Mod Organizer

[AwfulArchdemon]

Public Service Announcement

 

 

For anyone who doesn't have Skyrim, and is seeing how awesome MO is, and wants to play it, but can't afford it, and realizes that people with a cracked Skyrim will get no support...

 

Skyrim is 75% off on Steam, and all DLCs are 50% off.  

[chajapa]

 

I'm not asking how to install CK 

 

 

Perhaps you should be asking how to install CK . When you moved your game, did you move CK too (successfully)? Have you tried placing an esp file in the data folder to at least see if CK will read that when run outside of MO? Everything should show up in CK when loaded from MO. My CK has certainly given me it's fair share of problems, but that one's never happened to me (knocks on wood).

 

 

If I place an esp in the Skyrim data folder, CK reads it when I run from outside MO and also reads it when I run CK from MO. If I want to see scripts attached to items, I have to also copy the scripts into the skyrim scripts folder (I understand I can't compile scripts from CK like this).

 

Do you generally have to copy what you want to look at into the actual skyrim data folder in order to use CK?

 

Pretty sure I missed a checkbox or something SOMEWHERE. Everything else so far has been good. (thank you)

[AwfulArchdemon]

Well, if I wanted to, I could create a hot marriable follower with CK right now, and have the esp successfully saved and ready running through MO.

 

However, if I wanted to make a mod that makes everyone rape you on sight, I'd have to make it outside of MO, due to the scripts needing to be compiled.

 

Mods can be loaded fine through MO, but if you need to compile scripts, do it in the data folder. It should be clean enough to manage since you use MO.

[chajapa]

OK, well I rebooted my computer just in case. Removed CK as an executable from within MO and then added it back again.

CK was moved when I redid my Skyrim install to C:\\Games\...(etc)

CK is looking in the correct skyrim data folder (in the ACTUAL SKyrim\data folder) because if I manually copy an esp there, it finds it whether I load it from outside MO or inside MO.

 

CK does NOT, however, find the esp and esm for mods installed through MO when I start CK from within MO.

 

For the time being, and while I'm waiting for step-project site to come back up, I'll just manually copy stuff if I want to edit an esp or something and then remove the copied stuff from the actual data folder when I'm done. I don't do this a lot so I can wait. I can SEE this topic is on step-project when I google it. Just can't get to it yet.

 

Appreciate the help thus far. I won't clutter the thread with this any more but of course I'll still check in to read any suggestions that might come up  

[RitualClarity]

 

STEP is down completly.

http://www.nexusmods...kyrim/mods/11/?

 

As stated on the Nexus. No report on when it will be back up.

 

I should put that on the OP for now. AND remember to take it off when the site comes back online.

 

If the link still works for Nexus just have them check there to be sure there is an issue if the regular links to STEPS aren't working. If there is any notes it seems as if that is where they plan to post updates. Basically just post that link for current info on this.

[chajapa]

STEP is back UP!

 

All I had to do was check the Overwrite Steam AppID and fill in the number and.... VOILA! 

CK opens with all of the mods I installed through MO.

 

I KNEW it was going to be something small that I missed.

 

Thanks AGAIN for putting up with me

 

[Rayblue]

Well, if I wanted to, I could create a hot marriable follower with CK right now, and have the esp successfully saved and ready running through MO.

 

However, if I wanted to make a mod that makes everyone rape you on sight, I'd have to make it outside of MO, due to the scripts needing to be compiled.

 

Mods can be loaded fine through MO, but if you need to compile scripts, do it in the data folder. It should be clean enough to manage since you use MO.

 

Some modder I know of personally did put most of his modding work in the regular Data folder outside MO, with the .ESPs and modder resources copied in. This because he also has to compile .BSAs upon finalization.

 

BTW, recently installed New Vegas, dropped in MO in its directory, and voila! It's a ball to keep that game in fine condition.

[taiolu]

I'm trying to make my skyrim install vanilla, and because MO isn't supporting the skyrim folder and only supports the data folder (As with every other Mod Manager made due to some hivemind phobia shit or something) I was going to try and do it myself.

 

mklink \J and \D don't work because things are in the skyrim folder.

That just leaves me with \H

Do I need to do mklink \H for every single file then? Or what do I need to do. 

