HappySchizo Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) Listed below are tips on how to optimize your Skyrim modding experience. • Know yourself. -What is your style, what are your preferences, which techniques and style you favor. And which difficulty you prefer. • Base it on your current character. -You have a heavy armor wearing warrior, and you just downloaded a mage's clothing mod. Doesn't quite fit, right? Unless of course you are just storing it for future use. (But if that's the case, read more.) • You want an equipment [armor,weapons,clothing,accessories] mod, but you can't find one to your liking. -Answer is simple, be specific, choose something that complements your style and gameplay, and something that goes well with your other mods. • House / Castle Mods. -We all want to live in castles or fancy houses, but select which one is to your liking. Which room size, theme and decorations do you prefer. Like how many mannequins, animal heads, book cases, dagger holders, weapon plaques would you like in your house. • User Interface Mods. -Mods that edit the user interface. Be it UI overhauls, item icon additions, item renamers. These sorts. Makes you get the best out of the UI. • Useful mods. -Current time on your loading screen, applications that improve graphics. The sorts. • Always update your mods. -This is the main reason why I will recommend you to use the Nexus Mod Manager, updated mods usually have more content, more effects, and more usefulness. • Mix and match your mods well. -A dagger type sneaker with a master level destruction spell is quite disturbing, imo. Choose which mods complement each other, it's all about mixing and matching. • Installation tips. -Scenario : You want to get retex mods, but you're choices are conflicting. [e.g. HD - 2k Textures and Immersive Water Textures] Install the one with more content first, HD - 2k Textures, then check ingame, if the water is not acceptable to your taste, then install Immersive Water Textures, this is logical since just after your first download you have now retexed many objects, if you see something that needs improvement then download a respective mod for that. • Do you fast travel? -This is an immersion killer, disable it if you want to have a more realistic feel. ---Difficulty Modifying mods---Below are mod types that may increase difficulty. These mods require skill, wits and careful planning. • Immersion [Eat,Sleep,Drink] Mods -If you wanna try it out, then by all means go ahead. But choose only those that you think you can handle. Don't go for intense immersion mods that has grave consequences if that's not your style. • Harder / plentier enemies mods. -Same as above, if you want immortal-ish dragons, armies clashing with you in the middle, download them, but be warned that they are sometimes quite hard. And sometimes, clashes lead to your death. ---End of Difficulty Modifying Mods--- • Read the README! -Read the Readme people, their name says it all. Read them. They might include instructions on how to install (if NMM install is not yet applicable), mod updates and other things. • Mod Endorsement. -You like a mod, endorse it. That way the mod maker will be "revved up" to make an update for that mod or even make more mods. • Go for a mod that your rig can handle. -Don't go downloading super HD mods and high res textured mods if your rig can't handle. If you do so, it will result your CPU to have molten plastic parts. And molten plastic parts is not good for gaming. • Store your mods. -If you intend on filling your 2TB HDD with mods then go ahead, but, atleast organize it. Use folders. So that you may know where to look for in the future. • Know your console commands. -You may never know when you'll need the help command from the console, or when you gotta disable a certain object. • Always save. -Not quicksave. Save. And before installing mods, always make a backup of your save file. Listed below are programs recommended for the mod-aholic skyrim player. I highly recommend you download and use them. • Use the Nexus Mod Manager. -Use this to install and download mods easily. NMM also shows which mods have updated their files. Most mods have NMM support so installing them won't be a problem. • Use B.O.S.S. -BOSS arranges your load order so that mods won't conflict. • Use Wrye Bash. -Same as above, Wrye Bash shows you what your mod order's problem is. Or which mod lacks their respective files. Also manages save files to see which mods have been added, removed or updated. [Once you have launched this, check the mods listed, look for ones with red highlights, them mods with red highlights have conflict or something missing.] • Use SKSE. -Most mods nowadays use SKSE, for advanced scripting so that their features will work. • Use SkyBoost. -Increases Skyrim's performance by 45%. Said the author. Very handy, aren't they? PM me or post here if you think I may be lacking some things. Please, before flaming, I just started this thread impulsively. I have not checked other threads that has the same topic as this. I just intended to contribute to the community. Edited March 8, 2012 by HappySchizo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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