Manual Download and Install of Mods

[Guest]

Is it Ok to manually download then Drag and Drop into Mod Manager?

Is there a downside to this method, should I be downloading thru Vortex?

Thanks.

[Psalam]

10 minutes ago, Sir Bron said:

Is it Ok to manually download then Drag and Drop into Mod Manager?

Is there a downside to this method, should I be downloading thru Vortex?

Thanks.

It depends on which Mod Manager you're using. With NMM (which I use) there is a button for loading a file which I have manually downloaded. That's how I've added all my LL mods.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Psalam said:

It depends on which Mod Manager you're using. With NMM (which I use) there is a button for loading a file which I have manually downloaded. That's how I've added all my LL mods.

I use Vortex, but after an issue with my PC I lost vortex, had to start over, after that I manually downloaded every mod so I could have a copy in case I needed it again.

I am switching to AE and following this guide and just wondered if I was doing it wrong by manually installing the mods.

Thanks.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Sir Bron

[Gukahn]

What do you mean by drag and drop? Vortex has the same button "Install from file" for already downloaded archives or selfmade mods

[FusRoDah2]

I use MO2 but assuming Vortex works the same:
There's absolutely no difference. They probably both use the exact same code to install the mod. Only difference is that clicking "download through mod manager"  on Nexus will include a metadata file that the mod manager can use to track version.
 

[Yinkle]

When using MO2 you can drag and drop manually downloaded files from "file explorer" into the downloads tab and then install them from there. Looking at the other posts in this thread, it all depends on which mod manager you are using.

 

Edit: As @FusRoDah2 said while I was writing my post! The only difference is that you might miss out on some metadata about updates and versions.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Yinkle

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Gukahn said:

What do you mean by drag and drop?

The bottom box...

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, FusRoDah2 said:

Only difference is that clicking "download through mod manager"  on Nexus will include a metadata file that the mod manager can use to track version.

 

25 minutes ago, Yinkle said:

The only difference is that you might miss out on some metadata about updates and versions.

So is that why I can view mods from Nexus by clicking on the mod, (see pic 1) and nothing from LL (see pic 2) ?

I just want to develop better habits than what I have muddled through and have been doing.

Most of all I want to do these things how I should do them not so much how I have done them.

Thanks.

 

in pic 1 the inset box, at the bottom says open on nexus, while in pic 2, inset box has no link?

 

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Sir Bron

[anjenthedog]

Yes, it's possible to download manually to the hard drive, then install via vortex or MO2. in vortex, I use the install mod button and navigate to the folder in which I have deposited the file archive when I choose that route. Not sure about drag-n-drop as I'm not fond of drag-n-drop and have no reason to try it that way

 

one thing to remember is that by doing so (at least for vortex mods pulled from Nexus) is that you'll lose the embedded update info, so you'll; have to keep an eye on said mod to make sure you're not missing an update.

Edited May 19, 2023 by anjenthedog

[Just Don't]

So if you download using the "mod manager download" button, Vortex doesn't save a copy of the zipped file to reinstall later? Is that so, or is this just a "I didn't know this feature already existed" kind of deal?

[anjenthedog]

@Just Don't

 

For Vortex,  (not sure about MO2) I believe it dissembles the mod and stores that in loose files, not the original archive file. that's why I download the full file sometimes, just in case the author pulls it off Nexus later. (since reassembling them is more difficult than storing the original compressed file.

 

Mainly, I just let Vortex do it's thing with nexus files these days (although some I download and locally archive for future installation. LL mods are all downloaded intact and installed manually. 

 

To see what I mean, if you use vortex, right click on the title of any installed mod in the mods tab, then choose "open in file manager"

 

Problem is, if it has scripts, they were likely dropped into the scripts folder, and other resources may have been distributed as well. For anything you're concerned may not be there later, I'd recommend that you download a copy and archive it, then go ahead and install from nexus using the handy dandy "install" feature to preserve update monitoring. For most of us, that simply means a slightly delay of a few minutes for most mods (sans the ginormous ones like Beyond Reach, Beyond Skyrim Bruma, and other hefty mod files.)

