Overwhelmed, and in need of help.

[Rahzek]

I have to say thank you to all who created all of the incredible mod files for skyrim.

 

I need help with them. I browsed through all the files for skyrim and I have confused my self more and more by reading them. I have used mods for other games before , and I believe I know how to use these, manually. But I see some say to be used with UNPN and other references. What I was looking for are mods that change the body and faces of all the female races. And add semi risky armor to them as well. Especially the elves. I did find some great faces and more, but im very unsure about what I need before using them. For example, is there a Base file to use before using the many face/body mods? And which one is the best for an elven type look, thin, but still curvy.

Another question is, if I were to use a weapon mod, that adds bettor looking weapons, would that have to work with the same Base mod for the faces/bodies?

[bloomingdedalus]

Usually any mods you download will come with instructions on where to put assets. They almost always go under the skyrim\data\ folder with various extras like \data\sound, \data\textures, etc. The way Skyrim uses mods is that all of its assets are compressed in one folder and you have to go out of your way to extract them. You won't have to do this. The modder should give you a plugin file that ends in .esp which goes in the \data folder. This file overrides things in the Skyrim master data files as long as it is checked as active on your load screen. So, if Dragon Bone helmet is supposed to look one way, but the .esp folder you have says it should look another way, Skyrim will go with what the .esp file says. If you don't like the mod, you don't load the .esp and it will revert back to the master files for its data (.esm files).

[bben46]

For Skyrim the simplest way to add most mods is through the NMM (Nexus Mod Manager) it simplifies the process to just one click to download, and another to install.

 

If you have any qualms because it is a beta version, there are now over 1.4 MILLION users.

 

Quick link: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/modmanager/

 

After installing & a quick automatic setup,

To download most mods on the Nexus - find the mod, click on the green 'Download with Manager'

Then go into the manager and find the mod you downloaded on the Mods page. Click on the mod (not the check box :rolleyes:) And it is installed automatically.

 

For a full explanation on how to use it - here is a link to a video tutorial. http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/NMM_Video_Tutorials

[Eckss]

Unlike Oblivion or many other games, Skyrim was designed to be Modded; this means that the process is significantly less complicated than many people seem to expect. However, to address the specific question you have about body/face Mods:

 

All Skyrim Armor/Clothing comes with an underlying body to give it shape. You don't need to have the body Mod that the underlying body came from in order to use the Armor; it just means that a character may change bodyshape between different outfits. Of the body Mods, the two most popular female ones seem to be CBBE and UNP. It's a matter of personal taste which one you choose (if any), the difference seems to me to be that CBBE bodies are more what men want to look at and UNP bodies are more what women want to look like. Neither of them are 'realistic' in that no-one is fat or pear shaped or lanky or any of the wonderful variety that real women come in, but this is a game, so take your pick (both have subtypes such as CBBE Slim or UNP Dimonized). There are some Male body Mods, but I sense from your tone that you're looking for female bodies. If you get a body Mod and the corresponding Armor Mods, then characters will be the same shape when clothed or not; if you don't mind, you can just mix & match. You could also just download and try different Armors from all body Mods and see if you prefer a particular body type that way before you decide.

 

As to weapon Mods: No, they don't require body Mods.

 

In general, if a Mod requires another Mod before it can be used, It is either mentioned prominently in the description or under the Required files button (On the Mod page, above the download & endorse buttons in the line of Actions: it's the one that looks like a disc.)

 

Happy Yuletide.

Eck. :D

[Rahzek]

Thank you all, all this info was very helpful.