Merge Plugins Standalone not merging Textures and Meshes

[dubiousintent]

Then we need you to walk us through a specific example (detailed steps as if explaining how to do so, naming plugins) to see what is happening. Use some common mods (with links) so we are likely to have knowledge about them or can at least look them up.

 

But first, let's check some basics:

* Are you following the rule that the plugins to be merged must be contiguous (meaning "next to each other" without any non-merging plugins in between) in the load order for each "merge plugin set"?

* The mods are installed and have no problems with their art assets in game?

* What mod manager are you using?

* Is it running when you try to build the "merged plugin"?

* And are you using the latest MPS (v2.3.0.1)?

 

-Dubious-

[Ragnarok101]

Then we need you to walk us through a specific example (detailed steps as if explaining how to do so, naming plugins) to see what is happening. Use some common mods (with links) so we are likely to have knowledge about them or can at least look them up.

 

But first, let's check some basics:

* Are you following the rule that the plugins to be merged must be contiguous (meaning "next to each other" without any non-merging plugins in between) in the load order for each "merge plugin set"?

* The mods are installed and have no problems with their art assets in game?

* What mod manager are you using?

* Is it running when you try to build the "merged plugin"?

* And are you using the latest MPS (v2.3.0.1)?

 

-Dubious-

Yes, yes, NMM, yes, and yes.

 

Okay, for the weapons mods that are the main problem I have...I am attempting to merge the following:

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/62718- Fallout 4 Style Gatling Laser- Replacer Version, GRA v1.1

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/64002- Heavy Plasma Repeater

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/63063- Homemade Flamethrower, The Last of Us Flamethrower

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/46274- M18 Claymore Mine

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/47393- Micalov's Weapon Pack

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/62457- Pineapple's Weapons Pack

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/63277- Recon Laser Weapons

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/61586- Signus- Courier's Arsenal

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/63559- Sturdy Lever Action Shotgun

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/62670- Tactical Laser Rifle

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/62525- Tesla Weapons Pack

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/63508- The XM4 RAW

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/41073- THOR (High Res Version)

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/62836- Widowmaker (and Optional Sound Replacer)

https://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/40263- Light My Flare

 

I follow the normal procedure for creating a merge- assemble the plugins I want, ensure they are contiguous, add them to a new merge (named 'weapons'), check for errors (there are none) and tell it to build the merge. I have the merge destination directory set as a custom file titled 'Merged Plugins to be Archived'.

Edited January 12, 2018 by Ragnarok101

[Ragnarok101]

Here is the log from my rebuilding the merge with all other merges deleted.

[12:34:12] (GENERAL) Status: ProgramVersion: 2.3.1.0

[12:34:12] (GENERAL) Status: FNV Dictionary Hash: $75D2F06B

[12:34:12] (GENERAL) Game: Using FalloutNV

[12:34:12] (GENERAL) Path: Using C:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout New Vegas\Data\

[12:34:12] (CLIENT) Status: Attempting to connect to mergeplugins.us.to:960

[12:34:12] (CLIENT) Status: Connection successful!

[12:34:12] (CLIENT) Login: Checking if authenticated as "Ragnarok101"

[12:34:12] (CLIENT) Response: No

[12:34:12] (CLIENT) Update: Getting update status

[12:34:13] (GENERAL) Dictionary: Using FNVDictionary.txt

[12:34:13] (GENERAL) Definitions: Using FNVEdit Definitions

[12:34:13] (GENERAL) Load Order: Using C:\Users\Blake Pereira\AppData\Local\FalloutNV\

[12:34:21] (LOAD) Background: [DeadMoney.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:22] (LOAD) Background: [HonestHearts.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:24] (LOAD) Background: [OldWorldBlues.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:27] (LOAD) Background: [LonesomeRoad.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [GunRunnersArsenal.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [ClassicPack.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [MercenaryPack.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [TribalPack.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [CaravanPack.esm] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [Alternative Start.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [FO4GatlingLaserReplacer-GRA.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [HeavyPlasmaRepeater.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [TLOUHomemadeFlamethrower.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [K2K9 M18 Claymore Mine.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [MCL_Weapon_Pack.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [PSWeaponPack.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [ReconLaserWeapons.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [sA-CAP.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [sturdyLeverActionShotgun.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [TacticalLaserRifle.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [TeslaWeaponsPack.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [XM4RAW.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [THOR.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [Widowmaker-UniqueLeverActionWeapon.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:28] (LOAD) Background: [Light My Flare.esp] Building reference info.

[12:34:29] (LOAD) Background: finished

[12:34:35] (MERGE) Build: Building Weapons

[12:34:44] (PLUGIN) Save: C:\Games\Nexus Mod Manager\Merged plugins that need archiving\Weapons\Weapons.esp.save

[12:35:49] (CLIENT) Login: Checking username availability "Ragnarok10"

[12:35:49] (CLIENT) Response: Available

[12:35:50] (CLIENT) Login: Registering username "Ragnarok10"

[12:35:51] (CLIENT) Response: Registered Ragnarok10

I check the folder mentioned above. It contains only an esp and a 'merge' folder. Within the merge folder is another folder labeled 'plugins' and 4 txt documents: Weapons_fails, Weapons_files (which is blank), Weapons_map, and Weapons_plugins.

