Please advise -- load order, conflicts; CTD at game start

[ripple]

Just for testing, uninstall the mods not recognized by BOSS, and see if you can get through the Helgan tutorial. Also, have you made modifications to your ini? If so, delete your ini files and let the game generate new ones at launch. Lastly, if you continue to CTD at the same spot, turn on the papyrus log, and post the entire log here (enclosed in a spoiler tag).

[yeti1069]

How do I turn on the Papyrus log?

 

I turned off all my mods except the Unofficial Patches and got through to the execution scene in Helgen, then exited the game to put some more mods back in, see if I could find what was crashing me. Seemed like WATER's plants addition was at least one culprit, as I turned back on the Light and FX mod, and the RLO parts that work with it, WATER, and the trees mods, and nothing else, and was crashing. Unchecked plants and got through to the execution again, although a few of the NPCs in Helgen had their armor textures replaced with a neon purple slate.

[yeti1069]

I found the answer regarding activating Papyrus tracking.

 

 

[02/20/2013 - 08:42:08PM] Papyrus log opened (PC)
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:08PM] Update budget: 1.200000ms (Extra tasklet budget: 1.200000ms, Load screen budget: 500.000000ms)
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:08PM] Memory page: 128 (min) 512 (max) 76800 (max total)
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:20PM] Cannot open store for class "dlc1scwispwallscript", missing file?
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:21PM] Error: Unable to bind script TrapBear to TweakTraps (3200C515) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:21PM] Error: Unable to bind script traptriggerbase to TweakTraps (3200C515) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:21PM] Cannot open store for class "SF_TweakP1Pose_02017788", missing file?
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:21PM] Error: Unable to bind script SF_TweakP1Pose_02017788 to (32017788) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:21PM] Cannot open store for class "SF_TweakP1Hangout_02017201", missing file?
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:21PM] Error: Unable to bind script SF_TweakP1Hangout_02017201 to (32017201) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pFollowerAlias3 on script dialoguefollowerscript attached to DialogueFollower (000750BA) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pFollowerAlias2 on script dialoguefollowerscript attached to DialogueFollower (000750BA) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property BedrollGround on script dialoguefollowerscript attached to DialogueFollower (000750BA) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property InputMethod on script aaaTKDodgeScript attached to aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property ItemColFaction on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property hunter on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property HuntQuest on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property HuntingLocation on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakIncSmithing on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakCurrSmithing on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakCurrLockpick on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakDecLockPick on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakLevelUpItems on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakDecSmithing on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] Warning: Property pTweakIncLockPick on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] VM is freezing...
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:29PM] VM is frozen
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Reverting game...
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Error: Unable to bind script SF_TweakP1Hangout_02017201 to (32017201) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Error: Unable to bind script TrapBear to TweakTraps (3200C515) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Error: Unable to bind script traptriggerbase to TweakTraps (3200C515) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Error: Unable to bind script SF_TweakP1Pose_02017788 to (32017788) because their base types do not match
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakIncSmithing on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakCurrSmithing on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakCurrLockpick on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakDecLockPick on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakLevelUpItems on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakDecSmithing on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pTweakIncLockPick on script TweakFollowerInfoScript attached to TweakFollower (320012CE) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pFollowerAlias3 on script dialoguefollowerscript attached to DialogueFollower (000750BA) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property pFollowerAlias2 on script dialoguefollowerscript attached to DialogueFollower (000750BA) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property BedrollGround on script dialoguefollowerscript attached to DialogueFollower (000750BA) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property ItemColFaction on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property hunter on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property HuntQuest on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property HuntingLocation on script FollowerWandererScript attached to FollowerWander (31000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:30PM] Warning: Property InputMethod on script aaaTKDodgeScript attached to aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62) cannot be initialized because the script no longer contains that property
[02/20/2013 - 08:42:57PM] Loading game...
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] VM is thawing...
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript OnPlayerLoadGame
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript Maintenance
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:00PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 32
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetVersionRelease" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "SetGameSettingInt" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetVersionRelease" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp2"
stack:
[alias UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAlias on quest UBG20MaintQuest (1A01156D)].UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript.Maintenance() - "UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript.psc" Line 31
[alias UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAlias on quest UBG20MaintQuest (1A01156D)].UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript.psc" Line ?
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] UBG20MaintQuestPlayerAliasScript SKSE not detected
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "SetWeight" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[sKI_MainInstance (0C000814)].SKI_Main.OnGameReload() - "SKI_Main.psc" Line 60
[alias PlayerAlias on quest SKI_MainInstance (0C000814)].SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 33
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetINIInt" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp43"
stack:
[sKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_ConfigMenu.ApplySettings() - "SKI_ConfigMenu.psc" Line 654
[sKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_ConfigMenu.OnGameReload() - "SKI_ConfigMenu.psc" Line 130
[alias PlayerAlias on quest SKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "SetWeight" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetINIInt" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 34
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp43"
stack:
[sKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_ConfigMenu.ApplySettings() - "SKI_ConfigMenu.psc" Line 655
[sKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_ConfigMenu.OnGameReload() - "SKI_ConfigMenu.psc" Line 130
[alias PlayerAlias on quest SKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Error: Cannot divide by zero
stack:
[sKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_ConfigMenu.ApplySettings() - "SKI_ConfigMenu.psc" Line 655
[sKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_ConfigMenu.OnGameReload() - "SKI_ConfigMenu.psc" Line 130
[alias PlayerAlias on quest SKI_ConfigMenuInstance (0C000820)].SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "SKI_PlayerLoadGameAlias.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 35
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 36
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 37
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 38
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetMappedKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp0"
stack:
[aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeScript.RegKey() - "aaaTKDodgeScript.psc" Line 39
[alias Player on quest aaaTKDodgeQuest (26000D62)].aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "aaaTKDodgeAliasScript.psc" Line 6
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForMenu" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "GetNumTintMasks" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] Warning: Assigning None to a non-object variable named "::temp21"
stack:
[RaceMenu (33000800)].RaceMenu.LoadTints() - "RaceMenu.psc" Line 140
[RaceMenu (33000800)].RaceMenu.OnGameReload() - "RaceMenu.psc" Line 65
[alias Player on quest RaceMenu (33000800)].RaceMenuLoad.OnPlayerLoadGame() - "RaceMenuLoad.psc" Line 4
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "RegisterForKey" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "QueueNiNodeUpdate" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "SendModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:43:01PM] error: Unbound native function "SendModEvent" called
[02/20/2013 - 08:45:08PM] error: Unbound native function "SetCombatStyle" called

