Question about merged/batched patches from noob

[xjpattonx]

I have about 130 active mods and I don't really have many problems right now other than a rare crash now and again, but I have over 100 more that are inactive. I know I eventually need to create a merged patch via SSEEdit and a batched patch via Wrye Bash. My plan was to activate a few mods at a time out of the remaining mods I have installed and play the game for a bit each time as a way to test if some mods will give me problems and if so resolve those issues by possible getting rid of some of changing the load order with others until I eventually have all of the mods remaining either active or ruled out as something that will work with my mod list. And then after having all of the mods installed I want installed and having the game still decently stable I was going to create a merged patch and then a batched patch for leveled lists. Is this the right thinking or should I be making merged/batched patches at every step. Even now. Would that possibly cut down on issues which might allow me to actually reach the goal of installing that many more mods with the least amount of problems? I'm basically asking those that have a lot of experience because the only way I even know how to make merged and batched patches is from youtube tutorial videos. I've never actually done either and I'm definitely not certain as to what point in modding I should be concerning myself with these patches.

 

 

Also I'd just like to know how I know which mods I should be combining in a merged and which mods I should be combining in a batched patch. The videos I've seen just pretty much say do this then do that and so on. It doesn't really show me if SEEdit will give me a list of mods that are recomended to be combined in a merge patch and will Wrye Bash recommend exactly which monds should be combined in a batched patch?

 

Also if I decide I don't want a merged or batch patch anymore can I just delete it? and if so will that just put everything back to the way it was before making the patches? Or am I forever stuck will all of the mods I combine in these patches? And just any general advise that might be important would be greatly appreciated.

[EKinnamon]

Tag, I had similar questions.

[xjpattonx]

bump

[IsharaMeradin]

Bashed patch does not combine mods. It can in some instances take on all the changes of a particular mod but there are certain requirements that are met first before that happens. Wrye Bash would inform you if any plugins can be merged into the bashed patch. Merging into the bashed patch, however, does not mean that you can remove that plugin. It will need to be retained (but inactive) if you wish to use that mod on another run as Wrye Bash will not include it in any subsequent builds of the bashed patch should that plugin no longer exist.

 

There are two types of merged patches in xEdit.

The first is similar to a bashed patch in that it combines changes done to the same record in multiple mods. If a bashed patch is built first and active when creating this merged patch, the records in the bashed patch are typically ignored and not included in the merged patch. If for some reason they are not, it is usually better to use the records from the bashed patch over the merged patch. This merged patch is accessed by right clicking in the plugin list, selecting 'Other' and choosing 'Merged Patch'. Name it TES5Merged and LOOT will automatically sort it.

 

The other type of merged patch is the actual merging of plugins in order to exceed the limit of 255 total plugins (including Skyrim.esm and any DLC). This is done with a script that runs within the xEdit framework but I think is now presented as a standalone EXE rather than requiring you to actually apply the script yourself. If you won't exceed 255 plugins, I see no need to use this.

As far as when to run any of these...

I would run the bashed patch after any load order changes and I wish to run the game.

I would create a merged patch in xEdit at the same time as the bashed patch.

I would not merge plugins unless I were planning to exceed the 255 plugin limit.

 

You can delete both a bashed patch and a merged patch and any changes they made will be gone. However, those changes could be baked into your save file. Be sure to have a back up save to return to prior to having used either patch in case you wish to remove them. However, since neither one contains new records, it is safer to remove them or update them mid-game than almost any other plugin.

 

I would not delete a merged plugin without preparing to start a new game.

[xjpattonx]

Thank you. That gives me a little more understanding. One thing though I'm using SEEdit instead of TES5 but from my understanding you can accomplish what you need to do with either. And about certain things being ''baked'' into your saves that's something I have been concerned about. Even when just uninstalling certain mods. And I haven't tried this yet but what do you think about cleaning saves? Does that help remove whatever might be unwanted left overs in saves? Like this video for example youtube.com/watch?v=OLTYQFTNhM4 ... wihch shows you how to clean your Skyrim SE saves.

Edited January 24, 2017 by xjpattonx

[Algabar]

 

[...]

If a bashed patch is built first and active when creating this merged patch, the records in the bashed patch are typically ignored and not included in the merged patch. If for some reason they are not, it is usually better to use the records from the bashed patch over the merged patch. This merged patch is accessed by right clicking in the plugin list, selecting 'Other' and choosing 'Merged Patch'. Name it TES5Merged and LOOT will automatically sort it.

 

[...]

As far as when to run any of these...

I would run the bashed patch after any load order changes and I wish to run the game.

I would create a merged patch in xEdit at the same time as the bashed patch.

I would not merge plugins unless I were planning to exceed the 255 plugin limit.

 

 

 

 

I agree with everything you wrote, just a note on the quoted sentences: What you describe is ONE possible approach. Another one (and the one I prefer) is:

 

1. Create a merged patch with TESVEdit first. If you already got a bashed patch at this point, DON'T include it in the merged patch (simply uncheck the merged patch in the plugin list in TES5Edit).

2. In the merged patch you just created, search for the category containing leveled lists. I think it's called ILevel or something like that. Delete this whole category. Now save your merged patch.

3. Now create (or rebuild, if you already got one) your bashed patch in Wrye Bash, including everything (also the TES 5 Edit merged patch).

 

This will retain all the benefits and conflict solutions of the merged patch, but leave the management of combined leveled lists to Wrye Bash alone. IMHO, TES5Edit shines at "solving" mod conflicts in general, whereas Wrye Bash is stronger, when it comes to leveled lists. I got a lot of mods that add items (like nice fancy armours and weapons) to the loot tables, and this method always worked very well for me. OFC you do all this patch building AFTER you sorted out your load order.

