Just coming to SE - was modding on LE for a long time

[chajapa]

I got a new computer. Will be moving my LE install to it but have also prepped it for SE which I downloaded from Steam after I downloaded a fresh LE.

I'm pretty sure I can deal with getting LE back up and running, but I have a lot of questions about SE. Apparently I installed the Anniversary Edition.

 

I'm reading a lot about downgrading from AE back to "normal" SE. Is this still recommended? Or are things beginning to come around? I see SKSE has an AE specific install.

 

For starters I'm really looking for the easiest way to get SL installed, Physics working, and get a couple of mods installed. Specifically Milk Mod Economy and Hentai Pregnancy as those are the ones my own mods are primarily focused on. I'll be using MO2 just because I'm so used to MO, I think that'll be easier than switching to Vortex.

 

Basic questions:

What's the most common body? I use UUNP on LE, but it looks like most armor and stuff in SE is using 3BA or 3BBB

Physics (I love da bounce)... CBPC?

BodySlide and Outfit Studio for SE? AE compatible?

 

Modding questions:

Is there a Creation Kit specific to SE? My plan is to completely start from scratch on some of my mods.

I also use Tes5Edit in LE a lot. What's the SE equivalent?

FNIS seems pretty straightforward

NifScope? Is there a version for SE or does the one I'm using in LE still work?

Is there a BSA extractor specific to SE? I've used it in LE but not sure if I'll need it for modding SE.

 

Porting questions:

Is there a link to what tools are needed and the procedure to port LE mods to SE ? 

 

Any assistance getting this old modder back into form is appreciated. I'm retired and I turn 70 this year. Finally got a new computer (my old one was a 10 year old Mac mini). New one has a Better graphics card. The mac was onboard Intel HD. Hoping for a little better performance. 

 

Thanks!

ChaJaPa

[Alessia Wellington]

3 minutes ago, chajapa said:

Is there a Creation Kit specific to SE?

 

It's on Steam. Just look for it.

 

3 minutes ago, chajapa said:

I also use Tes5Edit in LE a lot. What's the SE equivalent?

 

SSEEdit

 

4 minutes ago, chajapa said:

NifScope?

 

NifScope just works.

 

4 minutes ago, chajapa said:

Is there a BSA extractor specific to SE?

 

Bethesda Archive Extractor

 

5 minutes ago, chajapa said:

BodySlide and Outfit Studio for SE? AE compatible?

 

BodySlide and Outfit Studio Yes.

[xXDeliteXx]

I never downgraded back
I can't use Immersive First Person and Better Stealing or anything else that requires .NET Framework
But I've gotten over it
Almost positive game is much more stable in this later version either way

[BDNelson]

I'm running SSE 1.5.97, skse 2.0.20, Vortex, "Toys" mod set (all of 'em), CBBE 3BA and a lot more, 527 mods are in and working right now. I won't be FORCED into playing a game that has 10,000 angry cat's in a bag (the game bugs), it's too new, not enough time for mod author's to find out what's wrong with the game and then fix it. That takes time. They (Bethesda) should have made AE an entirely different game than SE. The forced cross-over was NOT a good idea, in my opinion. I ALWAYS run my SSE with Steam in Off-Line mode as to not do the AE thing.

[FauxFurry]

If you want to stick with UNP body types, you can try BBHUNP, UNP with CBBE and TBD sliders.

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/66602

[chajapa]

1 hour ago, BDNelson said:

I'm running SSE 1.5.97, skse 2.0.20, Vortex, "Toys" mod set (all of 'em), CBBE 3BA and a lot more, 527 mods are in and working right now. I won't be FORCED into playing a game that has 10,000 angry cat's in a bag (the game bugs), it's too new, not enough time for mod author's to find out what's wrong with the game and then fix it. That takes time. They (Bethesda) should have made AE an entirely different game than SE. The forced cross-over was NOT a good idea, in my opinion. I ALWAYS run my SSE with Steam in Off-Line mode as to not do the AE thing.

I don't want unnecessary headaches. I always have my Steam in Offline mode anyways. I think I may be looking at how to downgrade to 1.5.97.

I don't think there was a choice to download the non-Anniversary Edition.

