✍️ Introduction:

This page is intended as an overview how to create a basic Setup before adding more Mods to a Load Order.

I call the listed Mod combinations "Core Mods", because they are the base - or minimal requirement - for most lewd Setups.

I just copied step by step what Mods I usually install first - followed by a functionality check ingame - before even thinking about adding anything else from LL or Nexus.

The blog was created with NMM mechanics in mind, but the overwrites (NMM, brutally overwrite files in skyrim/data) aka overrules (MO - left plane, Vortex) are the same for any mod manager.

The sequence the Mods are listed also give a clue about overwrites and also the position of related plugins in LO. If no additional information is given overwrite the early listed mods with the ones lower on this page.

? Goal of this Blog page:

• Installation of basic Skyrim fixes, patches and useful mods in preparation for LL mods
• Installation of all most basic LL Frameworks and requirements.
• Repeatable steps that will work for any basic LO to prevent user error early on.
• Indirectly create a checklist and source for the most basic Mods that go with everything or are requirements for related plugins.
• ? Creating Checklists to keep the overview
• ⚠️ It's strongly recommended to still read the individual mod descriptions instead of blindly installing everything

? Definition of the abbreviations can be found here: Conglomerate - Abbreviations and File Types

Index:

Step 01 - ⚙️ Core Vanilla

• Vanilla Patches, Basic Requirements, FNIS, Tools
• ⚙️Optional

Step 02 - ❤️? Core Sexlab

• SOS, SL, SLAL, Tools, Patches

Step 03 - ☠️ Body

•  ⚠️Chose only one route to install a body:
  • All-in-One HDT Animated Pussy 4.0
  • Body installation via separate Mods
• ☠️ Optional

Step 04 - ? More Nasty Critters SLAL

• MNC SLAL
• Animated Beast's Cocks (ABC HDT)

Step 05 - ⛓️ BDSM Frameworks

• ? ZAP Animation Pack
• ?? Toys & Love
• ? Devious Devices 5.2
  • ? Optional

Step 06 - ?‍? Script Extender

• PapyrusUtil
• ConsoleUtil
• Jcontainers

Step 01 - ⚙️ Core

⚙️ Core Frameworks and their Patches and Fixes:

⚙️ Optional:

Step 02 - ❤️? Sexlab

❤️? Basic Sexlab Mods:

Step 03 - ☠️ Body

☠️ All-in-One HDT Animated Pussy 4.0:

☠️ Body installation via separate Mods:

☠️Optional:

Step 04 - ? More Nasty Critters SLAL

? MNC SLAL and Animated Beast's Cocks:

Step 05 - ⛓️ BDSM Frameworks

⛓️? Zaz Animation Pack v8.0 plus:

⛓️?? Toys & Love:

⛓️ ? Devious Devices v5.2:

⛓️? Devious Devices v5.2 Optional:

Step 06 - ?‍? Script Extender

?‍? PapyrusUtil, ConsoleUtil, JContainers:

? under construction

What is planned:

• Slaver Framework PAHE
• DD modification UD
• DD modification DL
• SS++ as node for LL mods
• SL Framework tools
• Inte's Skyrim Util and related
• Useful DD addons/mods that help with DD survival

PAHE Framework raw

Fresh Skyrim install or reinstall Checklist (extended):

• Install Skyrim
  • on Steam > Skyrim >validating Steam files (only once)
• Start Skyrim Launcher first time after Skyrim installation
  • skyrim.ini/skyrimpref.ini get created
  • manipulate Launcher settings
    • resolution
    • AA
    • any other changes can be done with BethINI
• Manipulate Nivida Settings for Skyrim
  • FPS
  • AA
  • vSync
• Download and install SKSE (manually)
• Download and install Tools/Utilities I
  • Tes5edit
  • 7-zip
  • .NET Framework 3.5 or higher
  • DirectX 10 (Skyrim folder DirectX10)
  • Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 or higher (Skyrim folder VCRedist or newer: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-US/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170)
• Clean Master files with Tes5edit QuickCleaner
• Make a Backup of the Skyrim folder
• Download and install Mod Manager
  • Vortex/MO/MO2/NMM/WryeBash
    • LOOT
• Download and install Tools/Utilities II
  • FallrimTools
    • Java 8+
  • NetImmerse Override Cleaner
  • BethINI
  • Wrye Bash (Bashed Patch)
  • Mator Smash (Smashed Patch)
• Download and install Tools/Utilities III
  • CK (scripts.rar, Papyrus Compiler) ? and CK fix/patch
  • Merge Plugins

