Some questions about potential simple 1st mod upload

[fftfan]

 

I've got a Flight helmet recolor I might upload as a first file, maybe can learn things from this process. Just wanted to ask a few questions about how the file should best be done. If I do this I'd like it to be something that can stay installed on my game more or less permanently with minimal to no footprint, where with "footprint" I am referring to it taking up load order or other space meaning at some point I may have to remove it in order to add other things. Of course when our ESPs are full we have to remove one in order to add more, so I am thinking about ESL format. What I don't really understand is how many ESLs we can have like if there's a limit to possible total ESLs and how it works?

 

My thoughts so far:

• I would like it to be an Armor Workbench Mod option for Red Flight Helmet with no component costs required, is there any way to make it an option in new category for base game version but not conflict with UCO/etc? I don't want the player to do additem xxxxx preferrably, I want them to modify a default helmet or maybe find it in Diamond City vendors and strongly prefer if it does not in any way affect the other modification options like Legendary slot, Ballistic Weave for the helmet that would be there due to UCO or other similar mods. I want it to keep whatever else the player had there for options ideally, not replace the stack.
• I think it should probably be an ESL so it does not take up load order space but I read in other topic some stuff including that all ESLs share the FE slot on load order and ESLs themselves can't be updated. I think re-numbering shouldn't be an issue since my desired implementation is as an Armor Workbench mod, unless the re-numbering would cause the modification to be removed like it could be lost if the user installs or removes another ESL.
• I hear there is a 4000 record limit for ESLs, maybe this is a dumb question but is that a shared limit between all ESLs? Like if you have 10 ESLs installed do the total records of all 10 combined need to be below 4000, or just below 4000 for each one?
• A potential alternative would be using Armorsmith Extended workbench under Helmets but can ESLs refer to an ESM?
• And if I had an AE version does it have to be another plugin or can I make it be just a choice A: (Regular content.ESL) OR B:(Content + AE support.ESL) where using the AE supporting plugin B does not require A? As in, if I need both wouldn't that mean it would have a redundant 2nd set of records? If yes then I think I will leave out an AE version. I have noticed mods have an AE support option but it will use a 2nd ESP that depends on first, when this is the case I just choose to disable it and forgo AE support.

I understand this is a pretty low value file although I could add other colors, so this could be of some use for people who want other colors but want vanilla style. There are others on the Nexus but not vanilla style, that is why I made this recolor as I wanted blue but keeping vanilla style. This way when I make better mods they can be "lightweight" too like less potential conflicts and maybe they won't take up load order slots either. TBH if not for ESL format I would be less likely release this at all as IMO it's not worth taking a slot on load order unless there are a lot of options, I use it personally just as a replacer for Red Flight Helmet so no ESP/ESL at all. But if I release I'd want it to have options since people might still want the default red flight helmet.

Edited December 27, 2017 by fftfan

[Genamine]

The engine can run a maximum of 4096 .esl files at a time, this amount decreases the more form IDs each individual .esl file contains

 

A single .esl file can contain a maximum of 2048 form IDs (800 to FFF), if all your .esl files contain this maximum of 2048 form IDs, the engine can run a maximum of 300 .esl files at a time

 

All active .esl files are merged into the 0xFE form ID on runtime (format: 0xFEAAABBB where AAA is the load order hex and BBB is the form ID, e.g. form ID 800 from .esl file 00A would merge into 0xFE00A800 and form ID 8A1 from .esl file C8D would merge into 0xFEC8D8A1)

 

To achieve maximum effectiveness of the .esl file, one should compact all form IDs before converting the plugin to .esl format

 

After compacting the form IDs, make sure you save the .esp before converting to .esl format, failing to do so will result in different form IDs after compacting a second time which will make the new version of your mod incompatible with existing saves that used the mod

It is for the same reason also important to never reuse form IDs of records you have deleted in the past

 

.esl files are always loaded directly after .esm files, and can therefore refer to .esm files

They can also refer to .esp files, but this is not recommended, as it will not cause the .esl to load after the .esp but will instead cause the .esp to be loaded before the .esl, which may cause issues

[fftfan]

Thank you that was informative! IDK why I didn't get notification.

 

So mine should be pretty minimal then. Plan is to have material data record for alt colors, crafting record to add them for Red Flight Helmet(which will refer to an existing FormList for the component costs which will be 0 if there's an existing blank one or else something simple like 1 Steel/bottlecap). Is there another way to add it to the armor record besides doing an edit(which would probably make it conflict with UCO, etc) like a little script or something? If I do it as an Armor Workbench Mod is there any way to avoid having it potentially conflict if they use Unified Clothing Overhaul or others that affect Armor Workbench options? I'd like it to have no ill effects on the functionality of those other mods, like if people have legendary mod/BW it won't be affected and if they don't have UCO then that would work fine too. I do find it annoying when I install a mod that affects armor workbench and it overwrites the UCO stack. Ideally it'd just add a color category. Is it straightforward if later on I add more colors or would that cause issues? If it would be problematic maybe it's best if I just do multiple colors from the start rather than update it later. I will keep ESP handy in case I need to update.

[fftfan]

After some more thought it still feels like it's probably wasteful to do an ESL or ESP for just one skin. So I will try to pack it in with a larger mod. I am trying to do a Sim Settlements addon, what I am thinking right now is giving this helmet a cameo in one of the buildings. And possibly also adding the helmet as an armor mod option if it can be done without conflicting with existing mods.