Three different mod managers.. is that ok?

[zontoxira]

Hi all, I'm currently using WB, OBMM and NMM, because the mods I want to use require different mod managers. Is that supposed to be normal? Last time I checked, game crashed at startup. I can't say it was due to mod conflict, three different mod managers working simultaneously, or corrupt game installation.

[beldaran1224]

I've simultaneously used both WB & OBMM without any issues - but they were both around during the height of Oblivion modding and were designed to be compatible. I don't know if the same can be said for NMM, but I honestly doubt that is the issue.

 

A crash at startup is most likely to be a missing master. Masters are esps or esms that other esps/esms are dependent on. The easiest way to check this is through Wrye Bash, where in the "Mods" tab, any boxes that are red (may look more pink) have missing masters. If any of these have a check next to them, they are likely the source of the problem.

[forli]

I discourage the use of more than one mod manager. Mod managers have a delicate task: instal mods and ensure the right installation order of the files.

 

If 2 mods contains the same file, the one installed last wins, and this is important: some mods MUST be installed in the right order (example: a patch after the patched mod) to ensure the Data folder contains the right/most recent files.

With WB you can adjust the installation order at any time, by changing the order of the packages in the Installers tab.

 

But if the mods are installed by more mod managers, how could each one possibly know the order of the other mods?

How can they know if a file must not be touched at all?

 

When a mod manager is installing a mod and find another version of the same file in the data folder (installed by someone else: either manually by you or by another mod manager) will force overwrite that file, no matter what, even if that file should reasonably wins and stay.

 

 

 

All this is to say: one of the possible reasons your game have problems may be a messed up data folder, due to presence of old/outdated files which should have been replaced by newer ones, but instead "won" simply because the mod managers can't cooperate, and can't communicate each other which files can be replaced.

 

I suggest you choose one mod manager and stick with it. Of the three you use, my choice would be WB, because:

- NMM is the most useless of all. You may have plenty of problems simply because some mods require a complex installation procedure or have a complex package and nearly no Oblivion mod have a NMM script to support it. And anyway, no mod requires NMM. If NMM is able to install a mod, all other mods managers are able too.

- OBMM is superior to NMM (except the lack of a download/upload manager) as it supports near all mods (and near all mods have an OBMM script, if necessary), but it's a very basic mod manager, and you could use it the first months for learning.

- WB is a complete mod manager, superior to the other two, which supports all mods (and doesn't even needs scripts for most of them, as it natively support complex packages. It have tons of useful tools (like the ESSENTIAL Bashed Patch) and can also manage the "installation order" (like I said above, which is completely different from "load order"). It's more complex to use but reward the most.

Edited March 23, 2017 by forli

[beldaran1224]

@forli I agree that mixing up mods between several mod managers is not an ideal situation, there are a few good reasons I've found to use OBMM for a few (I think I have 4) mods. But, as you said, it can create problems. So I would only use another mod manager when necessary, and only with the mods you have to. Keep careful track of the install order.

 

For instance, I find the hassle of installing DarN UI frustrating without OBMM. Maskar's Oblivion Overhaul, while easy to install any way, has a really great script with OBMM that cuts down on the ini edits I have to do. The same can be said for a couple other mods.

 

You give excellent general advice, but I'm not sure that that would be the problem OP is having - which sounds like a classic case of missing masters.