Question regarding merging plugins/mods

[number23scorpio]

Hi. My name is James. Currently I am working on merging my mods together. I have already made my first merge! However, I have some questions I need answer as soon as possible. A video from Gamerpoet

 

 

was either confusing or did not mention those issues:

 

- Must I delete the original mods after merging? That would delete all original esps and files, while Gamerpoet said that the original plugins/esps should be left disabled but remain in the plugin list.

 

- Must I add the newly created merged mod after merging? Gamerpoet said that the entire newly merged esp and assets must be zipped and then added manually to the NMM. I want to manually add those files manually to the Data folder, so as to not mixing newly merged mods and original mods.

 

- Must I completely install all the optional updates and patches for a mod before merging? For instance, several mods allow lower res options aside from the main files. And I run a number of patches between mods. Some mods like "Stealth Skills Rebalanced" require all armors/clothes to be installed first so that installing SSR would register and apply tweaks to all armors/clothes. In short, can I merge the plugins and install tweaks and patches after activating the merged plugins? Would the tweaks and patches apply?

 

- Do merged plugins include all leveled lists? Gamerpoet mentioned the merging of mods' assets but not the leveled lists? Would all level lists merged into a new list? Because I would like to merge all leveled lists using a bashed patch.

 

- Finally, must I run a bashed patch (using Wrye Bash) after all merged plugins are installed? This was not mentioned, I think, and I wish to know about this.

 

Above questions are very important because I risked uninstalling and reinstalling my Skyrim to correct all script conflicts. I wish to continue my old save after reinstalling everything and adding merged plugins to free up my load order, which previously reached the 255 limit. I look forward to your help. Any insight is helpful?

[Project579]

Do merged plugins include all leveled lists? Yes

 

Finally, must I run a bashed patch (using Wrye Bash) after all merged plugins are installed? Yes if you want the bash patch to work correctly

 

Must I completely install all the optional updates and patches for a mod before merging? yes or some mods might not find their master install every patch / update you need then merge them all together.

 

Must I add the newly created merged mod after merging? you can install it however you want but making a zip out of the merge will help you taking track of the files.

 

Must I delete the original mods after merging? yes you should disable them or if they only are an esp change the file name to *modname*.esp.ghost

 

Small tip: Never merge mods with Navmesh fixing it requires too much work i learned it the hard way.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Project579

[number23scorpio]

Do merged plugins include all leveled lists? Yes

 

Finally, must I run a bashed patch (using Wrye Bash) after all merged plugins are installed? Yes if you want the bash patch to work correctly

 

Must I completely install all the optional updates and patches for a mod before merging? yes or some mods might not find their master install every patch / update you need then merge them all together.

 

Must I add the newly created merged mod after merging? you can install it however you want but making a zip out of the merge will help you taking track of the files.

 

Must I delete the original mods after merging? yes you should disable them or if they only are an esp change the file name to *modname*.esp.ghost

 

Small tip: Never merge mods with Navmesh fixing it requires too much work i learned it the hard way.

 

Thanks for the quick reply! Still, I have some questions:

 

- So I just need to disable the original plugins right? I don't want to delete the mods because I want to keep track of what I merge.

 

- Whats with Navmesh and all? Can you explain more clearly? I have just cleaned my Update.esm, Dawnguard.esm, Hearthfire.esm, Dragonborn.esm which had something to do with some of the navmesh.

 

- Also, the number of records deleted was somewhat different, like LOOT reported 619 records for Dawnguard.esm but TES5edit deleted 630 records. Is that a bad case of cleaning? Do I need to redownload the esms after a cleaning went bad?

[Project579]

So I just need to disable the original plugins right? yes just disable them

 

Whats with Navmesh and all? the navmesh is a "grid" that the npcs use to move around when you open a mod with tTES5edit and see that they have a navmesh section avoid merging them because you will need to manually remake the navmesh using the creation kit.

 

Also, the number of records deleted was somewhat different, like LOOT reported 619 records for Dawnguard.esm but TES5edit deleted 630 records. Is that a bad case of cleaning? LOOT reports every single problem in one number when you clean with TES5Edit you do 2 operations "delete and disable references" and "remove identical to master records".

[number23scorpio]

So I just need to disable the original plugins right? yes just disable them

 

Whats with Navmesh and all? the navmesh is a "grid" that the npcs use to move around when you open a mod with tTES5edit and see that they have a navmesh section avoid merging them because you will need to manually remake the navmesh using the creation kit.

 

Also, the number of records deleted was somewhat different, like LOOT reported 619 records for Dawnguard.esm but TES5edit deleted 630 records. Is that a bad case of cleaning? LOOT reports every single problem in one number when you clean with TES5Edit you do 2 operations "delete and disable references" and "remove identical to master records".

 

So the difference between number of records reported by LOOT and the actual number deleted by TES5edit does not matter? I remember doing "remove identical to master records" and then "delete and disable references", as per the instruction given online. Was it ok?

[Project579]

yes that is what you have to do and don't worry about the number on LOOT just remember to clean what it says should be cleaned.

[number23scorpio]

yes that is what you have to do and don't worry about the number on LOOT just remember to clean what it says should be cleaned.

 

Thanks. Because I once cleaned a lighting mod and the entire game world became pitch black! It has not happened again for me though.

[Project579]

you don't want to clean every mod just the ones you think have problems or the ones LOOT says.

[number23scorpio]

you don't want to clean every mod just the ones you think have problems or the ones LOOT says.

 

Right. Also, if I leave the original mods, will that affect memory? Because I want to have all the memory I can scrounge now.

[Project579]

when you make a merge the assets from the mods get copied inside the merge this means the merge will overwrite the files from the single mods. you cannot have 2 identical texture in skyrim the one installed last will overwrite the previous one same for every other file.