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Difficult to Understand


ray0071

Question

If I could make a suggestion it would be to make the guide easier to understand.  

Example:  2.B Clean the Update ESM - I got stuck on it because what the instruction were stating was not what I was encountering with Mod Organizer.  

 

When someone knowledgeable creates a guide, they can tend to skip over details which they assume others know.  For those who rely heavily on the guide, this is a huge problem.  

 

To be clear - I appreciate the work everyone has put into this project.  Huge respect to all of you.  My comments are just my own personal views/feedback.

 

RayT

 

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I did everything in sequence.  There is something buggy about the dialogue.  Certain options are not available.  i.e. Jarl of Whiterun says I can buy a house but there is no such option to do so when talking to Proventus Avenicci.  Similar problem with the Jarl of Falkreath, though I have a note to talk to him, he says nothing more than hi.

 

Any insights would be appreciated.  Thanks.

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You guys should have gotten me to write the tutorial.  A 5 year old could have understand it.  Not sure if that reflects positively or negatively on me? :P

 

Money for a video guide?  Honestly, I would gladly donate money for it.  If it saves me time, then it is worth it. 

Hey y'all,

 

My first posting here (though I've been lurking for a while). And I'm sorry to rezz a thread that hasn't been posted in for a while, but since I this is where I've seen this request (more than once), I thought it might be appropriate. I thought I might offer my services in this resepct (not for money as is suggested above, but just to help out).

 

Some background about me: I have a small YouTube channel (31 subs last I checked), which currently has over 300 videos in it (most of them around an hour long each). Obviously I don't do this for the subs, I do it for the enjoyment of it. I've run a number of LPs of various games (currently running three games now, in addition to a game programming series using Unity3D). Up until recently, I was also doing a Skyrim LP set. Unfortunately, I installed a number of mods myself, and after about 20 episodes or so, found it was starting to get unstable (locking at the load screens mostly). I did a wipe and full re-install of all the mods, which helped for a while (another ~10 episodes), but it's gotten unstable again, to the point where it's unplayable. Which is what brought me to STEP in the first place. I came looking to reinstall with a known stable solution (and yes, I'm aware this means I'm likely going to have to start a new game from scratch). That way I can do an LP without having to worry it's going to crash another 30 episodes into the reboot.

 

So I began with a fresh vanilla install of Skyrim, started going through the STEP installation. Now, I'm not a mod expert by any means (if I was I probably wouldn't have installed them improperly in the first place). But I know most of the tools (MO was new to me, I had used NMM prior to that, but I've found I like MO now that I've gotten used to it). I would say I have enough experience in installing STEP that I'm not a rank amatuer (newbie), but I'm not an expert either. Which perhaps gives us an opportunity.

 

I have to agree with Ray et al. The guide, while reasonably well written, isn't especially newbie friendly, I fumbled around with it a bit before getting the hang of it. And that's fine, it wasn't meant to be. It was written by experts. IME, things that are written by experts tend to be written FOR experts. It's quite natural. You assume a certain level of knowledge that someone who is new to the process might very well not have (e.g. HOW do you hide a file, WHAT is MCM, etc). It needs to have a bridge between the current guide and the knowledge of someone who has no idea what they are doing.

 

So I was thinking: What if I did a video series on installing STEP aimed at the total newbie? I'm new enough to the process I wouldn't be assuming any prior knowledge (or not much anyway) of the user. But I'm not so new that I have no clue what I'm doing.

 

I have some qualifications:

1) I have a good deal of recording equipment and software, and I know how to use them.

2) I've done technical recordings before (the ongoing game programming series), this wouldn't be a whole lot different.

3) I'm both a professional and hobbyist programmer, so I'm quite technically adept wrt computers in general (and coding in particular).

4) I've installed STEP:Extended recently (mostly, not QUITE finished, but pretty close, though I haven't done the dreaded step 2N yet).

 

On the downside:

1) It wouldn't be for everyone. Expert modders would have no use for it I'm sure.

2) It would quickly go out of date (I presume I'd use 2.2.9.2, and of course as soon as you updated to the next version we'd get out of synch)

3) Of course it would be specific to MY setup (I would be using STEP:extended). I would also include SkyComplete and Legacy of the Dragonborn on top, as I consider those two critical to the type of LP I want to record. I may or may not use an ENB of some sort (undecided on that). I'd like to have a (non-nude) female skin replacer (such as Daughters of Skyrim or something similar) as a compliment to Better Males. So there will be a handful of extra mods I'd be adding in addition to the extended mods.

