Setting up CBBE with BodySlide via MO2

[cmonster66]

Howdy, y'all!

 

(Sorry for the long initial post. I feel I need to explain my current state of affairs with modding: semi-sorta-kinda-noobish? I also apologize for this being probably TLDR for most folks. I believe in giving as much evidence as possible for resolutions to problems...it stems from doing help desk work and dealing with people who have no damn business owning a computer! HRNK!)

 

I seem to be having an issue getting CBBE and Caliente's other mod, BodySlide and Costume, set up to work properly. I didn't have issues in FO4 with Caliente's mods, however, I used NMM to take care of mods. I think I have something like 1500+ hours into FO4 and had to learn everything about modding from (well below) the ground up. I think for a 52 year old fart I have done fairly well with the learning curve

 

I finally started playing SSE in March and have found out modding is somewhat more in depth with tools and digging into files. No big deal...I kinda enjoy futzing around like that. I decided to give MO2 a shot as my mod organizer and, Holy crappers!, I prefer it over NMM! (I'm curious how the next iteration of NMM is going to turn out and I'm waiting for Gopher to use it more before tentatively giving it a shot...I digress.)

 

Now...my issue may be a misunderstanding of how, or, if, CBBE works well with MO2.

I downloaded the CBBE mod manually and followed Caliente's instructions to the "T", I believe. I went to get the shortcut set up in the "Pick A Program To Run" box just left of the play button in MO2. I couldn't find an .exe file for CBBE anywhere. I went ahead and installed Caliente's BodySlide and Outfit mod properly and was able to find the .exe file for that and was able to put that shortcut into the above mentioned short cut box. I just couldn't seem to get CBBE to run for me. I also cleaned out the manual install and allowed MO2 to install the mod, but the files didn't wind up in the spots where Caliente said they should be, but resided under desktop>ModOrganizer2>Mods. Yes, I run MO2 off my desktop. It works for me. I think I have a decently powered gaming computer, as well.

 

Am I going to have to run CBBE another way? There are a few mods I have that are handled by NMM, actually. I don't seem to be having conflicts and crashes (except around now Winterhold, for some reason. If I even get close to it, CTD. If I fast travel there, CTD. I'm getting a message at the beginning of SSE play that my SKSE is out of date and SkyUI won't work properly, but LOOT says SKSE is up to date...but that's another issue).

 

I do use SSEEdit, FNIS (as of recently), I have Wrye Bash downloaded, but not installed yet, and can generally figure out issues before bothering y'all. I'm newish to modding SSE, but not a noob with computers. RTFM works well most of the time, right?

 

I will post my (laaaaaaarge) mod list if y'all want, but please forgive me if I misuse the way to hide the damn thing under the "spoiler" function...that still fummfers me for some reason. I do understand quite well that a big mod list creates issues different from one player to the next. I have overwritten files, but that hasn't posed issues as far as I can tell. (The Winterhold thing started after I began getting the "SKSE out of date" message in the game but not in LOOT. And, Yes, I know LOOT isn't perfect but more of a guideline for mod order. I frequently move mods around when needed after LOOT-ing.)

 

Thanks for any advice, in advance! Please forgive me for typing in full sentences and hopefully coherent paragraphs, also. It's a generational-thing, I guess.

Have fun and play well!

-Cmonster66

 

[WastelandAssassin]

well , I can't recall the installation instructions of CBBE (though I will probably install it in a little while , as I'm also getting back to SE)

but I'm pretty sure it's already set up for installation with MO2 (which is also my preferred mod manager , and has been for a few years now)

 

I generally don't recommend running mods through different mod managers , as it could cause issues

the thing you need to understand , which is one of the major differences between NMM and MO , is that NMM installs mods directly to your game's Data library , while MO installs mods to a folder of your choice , and runs the mods from this folder

so if you install mods using MO , the files will obviously not go to the usual directories inside the game , and that is designed to be this way

if you need help with installing specific mods using MO2 , you are more than welcome to ask . I'll be glad to assist in any way I can :)

 

all in all , the instructions you usually see for mods are for manual installations , unless the mod manager installation actually requires something beyond just activating the mod (most mods don't require any special instructions)

if you believe CBBE isn't working for you , maybe your installation via MO2 didn't work properly , or you aren't running the game through MO2 (if you want to use mods installed via MO2 , you have to run the game through it)

 

as for SKSE , maybe you are using an outdated version of SkyUI? I'm not sure if you'd get the error message if you are running an older version of SkyUI with the latest version of SKSE64 , but it may be the case (otherwise I can't think of any reason why you'd get such an error , while LOOT reports your SKSE is properly updated)

[BaronofHe11]

What do you mean by run CBBE? You don't run CBBE you install it like any mod. Just like you don't run UNP or Legacy of the Dragonborn or most mods. There is no executable to run. All CBBE is is meshes and textures. There isn't even a esp file. CBBE is a body replacement mod no different from a weapon replacement mod. You wouldn't install a weapon mod and look for a exe to run.

 

I would suggest you remove your manual installation of CBBE. Reinstall CBBE using MO2 installer which will walk your through the install. Note MO2 can do any install NMM can do. I believe it uses some of their code or something so all the mods with crazy options can be installed just as easily with MO2.

