What to avoid

[B0ss plz]

As I'm playing Skyrim as it's pretty heavily modded but never the less I think to myself if I do any damage to my system as I play, so I want to see if it does.

 

Does quick saving do harm to my game?

Does changing my player using showracemenu command affect the game in any way?

Using the command qqq to instantly quit the game into windows again do any harm?

 

I like to make sure just in case, I never know what I'm really doing to the system.

[Adam Jensen]

Not really or at least it hasn't done any harm in my playthrough. In fact once I added memory booster my crashes stopped by 90%, now I have to deliberately screw with the game in order to crash.

[myuhinny]

I'm not sure with skyrim but I know people have said to not quick save when playing oblivion as it can cause problems with the save file and stuff and not to mention if all you do is quick saves you will end up screwing yourself because you will not have any saves to go back to if you do end up having a problem/glitch and so forth with your save file because all quick saving does is save over your existing save file and it doesn't make a new one. I have gotten into the habit of making a new save whenever I want to save as it is way better and I will have saves to fall back to if I do run into a problem with a save or something else and deleting save files is pretty easy just go to the folder and delete the ones you no longer need quick and easy.

[Spyder Arachnid]

-I always heard using AutoSave is bad. Though not sure why, as it has never bothered me. As for saving in general, always make a new save instead of overwriting your old saves. Just nicer to have a fresh save each time, instead of a save you keep overwriting which can become corrupt.

 

-Instead of using the command showracemenu, use a mod instead. Like ShowRaceMenu Alternative. The command has a tendency to reset your stats and such, and can cause some problems.

 

-Never use the all quest complete command. Talk about destruction city to your game and saves. As well, be careful with setstage commands as well. Use them when you absolutely have to, but don't abuse them as it can lead to problems down the road.

 

-Mod wise, don't ever remove script mods and such during your game. Basically, you are married to your mods once you start a new game. Removing these mods does NOT uninstall them. The scripts still keep running in your save and causes errors which corrupts your game and saves. If you want to remove script mods, start a new game or keep a backup save that doesn't have the mods so you can always revert back to it after testing mods. I see so many people with this problem in the Tech Support forum, that don't realize that they cannot remove mods from an ongoing game. You have to start a new game every time you remove script mods and such.

 

-Another big one that people don't realize, no matter how awesome your rig is, Skyrim itself cannot handle a lot of script heavy mods. Don't load up on tons of scripted mods and then wonder why your game keeps crashing. It is called script overload. I don't care if you have a super computer from the future. Too many script mods will crash your game and ruin it.

 

 

But mostly in the end, just play it safe. Most stuff in the console is just simple cheats that won't cause issues. If you're worried about certain things, check the wiki with the link to all the console commands. It will explain which are safe and which are unstable. But it's always best to just avoid the console in general as you really don't need to use it (unless of course you download a mod, like an armor or something, that can only be obtained via the console). There is plenty of mods that do what most of the console commands can do, and they are safer to use than manually dealing with the console.

[Coopervane]

 

-Instead of using the command showracemenu, use a mod instead. Like ShowRaceMenu Alternative. The command has a tendency to reset your stats and such, and can cause some problems.

 

That happens if you use showracemenu to change your race mid game, changing race is not a good idea.

 

But everything else is fair game, you can change hair styles, eye, skin and hair colors, make tweaks to the face, i've done it a million times and never had a problem. Just don't touch the race options, they are no, they are made of pure undiluted no.

[Adam Jensen]

-I always heard using AutoSave is bad. Though not sure why, as it has never bothered me. As for saving in general, always make a new save instead of overwriting your old saves. Just nicer to have a fresh save each time, instead of a save you keep overwriting which can become corrupt.

 

-Instead of using the command showracemenu, use a mod instead. Like ShowRaceMenu Alternative. The command has a tendency to reset your stats and such, and can cause some problems.

 

-Never use the all quest complete command. Talk about destruction city to your game and saves. As well, be careful with setstage commands as well. Use them when you absolutely have to, but don't abuse them as it can lead to problems down the road.

 

-Mod wise, don't ever remove script mods and such during your game. Basically, you are married to your mods once you start a new game. Removing these mods does NOT uninstall them. The scripts still keep running in your save and causes errors which corrupts your game and saves. If you want to remove script mods, start a new game or keep a backup save that doesn't have the mods so you can always revert back to it after testing mods. I see so many people with this problem in the Tech Support forum, that don't realize that they cannot remove mods from an ongoing game. You have to start a new game every time you remove script mods and such.