    • Champollion a PEX to Papyrus decompiler

  • Notepad ++ (or similar)

Making Skyrim stable Checklist (extended):

• SKSE.ini
• Crash fixes v12, Crashfixplugin.ini, SKSE Plugin preloader
• ENBoost & enblocal.ini
• ENB ?
• Skyrim.ini
  • [Papyrus] Settings
• BethINI

Core Mods and Frameworks Checklist (extended):

• Core Mods
  • SL & Addons
  • Various vanilla patches
• Body
• MNC
• BDSM Frameworks
• Script Extender

✍️ I list here what helps me to create a stable Skyrim LE base setup and other methods to achieve best results with a modified Skyrim.

Is my blog the ultimate way to mod Skyrim? NO, there are always alternative routes depending on what you want to archive with your Skyrim setup. Nevertheless, there are not endless ways to create a stable setup and mine proved to be reliable over hundreds of gameplay hours.

What you find here has helped me over the years and allowed me to focus more on the mods and play the game, instead of constantly hoping that there will be no CTD for a completely unknown reason.

That's the whole intro? Haha, no, I'm just sleepy and will continue here later. So many blog pages still to fill and existing ones to overwork.

Don't forget to always add one more mod tho:

An attempt to create a Skyrim glossary for abbreviations and file types.

Will grow over time the more I learn, for now it will only cover the basics.

Abbreviations:

• SKSE = Skyrim Script Extender
• SKSE.ini = Configuration file for SKSE
• TES5EDIT aka xEdit = TES5Edit is the Skyrim 32bit version of xEdit
• Plugin (general) = the esm (master) and esp (plugin) component of a mod
• Mod = everything that modifies the vanilla Skyrim
• LO = Load Order (all active Plugins)
• UAC = Windows User Account Control
• ENB = Boris Vorontsov: "This is the first and last name of a girl who was my muse for a long time, so to speak."
• ENBoost = Boris's muse without a fanzy dress during the night.

File Types:

• *.zip = compressed file with 7zip, can also unzip *.rar files
• *.rar = compressed file with WinRAR
• *.pex = compiled Papyrus script (machine code)
• *.psc = not compiled Papyrus script, source code (code as text), can be compiled to *.pex
• *.bsa = Bethesda Archive file, compressed
• *.esm = Elder Scrolls Master (often also counted as Plugin)
• *.esp = Elder Scrolls Plugin
• *.ini = settings files that contain configurations
• *,json = JavaScript Object Notation
• *.xml = XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language

?️ Construction notes:

• 250 (of 256) active plugin limit for Skyrim LE
  • Active esp and esm Plugins count against that limit
  • Max Plugins: 250
    • from my experience lower is better. A lower number also allows to add plugins later to the game at the end of the LO
  • Symptoms with  >250 Plugins:
    • game becomes unstable
    • CTD randomly on game start (restarting directly after the first CTD will let you play anyways, gives a false sense of a stable game)
    • CTD randomly while playing (can be confused with memory related CTD)
  • Solution:
    • Merge Plugins
    • Reduce installed Plugins
    • Use a Wrye Bash to merge patch plugins
  • Details quoted from pStyl3:
    • Spoiler

      

• 508 active and deactivated installed plugin limit
  • Active and deactivated plugins count against that limit, sum of all installed plugins
  • The upper limit might be lower,
    • from my experience staying ~450 plugins works best
  • Symptoms with or with close to ~508 active and deactivated plugins:
    • Skyrim fails to load any plugins on game start causing the vanilla Skyrim intro to play as if no mods are installed
  • Solution:
    • delete deactivated esp (make a backup of them if they are needed later)
    • uninstall mods that aren't needed anymore, instead of just deactivating the esp
    • delete esp of already merged plugins (make a backup of them if they are needed later)
    • Wrye Bash plugin ghosting
    • MO plugin ghosting
    • Nitpick 60
      • could it be so easy? Not tested.
  • Details quoted from Wrye Bash general readme:
    • Spoiler

      

       

• 65k string limit of vanilla Skyrim saves
  • install Crash fixes to remove the limit
  • after Crash fixes has removed the string limit the savegame format changes, use Fallrimtools to open and modify saves
  • Symptoms if the save goes over the 65k string limit:
    • saves can't be loaded anymore
    • CTD on loading a save

