discussion Help for manual modding in Skyrim

[Aerythox]

Sorry for being a noob, I recently just started to manual mod my Skyrim after a bitter break up with vortex, I don't understand if folders are placed on the Data folder or just the files or what. It's all very confusing to me, here's my Data folder for reference (Sorry if it's horrendous lol)

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[SilentHunter]

You have taken on a very difficult job, get ready for the fact that it will take you days, and possibly weeks, to create a working build of mods. First of all, keep in mind in your work that mods can conflict with each other, which causes the game to crash. Check the compatibility of mods with the version of the game that you are using. In general, the information on thematic sites such as nexusmods is quite comprehensive. Your task is to choose mods that do not cause conflicts.
On the nexus you will find the nexus mod manager, a very convenient and useful program.
If you are a complete beginner, then I recommend not to worry, but to download a ready-made mod build specifically for your version of the game, since Skyrim is available in many versions. Where can I find them? On torrent sites. Since the volume of assemblies is tens of gigabytes, this is the easiest and fastest download option. Focus on names like Sexrim, for example. You will also find instructions for installing the assemblies there. If necessary, you can delete and add mods of your choice.

 

[Kernist]

I am also a noob and modding Skyrim and it took me like 2 days maybe, I think it's not that bad. Firstly, use mod manager. You can do without it, I managed once to mod Skyrim manually but it's not worth it, use mod manager. Secondly, be sure you are using correct mods for correct version, I bet you have either Special Edition (SE) or Anniversary Edition (AE). Don't mix wrong mods with wrong version. Often mods have both versions uploaded, sometimes only one but in description it can say mod works for both. Next, respect load order. I think it's the hardest thing out of all. IIRC mod loader can help a bit with it but some mods you need to place yourself. The rule is basically the more mod messes with core of the game, the higher it should be. Things like additional textures are least invasive and should be at the bottom. Again, read mod descriptions, many will tell you where they should be placed. Lastly, try to choose one mod of each type. By that I mean if you change character meshes, choose only one pack. If you add some hair pack, I would use only one for safety. These applies to all mods that replace textures. If there is a small mod you really like and it just adds stuff, for example few outfits, you can add multiple of those, important thing is for mods to not replace each other.

 

[Miss Pain]

Sorry for being a noob, I recently just started to manual mod my Skyrim after a bitter break up with vortex, I don't understand if folders are placed on the Data folder or just the files or what. It's all very confusing to me, here's my Data folder for reference (Sorry if it's horrendous lol)

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What I would recommend is to use the Nexus Mods page, the page contains its own mod manager called Vortex and it is very useful, it comes integrated with a program called loot that automatically sorts the mods so that they do not generate conflicts and it does not hurt to read the descriptions of the mods that you want to install since moders usually include a guide on how to install their mods correctly, their dependencies and whether or not they are compatible with other mods, in addition the page makes it easy for you to install them either automatically or manually and Vortex itself can detect the version of your game and the platform on which you play it. I wish you luck modding Dovahkiin

 

[HTYYHRK]

I haven't modded Skyrim in a long time and it's been even longer that I wasn't using Mod Organizer or MO2 but a quick search says they do go directly into the Data folder, which was my recollection. Some mods like ENB need to be installed in a different place. However, if you don't like Vortex, you might want to try Mod Organizer 2. In general the nice thing with MO2 and the similar ENB program I'm blanking on is that they keep the actual Skyrim folder clean and load the mods when you start the game, so you don't need to track down every mod file when you want to uninstall it.

 

[bigjetdash]

Is it easy to mod games? Does it take a certain class to learn or can I just watch a video and start modding