[chajapa]

Ok, I see 2 downgrade scenarios. One is a small file, the other is a big file. One just downgrades the executable and one other file, but retains the new content. The other rolls back a whole lotta stuff apparently.
My question then is... if you do the small downgrade, do you still choose AE versions of stuff if it's available? Or just SE versions?

 

[Just Don't]

52 minutes ago, chajapa said:

My question then is... if you do the small downgrade, do you still choose AE versions of stuff if it's available? Or just SE versions?

SE. If you do downgrade your game executable is going to be 1.5.97 either way. And that's what dictates which SKSE you need to install (2.0.20 for this 1.5.97 version). And any mod with a dll file must be for the same game and SKSE versions you have (for example latest Racemenu is for AE or exe version 1.6+, so you would need to get a previous version, note that most mods requiring a particular exe/SKSE version specify this in the info for each available file).

 

There is a BodySlide/Outfit Studio version for SE. You don't need to worry about it working on SE or AE only, BS doesn't have a dll. So get the latest version from the SE page.

For bodies you have CBBE, CBBE 3BA, UUNP legacy and BHUNP as the main contenders, there are other body types with few variations but from what I can see the most popular ones are CBBE 3BA or BHUNP, although YMMV depending on the sites/authors you frecuent to get your body/outfit mods. And you can port the entirety of UUNP mods from LE to SE if you know what you're doing.

 

4 hours ago, chajapa said:

Is there a link to what tools are needed and the procedure to port LE mods to SE ? 

https://www.loverslab.com/topic/94228-se-compatibility-tracking-may-8-??-7197/

Has very good info at the top of the page about porting guides/utilities and file types.

[BDNelson]

EXCELLENT post, "Just Don't"!!! Great info, nice job! From what I have seen there is a Steam compatible version of SSE 1.5.97 for sale out there... somewhere. I bought my SSE on Steam before it went to AE and backed up the game folder just before the change, I was lucky! I did make the mistake of starting SSE with Steam in the On-Line mode... once. lol. I just deleted the game folder and reinstalled my backup copy, so I know that works.

 

Good luck, guys!

[chajapa]

So is it mostly the existence of a .dll within a mod that makes it sensitive to whether it's being run in SE or AE?

Or does that also affect any mod that USES the mod that has a .dll.

For example, a mod that uses some function of SKSE. If you're running AE and have the proper SKSE installed, but the mod that's accessing a function of SKSE was written before AE, does that mod bug out because SKSE's dll may not be what it was expecting? Sorry... old programmer and trying to get a handle on this before I break it all to crap.

 

Right now I'm running 2 computers and switching between them as I transfer files and work on getting things set up on the new one. I forget which keyboard and mouse to grab.

 

[Just Don't]

Only the DLL from the mod you want to use matters. If the mod doesn't have a dll as part of its core installation you're fine. If a mod relies on functions from a dll you should be fine, as long as you use a dll compatible with your installed game/SKSE. For example Campfire was last updated around 2018, it relies on Papyrus Util and it includes an old version of it. So to use it today you need to remove the PU dll from Campfire and get PU compatible with your installed game/SKSE, then Campfire will work fine.

 

As you say you're using MO, remember/note that MO2 offers a filter feature so you can easily check which mods contain a dll and thus, require a bit more caution when installing/updating.

[chajapa]

Ok. Appreciate the input. I migrated my LE over to the new machine from MO to MO2 and got that working after a bit of frustration. The whole thing came together when I ran Skyrim normally once. 

 

So I ran SE once just to let it start. I noticed it has a big Banner in the startup screen saying the anniversary upgrade is available and it's checked. I can't see where it displays the version that's running. I was pretty sure it's the anniversary edition. Tough to decide which SKSE to install until I figure that out.

** EDIT** Well that was easy enough. It's in the properties of the executable. (duh)

 

[Just Don't]

Yes, once you complete the install and potential downgrade, disable automatic/background updates in Steam and you should be fine (as long as you launch the game using the SKSE exe through MO2 and have Steam running before launching the game). After that you can install SKSE and all your mods with little to no worries about game versions. Good luck in the unending modding quest.