Making one ESP dependent on another?

[Joolander]

like the title says, I'd like to make one *.esp file that is dependent on another *.esp file.

 

I'd like to make an addon to make my mod Torch Arrows work better with Better Sorting

 

Thanks in advance for any help

[IsharaMeradin]

Tutorial on the subject.

[Joolander]

Thanks a lot. I knew I saw that somewhere on this site, but I was having trouble finding it for some reason

[PlutoHimself]

I didn't use Wrye Bash. There's a way to do it with the creation kit:

 

Rename the file you're flagging as master to .esm.

Open it as active in the creation kit (with skyrim.esm as master). Save the file.

Rename the file to an esp extension.

Now open the new file as active in the ck (if you've made it already, otherwise make the new plugin). Make your edits, and save.

Open the original (the temporary master) as active in the ck, and save it. This way it loads properly in order as an esp and not a master.

 

This worked for me, but I don't know about its longterm viability.

[IsharaMeradin]

@PlutoHimself -- that may work, but you do run the risk of accidentally making changes to the parent file if you for some reason forget any one of those steps.

 

Also note that the CK lists plugins in install order rather than load order. If you are using more than one plugin as a parent (I've had up to 3 or 4 plugins as parents alongside the Syrim & Update esms), then its better to ensure that your install order with something like NMM matches the correct load order that you'll be using. Then all you need do is toggle the esps into masters. Later edits of the dependent plugin become easier because you can then right click on the plugin and choose "esmify masters" and it will toggle all the masters at once. Thus cutting down all the loading and unloading needed with the CK method you described.

[Javalin]

Creating a mod, which uses data from an ESP. Is how you make an ESP dependent of another.. Just make sure you don't set an active file :)

[PlutoHimself]

If you just select a mod in the ck and not active, it won't actually create the dependency. The load order will still determine how conflicts between records are resolved. If a true dependency is created, loading the dependant plugin won't conflict and it'll run smoothly.

 

That's definitely true, Ishara. I just don't like wrye bash and the amount of control it has over my system, so it's an alternate method.

[IsharaMeradin]

The reason I use Wrye Bash to toggle the esm/esp switch is that when I tried to use the CK to make a plugin dependent upon another plugin, I actually ended up with two custom race entries, one of which (mine) was so screwed up that the only thing present were eyeballs & teeth attached to gums floating over a prisoner tunic. It was rather scary looking.

 

I don't actually let Wrye Bash do anything with my system. Its installed and I use it to toggle the esm/esp switch and to verify what mods are in what saves. Other than that, I use a combination of NMM & BOSS with user rules to manage my mods.

[Araanim]

So is there any definitive answer to this? I want a mod to function as an extension of another mod; using some of the same NPCs, checking the completions of quests, putting new things in cells created in the first mod, etc. I would like to still be able to edit and modify the original mod independently, though. I looked into the ESM route, but I don't want to have to convert it to an ESP every time I want to modify it. (Plus Steam doesn't let you upload ESMs, does it?) Do I actually need to make an ESM or am I making this too complicated?

[IsharaMeradin]

Nice necro, but I suppose it is on topic...

 

You are making it a bit complicated. It does require toggling between working on it and testing, but at no point does it get the ESM extension. You'll be able to upload it to Steam if you wanted.

 

Specific instructions are here:

http://www.creationkit.com/Tutorial:_How_to_use_third-party_mod_ESP_records_in_a_new_ESP