• RAM, VRAM, Memory Block Size limitations of Skyrim
  • read Conglomerate 01 guide to rise Skyrim available memory
  • Symptoms:
    • no Memory Block modification: random crashes early ingame already, CTD about every ~10 - 15 minutes
    • no additional memory allocation: crashes as soon as vanilla Skyrim goes over it's usable memory limit thru higher memory usage from installed mods
    • no additional VRAM memory allocation: crashes as soon as vanilla runs out of usable VRAM
      • warning signs are textures that fail to load

• FNIS animation limit
  • FNIS, 10,000 animations for character 3rd person, and for each of Skyrims creatures.
  • FNIS XXL, 32,000 animations for race.
  • Symptoms if getting close or over the FNIS limit (⚠️ depending on the type of installed animations):
    •  close to limit or only a few animations over the limit:
      • Endless loading screen on cell change
    • over the limit:
      • Skyrim CTD on startup
  • Solutions:
    • Animation Limit Crash Fix (SrtCrashFix)
      • The patch fixes the crash on game loading when you install too many animations with FNIS
    • Animation Loading Fix (Felisky384 )
      • useful to stabilize the process of loading a game with FNIS XXL installed
        • I use it to prevent endless loading screens with FINS XXL while not going very far over the limit
    • ⚠️ don't use SrtCrashFix and Animation Loading Fix together, use only one. CTD if both are used!
  • More details:
    • Skyrim Animation Load CTD: Understand the background of this unpleasant restriction.

    • Understanding of animation limits

• FNIS Alternate Animation groups limit (128 AA)
  • details found here: Too many Alternate Animation groups overall (> 128)
  • FNIS warning:

    • Too many Alternate Animation groups overall (> 128)

  • Fore's rant:

    • Not only does it (Cover Self animations) use a chunk, it use more than it actually needs:

      "NOTE: CoverSelf has at least one AASet definition without any animation files provided"

      Like DD, DD2 DD3, NAR. You have many mods that waste AA resources. Tell the authors, and make THEM work on THEIR problems.

  • Fore's explanation:
    • "Too many Alternate Animation groups overall (> 128)".  You have too many mods that use the FNIS Alternate Animations functionality. That is limited, and PCEA2 alone uses almost a third of the whole quota."
  • Fore's hint:
    • To figure out which of your mods use AA you need to look into the FNIS log file (temporary_logs\GenerateFNIS_LogFile.txt). Look for lines starting with "AA files:" greater "0". The lines above that show the corresponding mod.

• Reference Handle Limit - 1.048.576 active references cap
  • Details found here by u/aers:
    • seems like it was tested for SE, but I fear LE isn't safe from it either

    • PSA: The reference handle cap, or diagnosing one of the causes of infinite load screens/CTDs on very heavy load orders

  • Read the original text of u/aers. I only try to get some bullet points out of it:

    • Persistent vs Temporary References:

      • temporary references: references which only get loaded within the grid surrounding the PC

        • temporary references are loaded on-demand from your files as needed. The majority of these temporary references will then unload when they're no longer needed by the game.

      • persistent references: references which always get loaded into memory all the time

        • all persistent references are loaded into memory before main menu
  • Reference Handle Limit:
    • Reference handles are how the rest of the engine looks up loaded reference objects. There's a cap of 1.048.576 active reference handles at any time.
      • Symptoms if hitting the cap: game gets stuck loading or CTD
  • The Problem:
    • The cap of cap of 1.048.576 active reference handles is a pretty high limit and something you probably shouldn't hit during gameplay: there's only a limited number of cells actually loaded, and the vast majority of references are temporary, not persistent.
    • Until you actually look at the load process and realize that temporary reference loading/unloading is exclusive only to masters and not regular plugins:
      • All temporary references from regular plugins are loaded into the game before the main menu.
        • This includes if you overwrite a master's temporary reference in a plugin.
      • Example: To give some numbers that put this in perspective, Forgotten Dungeons SSE has 136356 temporary references. Vigilant has 110770. These two plugins alone will put you 1/4th of the way towards the reference handle limit.
    • Another thing to keep in mind is that during the course of gameplay a lot of references are created unique to your save game, so you can get to the point where your load order + your save game will start to break even if it seems like your base load order is fine.
  • Possible solution:
    • The 'easy' solution then if you're at the limit or very close and its making your game unstable is to either remove the heaviest offenders from your load order or turn them into masters via xEdit. Keep in mind that making a plugin a master means it now has to load at the top of your load order with the other masters, before any plugins, which is why this might not be an easy solution depending on what the plugin in question is.
  • Some examples:
  • Spoiler