[dubiousintent]

The "mod manager" is important to know to determine if it works from an "empty game data folder" concept. If it does (as with NMM) then the mod manager has to be running in order for the game "Data" folder to contain links to the mod plugins.

 

However, you run MPS from outside of NMM itself. Gamer Poets has an excellent video tutorial on installing MPS that includes instructions for both NMM and MO.

 

Where you installed MPS, there should be the following sub-folders automatically created:

* doc

* merges

* logs

* reports

* profiles

* lang

 

If any of those sub-folders are not found, you need to re-install MPS.

 

Under the "logs" sub-folder, there should be further sub-folders of:

* save

* main

* merge

* errors

 

Under the "merge" sub-folder you should find a series of "log_<mmddyy>_<hhmmss>.txt" files. The latest one should contain lines similar to the following (purely as an example, but functional):

 

 

Building merge: Merged - LOD Additions

Merge is using plugin: Merged - LOD Additions.esp
Adding masters...
Done adding masters

Renumbering Conflicting FormIDs
Renumbering FormIDs in LimestoneLOD.esp
Renumbering FormIDs in FNVLODGen.esp
Renumbering FormIDs in tmzLODadditions.esp
Renumbering FormIDs in Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp

Copying records
Copying records from Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp
Copying records from tmzLODadditions.esp
Copying records from FNVLODGen.esp
Copying records from LimestoneLOD.esp

Handling assets
Handling assets for LimestoneLOD.esp
Handling assets for FNVLODGen.esp
Handling assets for tmzLODadditions.esp
Handling assets for Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp

Extracting BSAs...

Removing unncessary masters
Removing master Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp
Removing master tmzLODadditions.esp
Removing master FNVLODGen.esp
Removing master LimestoneLOD.esp
Saving: E:\Games\Tools\Merge Plugins\merges\Merged - LOD Additions\Merged - LOD Additions.esp.save
Done merging Merged - LOD Additions (0.498s)

All done!

 

 

As you can see, that file tells us just what happened with the "merge" itself. If you don't have the "Handling assets" entries, then it didn't process them. Which seems to be your particular problem so we need to know if those entries are there.

 

Something that might have been overlooked: MPS is building ESP files when it creates a "merge plugin". Such do not include the "loose files" of art assets (meshes, textures, sounds, etc.). It's "asset handling" is taking care of ensuring the correct linkages between the plugin and the asset files remain intact, but you still need to have installed and include those assets in the archive "package" you build from the "merge plugin" ESP it creates. (Where it can't extract them from BSAs, you have to do so manually.) I have always done this from the original distribution package as well, and overwrite them with the ones created by MPS. Which means you have to copy those "loose asset files" to that "Merged plugins that need archiving" subfolder "Weapons" from the "Merge Plugins\merges\<Merge Plugin Name>\<asset>" folder (e.g. "meshes", "textures", etc.). (And naturally you have to rename "Weapons.esp.save" to just "Weapons.esp".)

 

In the meantime I will pull down some of those mods and see if I can merge them myself.

 

-Dubious-

Edited January 12, 2018 by dubiousintent

[Ragnarok101]

The "mod manager" is important to know to determine if it works from an "empty game data folder" concept. If it does (as with NMM) then the mod manager has to be running in order for the game "Data" folder to contain links to the mod plugins.

 

However, you run MPS from outside of NMM itself. Gamer Poets has an excellent video tutorial on installing MPS that includes instructions for both NMM and MO.

 

Where you installed MPS, there should be the following sub-folders automatically created:

* doc

* merges

* logs

* reports

* profiles

* lang

 

If any of those sub-folders are not found, you need to re-install MPS.

 

Under the "logs" sub-folder, there should be further sub-folders of:

* save

* main

* merge

* errors

 

Under the "merge" sub-folder you should find a series of "log_<mmddyy>_<hhmmss>.txt" files. The latest one should contain lines similar to the following (purely as an example, but functional):

 

 

Building merge: Merged - LOD Additions

 

Merge is using plugin: Merged - LOD Additions.esp

Adding masters...

Done adding masters

 

Renumbering Conflicting FormIDs

Renumbering FormIDs in LimestoneLOD.esp

Renumbering FormIDs in FNVLODGen.esp

Renumbering FormIDs in tmzLODadditions.esp

Renumbering FormIDs in Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp

 

Copying records

Copying records from Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp

Copying records from tmzLODadditions.esp

Copying records from FNVLODGen.esp

Copying records from LimestoneLOD.esp

 

Handling assets

Handling assets for LimestoneLOD.esp

Handling assets for FNVLODGen.esp

Handling assets for tmzLODadditions.esp

Handling assets for Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp

 

Extracting BSAs...