[AwfulArchdemon]

I'm trying to make my skyrim install vanilla, and because MO isn't supporting the skyrim folder and only supports the data folder (As with every other Mod Manager made due to some hivemind phobia shit or something) I was going to try and do it myself.

 

mklink \J and \D don't work because things are in the skyrim folder.

That just leaves me with \H

Do I need to do mklink \H for every single file then? Or what do I need to do. 

You mean this? I haven't messed with it. If \D is a directory link, then I don't know why you'd have trouble with it. What does it have to do with MO? It doesn't actually look like a necessary tool...

[Androktone]

Taiolu: you're making no sense. What are you trying to do? Moving the Skyrim directory? See:

 

http://www.loverslab.com/topic/20492-mod-organizer/page-73?do=findComment&comment=851067

 

Linking your MO's %mods% or %downloads% directories? Use symlinks (mklink /d or better yet Link Shell Extension), not hardlinks. If they don't work, then either you don't have full admin rights or there's something wrong with your system or your hardware.

[taiolu]

 

I'm trying to make my skyrim install vanilla, and because MO isn't supporting the skyrim folder and only supports the data folder (As with every other Mod Manager made due to some hivemind phobia shit or something) I was going to try and do it myself.

 

mklink \J and \D don't work because things are in the skyrim folder.

That just leaves me with \H

Do I need to do mklink \H for every single file then? Or what do I need to do. 

You mean this? I haven't messed with it. If \D is a directory link, then I don't know why you'd have trouble with it. What does it have to do with MO? It doesn't actually look like a necessary tool...

 

 

I want to install SKSE and ENB in the same way I have MO working so my skyrim install will be 100% vanilla. ENB more importantly than SKSE

[AwfulArchdemon]

Ah, I see. For some reason I can still see MO having an issue with the links. I could be wrong though.

 

That there is a question for 1) Tannin42 - or - 2) tech-support at the MKLink forums - or - 3) someone here who you know has experience with MKLink. The question really is more about MKLink than MO. Sorry. Can't help ya on this one.

[taiolu]

Figured it out, FreeCommander XE works wonders for it, and I was able to run it via MO so everything is all well and good

[chajapa]

Just want to be sure I'm understanding how MO works (before I screw something up!  )

I promise this is NOT about how to use or install a mod, but I AM going to use one in my example just 'cause it's easier than trying to make stuff up.

 

I THINK I understand how MO is working. Just would appreciate a "yeah, that's right" or "no, you're going to screw something up"

 

I have BodySlide 2 mod installed. I installed the HDT 1.3 body for it. Used the heck out of it. Made armors, body variations, etc.

 

NOW... want to try HDT 1.4 body. It overwrites the 1.3 body when installed into BodySlide.

 

SO

If my understanding is correct...

I can install the HDT 1.4 body mod. If I ACTIVATE it, and it loads AFTER the HDT 1.3 body (thereby overwriting it), I should be able to try the 1.4 body, slide some outfits for it, etc , AND.... through the magic of MO, if I don't like it or don't want to use it, I deactivate the 1.4 body mod for BS2 and I'm back to 1.3 body in BS2.

 

forget about where the outfits went and the bodies from the 1.4 experiment. I have already figured out how to keep those separate, and this isn't specifically about BS2 anyways...

 

So Mod A is installed. Mod Aplus adds to and overwrites part of Mod A. If I load Mod Aplus AFTER Mod A I get the benefits of Mod Aplus. If I deactivate Mod Aplus, I'm back to Mod A because MO keeps them separate and Mod A hasn't ACTUALLY been overwriiten by Mod Aplus. Mod Aplus files just got added to or replaced Mod A's files while Mod Aplus was activated. 

 

That sound about right?

 

[gvman3670]

So Mod A is installed. Mod Aplus adds to and overwrites part of Mod A. If I load Mod Aplus AFTER Mod A I get the benefits of Mod Aplus. If I deactivate Mod Aplus, I'm back to Mod A because MO keeps them separate and Mod A hasn't ACTUALLY been overwriiten by Mod Aplus. Mod Aplus files just got added to or replaced Mod A's files while Mod Aplus was activated. 

 

That sound about right?

Yes, that sounds right.

