Questions about a new feature in 0.17.3 - Suggested conflict resolutions

[Elanderan]

I would like to know why it puts 'suggested' on load after or before on some conflicts. What does it base its decision on? The change log needs to be much more detailed. One of my mod's authors recommended a certain patch to overwrite another patch and vortex suggested it be the opposite. It would have me go against the mod author. So I don't think it should be trusted completely. Knowing how it makes its decision will help me judge if I should do what it says. Thanks for any info you can give me.

[AugustaCalidia]

If you think the change log needs to be more detailed about this matter, then use Vortex Feedback to send this suggestion to the developers.

 

In the meantime, is the mod author's recommendation about plugin order (load order), mod order (install order), or both? And what does the mod author base his/her decision on?

[Elanderan]

The mod is this one https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/21954?tab=files. The mod author just says to let Really Blended Roads Patch 1.2 overwrite the main file and the White Snow Patch. Vortex suggests me to let White Snow Patch overwrite Really Blended Roads. I don't know why the mod author says to do this but I trust him over this new unexplained feature.

 

I don't mean for this to be a rant I was just wanting more info about this feature. I usually don't post on these forums so thanks for your guidance and sorry for not knowing the way of things.

[AugustaCalidia]

Thank you for providing the mod link. After looking at the mod and mod patches, I would follow the author's advice as well. The reason I asked about the author's justification is that sometimes mod authors give incorrect advice about their own mods, particularly when it comes to load order issues. However, that is not the case here.

 

By the way, I myself have not always followed a Vortex suggestion about what files should load before or after other files.

 

Your question about what factors enter into a Vortex suggestion for file conflict resolution is an excellent one. That is why I suggested that you use Vortex Feedback.

 

Finally, I did not interpret your post as a rant. You have legitimate concerns and have raised important questions.

[Tannin42]

The vortex suggestion is purely based on algorithm, comparing file times. It will only make a suggestion if the conflicting files in one mod are all newer than the ones from the other mod, the suggestion is then to load the "newer" mod after the "older" one.

If you have any form of information provided by a knowledgeable person (mod author especially or a user who has tried variants out), take their suggestion over what Vortex says.

Also, in general, if you have a patch or optional file adding to a mod, the should of course go after the main mod.

 

If the suggestion contradicts what you expected, maybe take a second to check, e.g. maybe the patch isn't even required/supported by that version of the mod?

 

The suggestion is mainly an orientation for when you have no clue at all.

[AugustaCalidia]

@Tannin42. Thank you. I suspected the suggestions were based on an algorithm but never got around to asking about that. I'm grateful for the OP's question and your response.