 

having said that.... Vortex DOES have a reinstall option. so it must either have a copy of the original file somewhere, OR it saves necessary info to reinstall from the already distributed content. I don't have enough care to figure that out though. sometimes when I uninstall a mod, it just clears the whole thing, sometimes I can perform a reinstall....I have no idea what it's doing. And honestly I just don't care

Edited May 19, 2023 by anjenthedog

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Just Don't said:

Is that so, or is this just a "I didn't know this feature already existed" kind of deal?

Like I said earlier, I first started downloading through Vortex, My hard drive went belly up and I lost pretty much everything. I did not have Vortex anymore so I had to start over from memory, I started downloading manually so I would have a copy of all mods incase I needed them. I am not saying I was doing this right, I just want to know if I should be downloading with Vortex, not manually, drag and drop.  I don't know if Vortex saves a copy of the mods or not, I don't think it does.

[anjenthedog]

7 minutes ago, Sir Bron said:

Like I said earlier, I first started downloading through Vortex, My hard drive went belly up and I lost pretty much everything. I did not have Vortex anymore so I had to start over from memory, I started downloading manually so I would have a copy of all mods incase I needed them. I am not saying I was doing this right, I just want to know if I should be downloading with Vortex, not manually, drag and drop.  I don't know if Vortex saves a copy of the mods or not, I don't think it does.

for long term ease of use, if you use vortex and are downloading from nexus, just use the vortex link at nexus. That way Vortex will track the mod for updates and periodically flag you in vortex to let you know an update is available

 

If you're concerned about a given mod disappearing to an authors' closure of their Nexus presence (they do on occasion) or just want to collect the mods you use in archive form, you can *choose* either do that instead or do both. except in a few cases, I choose the vortex linking and save a listing of the mods I use, as parsed from netscript log files.

 

 

[Just Don't]

8 hours ago, anjenthedog said:

For Vortex,  (not sure about MO2) I believe it dissembles the mod and stores that in loose files, not the original archive file.

This makes little sense. A quick google search tells me you can change the location of your downloads by goin to Settings>Download, although I'm reading a fair bit of comments from 2018 to 2022 about Vortex changing back to the default location. Nonetheless, the existence of a Download folder implies the program does store the zipped file somewhere. I'd recommend checking this location and maybe relocate it to a place that makes more sense (i.e. outside of an SSD if storage is an issue or to a secondary drive as backup, etc.).

 

As it has been mentioned downloading via your mod manager also retrieves some metadata to quickly add info once you install the mod with your mod manager, other than that it's just a matter of preference I guess. In both cases you should have a zipped file somewhere in your computer to reinstall if needed, knowing where said zipped files are might require some additional digging if you didn't set up the folders during installation or if the program doesn't explicitly tells you this info.

 

6 hours ago, Sir Bron said:

My hard drive went belly up and I lost pretty much everything.

So even if you knew about the location of the files you would have lost everything. Unless you make a backup of your game and modded files and store it in a backup drive or in some sort of cloud service. Hardware failure sucks big time. I hope you can rebuild your modded game with no major issues in the way.

Edited May 20, 2023 by Just Don't

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Just Don't said:

So even if you knew about the location of the files you would have lost everything. Unless you make a backup of your game and modded files and store it in a backup drive or in some sort of cloud service. Hardware failure sucks big time. I hope you can rebuild your modded game with no major issues in the way.

It sounds like I have been developing bad habits. I am going to start downloading through Vortex.

After my hardware issue I bought 2 SSD drives for storage, one is where Steam and my Game files are installed, the other is a backup space for storage of game files and mods.