 

Removing unncessary masters

Removing master Bullet Impact Increased LOD.esp

Removing master tmzLODadditions.esp

Removing master FNVLODGen.esp

Removing master LimestoneLOD.esp

Saving: E:\Games\Tools\Merge Plugins\merges\Merged - LOD Additions\Merged - LOD Additions.esp.save

Done merging Merged - LOD Additions (0.498s)

 

All done!

 

 

 

As you can see, that file tells us just what happened with the "merge" itself. If you don't have the "Handling assets" entries, then it didn't process them. Which seems to be your particular problem so we need to know if those entries are there.

 

Something that might have been overlooked: MPS is building ESP files when it creates a "merge plugin". Such do not include the "loose files" of art assets (meshes, textures, sounds, etc.). It's "asset handling" is taking care of ensuring the correct linkages between the plugin and the asset files remain intact, but you still need to have installed and include those assets in the archive "package" you build from the "merge plugin" ESP it creates. (Where it can't extract them from BSAs, you have to do so manually.) I have always done this from the original distribution package as well, and overwrite them with the ones created by MPS. Which means you have to copy those "loose asset files" to that "Merged plugins that need archiving" subfolder "Weapons" from the "Merge Plugins\merges\<Merge Plugin Name>\<asset>" folder (e.g. "meshes", "textures", etc.). (And naturally you have to rename "Weapons.esp.save" to just "Weapons.esp".)

 

In the meantime I will pull down some of those mods and see if I can merge them myself.

 

-Dubious-

No 'merges' subfile. There wasn't one upon reinstallation either, and I installed the latest version. I checked the pathing, and while it gives 'merge plugins/merge' as the initial destination when installing, after telling it I have NMM it defaults to that mod manager's VirtualInstall folder. I changed it to the subfolder 'merged plugins that need archiving' and it continued to fail to use assets.

Checked logs after reinstalling. It handles assets.

 

Something is probably wrong either on the NMM or MPU side of things. Will reinstall NMM and see what happens.

 

EDIT:

Could this be caused by the fact I bought Skyrim Legendary Edition recently? I didn't have this problem before then.

 

EDIT:

NMM is reinstalled and all mods are uninstalled...however, it states I have 17 active mods nonetheless. The theory that NMM is to blame grows stronger.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Ragnarok101

[dubiousintent]

Don't use NMM myself, so I can't help with the 17 mystery mods. Try digging into some NMM tutorials.

 

The name of the location to place the saved merges shouldn't matter, as long as it is properly referenced. The name "merged plugins that need archiving", while perfectly legitimate, needs to be recognized as having embedded spaces so they are quoted to the OS. Some tools handle this just fine and others not so well. Is that folder a "renamed VirtualInstall" folder, or a different location? If you are wedded to that name, try using underscores (_) instead of spaces. Or use a shorter one. It may easily be that NMM doesn't recognize a renamed "VirtualInstall" folder. Try using the original name of "VirtualInstall" folder first as the merge file destination before other experiments. (At this point you are just trying to ensure it functions correctly.)

 

If it continues to give problems, try to place that destination folder outside of the NMM folder paths, and then copy the resulting merge files from there to the NMM "VirtualInstall" folder once you have repackaged the merged plugin (to include "loose files").

 

Re: Skyrim Legendary Edition. I highly doubt it. Should be completely separate file paths.

 

-Dubious-

Edited January 13, 2018 by dubiousintent

[Ragnarok101]

Upon reinstalling NMM and rebuilding the merge, the textures and meshes are now present in the merge destination folder. So it was an NMM bug at fault somewhere...

[dubiousintent]

Glad to hear you solved it.

 

Just an FYI on the mods you listed as intending to merge together. I downloaded:

https://www.nexusmod...egas/mods/46274- M18 Claymore Mine

https://www.nexusmod...egas/mods/63508- The XM4 RAW

https://www.nexusmod...egas/mods/40263- Light My Flare

as a representative sample and installed them into my load order. Sorting with LOOT spaced them all out through the LO. Now that is highly dependent upon the LO in question, but grouping them together and then sorting once again separated them. That tells me LOOT found dependencies/conflicts with other mods that forced it to separate them. If the positioning doesn't matter, it will simply leave them where you put them. So you need to bear that in mind when creating a merge plugin. It's not enough to have them contiguous. If they are not sorted to avoid conflicts then the merge may look fine but will produce unexpected results in game.

 

-Dubious-

[kukelof]

For anyone else that has this issue: My cause was that i had unticked "Copy general assets" under Options->Integrations tab in Merge Plugins (version 2.1.3.0).

[Deleted80193028User]

This maybe a late post but I'll put my findings here in case it helps someone. The Merge Plugin doesn't always handle assets correctly depending on the mod. I've had a problem with texture.bsa, meshes and textures not loading in the game at all. So what I did was used Bethesda Archive Extractor to extract the bsa, with has meshes, and the texture.bsa, with has textures, then combined them in a data folder. I named it similar to the mod with the missing assets, compressed it in a zip folder, and put it at the end of the list of mods I merged and POW! The problem with weapon and armor packs is the bsa should be textures and meshes together which makes it easier to merge mods but I guess using texture.bsa is easier for the modder. Cheers!