 

 

Decided to let the game run and see if more problems crept up--crashing just as I stand up from the chopping block now, after Alduin shouts. Occurred twice at that spot, and the above is the Papyrus log from after that.

[ripple]

1) are you using any texture replacers that do not come with plugins?

 

2) have you edited your ini files (other than for Dynavision)?

[yeti1069]

Not sure what texture replacers I have that wouldn't have plug-ins. How would I check that?

 

As far as editing the ini...I think the only changes I made were to have trees shadow themselves (and then when all these problems crept up I changed that back to 0), and adjusted the archery up-angle a little to line it up with the crosshair. I'll delete the ini files and see if that solves anything--do I need to wipe all of them?

[ripple]

Most texture replacers don't come with esp's because they generally don't need them if they are intended to replace default game textures. The textures are packed as loose files instead and BOSS will not detect them because it's purpose to facilitate plugin load order management. I only brought it up because you mentioned you were seeing armour with missing textures. Unless the mod was downloaded from the Steam Workshop, you should have a copy of the mod archive and you can check it's contents prior to installing (this is why I don't download mods from the Workshop, because it insists on treating users like morons...). Anyways....do you remember if you downloaded any texture replacer mods?

Backup your current ini files, then delete them and let the game generate new ones, see if this helps.

 

As a last resort, you might consider significant trimming of your mod list. Keep in mind that your system is fairly old. I am not even sure how well the game will run on that GPU even at low graphic settings.

Edited February 21, 2013 by ripple

[yeti1069]

Those few files were the only ones I grabbed off of Steam, and only because they don't exist on the Nexus, and they're fairly minor--just the Ore Extractor Spell, Kontrol (add some extra hotkeys to an Xbox controller and moves a couple of functions around, and More Starting Spells, which just leaves a handful of low-level spell tomes on a table in Helgen to accelerate your magic career a little bit). Everything else I downloaded via the NMM.