    • Found 14652 temporary and 81 persistent (14733 total) loaded references in [10] RelightingSkyrim_SSE.esp.
    • Found 43553 temporary and 4330 persistent (47883 total) loaded references in [14] 3DNPC.esp.
    • Found 12208 temporary and 323 persistent (12531 total) loaded references in [9C] Lucien.esp.
    • Found 18453 temporary and 1247 persistent (19700 total) loaded references in [A0] Coldhaven.esp.
    • Found 13912 temporary and 2059 persistent (15971 total) loaded references in [C2] CollegeOfWinterholdImmersive.esp.
    • Found 136356 temporary and 9691 persistent (146047 total) loaded references in [59] Forgotten DungeonsSSE.esp.
    • Found 110770 temporary and 4487 persistent (115257 total) loaded references in [B4] Vigilant.esp.
    • Found 79050 temporary and 4437 persistent (83487 total) loaded references in [77] HammetDungeons.esp.
    • Found 67863 temporary and 137 persistent (68000 total) loaded references in [1D] EnhancedLightsandFX.esp.
    • Found 54546 temporary and 4830 persistent (59376 total) loaded references in [B9] MHdunSky001.esp. (Immersive Dungeons)
    • Found 42879 temporary and 3649 persistent (46528 total) loaded references in [24] 3DNPC.esp. (Interesting NPCs)
    • Found 43813 temporary and 1704 persistent (45517 total) loaded references in [5F] AKSkyrimUnderground.esp.
    • Found 40727 temporary and 2333 persistent (43060 total) loaded references in [6D] Dwarfsphere.esp. (Project AHO)
    • Found 0 temporary and 39624 persistent (39624 total) loaded references in [00] Skyrim.esm.
    • Found 33453 temporary and 1114 persistent (34567 total) loaded references in [8C] Darkend.esp.

     

• Overlay limit, Racemenu and Slavetats
  • default is 3 overlay slots/body area
  • not a real limit, just change settings in nioverride.ini:
  • Spoiler

    For the lazy nioverride.ini with face overlays enabled and 20 overlay slots active: nioverride 20slots and face active.7z

     

    What needs to be changed in nioverride.ini to get more overlay slots (color marks the spot):

     

    [Debug] ; -1 to disable logging
    ; 0 - Fatal Error
    ; 1 - Error
    ; 2 - Warning
    ; 3 - Message
    ; 4 - Verbose Message
    ; 5 - Debug Message
    iLogLevel=5 ; Default[5]

    
    [General]
    ; Changes the way overrides are loaded,
    ; 0 - Dynamic (delays loading on the first game load of the session, then immediately loads for all subsequent game loads of the session)
    ; 1 - Always Immediate (will always load overrides immediately)
    ; 2 - Always Delayed (will always pass overrides to the task manager)
    ; Previous versions were always set to 2, but I experienced CTD when loading
    ; subsequent saves of the same game session (like dying and reloading)
    iLoadMode=0 ; Default[0]

    ; Parallizes computation of BodyMorphs on armor/bodies
    bParallelMorphing=0 ; Default[0]

    ; Enables automatic reapplication of transforms on model load
    bEnableAutoTransforms=1 ; Default[1]

    ; Determines scaling mode
    ; 0 - Multiplicative
    ; 1 - Averaged
    ; 2 - Additive
    ; 3 - Largest
    iScaleMode=0

    ; Determines combination mode for BodyMorph
    ; 0 - Additive
    ; 1 - Averaged
    ; 2 - Largest
    iBodyMorphMode=0

    ; Enables automatic transforms defined by 'SDTA' NiStringExtraData on shapes
    ; String Data: (Without semi-colon)
    ;[
    ;    {"name":"NPC L Breast", "scale": 4.0, "pos":[0, 0, 0], "rot":[0, 0, 0]},
    ;    {"name":"NPC R Breast", "scale": 4.0, "pos":[0, 0, 0], "rot":[0, 0, 0]}
    ;]
    bEnableEquippableTransforms=1 ; Default[1]

