Can someone explain SKSE for me in a newbie way?

[frangoninja]

Hello peeps!

 

I don't want to do major modifications to my Skyrim, I won't add any custom quests, items, new physics, or whatever needs script engine.

 

I just want to add texture / visual effects.

 

But I don't want to use SKSE.

 

The mods I want to use without the need of SKSE are:

 

• Ruins Clutter Improved
• Cinematic Fire Effects 2 HD
• Static Nesh Improvement Mod - SMIM
• Skyrim HD 2k Textures
• aMidianBorn Caves and Mines
• Immersive Roads
• Fences of Skyrim - No more flickering fences
• Natural Grass Texture Floor
• High Definition Ivy
• Detailed Rugs
• AOF Detailed Mountains
• Dust Effects
• Realistic Smoke and Embers

 

I'm not a total noob with modding games, I've already modded GTA IV which require some kind of script extender (script hook) to use certain mods like (WatchDogs mod, Ironman) those mods above are all visual graphics / texture, so it will only replace the original texture of the game no script needed for it. (at least this is what I THINK in Skyrim, or am I wrong?).

 

And these are the mods which I want to use without SKSE too, but I'm not sure...

 

• The Skyrim Distance Overhaul LOD Improvement
• SkyFalls and SkyMills - Animated Distant Waterfalls and WindMills
• Skysight - Simply Bigger Trees
• Immersive Fallen Trees Mod

 

Do they need SKSE to extender any script? or are they script free and I could run my game from launcher without problem / corrupt saves?

 

SKSE loader are needed for mods that need "more" from the Skyrim current engine, right? so the SKSE are needed to run certain mods without permanently modifying the game files. The problem is, there are tons of mods and there is only 2 that warned me that they needs the SKSE to work:

 

• Equipping Overhaul
• SkyUI

 

Can someone confirm this? and so tell me how can I detect which mod MUST HAVE the SKSE to work, tell me how SKSE exactly work in text words...

 

Thx in advance.

Edited March 24, 2015 by frangoninja

[n0mad23]

Most mod description pages list requirements, and generally all without exception will list SKSE if it's needed.

 

I don't believe any of your "want-to" list requires the use of SKSE (I use all of these except Immersive Fallen Trees) but your last two that do require it do in fact require SKSE.

 

For me, SkyUI and its MCM menu basically make SKSE worth the "hassle" of installing and using it. Being able to configure and tweak mod settings from within the game is really nice. SKSE is basically a Script Hack that allows modders to do things with the game that couldn't be done without its use. I'm pretty much a noob too, but I've already figured out that SKSE is something being used more and more regularly by modders and there's a reason for this, right? One of SKSE's more recent additions has been incorporating a memory fix which results in increased stability so there's yet another reason to consider using it.

 

I just did a Nexus search with SKSE in the "description contains" field and had 63 pages of mods pop up. Seems most of the immersion type mods (Equipping Overhaul included) require the use of SKSE if you want to pursue any of these types of game improvements. I personally can't imagine playing without Wet and Cold or Footprints installed.

 

It's your game so do what you want (it's one of the things I really love about being able to mod Skyrim - no real right/wrong answers most of the time). I would recommend using SKSE, but that's me.

[Nephenee13]

Installing SKSE is literally copying and pasting files, and then using a slightly different shortcut to open the game.

There is literally no reason to to use it. Oblivion had a few special cases of people who couldn't use OBSE, but AFAIK, none of those cases exist with Skyrim.

 

So spent 5 minutes installing it, and then you can use whatever mod you want.

[manako101]

SKSE is like buying DLC for modding. a more diverse modding possibility. it's probably the most useful thing ever.

[cdcooley]

 

I could run my game from launcher without problem / corrupt saves?

 

so the SKSE are needed to run certain mods without permanently modifying the game files

 

You don't have to worry that using SKSE will somehow corrupt your saves or otherwise mess up your game. But there are a few minor quirks related to SKSE.

 

1. To use it you do have to start the game using the SKSE_Loader instead of the original launcher. (You can still use the launcher to change settings and manipulate your load list if you aren't using a better mod manager, but to actually launch the game you have to use SKSE's loader.)

 

2. Steam must already be running before you start the game with SKSE. (If you ever try to launch with SKSE_Loader and the original game launcher appears, quit it and try again because it means SKSE started Steam instead of the game.)

 

3. Some people need to run the SKSE_Loader as administrator. (It's entirely system dependent and no one really knows exactly what's different about the systems of people who need to run as administrator and those who don't but I suspect it's related to the permissions being used by Steam.)

 

4. Any time you verify your Steam cache for the game, you will have to reinstall SKSE since Steam overwrites the SKSE script files.

 

 

And finally there's the issue that isn't really about SKSE but seems to be your real concern: corrupted saves.

 

Bethesda doesn't support uninstalling mods and then continuing to play with the saved games that used those mods. If you ever start the game and get the message about missing content, then continuing to load that save there is the potential to create a corrupted game session which will be stored in the next save you make.

 

SKSE doesn't make that situation any different, but all mods that use SKSE do use scripts which are the most likely things to cause problems if you do try to uninstall a mod and keep playing the same saved game. There are plenty of other mods that will have problems too, so it's nothing specific to SKSE or mods that use it. (And in fact SKSE has a feature that tries to clean up the mess related to uninstalling mods, but it's better just not to do that in the first place.)

 

The other major way you get corrupted games is reloading a save over top of a running game. That can happen automatically if you die (although that case is unlikely to cause corruption) or if you use the main menu to load a game without exiting all the way to the desktop. The absolute worst thing you can do is load an entirely different character without quitting and restarting the game. When you load one saved game while already playing another Skyrim doesn't completely clear out memory and reload everything, so you end up with parts of two different games running together. When you save that mess you've created you get what people call a corrupted save. People have been blaming quicksaves and autosaves for years, but it's really quickload and manual reloads into a running game that are the problem.

[kevkiev]

4. Any time you verify your Steam cache for the game, you will have to reinstall SKSE since Steam overwrites the SKSE script files.

 

 

This isn't true. Steam will overwrite your INI files, not SKSE. (One of the big advantages of using Mod Organizer. You create "virtual" INI's that are untouched by Steam.)

[cdcooley]

Sorry, non-modders may not notice the overwrite of SKSE files. It's only the SKSE script source files that get overwritten and those don't even get installed if you just use the SKSE installer. I was just thinking of the issues that I've had with SKSE.

 

As for the INI files, if you use the SkyrimCustom.ini like you are supposed to do instead of trying to make changes to to Skyrim.ini it isn't that much of a problem. Just running the game launcher makes changes to your SkyrimPrefs.ini which might, or might not, erase things you had set intentionally so I always keep a backup of that one.

[notmyhome]

I'd say these days SKSE is vital, if only for the startup memory patch, which has all but eliminated infinite loading screens and other problems that came from Skyrim being a rather poor console port.

[BlackRoseOfThorns]

I'd say these days SKSE is vital, if only for the startup memory patch, which has all but eliminated infinite loading screens and other problems that came from Skyrim being a rather poor console port.

 

This. You are more likely to have problems with stability of vanilla skyrim than with SKSE version. Nowdays there is auto installer for skse and you shouldn't have any problems. Afterwards get "SKSE ini predownload for lazy users" on nexus and install it in skse folder to activate memory patch.

 

I also recommend getting Enboost to increase general game performance. Read all installation and setup instructions on mod page.