 

1 and 3 are just the nature of the beast. #2 is probably the most serious. However, even so, the videos should stay quite useful for newbies for quite a while (even if at certain points they have to modify what I am doing becuase of changes in the guide).

 

So why even ask? Why not just do it? Well, for one thing, if you guys don't think there is a need, then I will resepct that, and not do it (I will finish up my STEP install and just fire up the rebooted Skyrim LP). But the second reason is perhaps more important. Being an amature mod installer is a two edged sword. It is good in that I can easily relate to the needs of a newbie, being not much higher up than they are. But the big danger in having a non-expert do something like this is I could very well misinterpret something and give out mis-information at some point. It would be nice if someone that WAS an expert was willing to "proof" my work, point out any mistakes so I could correct in the next video (so that anyone following along won't make the same mistake). This is also of course a benefit to me as it would make my install less flawed.

 

So that's my pitch. If you guys want me to do it, I'm totally willing to compeletly wipe everything Skyrim related off my system (well, I'm keeping my backup of the original LP saves, just in case i can salvage it, lol), and start over again from scratch, this time on camera. I'd start with the installation of Vanilla Skyrim (I'd probalby have to assume they already have Steam installed and/or a physical copy of the game), and go from there. I'd figure maybe keep them short (20 minutes or so), so it'd end up being probably around a 25 video set, or something like that.

 

Let me know what you guys think.

 

Ron

Edited by RonHiler
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This is something very similar that we were doing with GamerPoets. I'd link the forum, but it's restricted so you wouldn't be able to see it anyway. He would do a video and we would proof it before he uploaded it. Before continuing, view what he's already done and decide if this is still something which you want to do: https://youtu.be/n6UPIWX-hIo?list=PLlN8weLk86XjVOwlGpeKFnHLlBLlwo73A

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Thanks Tech. I have watched a few of those already during the course of installing my mods. It's not QUITE what I had in mind (I was more thinking a step-by-step, following the webpage instructions in order, which GP isn't doing), but it is similar. Perhaps me doing a series would be redundant.

Edited by RonHiler
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Thanks Tech. I have watched a few of those already during the course of installing my mods. It's not QUITE what I had in mind (I was more thinking a step-by-step, following the webpage instructions in order, which GP isn't doing), but it is similar. Perhaps me doing a series would be redundant.

If you want to do a step by step video series, go for it! We've never do one before because, as you mentioned, it will become outdated fairly quickly, but most of the series will remain relevant for a good while. This is something which, I would imagine, will take a few hundred hours to do. That's a very large undertaking. You sure you want to do that? Can you link your youtube channel so we can see some of your content?

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Sure, no problem. My channel is here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmPJwZTUqWfmmspg4DbSTPg

 

There are a number of playlists. What is probably of the most interest to you guys would be the Skyrim LP, here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaHO2M49jtr0vuNpeIp7HS__ctx3fDG6k

 

and perhaps the ongoing game programming series (for examples of how I do technical videos)

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaHO2M49jtr19lU6y8TrC4wlgcPzd5Gvq

 

As for being long, it doesn't bother me in the slightest (I was after all, doing an LP of Skyrim :) ). I do completionist LPs of sandbox games, they tend to run quite long (e.g. I'm about 50% through GTA 5 right now, and sitting close to 50 videos in (around 50 hours)). Hundreds of hours seems long though. I was thinking it ought to be something like 10 hours worth (cutting out download times). But then that might be too short, given the explanations. If it got 50 hours in (say) and I did 20 minute vids, that'd run 150 videos. I'd be fine with that.

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I was the one who wrote that guide. I have just finished rewriting it since it was later learned that people with faster disc drives get different results. I have copied and pasted the updated steps below and hope that this solves your problem.

 

2.B. Clean the Update ESM

 

To remove errors in the Bethesda master files, STEP recommends that they be cleaned with TES5Edit. This ensures maximum stability and compatibility within the Skyrim modding experience. At this time, Update.esm will be cleaned in the following manner (the DLC should be cleaned later according to instructions on their corresponding "mod" pages):

  1. Make a backup of Update.esm from <skyrim>/data directory by copying it to the desktop (or somewhere else handy).
  2. Run TES5Edit through Mod Organizer.
  3. Right-click the list of plugins and choose [select None].
  4. Double-click Update.esm.
  5. Wait for the Background Loader: finished in the right panel, and then right-click [update.esm] and select [Apply Filter For Cleaning].
  6. Wait for the [Filtering done] Processed Records: message in the right panel, and then right-click [update.esm] and select [Remove "Identical to Master" records]. If the Warning! prompt pops up, click [Yes, I'm absolutely sure].
  7. Wait for the [Removing "Identical to Master" records done] Processed Records: message, and then right-click [update.esm] and select [undelete and Disable References].
  8. Wait for the [undeleting and Disabling References done] Processed Records: message, and then click the [X] at upper right of the program window to exit the program.
  9. At the prompt, checkmark Update.esm and Backup Plugins and click [OK].