    ; Amount of memory to be used by BodyMorph TRI cache
    ; cache will temporarily exceed this limit to load a TRI
    ; then remove least recently used entries until the
    ; used memory is below this threshold
    uBodyMorphMemoryLimit=256000000 ; Default[256000000]

    ; Enables Body Randomization based on guided files
    bEnableBodyGen=1 ; Default[1]

    [Overlays]
    ; Applies to only the player, or all humanoid actors NOT RECOMMENDED changing this, you can add overlays to certain actors via script
    bPlayerOnly=1 ; Default[1]

    ; Determines whether face overlays are enabled
    ; disabling this disables the hook
    ; Note: face overlays are known to crash when decapitated
    bEnableFaceOverlays=1 ; Default[0]

    ; Determines whether to immediately apply shader changes
    ; when overlays are installed on an ArmorAddon
    bImmediateArmor=1 ; Default[1]

    ; Determines whether to immediately attach and apply shader changes
    ; when overlays are installed to the face
    bImmediateFace=0 ; Default[0]

    [Overlays/Body] ; "Body [Ovl#]" and "Body [SOvl#]"
    ; Determines how many body overlays there should be
    iNumOverlays=20 ; Default[6]
    iSpellOverlays=0 ; Default[0]

    
    [Overlays/Hands] ; "Hands [Ovl#]" and "Hands [SOvl#]"
    ; Determines how many hand overlays there should be
    iNumOverlays=20 ; Default[3]
    iSpellOverlays=0 ; Default[0]

    
    [Overlays/Feet] ; "Feet [Ovl#]" and "Feet [SOvl#]"
    ; Determines how many feet overlays there should be
    iNumOverlays=20 ; Default[3]
    iSpellOverlays=0 ; Default[0]

    
    [Overlays/Face] ; "Face [Ovl#]" and "Face [SOvl#]"
    ; Determines how many face overlays there should be
    iNumOverlays=20 ; Default[3]
    iSpellOverlays=0 ; Default[0]

    
    [Overlays/Data]
    ; Assigns these alpha properties to all overlays when they are applied
    ; 4844, 128 is recommended for solid overlays (they will render correctly underwater)
    ; Changing the overlay's alpha value ingame acts like 4845 regardless of assigned flags
    iAlphaFlags=4845 ; Default[4845]
    iAlphaThreshold=0 ; Default[0]
    sDefaultTexture=textures\actors\character\overlays\default.dds

     

• 128 MCM limit (per page)
  • Symptom: all MCM over 128 won't show ingame
  • that's at least what vanilla said, until:
    • Barzing 2x page 254 MCM patch LE
    • Barzing 9x MCM Sub Menu Mod LE/SE

Not much to here yet, just trying not to forget what needs a place on the blog

• Wrye Bash
• LOOT
• xEdit
• BodySlide and OutfitStudio

How I clean my saves after exchanging or updating mods or rebuilding merges.

I use static LOs, means plugin keep their place in LO from start to end for a given game. I call it LO consistency.

Needed tools:

• Placeholders 2.0

  • Quote: "the included esm/esp files make NO changes to actual stuff in the game at all"

  • read the mod page for more useful information

  • alternative would be any mod that does something similar (custom equipment mods for example)

  • also useful to reserve plugin slots to add mods later, especially for esm

    • in my experience adding an additional esm to a running game can cause glitches and crashes

• FallRimTools (Resaver)

  • only useful way to clean and check your savegames, especially in combination with Crash Fixes

  • also shows the Load Order of a specific savegame

• NetImmerse Override Cleaner

  • Utility capable of deleting data from SKSE co-save files. Useful to clean the SKSE co-save. 

• Optional Wrye Bash

  • helpful for checking savegame LOs and compare them with the actual LO

  • useful to check where the upgraded/exchanged plugin needs to be to keep LO consistency.

Things to keep in mind:

• Manipulating LO can force you to rebuild bashed patches, smashed patches or tes5edit patches
• FNIS needs to be rerun if animations got added/removed/updated
• modifying merges that include your custom equipment will remove them from your inventory
• adding/exchanging mods that added something to level lists might need some time to respawn all added NPC ingame (at least 10 days).
• the success of removing mods on a running game and cleaning the save highly depends on the removed mods. There is not a 100% guarantee that there will be leftovers that might cause glitches or worse.

