complete and utter noob modder, how do I modify esp files

[swampknife]

Ok I recently decided I wanted to do more than just download premade mods from someone else. However I soon ran into the problem that I have no idea of even where to start learning to mod. If it is not to much trouble, could someone please point me in the right direction? I have managed to download the creation kit but beyond that I have no idea.

Edited March 2, 2018 by swampknife

[JackRob]

If you like to watch tutorial videos, here's a link to a page's worth of them: Creation Kit Video Tutorials

 

If you prefer a hands on approach to learning things, you can always load up a mod that would do something similar to what you plan to do with XEdit and study what changes it makes, then make that kind of change with the Creation Kit. (Essentially reverse-engineer it) XEdit is also useful if you only want to tweak a mod to your liking, like changing the damage and weight of a weapon.

 

Other then that, you can look around in the Object Window for many items, actors, and other things in the game and study that itself. To me at least, looking through that is fairly straight-forward.

 

And one other suggestion, find your CreationKit.ini (in the Fallout 4 folder with the CreationKit.exe) and make these lines are like this, they will help avoid some problems before they appear:

bAllowMultipleMasterLoads=1

bAllowMultipleEditors=1

 

Edited for additional info.

Edited March 2, 2018 by JackRob

[swampknife]

If you like to watch tutorial videos, here's a link to a page's worth of them: Creation Kit Video Tutorials

 

If you prefer a hands on approach to learning things, you can always load up a mod that would do something similar to what you plan to do with XEdit and study what changes it makes, then make that kind of change with the Creation Kit. (Essentially reverse-engineer it) XEdit is also useful if you only want to tweak a mod to your liking, like changing the damage and weight of a weapon.

 

Other then that, you can look around in the Object Window for many items, actors, and other things in the game and study that itself. To me at least, looking through that is fairly straight-forward.

 

And one other suggestion, find your CreationKit.ini (in the Fallout 4 folder with the CreationKit.exe) and make these lines are like this, they will help avoid some problems before they appear:

bAllowMultipleMasterLoads=1

bAllowMultipleEditors=1

 

Edited for additional info.

Thanks

[vronykah]

I haven't used the Creation Kit, but I use xEdit (FO4Edit).

 

The answer I gave someone else interested in starting modding:

 

I started trying to mod last year around July and released my first decoration mod at the beginning of October. It all started with a simple goal: Change the bed blanket texture to something I liked better. I think having a small goal helped. Do one thing and follow it all the way through to the finish to understand the process.

 

I use all free programs: Paint.NET, Gimp, Nifskope, Outfit Studio, FO4Edit, Material Editor and BAE to extract the meshes/textures/materials from the game.

 

I watched a few FO4Edit tutuorials to learn the basics, took a mod that did what I wanted to do and opened it up and reverse engineered how it all fit together in the esp. This was a great way for me to figure out how everything connects together and ends up in the game. With this base knowledge I was able to move on to more complex items.

 

Anyway, my best piece of advice I'll repeat: Try one small thing and see it all the way through to the end. You're less likely to be overwhelmed or discouraged.

 

(Here is the link to that topic for the other modders advice and my more descriptive answer.)

 

Good luck!