 

Since the mods are in a virtual directory and none of them actually overWRITE anything you get just what you described. Of course, you could also move mod Aplus above mod A and get the same effect.

 

Mod Organizer never actually overwrites anything. What it literally does is overREAD mods according to order/priority.

[AwfulArchdemon]

@chajapa:

 

You're not going to screw stuff up . The only way to screw up mods is by altering their files. Using a mod that has files with the same name and file path as another mod's files will always mean you're using the files that were loaded last.

 

A good example is my Private Needs BM (PN BM). It has sound files, and they have the same file path and file names as the sounds for Private Needs (PN).

 

If you have this order:

 

-Private Needs

-Private Needs BM

 

...then Private Needs will now use the sounds my ass made instead of it's original sounds.

 

The opposite way:

 

-PN BM

-PN

 

...and you'll be using PN BM for no reason, because you won't be using the sounds from PN BM at all.

 

If you use Puppet Master (PM), and you have this load order:

 

-PN

-PM

-PN BM

 

...then my ass is what you'll hear (smell, in my case) when you use both PN and PM.

 

However, if you use this order:

 

-PM

-PN BM

-PN

 

...then you'll hear my ass when using PM, but not when using PN.

 

My example stinks , but it demonstrates how your load order means everything when using MO, assuming you're using 2 (or 3 in this case) mods that have identical file names and paths.

 

Last loaded = files being used

 

It works the same way with NMM too, except NMM literally installs the mod to the game's data folder for you. It's a lazy way of manually installing, basically. A shame. That means it will literally overwrite those files with the same name, and leave the first mod installed without those files entirely, even after uninstalling it . Whoops!

 

 

 

 

May MO always guide and watch over you  

[glubaglaba]

alright so this might already be in this thread but i dont have the time to read threw 80 pages so this might be dump but i have a problem when instialling certin mods where if i fix the esp's and esm's etc they still dont install correctly and the mod seems to not activate or at least not work im not sure if this is an easy fix or if im just missing something in the files 

[chajapa]

alright so this might already be in this thread but i dont have the time to read threw 80 pages so this might be dump but i have a problem when instialling certin mods where if i fix the esp's and esm's etc they still dont install correctly and the mod seems to not activate or at least not work im not sure if this is an easy fix or if im just missing something in the files 

 

What do you mean by "fix" the esp and esm?

 

If you are "repacking for MO" it would be something like this:

 

original zip file. The file tree looks like this:

 

data (folder)

--meshes (folder:inside data folder)

--textures (folder:inside data folder)

--your-new-mod.esp (inside data folder)

 

I open the data folder in the original zip file, highlight everything in it, cut everything in it (cntrl+X), get out of the data folder, paste.

 

Now the file tree looks like this:

 

data (folder)

meshes (folder)

textures (folder)

your-new-mod.esp

 

delete the data folder (because now there's nothing in it.)

 

re-zip

 

MO install from archive.... point to your repacked archive (zip file).

 

activate in LEFT pane so it shows up in RIGHT pane.

 

does that help?

[AwfulArchdemon]

alright so this might already be in this thread but i dont have the time to read threw 80 pages so this might be dump but i have a problem when instialling certin mods where if i fix the esp's and esm's etc they still dont install correctly and the mod seems to not activate or at least not work im not sure if this is an easy fix or if im just missing something in the files 

Unzip the mod to a folder you made. If it shows the esp/esm file right away, it's packed for MO, and should always work as intended. If you see a 'Data' folder, open it and see if that's where the esp and esm files are. If so, zip everything inside the 'Data' folder, name that whatever the mod's name is, and install it to MO.

 

Don't forget to make sure the esp/esm is "ticked" in the right pane (plugins). Make sure any textures and meshes folders are in the same file path as the esp and esm files (first thing you'd see after extracting the zipped file).

[glubaglaba]

ok well im not sure if what your saying still aplies but i was talking about the window that appears saying no game data on top level even after ive gone through them they dont work even after ive gotten all of the esm's ect out of it

[AwfulArchdemon]

Yes, what I said applies. When you install a mod, if it's in a folder called 'Data', it is packed for NMM, and you'll get that exact error. It's listed on the OP. Repacking for MO means that esp, esm, meshes, textures, sound, script, etc files should be the very first things that show up after you extract them.