 

[anjenthedog]

6 hours ago, Just Don't said:

This makes little sense. A quick google search tells me you can change the location of your downloads by goin to Settings>Download, although I'm reading a fair bit of comments from 2018 to 2022 about Vortex changing back to the default location. Nonetheless, the existence of a Download folder implies the program does store the zipped file somewhere. I'd recommend checking this location and maybe relocate it to a place that makes more sense (i.e. outside of an SSD if storage is an issue or to a secondary drive as backup, etc.).

makes sense or not, at one time I did look. I found no intact archive files, only dissembled content. As I said, in the end, I have no idea if they stuff the intact archive files somewhere, and in the end I really don't care. If I want to save an archive file intact, I download it and store it intact on a hard drive I maintain specifically for storing archive files (not just skyrim related, all downloaded archive files, including content from as far back as the late 1980s). Otherwise, I rely on Vortex to handle it for me. I'm retired and just don't care. I already  put my 40 years in.

 

My point being, I don't want to be an "expert" in skyrim, I just want to play a game. sometimes I see this game as having to reassemble your bicycle from scratch every time you want to ride the bike or add a tassel, replace the chain, lube to axles,  or add a new bell, or to recraft and restring my guitar every time I want to play it...and cut and polish my own plectrums (picks). I prefer to get on the bike and ride with as little effort as possible, justy as I prefer to take my guitar out of the case, tweak the tuning (perfect pitch) and play.

 

As to skyrim, as a retired Engineer and programmer, I DO understand the why behind it. "it's a complimficated game"...I get that. But I don't have to like the paradigm. (And that's not to disparage content creators, not in the least)

 

having said that all.... I took your advise and scrolled through the "download" tab and sure enough, there are intact archive files stored somewhere, so yes, they apparently do exist. Nonetheless, I'll continue to download those I want to archive onto my archive drive as separate downloads and leave Vortex to its own thing, until I tire of the game (getting there) and delete the whole thing.

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by anjenthedog
added blather

[Guest]

On 5/20/2023 at 6:59 AM, anjenthedog said:

My point being, I don't want to be an "expert" in skyrim, I just want to play a game. sometimes I see this game as having to reassemble your bicycle from scratch every time you want to ride the bike or add a tassel, replace the chain, lube to axles,  or add a new bell, or to recraft and restring my guitar every time I want to play it...and cut and polish my own plectrums (picks). I prefer to get on the bike and ride with as little effort as possible, justy as I prefer to take my guitar out of the case, tweak the tuning (perfect pitch) and play.

I agree, but I labored all my life, now that I am retired all I want to do is use Mods in Skyrim.

Trying and failing to understand a vid on DynDOLOD installation but that's food for another topic.

I downloaded a couple of mods yesterday for my AE rebuild, had no choice Manual was the only option, clicked the "install from files" tab in Vortex and still got the warning of missing ID, no Source to tell Vortex where to check for updates.

I really did not mean to start a hassle of opinions, I just wanted "it's better to do this way" and here is why kind of thing.

I decided to install through Vortex when I can, the rest I will have to keep up with.

Thanks to you all for your valued opinions!  SB

[anjenthedog]

5 hours ago, Sir Bron said:

I agree, but I labored all my life, now that I am retired all I want to do is use Mods in Skyrim.

 

Trying and failing to understand a vid on DynDOLOD installation but that's food for another topic.

I downloaded a couple of mods yesterday for my AE rebuild, had no choice Manual was the only option, clicked the "install from files" tab in Vortex and still got the warning of missing ID, no Source to tell Vortex where to check for updates.

I really did not mean to start a hassle of opinions, I just wanted "it's better to do this way" and here is why kind of thing.

I decided to install through Vortex when I can, the rest I will have to keep up with.

Thanks to you all for your valued opinions!  SB

Similar. last summer.

 

I know nothing about DynDolod. It's why I don't use it. (too much work and so far, no one has offered ELI5 to make it easy for me).

 

My opinion is, if you use Vortex, just ;let it do its thing when it wants, and for mods you have to download manually, just download to a folder then install using the provided installation tools on Vortex. It is the least taxing way imo. As a somewhat burned out and over used, now retired engineer/programmer anyway. I put my time in. 

 

My apologies for the petite hijack., Wasn't intentional. just one of those things that sometimes happens in threads.

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by anjenthedog

[Guest]

1 hour ago, anjenthedog said:

My apologies for the petite hijack., Wasn't intentional. just one of those things that sometimes happens in threads.

Not an issue with me. Thanks.