Editing Vanilla Skyrim Scripts - How Does It Work?

[rawr22]

I'm in the process of making my first mod. I assumed if you changed any vanilla scripts it would create a new script file and use this instead of the original if the data file was checked. I just found out the hard way that this is not the case and it actually overwrites the original script forever, and now if I play my game without my mod loaded it is broken.

 

How do modders account for this when needing to change a vanilla script in order for their mod to work?

Also can someone send me the original script for TIF__000267E1, it's the guard dialogue "I guess you're smarter than you look" for the quest DialogueCrimeGuards in the CK if it's easier to find that way. I thought it should be the one line "akSpeaker.GetCrimeFaction().SendPlayerToJail()" but I've tried recreating it and it's still broken.

 

Edit: I just found out you need to verify integrity of game cache in Steam for the Creation Kit and not Skyrim itself to get your original scripts back (just be sure to back up your modded ones first). My original question stands though, how do you avoid screwing up someone's game when they uninstall your mod if you modify vanilla scripts?

Edited March 24, 2012 by rawr22

[porroone]

Make sure to note on the instructions to remove the *.PEX file, found in Data/Scripts, that should get rid of the problem.