 

Therefore, you must make sure your esm and esp files are zipped up on their own, without being in another folder. Just the zip folder.

 

So highlight the esp and esm, and any textures/meshes/sound files/yada yada you have, and choose 'add to "mod name".rar' (or .zip), and when you extract that mod, it will have those files show up right away. That is what it means to have "data on top level".

 

Then, MO will give no error, as meshes/textures/esm/esp/etc files are the first thing MO sees when it extracts it to the mods folder.

 

You can always 'open in explorer' the mod, and move the esp/esp/whatever out of the folder it's in (likely 'data') by dragging the file to the top 'data' folder in the explorer. (this "data" folder is virtual, and only means "whatever is in the mod") Then you'll get a message saying "looks good".

[glubaglaba]

aliright ill try that might take me a little bit to understand what your saying but ill attpemt that and let you know how it goes i may also post again if i get stuck along the way

[AwfulArchdemon]

Okay, if you extract a mod to a folder, and you see a 'data' folder, and inside is an esp, you need to take the esp out of the 'data. folder, and zip it as it is (right-click it, and click 'add to hardcore sex mod".rar).

 

If you also see 'meshes' in the 'data' folder, that too must be taken out of the 'data' folder and zipped. Same with Scripts, Sounds, Textures, etc.

 

So, if you extract a mod, and find a 'data' folder, you will get the error when trying to install it to MO. If you open the 'data' folder and take the esp and meshes folders out of 'data', and highlight both, right-click and choose 'add to "hardcore sex mod".rar', MO will recognize the files right away.

 

You will need a program like WinRar, WinZip, 7-Zip, or something that extracts zip files.

[Buddy Christ]

I actually gave up trying to use Bodyslide and the Batch building because of this line from the readme:

 

<MeshOutputPath>  :  Pretty much the same effect as skyrim data path. This value is deprecated and does not have any effect currently.

 

Edit: I forgot to mention, if I changed the path to what I *thought* would be the right one, the changes where gone after running Bodyslide and Batch Build...

 

 

I am too stupid to figure out where the meshes should go.

 

Maybe someone can explain it to me in baby steps. Here is the problem I have:

 

I want to use Chrono Trigger 77's armor.

They need to be batch build in the outfit studio, depending on your Bodyslide settings.

But when I do so, the game crashes as soon as I try to equip any clothing/armor.

 

I made a save game, where my character was naked.

I ran Bodyslide and the character looked the way I made it in game.

I used "batch build" for the CT77 armor.

I started the game. Loaded the nekkid save, equipped the tunic and stared at the desktop once again.

 

I am happy with the UNPB body I use right now, but I am a bit anal about stuff I do not get to work ^^

 

So, while this is not a huge problem for me, I still would like to find a solution, stupid as it sounds

 

 

 

 

[chajapa]

When you Batch Build, after selecting your outfit group and preset, BEFORE clicking the Batch Build button, press Control (on you keyboard) and THEN click Batch Build.

 

It will bring up the dialogue where you select exactly which outfits get built and THEN it will ask you where you'd like the output to go.

 

Navigate to somewhere you've thought about beforehand... (plan a little)...  I have a folder called BS-Output.... right-click and create a new folder (for example: CT77 Armors) and then select that folder as the destination for BodySlide to put the output.

 

When BodySlide is done building the outfits, quit BodySlide. Using whatever file manager you use (explorer) go look at that folder you created. It probably now has a folder in it called meshes.

 

So let's say you had a BS-Output folder... and inside that you created the CT77 Armors folder which now has the output from Bodyslide in it. If you have Winzip installed, you can right-click that CT77 Armors folder and select Winzip -> Add to CT77 Armors.zip

 

now you've just created a "mod" and you can install it in MO and in your list of mods you'll see "CT77 Armors". Activate it. 

 

Done deal

 

It SOUNDS like a lot of steps, but once I learned about hitting the Control key before Batch Build, it made a lot of things a lot easier

 

 

EDIT***

OH! And if you're using CT77's remodeled armors, AND you're using a UNP body.... make sure you're using armors for UNP. I only saw them for CBBE but I wasn't looking for UNP at the time. So.... just be aware of that... UNP body wears UNP armors.