[cmonster66]

well , I can't recall the installation instructions of CBBE (though I will probably install it in a little while , as I'm also getting back to SE)

but I'm pretty sure it's already set up for installation with MO2 (which is also my preferred mod manager , and has been for a few years now)

 

I generally don't recommend running mods through different mod managers , as it could cause issues

the thing you need to understand , which is one of the major differences between NMM and MO , is that NMM installs mods directly to your game's Data library , while MO installs mods to a folder of your choice , and runs the mods from this folder

so if you install mods using MO , the files will obviously not go to the usual directories inside the game , and that is designed to be this way

if you need help with installing specific mods using MO2 , you are more than welcome to ask . I'll be glad to assist in any way I can :smile:

 

all in all , the instructions you usually see for mods are for manual installations , unless the mod manager installation actually requires something beyond just activating the mod (most mods don't require any special instructions)

if you believe CBBE isn't working for you , maybe your installation via MO2 didn't work properly , or you aren't running the game through MO2 (if you want to use mods installed via MO2 , you have to run the game through it)

 

as for SKSE , maybe you are using an outdated version of SkyUI? I'm not sure if you'd get the error message if you are running an older version of SkyUI with the latest version of SKSE64 , but it may be the case (otherwise I can't think of any reason why you'd get such an error , while LOOT reports your SKSE is properly updated)

..ergh. Going through my download history, I think I had installed a few mods through NMM before starting to use MO2. I have deleted and reinstalled the mods via MO2, aside of one that is a manual install straight into the Data folder. No biggee. Just helps me jump higher.

 

Unfortunately, One mod I will have to do some very time consuming move of a sheit-ton of goods (books, armors, weapons, crafting materials, et....) to my other player homes before digging deep into the files and individually deleting all files to be on the safe side. I can then re-download via MO2, I believe.)

 

Also, the main .esm files (Skyrim, Update, Dawnguard, Hearthfires, Dragonborn) appear in NMM, while they show up as "Managed by outside source" in the load order on MO2. I had installed the game before knowing about MO2. I'm wondering if I can drag/drop those files into MO2 without creating a black hole or two or accidentally dividing by 0. I may reinstall the game after I finish futzing around with this character and wanting to start a new playthrough. The game is (hope I don't jinx myself) actually running great...so far-ish.

 

Thanks for the quick response, WastelandAssassin! I need to respond Baron of Hell since he did tell me something about CBBE I need to go look at and apply.

Have a great day and Thank You!

-Cmonster66

[cmonster66]

 

What do you mean by run CBBE? You don't run CBBE you install it like any mod. Just like you don't run UNP or Legacy of the Dragonborn or most mods. There is no executable to run. All CBBE is is meshes and textures. There isn't even a esp file. CBBE is a body replacement mod no different from a weapon replacement mod. You wouldn't install a weapon mod and look for a exe to run.

 

I would suggest you remove your manual installation of CBBE. Reinstall CBBE using MO2 installer which will walk your through the install. Note MO2 can do any install NMM can do. I believe it uses some of their code or something so all the mods with crazy options can be installed just as easily with MO2.

Baron of Hell,

Thanks for the quick reply!

 

This is an error on my understanding of CBBE, then. I just remember (I think?) from FO4 you could configure it in NMM in a drop-down menu and run it that way...I could have sworn it had an executable, but it looks like I was mistaken (aaaaand I am. I just looked at the CBBE files on Nexus. No .exe for that. Thanks tons for that piece of information!)

 

I do see executables in the Bodyslide and Outfit Studio, though. It is the same black torso silhouette as what I recall seeing from my FO4 NMM setup.

 

Yeppers, I'll delete the files and do a clean reinstall of CBBE and Bodyslide and Outfit Studio. Oughta be fine.

 

Thank You, Baron of Hell, and best regards!

-Cmonster66

[UniDoubter]

Hey cmonster66, I was having the same issue (switching over to MO2 from NMM). It is the BodySlide function that you are probably talking about, where you can change your character...

When I tried to set up the exe for the bodyslide in the Edit-Modify Exicutables window, I could not find them... they were invisible... well virtual. I figured I would ask MO2 what path I should use and it told me :-)

 

Right click on the CBBE mod and then "Information"...

click on File Tree... then the "open mod in explorer" button.

 

I then had an explorer window open that I could navigate those invisible/virtual file paths. I found the BodySlide exe that I needed, I then copied and pasted that file path into Binary address request bar in the Modify Exicutables and BANGO...

 

I sure hope it work for you too.. from one old fart to another...

[SirFoggy]

MO2 2.1.6 sure fixed a lot of this though huh?

It's got the run .exe function built into the upper right now ^_^

However, I myself am unclear exactly what order to install cbb/cbpcphyz/bodyslide and such...

Can someone tell me how this looks?

I repacked CBBE btw and it installs fine

Bodyslide opens and builds bodies but I haven't moved out of Helgen yet when doing dry runs of the game

So I've not seen whether anything's got that bounce/jigglz :tongue:

I merge a lot of other mods too if they're related/don't need priority over each other :smile:

[SirFoggy]

An updated setup-

 

Is it layered correctly?