 

As for how the game runs...I HAD been playing without ANY problems for a few weeks in December after I bought the game and transferred a save file over from my Xbox, and with probably 20-30 mods. I can't recall what my settings were at the time, but I'm fairly certain that I had everything set Medium to High. Then I took a break from playing for a few weeks (to work on the D&D campaign I'm running), and when I went to play again, Kontrol was no longer working properly, and then the game started crashing. I uninstalled the whole thing and started over, new character and everything. I had some CTD problems (game crashing right after the Bethesda screen, before the main menu), rooted out that issue, and then started running into CTDs out in the world. I assumed from WarZones, because the CTDs tended to come up around NPCs in the wild, but I couldn't be sure. Dropped a bunch of mods and started a new character, but started getting CTDs again (on this and the previous character, it was rather frustrating because the CTDs didn't start coming up until I was a few hours into the game).

 

That brings me to where I am here: started over once again, and made sure to read more carefully when grabbing mods, read up on Wrye Bash, installed the NMM, and BOSS. Apparently my latest attempt has failed as well. Heh. I think I do need to cut down on some mods, but I'd prefer to have an idea of what the issue is so I know what I can keep.

[ripple]

You did mention you disabled all of your plugins and still CTD at the introduction, right? If you haven't, you can try disabling all of your mods and see if you get past the Helgan tutorial. Personally, I use that as a 'litmus test' for determining if my load order is going to be stable in the long term. It's a heavily scripted scene and if I CTD during it, to me it's a sign that I am using too many script mods that's stressing the game engine or my CPU beyond their limitations. The majority of the mods with continually updating scripts that I use now need to be initiated manually so it's mostly moot, but some people swear they can get a stable game if they only activate their mods after the Helgan tutorial (or use a mod like 'Quick Start' to skip it altogether). CTD during the tutorial is obviously not a good sign. If it happens even when the plugins in your load order are disabled, it would suggest that fresh reinstall may be needed to remove any loose orphan files in your game directory. It's also odd that something like 'Kontrol' would suddenly have problems in your setup, since it's not a 'normal mod' but a custom controlmap that is completely unaffected by load orders or file overwrites (unless you installed another custom controlmap). All this suggests that the source of the problem may be more than mods (or not even caused by mods).

If you do start over, the first thing I'd recommend is to use the Mod Organizer to install mods rather than NMM (and just stay away from the Workshop altogther). MO doesn't install mods directly into the game data folder so your game will always be as clean as the day you (re)install the game no matter how many mods you install (meaning that you should never need to do another reinstall). Moreover, you can adjust installation order after you have installed mods as easily as you adjust load order. After a fresh vanilla install with the official DLCs, the first thing I'd do is to make sure you can get past the Helgan tutorial without problems--twice. If you can't, then the problem isn't cause by mods, but something else entirely.

If you can get past the Helgan tutorial twice without any problems, then you can think about composing a small and hopefully more stable load order. As for mods you should remove, it'd be easier make suggestions if your rig wasn't so old. But because it is, some 'tweaking' and 'texture compressing' is usually needed in order to make it capable of running a large load order that will be relatively stable in the long term. But some of the mods I'd recommend removing are ASIS, and use only a couple of plugins from Immersive Patrol. Given your GPU is older than my previous GPU that Skyrim fried (9800 GTX+), you should definitely -not- be using the Hi-Res texture DLC (in fact, how did you even manage to maintain a playable framerate with that, without 'performance ini tweaks'?). Consider dropping script intensive mods like 'Wet n' Cold.'

Edited February 21, 2013 by ripple

[yeti1069]

I grabbed the High Res DLC only recently--I honestly hadn't considered the effect it would have on the game, since I'd been running at between 30 and 60 FPS a couple of months ago. I'm not sure how I'd drop that now that I've got it from Steam--I've read a few comments from people (since installing) that were complaining that they no longer wanted the DLC, but couldn't get Steam to allow them to get rid of it.

 

Well, I dropped more mods and got through Helgen, played through Bleak Falls Barrow and arrived at Whiterun without anymore problems. I turned my graphics sets down a bit, just to make sure that that wasn't the issue as well. Not too happy with how distant trees and terrain look right now, so I'm going to tweak that back upward a little. My FPS is looking a bit low--guessing the DLC may be responsible for that, in part, but that's still hanging out between 30 and 45 most of the time, then dropping to the mid-20s in some areas, and going up to the 60 FPS ceiling in others. I'd rather keep it above 30, and ideally above 45 more often, but it's playable.

 

I've come across some info on making .ini tweaks, but I didn't want to start fiddling with that stuff too much without really understanding it.

 

What's the issue with ASIS? It was one of the first things I removed, as I recalled some comment about it causing problems, but the more info I have, the better.