The cleaning processes I use for max success:

• Removal of a mod or multiple mods:

1. ingame make a save (or two separate saves)
   • the reason for two saves is go prevent saving actively working scripts
     • you can choose the save that is best suitable for being cleaned after manipulating the LO
   • best to save via console to manually give them a specific name
   • recommended to do the save in a small cell without any NPC close by
2. leave the game and start your mod manager
3. remove the mod and install a Placeholder
4. move the Placeholder in LO to the same spot your removed mod Plugin was located
   • with a Placeholder you prevent a changed LO sequence after removal of a Plugin
5. deactivate any Bashed (only if removed mods where merged in the Bashed Patch) or Smashed Patches (only if you Smashed the whole LO)
6. run FNIS generator
7. start the game and load the save
8. wait 1 hour and save the game via console and give it a specific name and leave the game
9. start FallrimTools and clean the save from script leftovers (FallrimTools shows what the leftovers are)
10. rebuild smash patch and bashed patch as needed and activate them again
11. run FNIS generator
12. start the game and load the new cleaned save
    • for good measure wait one hour and save/reload the modified game
13. done!
    • the placeholders can be exchanged anytime with new mods you want to try with your existing game

This is how I usually start a mod heavy game in Skyrim LE for max success:

1. Start a new game
   • In Alternate Start – Live Another Life or a comparable alternative start
   • Reason: avoid vanilla Skyrim intro, give mods time to load
2. After choosing your race and appearance wait for all mods to load
   • Just wait and watch the mods do their thing (wait till there are no more screen messages)
3. MCM > Sexlab > start Sexlab ingame installation
   • leave MCM and wait till Sexlab is ready
4. MCM > Sexlab > activate Creature animations
   • leave MCM and wait till SL animations are loaded (wait for screen message)
5. save
   • do not use quick saves, make manual saves either via console or via menu
   • do not start any mods that need to be activated via MCM
6. load the save
   • DD needs this reload to update itself
   • Estrus+ needs this reload to register it's animations to SL
7. wait again till all mods are loaded and updated
   • wait till there are no more screen messages
   • Estrus+ MCM entry might take up to 2min to show up, although it's animations will be registered to SL faster than that
   • if no Estrus+ is installed or any other mod that automatically registers animations to SL, then SLAL animations can be registered now
8. make a new save
   • do not use quick saves, make manual saves either via console or via menu
   • don't overwrite the first save
   • do not start any mods that need to be activated via MCM
9. load the new save
   • from here on mods can find an active SL
   • no conflicts anymore with mods that add their animations automatically to SL
   • Frameworks are all loaded and ready now, if there are mods that need to be activated manually wait with that after SLAL registrations are done
10. wait again till all mods are loaded and updated
11. register SLAL animations
12. either do another save/reload cycle or:
13. start inactive mods via MCM
14. start to manipulate the MCM to your liking or leave your alternate start
    • you might want to save/load a few times while manipulating mod MCMs, because some mods need a reload before MCM changes effect the game
    • regularly leave the MCM after manipulating mod MCMs in case a mod MCM needs to be closed to update
      • in rare cases a not closed MCM after manipulation might prevent you from working on any other mod MCM
15. before leaving make another new save, this can be used for double loads, never overwrite it, it's your base save now
16. after leaving the alternate start wait till all mods - that waited for the end of the alternate start - update / load themselves
17. make a new save after all mods are finished loading and the area round you got loaded.
18. optional: wait 1hour and make a new save, this will be your "after alternate start" base save
19. reload the save and start your adventure

Last updated: 15.10.2021

Here you can find all the links I find useful, interesting, made me curious, might get helpful later, you name it.

Most useful LL Blogs to explore in combination with Conglomerate:

• Psalam's blogs

  • Navigating LoversLab for Newcomers (and Others)

    • How to use LL properly.

  • How to Treat CTDs (and some other stuff) in Skyrim LE

    • CTD are the STD of Skyrim.

  • Skyrim Notes to Myself

    • Modding tutorials and hints.

• worik's blogs

  • Random thoughts and ideas on Skyrim mods

    • LE? SE? CK? worik saw it all! (and survived)

  • The Northern Kingdoms (Witcher)

    • Place to go to bewitch your Skyrim Setup.

• mrsrt's blog
  • 2020 Skyrim LE Stability Guide
    • Highly Recommend Guide for Skyrim stability fixes.