 

-Another big one that people don't realize, no matter how awesome your rig is, Skyrim itself cannot handle a lot of script heavy mods. Don't load up on tons of scripted mods and then wonder why your game keeps crashing. It is called script overload. I don't care if you have a super computer from the future. Too many script mods will crash your game and ruin it.

 

 

But mostly in the end, just play it safe. Most stuff in the console is just simple cheats that won't cause issues. If you're worried about certain things, check the wiki with the link to all the console commands. It will explain which are safe and which are unstable. But it's always best to just avoid the console in general as you really don't need to use it (unless of course you download a mod, like an armor or something, that can only be obtained via the console). There is plenty of mods that do what most of the console commands can do, and they are safer to use than manually dealing with the console.

 

In other words adding wet and cold and frostfall mid game is a sure way to destroy your game. 

[Setekh]

the 'qqq' command does not harm your game, it does exactly the same thing as quitting normally except you're skipping the menu screens.

 

Regarding the above comment, I wouldn't say that adding Wet and Cold would 'destroy' your game at all, but it is a good idea to add those types of mods to a new game.

One mod that sure is a ticking timebomb though is the BBLS luxury suite. That mod is one of the messiest and poorly scripted mods in existence.

[gvman3670]

One mod that sure is a ticking timebomb though is the BBLS luxury suite. That mod is one of the messiest and poorly scripted mods in existence.

I agree! I've tried using it on two character playthroughs. Both ended up a crashfest and my papyrus logs were SOOOoooo heavily spammed by Bathing Beauties Luxury Suite that it was ridiculous. I'll never use that mod again and have suggested to stay away from it several times. The worst part is that it can't even be fixed. To fix it would break it so nothing functioned anymore. Ridiculous and something to stay away from.

 

And if you have that and Leveler's Tower in the same game it just makes the fuse on that bomb even shorter!

 

So I'd say what one should avoid is more than a small handful of scripted mods and to be sure to never remove them after the game starts. This means that if you're going to use a handful of SL mods and SoS you better not use more that one or two other mods that contain much scripting.

 

One way around this is to use Mod Organizer and keep two profiles/characters. This will let you sex mod the hell out of one and just add immersive scripted mods to the other for a serious play through. You could even add a 3rd, 4th or 5th profile just to use as a means to test how well some mods work together. And all this with no chance whatsoever of breaking your Skyrim installation and needing to wipe it the reinstall again.

[gvman3670]

In other words adding wet and cold and frostfall mid game is a sure way to destroy your game.

Removing it mid-game would be even worse.

[Veladarius]

I have more than a few SexLab mods installed and don't any issues unless multiple mods start trying to take over the same people. Submit + Deviously Helpless + Lovers Victim with 6 bandits around ended with CTD after everyone had a go or two at my character, was rather hard to get away.

 

Currently the SexLab mods I have running are:

SexLab Framework

Aroused

Submit

Random Attack

Radiant Prostitution Tweaked

Lovers Victim

Hentai Pregnancy

Procreation

Devious Devices (and most of the mods that use it)

 

Currently I am at 253 esm/esp's and rarely CTD

[Guest]

 

I agree! I've tried using it on two character playthroughs. Both ended up a crashfest and my papyrus logs were SOOOoooo heavily spammed by Bathing Beauties Luxury Suite that it was ridiculous. I'll never use that mod again and have suggested to stay away from it several times. The worst part is that it can't even be fixed. To fix it would break it so nothing functioned anymore. Ridiculous and something to stay away from.

 

And if you have that and Leveler's Tower in the same game it just makes the fuse on that bomb even shorter!

 

So I'd say what one should avoid is more than a small handful of scripted mods and to be sure to never remove them after the game starts. This means that if you're going to use a handful of SL mods and SoS you better not use more that one or two other mods that contain much scripting.

 

One way around this is to use Mod Organizer and keep two profiles/characters. This will let you sex mod the hell out of one and just add immersive scripted mods to the other for a serious play through. You could even add a 3rd, 4th or 5th profile just to use as a means to test how well some mods work together. And all this with no chance whatsoever of breaking your Skyrim installation and needing to wipe it the reinstall again.

 

This.

 

I have a profile with the new core STEP setup which I'll use as a base for all my other profiles, one with lots of clothing mods for screenshooting, another for heavy scripted stuff like ERSO and Requiem. I adore MO, it's how modding ought to have been from the beginning isn't it? 

[DespairSyndrome]

I can add on to the showracemenu bashing as changing your race to another and back again resets your stats, even if you do it accidentally.

[Benmc20]

 

One mod that sure is a ticking timebomb though is the BBLS luxury suite. That mod is one of the messiest and poorly scripted mods in existence.