At this point there are two possible outcomes, dependent upon how fast your disc drive is:

  • In the first case (typically slower drives such as HDDs), the Update.esm is now no longer in the data directory.
  • In the second case (typically faster drives such as SSDs), a cleaned Update.esm is now in the data directory (compare the filesize to your backup of Update.esm to verify that it has been cleaned--it should be smaller).

In the first case, you should now do the following:

  1. Restore the backed up Update.esm from step 1 to the data directory.
  2. In Mod Organizer, at the bottom of the left pane modlist is the Overwrite mod, now labeled red because files have been written to it. Double-click to open it.
  3. In Overwrite you will find two items: a TES5Edit Backups folder and Update.esm. Since you already restored your own backed up Update.esm to the data directory, right-click and delete the TES5Edit Backups folder and click Close.
  4. Right-click Overwrite and select Create Mod..., name it Cleaned Update ESM, and click OK.
  5. Drag and drop the new Cleaned Update ESM mod to the top of the left pane modlist.

In the second case, you are done! You can safely delete the backup as you shall not need it (if you wish to restore the original uncleaned Update.esm later, you can simply verify Steam cache and redownload it).

The section about fast or slow HDD I believe is incorrect at least for me since I'm running 2 fast Mushkin DX SSD's and have never had the "second case" happen at all ever when doing the cleaning. I've had MO untick things and break though lol

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At this point there are two possible outcomes, dependent upon how fast your disc drive is:

  • In the first case (typically slower drives such as HDDs), the Update.esm is now no longer in the data directory.
  • In the second case (typically faster drives such as SSDs), a cleaned Update.esm is now in the data directory (compare the filesize to your backup of Update.esm to verify that it has been cleaned--it should be smaller).
In the first case, you should now do the following:
  • Restore the backed up Update.esm from step 1 to the data directory.
  • In Mod Organizer, at the bottom of the left pane modlist is the Overwrite mod, now labeled red because files have been written to it. Double-click to open it.
  • In Overwrite you will find two items: a TES5Edit Backups folder and Update.esm. Since you already restored your own backed up Update.esm to the data directory, right-click and delete the TES5Edit Backups folder and click Close.
  • Right-click Overwrite and select Create Mod..., name it Cleaned Update ESM, and click OK.
  • Drag and drop the new Cleaned Update ESM mod to the top of the left pane modlist.
In the second case, you are done! You can safely delete the backup as you shall not need it (if you wish to restore the original uncleaned Update.esm later, you can simply verify Steam cache and redownload it).

 

So, in the second case we would not make a Cleaned Update.esm mod through the overwrite folder that would appear in the left pane of MO, correct? That is how I interpreted the instruction. But then the instructions for Dawnguard it says:

 

Recommendations

This is the Official DLC from Bethesda. It should follow the Cleaned Updated.esm in the left pane modlist. If custom, optimized versions of the textures from Dawnguard are used, they should be placed directly after it. Also, Dawnguard.esm must be cleaned in TES5Edit:

 

 

And when I read this it implies to me that I should have a Cleaned Update.esm in my left pane modlist, contrary to what I thought was implied in step 2.B Clean the Update.esm. Is the Dawnguard Recommendation post outdated or am I incorrectly interpreting step 2.B and should have a Cleaned Update.esm in the left pane? 

 

It is also worth noting that I am using an HDD and during step 2.B Update.esm remained in my Data folder while after cleaning Dawnguard it was no longer in the Data folder.

Edited by Zuffle
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In the first case scenario, you will have to make a new mod from the overwrite files that you should name "XYZ Cleaned ESM".

 

In the second case, you do not need to make a mod since the changes will be in effect on the unmanaged DLC itself (you don't have to restore the backup).

 

It is written that each of these follows "XYZ Cleaned ESM" because that is much more common to experience the first scenario.

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