Best Practice: Enable all mods from the start or enable them as you go?

[rawr22]

I'm doing everything I possibly can to try and avoid yet another nuked save before I start a new game.

 

I am wondering if it is better to enable all quest/character etc. mods you will use in the playthrough right at the start of the game, so your load order remains static throughout, or enable mods as you wish to play them and reduce potential conflicts and problems until really late game, but regularly change your load order and bashed patch etc.

 

Does it make any difference?

[gregathit]

The "best" scenario is to slowly add plugins (2 to 3 at a time) and test things to make sure there are no conflicts or other issues.  Make a backup and then add a few more in, start a new game and test some more.  If all is well make a back up and rinse\repeat.

 

Once you have all the plugins that you feel like you want installed, THEN start a new game and play.

 

If during your play through you discover a new mod that you absolutely feel you can't live without, make a backup and then install it.  Start a new game to test things and if no issues arise, THEN try loading your existing saved game (if you are not interested in starting all over).

 

Making\maintaining a good current backup of your game directory, and your saved games is the key to having the most trouble free experience.  That way if you install something that screws up your game.........then just delete everything, restore your backup and roll on.  

[rawr22]

Thanks gregathit.  That is good advice.  I have already tested all the mods I wish to use I just did not know whether to enable them all off the bat or not, which you have now answered.  I'm sure I've spent a lot more time testing mods than I have spent playing Skyrim.

 

Anyway regarding the need to back up the game directory, I've recently started using Mod Organizer which works without adding any files to the game directory negating this need.  So useful for testing mods.

[1crash007]

I used to manually install mods from the nexus.. But since the mod manager i started to use it for installing and keeping them updated..

 

Before i install the mod i always will check the bottom of most descriptions to see if they require anything.

Nothing worse than downloading 2 gig mods and find out you missed another mod for it to work.