I agree! I've tried using it on two character playthroughs. Both ended up a crashfest and my papyrus logs were SOOOoooo heavily spammed by Bathing Beauties Luxury Suite that it was ridiculous. I'll never use that mod again and have suggested to stay away from it several times. The worst part is that it can't even be fixed. To fix it would break it so nothing functioned anymore. Ridiculous and something to stay away from.

 

And if you have that and Leveler's Tower in the same game it just makes the fuse on that bomb even shorter!

 

So I'd say what one should avoid is more than a small handful of scripted mods and to be sure to never remove them after the game starts. This means that if you're going to use a handful of SL mods and SoS you better not use more that one or two other mods that contain much scripting.

 

One way around this is to use Mod Organizer and keep two profiles/characters. This will let you sex mod the hell out of one and just add immersive scripted mods to the other for a serious play through. You could even add a 3rd, 4th or 5th profile just to use as a means to test how well some mods work together. And all this with no chance whatsoever of breaking your Skyrim installation and needing to wipe it the reinstall again.

 

 

Levelers Tower works mostly fine, but don't use the ESP version (use the ESM instead, more stable). And don't try the modify perks utility. Especially if you are using some mods that modify the perk's agencement.

[Guest xthejester]

Be careful with "Run For Your Lives" and  "When Vampires Attack".

 

My current playthrough has an issue with making Whiterun into chrashapalooza.

 

I never go to the big cities after dark because if the vamps show up...often times, the people never come back outside. Except for the damn kids.  Seriously weird man. I go into Solitude...and all the children are running around playing in abandoned streets.

 

Meanwhile, the adults are all huddled up together in the winking skeever, or their stores...terrified to ever come outside again.

 

It's kind of neat because the first time I entered Solitude was after dark...the vampire attack disrupted the execution sequence a bit.

 

1.)Head-chop

 

2.)Blood everywhere

 

3.)Vampires appear

 

The adult civilians are now forever terrified.

 

 

[Coopervane]

Be careful with "Run For Your Lives" and  "When Vampires Attack".

 

Those mods have never worked for me.

 

Or rather, they have, but only for the first few houers of gameplay, after that the scripts break (either fully stop working, only effects some NPC's but not others, or NPC's fail to return to normal routines).

 

Good idea, flawed exicution. You're better off running the mods that fully prevent random vamp/dragon attacks, as those atleast do work.

[Guest]

 

Be careful with "Run For Your Lives" and  "When Vampires Attack".

 

Those mods have never worked for me.

 

Or rather, they have, but only for the first few houers of gameplay, after that the scripts break (either fully stop working, only effects some NPC's but not others, or NPC's fail to return to normal routines).

 

Good idea, flawed exicution. You're better off running the mods that fully prevent random vamp/dragon attacks, as those atleast do work.

 

See that's why it's so hard to come up with a reliable black list. 'Run For Your Lives' and 'When Vampires Attack' I've had in my load order since I began using STEP a year ago and I've never had even a sniff of an issue with either of them, they've always worked really well for me.  I'd hate to play a game without them, I couldn't go back to whole villages becoming decimated because the dumb twats who live in them think it's okay to try to fend off a blood dragon with nothing more than a mug of ale and an apron.  

 

There are a few out there that are the mod equivalent of an IED, they're unforgivably shoddy and will screw your save forever. They're usually the ones that get abandoned by the author within 3 months of gaining a bunch of  knee-jerk endorsements that act like a honey trap. And even formerly good mods that don't get updates can be poison.

 

Then there are the ones that a lot of us use even though we've probably got repeatedly burned by them, for me that's been Crimson Tide, Wet & Cold, Footprints,Head Tracking, Deadly Spell Impacts and a few others. But they're so good that you end up spending months trying to troubleshoot a way around the buggers. 

[Guest xthejester]

I still use both mods because I hate having my towns emptied out before I reach lvl 30.

 

I remember my first playthrough after getting the Dawnguard DLC.

 

I lost Adrianne Avinicci AND Belethor  in a vampire attack on Whiterun. Two major early game merchants...just gone. That sucked hard. But because they're script heavy, once they're in...they need to stay in for the duration.

 

So now I'm running a lvl 73 character on this playthrough, and it's like Solitude has been taken over by the children of the corn.

[Coopervane]

See that's why it's so hard to come up with a reliable black list. 'Run For Your Lives' and 'When Vampires Attack' I've had in my load order since I began using STEP a year ago and I've never had even a sniff of an issue with either of them, they've always worked really well for me.  I'd hate to play a game without them, I couldn't go back to whole villages becoming decimated because the dumb twats who live in them think it's okay to try to fend off a blood dragon with nothing more than a mug of ale and an apron.  

