Video Games Modding Skyrim - A COMPLETE Beginner...

[AlbaGuBrath]

Hi there! So, I've been playing Skyrim for a while, watching videos and stuff, and I'm thinking that I'd like to consider trying to install mods for it. However, I've never modded anything before and have no idea how it works, so I was wondering if any of you guys had some tips, knew of any good resources, etc.

One question that I definitely have starting off is about whether it will mess with my computer and/or how to fix it if it does. I just have a regular old laptop and can play Skyrim tolerably well most of the time, with a bit of trouble near running water and in large combat, so obviously I won't be doing anything huge. But if I just add a couple small-ish stuff, will that be alright?

Also, I'd love to hear any recommendations y'all might have! I'm definitely thinking about some immersion stuff, maybe like a survival thing, and would love to find something that goes a little more in-depth with the Civil War. Little things like new characters/places, a more detailed map, a writable journal, etc. would also be cool, but not a top priority.

Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[StoneWolf18]

Hey!

I have minimal experience modding Skyrim, but if you're talking about the original game and not SE, then I can help you out!

Modding, if you use the mod manager I'm linking and not doing it manually, shouldn't ruin your computer. It can corrupt your save but if you're careful nothing should explode your machine as long as you don't push it too hard. So for a low-grade system, I wouldn't go for anything graphically heavy, etc.

Firs thing, to make your life easier you're going to want to go to Nexus' Skyrim Section and install their mod manager. I prefer it because it helps extremely. Then you'd be able to go and download mods directly TO the launcher after performing the initial set-up.

I'm in a bit of a rush right now, but I can explain more in a moment if you wish!

 

[AlbaGuBrath]

StoneWolf18 - Yes, I think that would be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[StoneWolf18]

StoneWolf18 - Yes, I think that would be very helpful. Thanks!

Yup! Here are also a few more things...

• SKSE - This is a must as I believe most mods use this script extender in some way, shape, and or form. It will give you a new launch option through the mod manager desktop application once installed and the two recognize each other.
• TES5Edit - Not a necessity, as it's more for mod makers than users, but I find it extremely useful for compatibility. What it does is essentially runs the mods you have installed through the mod manager without starting the game itself. If there's an error, it'll stop. Saves a bunch of time as the alternative would be loading up Skyrim each time and waiting for a crash.

I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting but if I think of any mod recommendations I'll be sure to toss them your way!

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

Hi there! So, I've been playing Skyrim for a while, watching videos and stuff, and I'm thinking that I'd like to consider trying to install mods for it. However, I've never modded anything before and have no idea how it works, so I was wondering if any of you guys had some tips, knew of any good resources, etc.

One question that I definitely have starting off is about whether it will mess with my computer and/or how to fix it if it does. I just have a regular old laptop and can play Skyrim tolerably well most of the time, with a bit of trouble near running water and in large combat, so obviously I won't be doing anything huge. But if I just add a couple small-ish stuff, will that be alright?

Also, I'd love to hear any recommendations y'all might have! I'm definitely thinking about some immersion stuff, maybe like a survival thing, and would love to find something that goes a little more in-depth with the Civil War. Little things like new characters/places, a more detailed map, a writable journal, etc. would also be cool, but not a top priority.

Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

Yup! Here are also a few more things...

• SKSE - This is a must as I believe most mods use this script extender in some way, shape, and or form. It will give you a new launch option through the mod manager desktop application once installed and the two recognize each other.
• TES5Edit - Not a necessity, as it's more for mod makers than users, but I find it extremely useful for compatibility. What it does is essentially runs the mods you have installed through the mod manager without starting the game itself. If there's an error, it'll stop. Saves a bunch of time as the alternative would be loading up Skyrim each time and waiting for a crash.

I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting but if I think of any mod recommendations I'll be sure to toss them your way!

I HIGHLY recommend getting LOOT, or the Load Order Optimization Tool. Often, some mods will not want to play with others if you put them in the wrong order, but after a while, your load order can get to where it's impossible to fix for humans. Thus, LOOT was created. It basically makes your mods work together properly by moving them around in the load order, so that items that need to be loaded first will do so, and mods that rely on other mods are loaded after said mods. All in all, it is a MUST if you plan on playing just about any modded Bethesda game, not just Skyrim.

Besides that, WryeBash is fairly useful, but I could never figure out how it worked myself. Basically, it makes patches for those mods that never want to work together, even with the help of LOOT. Besides that, you're also able to create mini packs of mods, so as to make your load order smaller, so that you can get more mods. Otherwise, you'll have to stop once you reach 255 plugins, as that's the cealing for all Bethesda games.

 

[AlbaGuBrath]

Yikes, that all sounds a little daunting... Is there a lot of computer knowledge and such required? I'm afraid I'm not at all computer savvy... (It takes me multiple tries just to manage a simple console command, and that only within the last year.) Is this something that would be better for me to wait?

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

Yikes, that all sounds a little daunting... Is there a lot of computer knowledge and such required? I'm afraid I'm not at all computer savvy... (It takes me multiple tries just to manage a simple console command, and that only within the last year.) Is this something that would be better for me to wait?

The only complicated thing is WryeBash. Everything up there you can find video tutorials. And NMM is just a simple download.

 

[AlbaGuBrath]

Okay, I can probably manage that.

 

[Mini_Quini]

Nexus Mod manager makes it incredibly easy to download some mods