• Lestat1627's blog

  • Skyrim LE : my mods, variation , modify and more

    • lots of interesting experiments

Must see Guides for Skyrim SE:

• Just Don't Guide for  (v1.1.2) Mod Organizer 2 & Other tools - From zero to "Hey Sexlab is working!"
  • How to install Skyrim SE, use MO and get it all stable and lewd.
  • Also useful for all MO related questions.
  • "Hey Sexlab is working" = 'Nuff Said!
  • Highly Recommend Basic Guide for SE (said DTMT the LE and NMM fanatic)
• Aylis Guide for Skyrim SE for Beginners - V 3.2.0 (3BBB / HDT-SMP / HPH)
  • Basic and Advanced Guide for Skyrim SE.
  • So many links *drool*
  • Get yourself inspirited!
    • Hint: Aylis has also a Guide for Fallout IV for Beginners - V3.0.7 (ZEX / 3BBB / Bodytalk)
      • (don't tell your Skyrim Yandere Neko Catgirl, might get jealous if you visit other games)
• tasairis SE Compatibility Tracking (Aug 22 #6356)
  • Do you catch yourself asking in every topic: "SE version?", then that's the place to go!

Handicraft instructions that will change you from Pogger to Progger:

• Toys:  Guide To Making a Toy Box
  • (you know, that hidden box you keep near the bed)
• Caden Black Modding:

  • Create Your Own Sex Mod (Starter Mod)

  • Caden's Youtube Channel

• C5kev's How To UUNP & CBBE - UUNP > CBBE or CBBE > UUNP

• TES Alliance, I think I saw a guide or two there

• A Dirty Guide to Backporting (some) Mods from SE to LE

• Skyrim dissected: Skyrim - The Unoffical Elder Scrolls Page

• Legume learned something: SkyrimDeviousFramework

• It's a Club! Skyrim : My mods and variations

  • many little hints how to tweak your game

• How to Make Voice Files Yourself

More places where some sweet, sweet Skyrim mods might be hiding:

• Skyrim Mods
  • found at least one former Nexus mod there
• NSFW Mods
  • some sexy latex outfits there
• PredatorRJ's Patreon
  • my fetish sense is tingling... a lot
  • sadly BHUNP, but some stuff works with UUNP without too painful clipping
• over 500 Followers want to be discovered
• Skyrim Scandal HOT!
• Mods Reloaded: Skyrim
• Ultimate utilities to become a Poser: Halo's Mods
• GameBanana
• YevMods

Exploring the Net. Things I stumble upon while searching something completely different:

• Tome of xEdit
  • let's see if there is something of interest
• Modding Skyrim
  • Look how nice he build his website! Also a guide how to mod Skyrim.
• Windows 10 & Skyrim Compatibility Testing
  • How you can mess up your game with Windows 10 and the other way around.

Exploring Loverslab:

Here you will find hints how to use NMM and how to compensate it's shortcomings.

Atm this is only a place I moved all NMM related information to from Conglomerate 01

NMM & Hints

  Reveal hidden contents

  The Grabbing:

• grab NMM from GitHub: NMM Releases

The Installation:

• To prevent issues with Windows User Account Control [UAC], and read/write speed issues, install NMM on the same drive as your Skyrim installation.

• For more information how to install NMM: Gopher NMM installation   

• Best to look the whole Gopher series for NMM

• If you want to merge mods later it might be of interest to learn how to install NMM right to prevent a folder chaos later on.

• ⚠️Be sure to install Nexus on the same drive you installed Skyrim on!

Hints (from my experience):

• NMM struggles with bigger mods or mods that add a lot of files, best to download them manually and add them via NMM "add mod from file" icon, actually do that with all mods to create mod backups.

• (file/folder protection issue) after uninstalling mods - that have overwritten files from other mods - its better to restart NMM before installing/reinstalling mods

• (file/folder protection issue) after uninstalling mods and before installing/reinstalling new mods - that use the same Skyrim folders - its best to restart NMM

• it's better to uninstall mods instead of just deactivating them

• just reinstalling mods repeatedly will change nothing during the install process (means same overwrite will be done, FOMODs don't restart). It is better to uninstall and then install again

• the higher the number of mods added to NMM, the slower it will get (doesn't matter if the mods are installed or not, its the overall quantity that slows it down, tested with over 1200 added mods)

• if a mod installation fails and NMM doesn't continue to install => close NMM => restart and remove (delete) the mod => close NMM => restart and add mod again via "add mod from file" icon. There is a good chance that this will cause leftovers in skyrim/data.