 

CPU power may be the deciding factor there. I'm on an older CPU (Intel I7 990x @ 3.47 Ghz), so it is possible that the scripts are simply to heavy for some systems, but working well on beefier rigs.

 

And yes, i absolutely loathe having entire cities wiped out random dragons and vamps. Not only are 90% of them vital parts of one quest or another, but Skyrim already feels like an entire country populated by only 5 normal people and 100 bandits, i don't want what little flavour is there to die.

 

So instead i use "NoRandomDragons.esp" and "Random Vampire Attacks in Towns Disabled.esp", and those two have been working for me for a long time now (without the Papyrus overhead).

[Veladarius]

 

See that's why it's so hard to come up with a reliable black list. 'Run For Your Lives' and 'When Vampires Attack' I've had in my load order since I began using STEP a year ago and I've never had even a sniff of an issue with either of them, they've always worked really well for me.  I'd hate to play a game without them, I couldn't go back to whole villages becoming decimated because the dumb twats who live in them think it's okay to try to fend off a blood dragon with nothing more than a mug of ale and an apron.  

 

CPU power may be the deciding factor there. I'm on an older CPU (Intel I7 990x @ 3.47 Ghz), so it is possible that the scripts are simply to heavy for some systems, but working well on beefier rigs.

 

And yes, i absolutely loathe having entire cities wiped out random dragons and vamps. Not only are 90% of them vital parts of one quest or another, but Skyrim already feels like an entire country populated by only 5 normal people and 100 bandits, i don't want what little flavour is there to die.

 

So instead i use "NoRandomDragons.esp" and "Random Vampire Attacks in Towns Disabled.esp", and those two have been working for me for a long time now (without the Papyrus overhead).

 

 

I have an i5 2500K @ 3.2 Ghz so yours should be able to handle it (Skyrim is only hitting 20% cpu usage as it is on it). I have both When Vampires Attack and Run for your lives, the first works on some npc's and the second not at all. I have some other mods that modify the enemy AI so it may be affecting the others as well for some reason.

 

I do run a lot of the multithreaded commands in my ini file including the one for papyrus and I think it helps quite a bit. I was looking at my script latency the other day using Convenient Horses and averaged 65 ms (range of 15 - 95).

[gvman3670]

Be careful with "Run For Your Lives" and  "When Vampires Attack".

 

My current playthrough has an issue with making Whiterun into chrashapalooza.

I had that issue before, too. And before I crashed my papyrus logs showed a ton of spam from both WVA and SoS simultaneously. Seems the combo was just too much. I could coc into Breezehome, but upon stepping outside BAM!

[gvman3670]

You can avoid WVA by simply doing the first few quests in the Dawnguard storyline. That almost ends the vampires attacking towns.

 

When I get a useful NPC killed in a vampire attack I make a point of resurrecting them immediately. Sometimes I even get an inheritance from them!

[Guest]

I still use both mods because I hate having my towns emptied out before I reach lvl 30.

 

I remember my first playthrough after getting the Dawnguard DLC.

 

I lost Adrianne Avinicci AND Belethor  in a vampire attack on Whiterun. Two major early game merchants...just gone. That sucked hard. But because they're script heavy, once they're in...they need to stay in for the duration.

 

So now I'm running a lvl 73 character on this playthrough, and it's like Solitude has been taken over by the children of the corn.

Ouch. And lol.

 

That's what really bugs me about it most, whenever I walked out of the Bannered Mare to a blood bath it would be the same 3 or 4 NPCs I'd find dead at the gates, so Adrianne, Idolaf Battle-Born, Belethor (no loss there) and Amren, all drawn to danger like moths to a flame because that area happens to be on their wander circuit. So predictable you might as well say it's preordained. Meh.

 

Sometimes I forget about those mods and I haven't noticed that an inn is absolutely packed with people who'd normally be tucked up in bed by that time, and they're just standing there staring at the walls. So I'm looking for an "ah fuck it, might as well have a drink as we're here" mod. I might make it myself. 

[Karin]

If you dont want lost important NPC and hate rfyl  + wva,you can instal Deadly dragons and you can use in MCM menu esencial npc(its make all trader,q giver esencial).DD is awesome, its mine must have mode and never have problem with it.

[Guest]

What to avoid?

Do not ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever install more than 1 script heavy mod. One time I have all BBS luxury, leveled tower, enhanced blood, wet and cold, headtracking, footprint, and ASIS on one playthrough. It wasn't pretty I tell ya...

[Guest xthejester]

I'm not a fan of the idea of making NPCs essential. I just don't want them to be suicidal.

 

I'm also using the Civil War Overhaul. Making non-essential NPCs, essential may ruin things by conflicting with aspects of that mod.