v2.2.8 Development

[TechAngel85]

Notice:

 

STEP:Core is basically final with the 2.2.7 release and is represented by only installing mods marked as "Core" in the STEP Guide. We are gathering screens of this base install now and verifying that it includes everything necessary but nothing more than that --all according to the new STEP:Core Mandate. Anyone that has not yet read that, please do so to better understand the direction we are heading.

 

The 2.2.7 release brings us one step closer to the 2.3.0 goal by locking down STEP:Core into its much more final state. With this release, many STEP:Extended mods were also added and several mods were removed from STEP; reasons can be found on the changelog for 2.2.7. The next few release will bring us even closer to the 2.3.0 goal by focusing on refining the non-Core mods in the current guide even more. These non-Core mods will ultimately formulate the basis for STEP:Extended, and this means that we can begin testing mods for 2.2.8 and 2.2.9 according to the STEP:Extended Mandate, which opens up the door to new possibilities.

 

This is now the "2.2.8 interim-2.3.0 release". The "rules" are somewhat relaxed, so we are open to more suggestions.

 

Please post here though if you have suggestions or comments on the existing guide and mod list.

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v2.2.8 ChangeLog

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Dropped:

• Acquisitive Soul Gems - Switched with Smart Souls
• WATER - Switched with RWT
• Enhanced Projectile Soul Trap - USKP now fixes soul trap effect
• Waterbreathing Breathless Emerge - Redundant

Added:

• Smart Souls - Replaced ASG
• Realistic Water Two - Replaced WATER
• Telvanni Reborn
• HQ Snow Textures - Replaces?
• Audio Overhaul Skyrim
• Audio Overhaul Skyrim - Patches

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For replacers, the test case should be a high-quality screenshot compare. We don't need a lot, just two or three sets of compares on the thread in Mod Testing (MT) marked [ TESTING ].

 

For non-replacers, please head over to MS and read the Announcement. Then go into the testing thread and contribute some test ideas or some of your own test results.

 

The idea is that testing --and logging of that activity on the threads-- will be touch & go for a lot of mods, and it should be pretty clear by anyone stumbling upon any mod thread what the end result is.

 

Let us know if you want to be a Mod Tester!

[rootsrat]

 

is there a thread for all of the above recommendations in the Mods forum?

 

That is the best place to promote and get into testing.

 

Not sure. I'm back home tomorrow and should have fully operational PC with internet back by the end of the week. I'll look into this then.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 4

 

Here.

[z929669]

Calling all Editors!

 

We need help (particularly from our more knowledgeable forum staff and member) editing the STEP Guide. There are many sections regarding ENB settings, graphics settings, tweaks, troubleshooting, etc that could use an update. Many of these sections are superseded by wiki Guides of their own, and we could simply be linking users to portions of those guides (or presenting brief instructions consistent with those guides).

 

I have my hands full right now with lots of server and site-wide general maintenance, so help would be much appreciated.

 

Let's give this thing another makeover, taking some instruction from Neo's Skyrim Revisited as well as Nearox's work on compatibility patches. Also, don't forget to address any of the useful info being collected in the official bug reports thread.

[TechAngel85]

This is a large undertaking that currently only I have been working on, but have been happy to take up the mantel to allow the Admin to refocus on other areas like server stuff and wiki development. With my limited time and if the current trend remains, the 2.2.8 Guide is still a good ways off though.

 

Most of the stuff from the Official Bug Reports has already been incorporated, but could use another eye to double check the work. Checking each others work is always a good thing in this type of development.

 

My plans have been to incorporate some of the instructions from SR into the STEP Guide, via the wiki mod pages. Things like conflict resolution can be ported to the STEP guide using the Detail Instructions box on the mod pages. Just make sure they aren't SR specific edits because Neo does have come mods that currently aren't in STEP. Also, make sure there are two set of instructions. One for Core Only Installs and one for Extended installs.

 

My vision for 2.2.8 has been a "refinement" release. There should be a lot of Guide refinement, mod instruction refinement and conflict resolutions coming with 2.2.8. Additions of mod has taken a back seat in my point of view for the next release. I'm sure a few might be added or dropped but it'll be far fewer than normal. The 2.2.8 would provide a more clear STEP installation and also a more stable one as well. At least, this has been my vision as I've been working towards it. The Admin can add to, take away or refine this vision if need be. If not, I'll keep moving forward as I have been.

