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Merging Mods

Maxrebo

By Maxrebo
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Maxrebo

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Okay so here is the situation I am almost all done setting up my Morrowind install which uses the Morrowind Graphics Guide as its base. With some tweaks according to my tastes, plus a good assortment of content and other gameplay mods. Now I know that Morrowind and pretty much all of the Bethesda Games have a hard coded 255 plugin limit.I know for a fact that I have way more than 255 ESM/ESP file.

 

While I go through my plugins deciding what is a must have and what can be deleted or kept inactive.Whether if that's because its an optional file redundant to my install and setup or can be left off until I play a specific type character for whom the mod would fit.But still I find myself having bit of a tough time deciding on what to activate and what to leave inactive till I play a character for whom the mod would fit.Even after all of this I have feeling I would still find myself over the 255 plugin limit especially due to certain plugin intensive mods that I find absolutely essential to any playthrough.

 

So I know that one can merge Morrowind Mods like you can with the other bethsoft games but its not has advanced as the games.

 

So my questions are as follows

 

1.What is the best way of merging mods?

2.What kinds of Mods are best for merging?

3.What kind of mods should not be merged?

4.How many merged esp's can one have based on mod category?

5.How many mods can merged into one?

 

For further information I am using Wrye Mash Polemos Fork as my mod manager and installer and mlox for load order management.

I separate my mods into several broad categories:Essential Mods(Active on every install for every character),Build/RP Specific(Mods that suit certain builds or RP's) and Optional(would be nice to have but not essential for any given play through or character).

 

Those are then further separated in sub categories based on what they do.

 

I can provide a list of my installed ESM's/ESP's if that will help,especially after I go through and get rid of redundant files and decide what fits where.

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Maxrebo Enthusiast

Maxrebo

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I've read those threads and I think I sort of understand them,I think.But I do have a question is there anyway to get a list from Wrye Mash of all the available plugins active or not into a text file so I can post it here or would I have to type it up by hand?

 

So those who might understand all of this more than me can look it over and let me know which mods make good candidates for merging,those I should leave alone,or maybe even ones I should delete due conflicts or other issues.

 

I went through them all and deleted ones I know were optional and didn't apply to my install or were otherwise redundant.Even after all that I still have 676 possible esp and esm's to choose from, part of it due to some mods relying on a lot of ESP's,some mods being build/rp specific so they won't be active all the time,only for certain characters and a serious case of Morrowind Mod FOMO.

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Dragon32 Veteran

Dragon32

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  On 5/22/2019 at 12:35 AM, Maxrebo said:

I've read those threads and I think I sort of understand them,I think.But I do have a question is there anyway to get a list from Wrye Mash of all the available plugins active or not into a text file so I can post it here or would I have to type it up by hand?

 

So those who might understand all of this more than me can look it over and let me know which mods make good candidates for merging,those I should leave alone,or maybe even ones I should delete due conflicts or other issues.

 

I went through them all and deleted ones I know were optional and didn't apply to my install or were otherwise redundant.Even after all that I still have 676 possible esp and esm's to choose from, part of it due to some mods relying on a lot of ESP's,some mods being build/rp specific so they won't be active all the time,only for certain characters and a serious case of Morrowind Mod FOMO.

You can export a list of plugins for a particular save: http://wryemusings.com/Wrye%20Mash.html#SaveDetails

 

TBH there won't be many people prepared to look through ~700 plugins for you.

 

Read those posts and apply the basic rules they mention: avoid merging complex and dialogue-heavy mods, ensure no conflicts (or fix them) with TESPCD before merging

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Maxrebo Enthusiast

Maxrebo

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So here is my plan I am gonna go through all of my available plugins to figure out which are my must have essentials for any playthrough,which ones are RP/Build specific and which are nice to have but optional.But I am also gonna group them on whether or not according to the basic rules they are suitable candidates for merging,might be or should be left alone.