 

Trying to figure out what I can and can't keep, and what I can and can't add on further. I'll say that Bigger Trees has been VERY impressive. I definitely miss the random patrols and encounters I was getting in the wild with WarZones. How does Immersive Patrols compare with that?

 

And again, Ripple, THANK YOU! Thanks for popping back in here so often and putting up with my ineptitude at dealing with this thing.

[ripple]

No problem. You can just disable the esp's for the Hi-Res DLC. You can also manually remove the files from your game data folder so they won't clutter it and get scanned when you load the game. The game data folder should be located at "..steam/steamapp/commen/Skyri/data/", and the hi-res DLC files are:<br />

HighResTexturePack01.esp
HighResTexturePack02.esp
HighResTexturePack03.esp
HighResTexturePack01.bsa
HighResTexturePack02.bsa
HighResTexturePack03.bsa

You can move them to a backup directory if you plan to upgrade your GPU soon and don't want to redownload the DLC when you do. Otherwise, you can just delete those files.

The way the DLC's are installed are unfortunately unavoidable, but for other mods, I highly recommend you avoid Steam's draconian method of mod installation and management. I've never managed to find a mod I wanted on the Workshop that wasn't also available on the Nexus or another Skyrim mod site (or another mod with similar functionality). Load orders are, as you know by now, fragile things that need to be maintained and cared for to minimize CTDs and issues, and any 'mod manager' or mod management methods that do not allow you to check the contents of a mod archive before you install it, so you will know what is being installed into your load order and where they are installed to, is doing you a disservice.

It's probably better that you don't edit the ini files. I generally don't recommend editing the ini except for the non-game stability/peformance related tweaks like papyrus logging or increasing auto-save counts, etc. (even though I heavily fiddled with my own ini files when I still had my old 9800 GTX+, because I was trying to 'milk' as much performance boost as I could from that card). Most of the tweaks from the popular 'ini tweak guides' provide ini settings that are intended to gain performance but at the expense of stability (so they suggest things like increasing 'ugridstoload' that generally is not a good idea). In light of your system specs, I think the feedback about your framerates are better than expected and you should probably leave the ini files alone unless the FPS suddenly take a turn for the worse.

I also recommend you stick to a relatively small mod list. Avoid mods that add more spawns or spawn points to the worldspace (like Warzones, ASIS, SkyTest, etc.), because those mods tend to make the worldspace more unstable. It's not always the fault of the mods, but a limitation of the aging game engine. It's why vanilla Skyrim has the population density of a post-apocalyptic world, because the developers knew the engine could become unstable if more are added. So something like Immersive Patrols, you probably shouldn't use all the plugins. But you should be able to get away with using the main plugin and maybe 2 optionals. If you start to experience some random CTDs in the worldspace, especially in the encounter zones where the IP NPCs spawn, then you can trim that from your list. A popular test for 'gauging' worldspace stability since Morrowind is the 'running test.' Try and run from Riverwood to Whiterun without saving, then from Whiterun to another city like Windhelm, or maybe even Markarth (should take all but 15-20 minutes at most). If you can't manage that without a CTD, then it's probably necessary to trim some mods that affect worldspace stability. In Oblivion, it was recommended that the player run from one end of the worldmap to another. But given that Skyrim is much bigger, and you may CTD even with just vanilla Skyrim, that's probably not worth doing.

The other type of mods typically responsible for performance issues or CTDs are script intensive mods, especially those that have continually running scripts to track player status, etc., such as Footprints, Frostfall, Wet n' Cold. Given your CPU is fairly old (although not that much older than mine), you should also keep those a minimum. If you can get a fairly stable game with just 'Wet n' Cold', that's fine, but probably should not try to add more script mods than what you already have. Keep in mind you are using some weather mod with scripts (enhanceddynamicweathersystem.esp, minty's lightning). You can 'gauge' just what your machine can take by going to 'stress area', and see if you can maintain a playable framerate. A popular area for conducting this test is the Riften Market, where the game has to simultaneously render densely packed AI's, fog, water reflections, and so on. Use console to get there during the day, then run around and deliberately try to crash the game. Go into 'god mode' and start attacking NPCs, then get them to chase you, generally trying to create as much stress on the engine as you can. Do this for about 10 minutes. If you experience nothing more serious than some minor micro-freezes, then you are ok.

Edited February 21, 2013 by ripple