there is no mod packs then *grin*

Though i still would love to get a list (with links) to a "mod pack" sorta deal with what people thinks are great combination of mods.

 

I know and have no problem working through the conflicts that might arise.

I'm currently working on a "tiny" mod combination and a tiny patch to correct ID conflicts and a few typos in some of the scripts.

IF anyne is interested in the .txt file with the list of mods with the links, let me know (via pm)...

As for the patch, i only just begun working on it 2 days ago.

Also gotta ask dosen mod authers about a few things regarding their mods.

 

---

 

Also, thanks for reply guys ^_^

[bben46]

Many popular mods are big - put two or three of those plus a dozen or more smaller mods in one massive download and you are looking at a file that if it doesn't exceed the file size limit, could take a very long time to download.

 

Then - what if just one of those mods has a serious bug that didn't show up until later? The person who compiled will have to do it all over again, and every one who downloaded the original will have to sit through the download all over again.

 

Now, a popular mod gets a new feature. again the compiler has to do it all over again - but this time, it conflicts with some other mod in the compilation meaning the entire compilation is broken until the fix is found and he has to upload the entire thing still again, and the users all have to download it all again.

 

The game gets a major patch, or gets a new DLC, and the compilation doesn't work with it. Your choice - abandon the compilation OR wait and hope the guy can fix it - another long wait while it downloads - if he fixes it, and if his fix works.

 

There is one mod in that compilation you really don't like and want to use one that is similar, but not compatible - You can't. Installing that one you want would break the compilation. Maybe you can contact the guy that made the compilation and get him to make a special version just for you? Not likely.

 

Over time maintaining that compilation becomes a full time job. That's no fun - so the mod compiler just up and abandons it - leaving every one who was using that compilation playing with an out of date and buggy compilation that cannot be changed.

 

The way we have it now, is mods are modular - you pick and choose what you want - and can change at any time. You are not locked into what one guy thinks you should use in your game. Compilations defeat the purpose of mods - to make the game the way you want it instead of how someone else wants it. By using a compilation, you are turning your choices over to someone else.

 

On the surface it may look like a compilation of a bunch of popular mods would be a good idea, in reality it creates far more problems. There are a lot more reasons - more than I listed. But these are the ones that most people will be able to grasp without going into a lengthy technical/legal explanation.

 

A list of mods - in the load order that works for you is OK. And there have been many of these posted over time. And some even come with links to the mods - but they rapidly become out of date.

[jaxonz]

I found the S.T.E.P. project very useful when I finally decided to heavily mod Skyrim and ran into compatibility issues.

 

The use the notion of mod packs, but there are lists rather than actual repackaging.

 

Many will disagree with the particular mods they have chosen, but I think it is a good starting point.

 

The most valuable thing STEP brings (IMHO) is the BOSS/BASH methodology to improve reliability.

 

Anyway, I'm no expert but thought I would share what helped me.

[CopperBoltwire]

I found the S.T.E.P. project very useful when I finally decided to heavily mod Skyrim and ran into compatibility issues.

 

The use the notion of mod packs, but there are lists rather than actual repackaging.

 

Many will disagree with the particular mods they have chosen, but I think it is a good starting point.

 

The most valuable thing STEP brings (IMHO) is the BOSS/BASH methodology to improve reliability.

 

Anyway, I'm no expert but thought I would share what helped me.

THIS is what i meant in my 2nd message/reply...

 

I would love to simply just get a list with links to the many various mods, a "suggested" loadorder AND installation instructions to that list.

This effectively could be called a mod pack, but a lot of work would possibly be needed to be done by the user, and not the person packing it.

 

Sure the person whom made the list and instal instructions went through a lot of trouble, but he won't need to worry about repacking if one of the mods gets updated.

All he would need to do is occasionally check up on his mods and see if they got updated and change his instructions accordingly.

 

At least this is what i look for at the VERY LEAST. And it's much much much less work to be done for the "Mod compiler" and would actually not need an mod developers "green light" for this.

Since nothing is done other then their mods got suggested in a list among a ton of other mods.

 

Well, at least i can't see anything wrong with linking to other peoples work when it comes to suggesting a "DIY Mod Pack" type thingy ;)