 

Then I will post that list here,don't worry it's not gonna be all 676,but I would appreciate a second opinion from those who might have more knowledge and experience than me before I do anything,because I really don't want to break my install.

So I went through all the available esp files and came up with a list of onesI think could probably be merged with like mods and those that could maybe be merged but I am not sure.So I gonna post it here and hopefully anyone who might know more about this than me can look it over and give me a second opinion.

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Maxrebo Enthusiast

Maxrebo

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Here is the list

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

I also had some additional questsions

 

Which version of Darknuts 1stperson bodies should I use since I use races redone?

Do the esps for Vurts Different tree mods need to be active or just when generating distant land?

Does this work if your using Mines and Caverns and Detailed Caverns at the same time using the Detailed Caverns(Mines and Caverns Compatibility Version).If so which one do I install?

Just to be sure Dialogue Heavy,Quest,Dungeon or complex or script based mods should be left alone?

Does XE Sky Variations need to be active or just when distant land is generating?

With MWSE 2.1 Journal Search and Edit out I don't need MWE Journal Enhanced anymore?

Can ESM Files be Merged?

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Dragon32 Veteran

Dragon32

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Just to be sure Dialogue Heavy,Quest,Dungeon or complex or script based mods should be left alone?

- A simple dungeon mod maybe OK to merge with others. If it's one that just adds its entrance to the game world then it maybe OK. I'd be wary of merging the other types

 

Do the esps for Vurts Different tree mods need to be active or just when generating distant land?

Does XE Sky Variations need to be active or just when distant land is generating?

- Think these need to be on the whole time, check their readmes.

 

Can ESM Files be Merged?

- Don't think you can with the CS. Maybe if you convert them to ESPs before hand (think Wrye Mash can do that) they can be merged as well.

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Maxrebo Enthusiast

Maxrebo

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I've gotta to go through my mod list and determine what are my essential ones,optional ones and RP specific ones as well as test out a merged mod I made of weapons and armor texture replacers.Then see if other mods I think might be suitable for that are and then test them out as well if one this is also handled by another and thus made redundant.

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Maxrebo

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So I did it I when through my esp and made a list divided by what is essential,RP\Build Specific and Optional

 

Here it is

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

My goal is to merge as many of the essentials as I can so that I can be under the plugin limit and hopefully have some room to activate any optional or rp\build specific plugins when needed or wanted.

 

I have question,I know that one shouldn't merge Complex,Script Heavy,Dialogue mods,Quest Mods and Dungeon Mods which it depends,but that you can merge replacers.

 

So my question is can you merge mods that add stuff to game like,books,weapons,armor,creatures,that change interiors,patches for mods,and tiny little gameplay changes or immersion mods,IE:mod that changes an items enchantment or what not?

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abot

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I think you can technically merge anything if done properly (basically if it works ok in game, it can be merged in the same loading order in the construction set)

what should you not merge?
1. mods that are likely to be updated (else you'll probably need to redo the (fixing)/merging work)
2. mods where you want to keep some and maybe discard some other in the future (it is MUCH harder to remove a mod when merged with some other)
3. mods that may need some other mods to be loaded in-between to avoid conflicts

what would be good to merge?
mods out of previous points (so STABLE, both for updates and loading order)
1 that are consecutive in your loading order
2 that are of a certain kind (less important)

about what can be merged:
1. mods containing leveled lists changes to the same leveled lists should be merged with the related merged leveled lists generated by tes3cmd multipatch or Mash import leveld lists, else if two mod change the same leveled list the one loaded after will nuke the changes of the one loaded before. if you cannot imagine how to do it, better skip merging them.
2. dialog-heavy mods like LGNPC in my experience when merged make even easier to find/fix bugs/conflicts
3. mods heavily scripted are not a problem, but if some scripts refer to references (e.g. thing->SetPos X, mynpcid->Disable, that->Rotate X 2) and you get "reference not found" errors after merging, better recompile all scripts.

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