 

[xjpattonx]

 

 

[...]

If a bashed patch is built first and active when creating this merged patch, the records in the bashed patch are typically ignored and not included in the merged patch. If for some reason they are not, it is usually better to use the records from the bashed patch over the merged patch. This merged patch is accessed by right clicking in the plugin list, selecting 'Other' and choosing 'Merged Patch'. Name it TES5Merged and LOOT will automatically sort it.

 

[...]

As far as when to run any of these...

I would run the bashed patch after any load order changes and I wish to run the game.

I would create a merged patch in xEdit at the same time as the bashed patch.

I would not merge plugins unless I were planning to exceed the 255 plugin limit.

 

 

 

 

I agree with everything you wrote, just a note on the quoted sentences: What you describe is ONE possible approach. Another one (and the one I prefer) is:

 

1. Create a merged patch with TESVEdit first. If you already got a bashed patch at this point, DON'T include it in the merged patch (simply uncheck the merged patch in the plugin list in TES5Edit).

2. In the merged patch you just created, search for the category containing leveled lists. I think it's called ILevel or something like that. Delete this whole category. Now save your merged patch.

3. Now create (or rebuild, if you already got one) your bashed patch in Wrye Bash, including everything (also the TES 5 Edit merged patch).

 

This will retain all the benefits and conflict solutions of the merged patch, but leave the management of combined leveled lists to Wrye Bash alone. IMHO, TES5Edit shines at "solving" mod conflicts in general, whereas Wrye Bash is stronger, when it comes to leveled lists. I got a lot of mods that add items (like nice fancy armours and weapons) to the loot tables, and this method always worked very well for me. OFC you do all this patch building AFTER you sorted out your load order.

 

 

That's interesting because I believe what you're describing is as far as deleting anything associated with ''leveled'' in the merge patch and then creating a separate leveled bash patch is the way I was instructed to do it from the first person that gave me advice on any of this. And then I have seen that exact thing in instructional videos. Keep in mind I have zero practical experience with any of this it's all from discussions and videos.\

 

EDIT: Does anyone have any opinions on using SEEdit over TES5? I already have SEEdit installed and have used it to clean some masters so I am already a least a little bit familiar with that one, however it it would be beneficial for me in the long run to switch to TES5 I guess I would.

Edited January 24, 2017 by xjpattonx

[IsharaMeradin]

SSE Edit and TES5Edit are the same program. They are simply distributed with a different EXE name so that they can automatically work with the specified game.

 

In other words...

Rename it to TES5Edit and it will work with original Skryim

Rename it to SSEEdit and it will work with Skyrim Special Edition

Rename it to TES4Edit and it will work with Oblivion

Rename it to FO4Edit and it will work with Fallout 4

Rename it to FO3Edit and it will work with Fallout 3

Collectively, it is referred to as xEdit

 

 

As far as order of bashed patch and merged patch. I used to keep the bashed patch inactive when doing the merged patch and deleted the leveled lists from the merged patch. One time I forgot and noticed that the leveled lists were not included in the merged patch as they had been. Ever since then, I've kept the bashed patch active when doing the merged patch and save myself the hassle of deleting records. I still, however, load up both patches in xEdit and check them out to make sure they are doing what I want done.

[xjpattonx]

 

 

 

[...]

If a bashed patch is built first and active when creating this merged patch, the records in the bashed patch are typically ignored and not included in the merged patch. If for some reason they are not, it is usually better to use the records from the bashed patch over the merged patch. This merged patch is accessed by right clicking in the plugin list, selecting 'Other' and choosing 'Merged Patch'. Name it TES5Merged and LOOT will automatically sort it.

 

[...]

As far as when to run any of these...

I would run the bashed patch after any load order changes and I wish to run the game.

I would create a merged patch in xEdit at the same time as the bashed patch.

I would not merge plugins unless I were planning to exceed the 255 plugin limit.

 

 

 

 

I agree with everything you wrote, just a note on the quoted sentences: What you describe is ONE possible approach. Another one (and the one I prefer) is:

 

1. Create a merged patch with TESVEdit first. If you already got a bashed patch at this point, DON'T include it in the merged patch (simply uncheck the merged patch in the plugin list in TES5Edit).

2. In the merged patch you just created, search for the category containing leveled lists. I think it's called ILevel or something like that. Delete this whole category. Now save your merged patch.

3. Now create (or rebuild, if you already got one) your bashed patch in Wrye Bash, including everything (also the TES 5 Edit merged patch).

 

This will retain all the benefits and conflict solutions of the merged patch, but leave the management of combined leveled lists to Wrye Bash alone. IMHO, TES5Edit shines at "solving" mod conflicts in general, whereas Wrye Bash is stronger, when it comes to leveled lists. I got a lot of mods that add items (like nice fancy armours and weapons) to the loot tables, and this method always worked very well for me. OFC you do all this patch building AFTER you sorted out your load order.

 

 

That's interesting because I believe what you're describing is as far as deleting anything associated with ''leveled'' in the merge patch and then creating a separate leveled bash patch is the way I was instructed to do it from the first person that gave me advice on any of this. And then I have seen that exact thing in instructional videos. Keep in mind I have zero practical experience with any of this it's all from discussions and videos.\

 

EDIT: Does anyone have any opinions on using SEEdit over TES5? I already have SEEdit installed and have used it to clean some masters so I am already a least a little bit familiar with that one, however it it would be beneficial for me in the long run to switch to TES5 I guess I would.

 

Gotcha. Thanks.

[EKinnamon]

I had similar questions so thought I would post a link to the thread, might help you (though some of the same posters here helped me there.)

https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/5293330-how-to-combine-or-merge-mods/?p=46969680