Guide to Modding with Vortex

[BabuMoshai]

Intro (if you want to just start installing, skip this section)

It seems like every week we have a new post here on getting mods to work. And even though Vortex is really easy to install and use, I think some people will feel better if they can follow a guide. One thing if you want to just run off without the guide, be sure you have your mods and game on the same drive! I wrote a comprehensive guide to using Vortex Mod Manager over on r/skyrimvr, and I thought we could use it over here. I fear that merely as a post this'll get drowned in a few days, so I propose it may be a good idea for moderators to make this more permanent/visible.

DELETED SPAMMY LINKS - STAFF

[sopmac45]

Let me try to be quick so I have to go to work :

 

• First thing first. You need to install Vortex properly. Let Vortex to install the Mod Staging to its default location. This folder needs to be in the same drive your game is - not the same path - … drive C:\ … mine is located on its default location : C:\Users\<my name>\AppData\Roaming\Vortex ) ... your game should be installed in : C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\Steam\Steamapps\Common\<game> … if for any reason you want to install the Mod Staging in a different location suggested\used by Vortex, DO NOT INSTALL IT in the previous path
• Install your Mod Download folder … mine is located in : C:\Users\<my name>\Documents\ ... and I named it : VORTEX DOWNLOADS in caps ... you can name it the way you want to
• Now that you Vortex properly installed, proceed to set it up right :
• a - Go to Settings / Interface and make sure that you have :

 

 

b - Go to Settings / Vortex and make sure that you have ( so you won't receive automatic updates when testing but till the new Vortex Version is "stable" ) :

 

 

 

c - Go to Settings / Mods and make sure that you Mod Staging Folder is located in ( NOTE : LET VORTEX TO INSTALL IT IN ITS DEFAULT PATH ) :

 

 

 

d - Go to Settings / Downloads and make sure that you have ( GIVE IT A NAME AND INSTALL IT ) :

 

 

 

e - Go to the Plugins Screen and make sure that Auto-sort is ENABLED ( LOOT integrated in Vortex will auto-sort your plugins SO DO NOT run LOOT outside Vortex of you will screw up everything ) :

 

 

 

** … now you are ready to mod your game. Go to the Game mods. Go to the mod that you want to install. Read the description, logs and posts and find out exactly what the mod does, if it is crashing the game ( look for that info in Posts ), compatibility issues, etc. Download the main file first all the time ( after you installed the main file, download any optional file / patches and choose LOAD AFTER the main when resolving mod conflicts since any optional file / patch MUST BE LOADED after the main file ) and once it is download it, click on INSTALL and Vortex will deploy it automatically ( you setup Vortex to do that automatically - look for letter a- screen shot - ). As soon as your mod is Enabled, Vortex will Auto-Sort the plugin because you had Auto-Sort ENABLED - letter e- screen shot - … so you DO NOT HAVE TO run LOOT at all. Forget about it.

 

Repeat the above paragraph installation process ( ** ) till all of your mods are installed / enabled. Once again, forget about your plugins. Trust Vortex auto-sort function by heart. Pay attention ONLY to resolving your mod conflicts in the Mod Screen. Use the Knowledge Screen procedures and / or read ( search ) for that information in this forum.

 

 

 

> When resolving mod conflicts, Vortex will suggest what condition to choose, either "Load before" or "Load After" …. for example, I installed Caliente and Sexy Groomed. I wanted to have my NPC nudes but at the same time add hair to the pubis section of their bodies, so Sexy Groomed ( by logic … ) should win the conflict by "loading after" Caliente. YOU MUST MAKE THIS DECISION and that is why it is important to know exactly what mod does by reading the mod descriptions, logs and posts. If you do not read, you will never learn. Period. Sample below :

 

 

 

NOTE : using Caliente and Sexy Groomed, it won't matter which mod you downloaded / installed first, what it does matter is how you will resolve the conflict between those two mods. Again, Vortex will "suggest" but you can choose a different option. It is important to understand which mod you want to win the conflict. One more time and excuse me if I speak it again : Vortex will suggest and if you agree, pick whatever Vortex suggest it, otherwise, pick your own. You can change that later if you want to so no worries here.

 

Clean your game master files using XEdit and you are done with modding. For the heck of it, remember to tweak your .ini files before starting downloading mods.

 

If I forgot something, I will add it later or somebody else can correct me and / or add / delete. Hope this help.

[easywolf]

Ok, wait, hold, e - Go to the Plugins Screen and make sure that Auto-sort is ENABLED ( LOOT integrated in Vortex will auto-sort your plugins SO DO NOT run LOOT outside Vortex of you will screw up everything ) :

 

So now we don't run and install loot if using Vortex, I don't friggin get this.

 

And can you explain this if you want? For the heck of it, remember to tweak your .ini files before starting downloading mods.

[HadToRegister]

1. Download Vortex

2. Install Vortex

3. Change these settings to ON right away

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Click on KNOWLEDGE BASE, READ IT

5. Click on MODs tab, then TUTORIALS

6. Follow all three links

 

 

You can change the VISUAL sorting of your Plugins and Mods, by using the Column headers to sort any way you want, this only sorts VISUALLY, it's not actually sorting your load order.
I'm letting everybody know this so they don't need to come in here and start a support thread because they don't know how to click on a column header for sorting.

[HadToRegister]

Ok, wait, hold, e - Go to the Plugins Screen and make sure that Auto-sort is ENABLED ( LOOT integrated in Vortex will auto-sort your plugins SO DO NOT run LOOT outside Vortex of you will screw up everything ) :

 

So now we don't run and install loot if using Vortex, I don't friggin get this.

 

And can you explain this if you want? For the heck of it, remember to tweak your .ini files before starting downloading mods.

 

LOOT is already built into Vortex

What's not to get?

 

 

 

[easywolf]

Is it too late to do all this now that I'm playing and everything is fine. It is on automatic sort enabled, I just followed Gophers videos.

[sopmac45]

Ok, wait, hold, e - Go to the Plugins Screen and make sure that Auto-sort is ENABLED ( LOOT integrated in Vortex will auto-sort your plugins SO DO NOT run LOOT outside Vortex of you will screw up everything ) :

 

So now we don't run and install loot if using Vortex, I don't friggin get this.

 

And can you explain this if you want? For the heck of it, remember to tweak your .ini files before starting downloading mods.

 

You have the choice to either turn on the Auto-Sort function to allow Vortex to auto-sort your plugins automatically, or to turn off that function and run LOOT outside Vortex … however, you will mess up with your load order if you have such function turned ON in Vortex and sort your load order via LOOT outside Vortex at the same time.

 

In relation to "tweak your .ini files, this must be done in the Prefs.ini ( under [Launcher] bEnableFileSelection=1 ) and in the Custom.ini file ( [Archive] bInvalidateOlderFiles=1 and sResourceDataDirsFinal= ) so you are able to mod your game and I am pretty sure that you are familiar with this, otherwise you would not be modding your game.