• you can get a copy of your load order as *.txt -to post it on LL for example- from NMM plugin window => click on "export current load order" icon

• mods that are shown in RED in the NMM plugin window have missing masters

• It is good practice to check mod zips if they are NMM ready. Just look into them and check if the folder hierarchy is right.

• You can add single mod files to NMM via creating a folder with the mod name and add a DATA folder inside (and and more folders as needed)

  • drop the single mod file into the right folder and zip it up

  • add to NMM

  • The Idea behind this is to keep the overview what mods got installed, instead of installing mods manually and maybe forget to remove them later. This is especially true for patch files or mod files that don't come with an esp and single script files.

• NMM isn't great to do anything else with other than store/install mods, especially if you have a huge number of installed mods. I highly recommend to use LOOT or even better Wrye Bash for anything else, like sorting LO manually.

Out of plugin slots, time to merge-a-lot

How to install, configure and use Merge Plugins (with NMM)

Tool:

• Merge Plugins
• NMM

Requirements:

• Creation Kit (via steam)

• Champollion a PEX to Papyrus decompiler

• TESVedit

• 7-zip

How to:

Mator's Merge Plugin PDF: Merge Plugins Documentation.pdf

GamerPoet's Merge Plugins Video: Start to finish

Installation:

• Install Creation Kit via Steam
  • delivers the PapyrusCompiler.exe
• Download Merge Plugins from Nexus and unzip Merge Plugins folder
  • Rename folder to "Merge Plugins" and move it to ...Steam/steamapps/common/skyrim
  • Create a shortcut from MergePlugins.exe to Desktop
    • to create a shortcut: right-click > send to > desktop

Preparation:

• The Merge Plugins Output folder: Create a new folder in Nexus Mod Manager/mods/ and name it Merge Plugins (example)
  • actually location of the folder and folder name can be created as you like
  • the created folder will be the place where MP will save finished merges to
• In Skyrim/data find Scripts.rar
  • extract scripts.rar
    • make sure it installs into skyrim/data/scripts
      • if the files got extracted to the wrong place MP won't be able to find Papyrus flags
• Unzip Champollion and move the resulting folder to ...Steam/steamapps/common/skyrim

First time startup of Merge Plugins (MP):

• Start MP and choose the Skyrim Profile (TES5), or create a new Profile

• If MP gets started the first time it will ask you to configure it
• Configuration of the MP Merging Tab:

• Configuration of the MP Integrations Tab

After installation and configuration:

• After starting Merge Plugins always wait till the Background Loader is finished

• After the Background Loader is finished, do a "Find Errors" check via magnification glass ?
  • This has to be repeated every time new mods get added to LO and after opening MP
  • The magnification glass will be grayed out if there is nothing new to check

First Merging Process:

Preparations and hints:

• Move the mods you want to merge close together in LO
• Keep them in the same order you would want them in LO (LO sequence remains unchanged inside the Merge)
• Keep in mind that you can only load 255 mods at once into Merge Plugins. Just deactivate a few plugins that are not needed for the merging process before starting Merge Plugins.
• ⚠️Deactivate Bashed Patch if you want to merge mods that could also be merged into the bashed patch.
• ⚠️Best to merge mods that do the same, for example create a pure follower merge, Outfits merge, City Overhaul merge...
• ⚠️If a master mod has multiple patches that you want to merge, but there are also multiple other mods that relay on the master mod, don't merge the master mor with the patches together. If no other mod relays on the master mod, then it's okey to merge the master mod with it's patches.

Example for a Merging Process of multiple followers:

• First I move the followers together in LO and activate their esp

• Next I start Merge Plugins. Skyrim.esp must be activated manually in the MP mod selection window.
  • The OK button is grayed out as long as:
    • skyrim.exp isn't activated
    • more than 255 plugins activated
    • bashed patch is activated (not always an issue tho)

• Wait for the Background Loader to finish loading, after that use the magnifying glass to check for errors
• Mark all follower mods, right click > select new merge and name the merge. The actual merge will be build after that in the Merge tab.
  • green check mark = theoretically merge-able without issues (but merged mods can have issues ingame)
  • red exclamation mark = warning that the mod might not be merge-able.
    • This can be resolved in the merges tab for some mods
    • If the error can't be resolved then remove the mod from the patch