Which Edition of Skyrim is best for modding on Steam?

[ABC69XYZ]

Hi im about to purchase Skyrim for the PC but i heard that one is harder to mod or less compatible with mods than the other. There are three i can buy from steam:

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim + Add-On

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

 

 

Im pretty sure the first two are the same thing but with no DLC and from what im hearing special edition is the one thats less compatible.

Edited January 29, 2017 by ABC69XYZ

[DASawyer]

Really, there are only two versions there: the old one and the new one, just that the second one on your list has all the DLCs. That is the one that is *currently* compatible with the largest number of mods. A lot of them rely on a script extender called SKSE, and that hasn't yet been ported to Skyrim Special Edition.

But it's only a matter of time until it has been, and SE's 64 bit engine will be able to handle things that makes the old 32 bit engine choke. My recommendation is that unless you can get the old version (including the expansions) VERY cheap, go ahead and get Special Edition, put up with the temporary lack of SKSE using mods, and be ready for even better stuff when SKSE64 comes out.

I can tell you that Skyrim SE runs better than the old version. Taking advantage of our modern 64 bit processors does make a difference.

Edited January 29, 2017 by DASawyer

[Madcat221]

Currently, the Old Skyrim has the better modding infrastructure, though simply because it's been around for over five years. SSE is still developing, though not quite as completely from-scratch as normally when moving up to a new BGS game release.

 

Eventually, SSE may overtake. It has the promise of better stability simply because it is a 64-bit program instead of 32-bit like Oldrim.

[thomriis]

If you like to mod your game,I think you should wait until SKSE comes out for Skyrim SE.

 

Or you could wait until 2022 until TES VI arrives (Which i hope is not the case).

[phantompally76]

Most of the prominent mod authors are currently devoting 95% of their energies into modding for Skyrim SE. Some have abandoned the Legendary Edition altogether, or are otherwise not putting as much time and attention into development/updates into the classic versions of their mods (please note, this isn't true for 100% of mod authors, nor am I trying to imply so. But it cannot be denied that the latest releases of a lot of popular mods for LE are plagued with a lot more bugs than normal). That said, they're well within their rights to focus on whichever version they choose, and most of them feel like SE has a lot more potential than the version of the game we all originally signed up for. I'm sure trying to juggle updates and development for two different versions of the game is well-tedious. Some authors are, in fact, near their wits' end, particularly with the Special Edition's Creation Kit, which is causing a ton more headaches than the LE's Creation Kit at this time.

 

Meanwhile, the majority of mod users are either 1). still playing and loading mods for Legendary Edition while waiting for SKSE and a modern version of SkyUI with MCM menus to exist for the Special Edition so that more LE mods can be ported over and function properly, or 2). unable to play Skyrim SE because of hardware issues resulting in incredibly poor framerates even with all the ini file and video card tweaks in the world, along with 5x more CTDs than the LE, which is implicitly not supposed to happen, and so will be sticking with Skyrim LE, come Hell or high water (for full disclosure, I fall into this category).

 

The big argument for Skyrim SE is that it offers better stability and enhanced capabilities for better mods than the Legendary Edition. I haven't come across any mods that live up to that hype yet, but it's still early days. All I know is that I wish Bethesda had never developed or released a Special Edition of the game. Other than marginally better looking grass and sickly yellow dust everywhere, I haven't found anything "special" about it. But that's just my opinion based off personal experience. Others act like they've just discovered water, so YMMV. Either way, I do feel like the modding community is approaching a crisis as a result of the SE. Many of us will either be left behind, or (as it stands now) discouraged from continuing to be a part of a community that will no longer support the version of the game that put it on the map.

 

TL:DR: It depends on whether you care more about the tried-and-true or the latest-and-greatest. Although "greatest" will be subjective.

 

Also, it's worth comparing the user reviews for both versions of the game on Steam, and note the near 20% difference in positive reviews.

Edited February 3, 2017 by phantompally76

[twiztedmongoloid]

Phantomphally: what are your system specs?

 

OP: If you are brand new to skyrim and down own anything yet but have a decent PC i would say go special edition. It will leave you set for the future. If you want it for mods tho keep in mind the modding scene for SE is still in its infant stages. Many like myself are waiting for the scene to mature a bit before we switch over.

 

Based on what i see on modwatch it looks like vast majority are still playing classic. Most of them because of the modding situation i mentioned. I am in that group.

[sneaksmile]

Buy the ''old'' Skyrim with its DLCs. Oldrim has GREAT mods that will never appear in the Special Edition because some modders simply forgot their mods and they never will bring them into the Special Edition, so them will only be available for the old Skyrim and only for the old Skyrim ... And not only that, still appear great mods and more complex for the old Skyrim, while in the Special Edition there is nothing compared to the huge number of old and new mods for Oldrim.

Edited February 2, 2017 by sneaksmile

[Gilibran]

My advice at this point would be to go for the cheapest, the SKyrim Script Extender and SkyUI have become virtually essential additions to SKyrim modding. SKSE will take a while to fully develop, Fallout 4 is largely the same 64bit engine and the script extender for that has been under development for almost a year now and still lacks alot of the more advanced features due to the different nature of the 64bit software. Development on that will help development of SKSE but unless they make a major breakthrough it will still be a while untill it has all the functions the 32bit/Oldrim script extender has. Offcourse once it is released things can go fast, but there are still issues to be resolved. I have not really followed the SE SKSE and FO4se development but they have some though nuts to crack to get to the point Oldrim SKSE is now. As said I might be off on the difficulties because i'm not following the development and they might have already made big leaps.

 

But do not forget that it took 5 years to get to this point in functionality, though modding stays relatively the same, apart from some differences and problems with the SE construction set, veteran modders know what they are doing. Mod authors will very probably have to completely rescript there mods for Skyrim SE once the extender is released and based on what it contains on release they will probably wait with porting untill it has all the functions they need so they do not have to do updates each time a new version is released in the first few months/years!?. They would want to release a fully functioning ported mod and only do some minor bugfixing instead of going through the whole development process again.

 

Some will port it themselves or perhaps rebuild from scratch, some will give permissions to others to do the porting some will not and some have left the building and are unreachable to give permission for someone else to do the work. Time will tell, and as said, things can go fast once the extender is released, especially if someone builds a script converter tool if that is at all possible, the difference in scripting is where the major difficulties are as far is i know, but someone correct me if i'm arwong, i think it will take at least a year or two before we see some of the larger and more complex SKSE and SkyUI dependend mods in fully working order for Special edition.

 

I am pretty sure though that eventually Skyrim SE will overtake Oldrim and become the main version to mod and play, but it's just like when Skyrim released, it will take time.

 

So go for the cheapest now, which is probably the old version if you buy it during a steam sale, play and mod it for a year or 2 max and then buy the special edition again for cheap by that time, or wait and follow the developments and decide once SE SKSE is released and see how fast mods develop for the Special Edition.

[Moksha8088]

Go with Skyrim SE.

[Mastian1997]

In my opinion the Skyrim Legendary Edition is the best option for modding now, but in 1-2 years the Special Edition will be the better choice.

 

Also you can get the Skyrim legendary Edition very cheap, but DON'T buy it on steam.

On sites like mmoga.net you get Skyrim LE for 10€ or less.