how on earth do I merge plugins/mods?

[TuralyonProductions]

so I have quite a few mods I've gathered that i'd like to assemble into a single .ESP to work off of it easier, but I can't seem to figure out how exactly to do it. the Merge Plugins program is incredibly buggy and doesn't seem to work at all anymore, and while zMerge seems much better at first glance, it takes WAYYYY longer than it should to merge plugins with it, pops up a bunch of weird errors in orange text I haven't seen in any tutorials with it (some of which claiming that objects aren't copying over from the esp for some reason), and flat out just stops working with my computer overheating when it tries to merge in some specific mods.

 

are there any comprehensive tutorials out there on how to merge plugins/mods and what software I should use for it? because I'm honestly stumped right now, so if anyone can guide me through the process and troubleshoot my problems while telling me how to fix them that'd be great.

 

I look forward to potentially hearing back from y'all soon.

[Zorkaz]

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/36998

[TuralyonProductions]

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/36998

tried that, still doesn't work. Do you have anything for zMerge or zEdit specifically? cuz I've tried just about everything with that and I haven't been able to find much of anything to help me online...

[gnarly1]

 

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/36998

tried that, still doesn't work.

What do you mean it doesn't work? You might be trying to merge together plugins that shouldn't be merged as opposed to the tool itself not working.

[VIitS]

Use xEdit:

 

1) Load the plugin you are merging after the one you are merging into

2) Right click plugin name -> Add Master, select the mod you are merging into

3) Right click plugin name -> Inject forms into master, select the mod you are merging into

4) Deep Copy as override (with overwriting)*, select the mod you are merging into.

5) Save

 

Before merging (using any method), make sure any patches that depend on the mod you are merging are loaded, so that the formIDs in those patches will be properly changed. And keep in mind, once you have merged a mod, you can't update.

 

Also, if a mod has any external files that depend on plugin name or formID, this method won't help with those. Assuming Merged Plugins works for FO4, that would be better as it seems to have options for handling those files.

 

*Copy as override will skip any record that already exists in the target plugin, so if the mod you are merging has a change you want to keep, you have to use the (with overwriting) option. If you want the versions in the plugin you are merging into to win, use regular Deep Copy as Override

[Blinxys]

VlitS, that was elegant and poetic (where were you three months ago when i was figuring this out for myself)? :tongue:

 

 

Also, if a mod has any external files that depend on plugin name or formID, this method won't help with those. Assuming Merged Plugins works for FO4, that would be better as it seems to have options for handling those files.

 

Trying to find out more about how scripts *Rely* on formID or plugin name.

Anything specific you can add? Is there a clear way to know that?

 

Merge Plugins says you should unpack BA2 before merging, and (I guess) it makes one for the merge (name)?

zEdit does it with a checkbox.

 

From what i understand:

you can just make an esp and wad pretty much All loose mat/texture files in one archive.

Same for Meshes, curious about scripts...

[VIitS]

Most scripts refer to records using the EDID*, but there is a way to reference records using the formID directly (i.e. the last 6 characters, so the formID not including the load order prefix). The more common issue are things like facegen files, and I think dialogue files?

 

Textures, materials, regular meshes, those are all fine and can, as you said, just be packed up into a ba2 for the combined plugin.

 

*Not certain if it is actually that they use the EDID, or if they use something else, I just know that most of the time it is fine to change the formID. Unfortunately, I don't know how to recognize when it will be a problem.