 

The biggest area we (I) need help with all this is conflict resolution of STEP mods. I'm not much more familiar with TES5Edit other than being able to clean mods. This is something that I need to learn and I will eventually, but for now there are other things to focus on. :) Oh! Also the BCFs need to be updated!

 

EDIT:

Actually, let me continue on to 2.2.9 as well. Where 2.2.8 will refine the Guide, 2.2.9 will focus on refining Extended; finalizing it much as Core has been done. From there, then refining the finalized Extended as 2.2.8 was, with clear instructions and conflict resolutions. The goal being that by the time the 2.3.0 event is to take place, the Guide will be in such a state that the majority of the work to be done will be porting it to the new Pack infrastructure. Hopefully, by that time that Infrastructure has matured to the point that is it fully ready to host the STEP Guides.

[z929669]

Actually, I think we need to be parsing STEP:Extended out of the current Guide and placing it into a Pack. I advocate that we get to that point for 2.3.0 and that the core guide be an exhaustive approach to establishing the "Core Skyrim Base".

 

Also, we need to keep mod-specific instructions and notes very general for now, as mods can be invoked by any Pack, and STEP instructions will not apply. We will need to determine how best to tie Pack-specific instructions to mods ... I am thinking that we can do this using subpages:

 

wiki/Mod/ModVersion/Pack/PackVersion

 

or something like that. For now, we should keep the instructions generally applicable and focus more on the guide instructions and text outside of the mod tables.

[TechAngel85]

Define "general". What is its extent? The stuff that Nearox has brought up, I would assume falls into this. However, does conflict resolution fall into as well? (at least conflicts for the Core mods since Extended is not really ready for those details yet) Also, should we be taking the SR options for mods into consideration when doing this updating? I would assume some of the SR options might not be the STEP options for certain mods. Obviously the Core mods would still have to follow the Mandate.

 

When exactly should the moving of Extended into a pack take place? 2.2.8? .9? or the 2.3.0 release? I know that the pack infrastructure is still in the Alpha stages so I wouldn't want to release a STEP:Extended guide onto something that is still fairly infant when every user that comes here will be using it. I know we have a few test Packs up as well as some user Packs that are being used to test and develop the infrastructure. Last I heard, there were still some things to be worked out with the mod tables and when having to move the pack to a new page for renaming (there was an issue doing this...just don't remember what it was). Having to redo the Extended guide several times due to development has not be a thing I've wanted to do and has been the main reason I've held off porting it as of yet.

 

Just say when and I can start porting things over. I would; however, like to have an outline detailing what to do with each release up to the big 2.3.0 event. It would be most helpful.

[z929669]

I think 2.3.0 is a good target for all of these reasons.

 

Conflict res is mod specific, but only in combination with applicable mods (i.e., not all mods in the universe). We eventually want to record "universal" conflict resolution, but it is something that should apply to the mod and not in the context of the mod as it relates to a given Pack. Not easy to figure out right now.

 

Main thing is the guide recommendations more so than the mod recommendations, General stuff like graphics, Skyrim options, troubleshooting, etc. and consistency with the ancillary guides.

[Kelmych]

For 2.3.0 I thought the goal was to have a single compatibility patch plugin that covered conflicts among all the mods in Core (but only among those mods). That seems consistent with z's comment.

[TechAngel85]

For 2.3.0 I thought the goal was to have a single compatibility patch plugin that covered conflicts among all the mods in Core (but only among those mods). That seems consistent with z's comment.

That works too rather than having TES5Edit instructions on the mod pages.

[EssArrBee]

Have the patch for download on the STEP page to drum up more activity on the nexus, helps keep STEP relative over there. I don't really think to many people like the pdf that just links to here.

[TechAngel85]

Have the patch for download on the STEP page to drum up more activity on the nexus' date=' helps keep STEP relative over there. I don't really think to many people like the pdf that just links to here.[/quote']

 

That's another great idea!

[z929669]

Yep, let's do that ... same goes for a semi-automatic update patcher as Monty and MG et al have been discussing in the other thread.

[rootsrat]

Have the patch for download on the STEP page to drum up more activity on the nexus' date=' helps keep STEP relative over there. I don't really think to many people like the pdf that just links to here.[/quote']

 

That's another great idea!

 

Yep' date=' let's do that ... same goes for a semi-automatic update patcher as Monty and MG et al have been discussing in the other thread.

[/quote']

 

+10

[TheCompiler]

Hey, that has been my idea for a long while :P

 

Yeah let's do this!

[z929669]

... now the part that we always get snagged on ... WHO is going to take responsibility and manage this development and maintenance??

 

;)