[LE] Updating best practices?

[ashpcatup]

I'm pretty much a newb, so I would appreciate it if you spell things out for me like I'm a child in as much detail as you have time and patience for.

 

I'd like to update my mod, but this is my first one ever and I'm not sure how to go about it. I'm assuming users would have to delete the current version and reinstall the updated version. Aside from being a minor hassle, will this create dirty saves that get dirtier and dirtier every time I ask them to update? How big a deal is this? It has one script in it with nearly 100 properties if that matters.

 

Is it important to try to minimize the number of updates you make? IOW, is it better to release improvements as soon as they are made, or save them up in order to minimize creating dirty saves?

[maxarturo]

A) First of all before updating or uninstall - install mod's update.

ALWAYS keep a backup of your saves !.

B) Not all update are necessary, you should read the modders page for info on the changes made.

* Sometimes the update are for a mod's version newer than yours or it might required to start a "NEW GAME".

C) Some update required to uninstall previous version and other to overwrite. This info is always available in modders page, if not, ask for specification.

D) When uninstalling a mod (update or a mod in general) and before installing the update.

You should ALWAYS clean your save in which you are going to install the NEW mod or UPDATE.

Here is a link with such a tool (there are other tools like this):

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/52363

* Some people meight say that is not necessary to always clean your save.

Over the years i've encounter different issues cause just by a small single orphan script.

Plus this method will expand by a long shoot the life of your game - save file. I've been playing in the same save for around 4,5 years with no problems.

[cdcooley]

 

D) When uninstalling a mod (update or a mod in general) and before installing the update.

You should ALWAYS clean your save in which you are going to install the NEW mod or UPDATE.

I'm pretty sure this wasn't a question about how to install updated mods into your game, but even if it was your step D is extremely bad advice about updating (but fine for uninstalling if you are the type who insists on uninstalling mods mid-game).

 

For any mod which is designed properly the upgrade process is simply to make sure you have a good named save file just in case something goes wrong, then uninstall the old version, install the new version (basically you're just swapping out the old version for the new one), and finally resume playing the game. You should absolutely not be fiddling with save files during the upgrade. The original save is just in case you do something silly like accidentally start the game without the new version activated correctly.

 

As for the original question. Those "dirty saves" are caused by only a few things. One is users who foolishly try to do some sort of "cleaning" between the time they uninstall the original version and install the new one. The other is a mod creator removing parts of the old mod (or worse trying to remove and recreate them) in the new version. One bad example I've seen is someone who tried to "fix" an old script problem by replacing the old scripts with new ones. You need to modify the old scripts not delete them and attach new ones because for existing games you'll end up with both the old and new version of the script trying to run!

 

The most important principle to remember is that changes that happen while the game is running are stored in the savegame files. And savegame files always load after all of the other mods have been loaded. That means that if you've filled a property in the CK or set some object as initially disabled in the old version of the mod those properties will be in the savegame file if the player has encountered that object or script. So whatever values those things had based on the old version of the mod (including any changes that happened while the game was being played) are loaded from any existing savegame file and will overwrite any changes you try to make by changing default values in the CK.

 

But that doesn't mean you can't make changes. There are may things that never get stored into the savegame file including many things about scripts. The functions can all be rewritten completely if you want. New functions, properties, variables, and events can be added. You can even remove things but anything you remove might generate errors and warnings so you should avoid it when you can.

 

That's about all I can say in general terms, but if you have specific examples or questions it's much easier to talk about specifics.

[maxarturo]

You are right cdcooley about:

" D) When uninstalling a mod (update or a mod in general) and before installing the update.

You should ALWAYS clean your save in which you are going to install the NEW mod or UPDATE. "

I meant only new mod, the update was wrongly added. My mistake !. Too tired....