Plugin Ghosting

[Guest deleted34304850]

In this post, Picky suggests using the new 'ghosting' feature in Vortex 1.4; https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/9730338-vortex-plugin-sorting-speed/

 

I've seen this, but not got around to using it.

If I have a plugin in installed status, I know what will happen. If I have a plugin in disabled status, I believe that LOOT will reference that during its sorting.

If I have a plugin in UNINSTALLED or NEVER INSTALLED status, I believe that LOOT will not reference this.

what is the difference that GHOST status adds? It's obviously slightly different to disabled/uninstalled/never installed, but what is that difference?

[Tannin42]

A plugin can't be "uninstalled" or "never installed", you're confusing plugins with mods.

If a mod is uninstalled, it's files are not on disk and thus of course LOOT will not sort the plugin because there is no plugin to sort.

 

Ghosting a plugin technically just means that the plugin gets renamed (foobar.esp.ghost) and thus can't get loaded by the game.

At least older games like Oblivion apparently load plugins or at least waste some time on startup on disabled plugins so even a disabled plugin might have an effect on the game or at least negatively affect load times.

Therefore "ghost" is kind of like the communities "actually disabled" state for plugins. The traditional "disabled" is more like "disabled unless the game has other ideas because Bethesda".

 

To my knowledge LOOT also supports ghosted plugins so it shouldn't make a difference for loot whether the plugin is disabled or ghost-ed.

[Guest deleted34304850]

my bad on the mod/plugin status.

thanks for this explanation. I like this new feature. Now I have to create a scenario to play with it.

seemingly "small" changes like this make vortex such a joy to work with. thanks again.

[JimboUK]

This is a great feature for at least older games, while I've never seen any evidence of disabled esps/esms being loaded they sure increase the initial loading times, I had over 100 disabled and moving them to different folder decreased the initial loading time substantially.

[Tegialan]

Esp merged files become disabled. What would be the advantage of using ghost mode in these files and would hinder their execution?

My limit is 512 esp active/desactive (merged), after this it gives error in existing saves. Active I have 212. If you put the 300 disabled as ghost they will not enter the list and still run on the merged file?

Edited August 25, 2021 by Tegialan

[GravithX]

as an experienced modder, i never used this because for my maingame (skyrim AE) it does not make any sense at all.  (at least not that i know about..)

 

if you use merged files in vortex and you use for example zedit (on skyrim se) to merge that files and than archive them and insert them into vortex than SOMETIMES vortex leave the one or other of the merged mods PLUGINS active and than it can happen that you have 2 of the same npc in game, the one you merged and the one from the active plugin ESP inside your game or doubled items that get double loaded but take no farther harm. after merging in vortex you should ALWAYS check the mods that you merged manually and check if they are disabled (they always should be and only the merged esp should be active). if they are disabled, they are causing no harm at all because they not get touched by your game no more and you can ignore them.  just write down somewhere what you merged where or look it up to get not confused on future modding sessions.

ghosting would make it unable for these plugins to work but since they are disabled, they wont do their job anyways because your merged mod will do that job now. some people delete that unused ESP's or put them aside in an collection folder...i never did that work, i simply let them disabled and they never caused me any harm. hope that was helpful. have a good one!

 

I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT SKYRIM SE (i have no other modding experience than san andreas and skyrim se)

Edited August 9 by GravithX