New Mod User....Thx...Questions...other.

[BootsyFunk]

First off just started using mods about 2 weeks ago for a new playthrough.

 

My THX to all those who mod....your time and effort is appreciated! I mean really!

 

So a few newb(ish) questions.

 

1. Wryebash...tricky to use?...do U use it?

 

2. My BOSS sort lists dirty edits, particularly on my update.esm. Is this a REAL issue? Should I clean?

 

3. Which leads me to this.. TES5...solves issues?...I need to know it? I read somwhere one must be careful not to wipe out needed stuff.

 

4. BOSS ordering...for me it is the da bomb as a newb...do U change the BOSS ordering? When?

 

I'm running about 55 mods right now mostly rock solid....the odd CTD , but that's after MANY hours of play. I know it's not much for most, but the fact I got em and they all are working amazing.

 

Now..

 

Skyrim vs. Oblivion

 

I have OB bought disc (GOTY) and never played.

 

Should I go back? Wlll I be disappointed? Textures...weapons...etc.

 

NOW I feel I can mod OB with at least a modicum of success.

 

Is it worth the trip?

 

Thx all....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TWarrior]

1. yes i use it, best mod manager to my mind.

you only need to know about the bashed patch, thats it. there is a simple step by step guide on google

2. i cleaned, but i had no issues before and no issues after, so i dont really know, sry.

3. see above

4. nope only had to change one mod once. later boss managed it the right way. simple and awesome tool!

 

concerning oblivon: there are many good mods, though i dont like oblivions fantasy atmosphere but prefer skyrims darker themed setting.

however everything will respond to that question in another way

[exploiteddna]

1. Wryebash...tricky to use?...do U use it?

it can be intimidating when you first star using wrye bash but IMO its the best program to use. it offers better functionality, especially with respect to installing non-esp mods like textures and meshes using the "installers" tab. Learn how to use the installers tab, learn what the colors of the boxes mean (white/grey/red/yellow/green/orange), learn how priority is given to archives (.7z/.zip/.rar) that are lower in the installer list. When you install textures using installers tab it will overwrite anything of the same files that are in an archive above it.. if you uninstall it then it will remove all the files for you.. there is no need to ever manually copy and paste or extract files into your data folder.. using wrye bash allows you to do everything using the installers tab and allows you to keep better track of what files are active and which ones have been overwritten by other mods. It tells you exactly which files belong to which mod and which of them are active and which are not. click the help button at the bottom of the wrye bash window to bring up the readme.. you should read that alot until you learn how to use it really well and it will make modding a much easier, more organized process. NMM may be the "easy" way out, but it doesnt give you nearly the amount of flexibility or control over your mods. NMM does things how it thinks you want it to be done, but often this can be troublesome. its better to fully understand the process of using and installing mods that way you can better troubleshoot and manage your experience. Plus, wrye bash allows you to integrate BOSS, NifScope, CK, and other tools.

 

2. My BOSS sort lists dirty edits, particularly on my update.esm. Is this a REAL issue? Should I clean?

yes, always clean your mods. its very easy to do so theres no reason you shouldnt

 

3. Which leads me to this.. TES5...solves issues?...I need to know

it? I read somwhere one must be careful not to wipe out needed stuff.

 

TES5Edit is the program you need. There is an easy to follow guide on how to use it to clean your mods. While you can screw up mods easily if you dont follow the instructions, it shouldnt be a problem if you dont do stupid things. It is a very powerful tool but a very important and useful one. There is enough info out there to teach you how to use it properly. When in doubt, use google to look something up instead of risking ruining one of your mods.

 

4. BOSS ordering...for me it is the da bomb as a newb...do U change the BOSS ordering? When?

 

BOSS does a pretty decent job of ordering mods. I run BOSS then usually make a few slight changes. This for two reasons:

1. if a particular mod is not in the BOSS database, it will automatically place it at the bottom of the load order underneath the bashed patch, which may not be the best place for it. For example, if it is a player house mod that it doesnt recognize, you should look for one of your other player house mods that it did recognize and properly position, then move it there.

2. Sometimes after BOSS sorting, one of my mods wont work properly. Thus i will manually move the mod lower in the load order (thus giving it higher priority) and then it works. This happens to me with Dudestia Multiple Marriages Mod.. If I use the BOSS position it wont work but if I move it lower it works

 

GOOD LUCK

 

EDIT:

yes it will be worth going back to pay oblivion. i still play it to this day. you should also use Wrye Bash and BOSS with oblivion as well. Actually, if you can learn to use Wrye with oblivion then using it with skyrim will be a piece of cake. Oblivion makes big use of the bashed patch, something that skyrim doesnt really use too much. bashed patch is basically a mod (an esp file) that wryebash creates and uses to integrate, import, and merge various mods or parts of mods that are active in your load order. With respect to modding oblivion, its basically the same as modding skyrim, except you use Construction Set for oblivion instead of the Creation Kit used for skyrim mods. The layout of the two software apps is very similar.

Have fun

Edited February 16, 2013 by michaelrw