Load order terminology

[anjenthedog]

I routinely see mods where the author says something like " Make sure blahblah loads above blahblah2", or "some_plugin should load below some_other_plugin"

 

What do above and below mean in the context of mod/plugin load order?

 

I comprehend the terms "before" and "after", as they match with my admittedly elderly understanding of loading order from decades of programming and process control (and other) engineering work, image processing, etc.

 

For instance, using a banal cooking analogy, one adds water to a pan and brings it to a boil "before" putting in noodles, if one wants cooked noodles rather than charred noodles, or noodles that are a gummy mess. Even more simply, one does not pour water into the air, then grab a pan, One gets a pan, then places the water into it. Simple enough, right?

 

I use Vortex for managing my mod installation. It lists a load order. the first element in that list ostensibly loads first, followed by #2, followed by #3, etc., in the same way that an image processing effort might apply one filter, followed by another followed by yet another, in a specific series that faithfully reproduces a particular result. (or a chemical process, or an assembly process, etc.)

 

In none of them do they talk about "above" or "below"

 

So... Above? Below? I don't mean to be thick, but I don't get it.

 

 

[SnowFox35]

I'd advise using LOOT to auto-sort your load order. Saves you all of the thinking.

 

However, if you're told specifically to move something before/after in your load order, I'll explain that.

 

Let's say your load order is

 

1. Skyrim

2. X

3. X

4. X

5. X

6. Mod1

7. Mod2

8. X

 

Now, the mod author for Mod2 says "make sure Mod2 is ALWAYS BEFORE Mod1 in your load order".

 

You'll move Mod2 into slot #5 so that it's loaded before Mod1. This ensures nothing is overwritten and all conflicts are solved.

 

I think mods can be clicked and dragged to be moved in MO and NMM. LOOT will take care of it for you anyway.

 

Hope this helped. If you have anything else to ask, just let me know.

[anjenthedog]

Thanks for the reply SnowFox35. I get "before" and "after", it's the "above" and "below" that are throwing me for a loop.

 

Regarding who does what... I usually allow Vortex (and whatever internal load-order-engine it uses) to handle things, but occasionally it requires user input, and even then, Vortex does a pretty good job of providing advise (before suggested, after suggested), but there are a few values that usally end up being a toss of the dice or educated guess asx to which comes before which...

 

In any case, when an author says Above and below, well...above and below don't have much meaning to me in the context of overlays, programmatic and process steps, etc. "Above" could as easily mean "after" as "before", depending on the context. I figured that above and below are some sort of gamer vernacular I'm not personally familiar with. (not that I'm terribly savvy in gamer vernacular anyway... too old, and probably a bit too stodgy and sciency t'boot :wink: )

 

PS> from looking at your answer, visually, I'm led by the provided list to think that "above" might mean lower values. Is that right?

[SnowFox35]

Think of it this way then. In the example I posted, 8 is the bottom of the load order and 1 is the top.

 

Let's say Mod #3 (the X in #3's spot) said "move to the bottom of the load order to prevent conflicts. You'd move it under Mod #8.

[Grospolina]

"Above" corresponds with "before". All other mod managers that I know of list the mods with the mod at the top loading first and the one at the bottom loading last. Plugins.txt is also listed in this order.

 

Vortex tries to hide the load order and make you use rule-based sorting, in which case "before" and "after" makes more sense. However, Vortex is relatively new and people are used to saying "above" and "below".

[anjenthedog]

"Above" corresponds with "before". All other mod managers that I know of list the mods with the mod at the top loading first and the one at the bottom loading last. Plugins.txt is also listed in this order.

 

Vortex tries to hide the load order and make you use rule-based sorting, in which case "before" and "after" makes more sense. However, Vortex is relatively new and people are used to saying "above" and "below".

 

 

Ah... thanks. that spells it out => "Above" corresponds with "before". I'm too new to remember a Skyrim before Vortex.