Creations mod manager

[WOLFHORS3]

Is this the only way to manage Starfield mods? I've been using Vortex for years and life has been sweet, simple and convenient. In walks bethesda creations and life is a mess. Is anyone on PC using creations mod manager? Is everyone on PC using it?
I just peeked at it once and it changed my load order and a bunch of my mods stopped working. I had to rewrite my plugins file manually to get them to work. I don't think bethesda's mod manager even showed all of my mods. I have about 150. So now do some of my mods NEED plugins.txt enabler and some don't? Do I delete this file and let Creations write another?
I'm afraid to even open the creations tab for fear of it breaking my mods again. I spent about two hours getting it to work again. Is there a way to stop it from changing load order or does it not give you that option? Vortex use to set my load order (maybe it was loot or another tool but they were all combined, sort of) but if I needed to I could change it or at least set a rule that would make a file load after another if that's what I needed or wanted. I know I blathered on a bit but all this has got me a little freaked out. I learned all this modding stuff several years ago and I been sailing along with vortex. Now I'm having to dig through the dusty halls of my mind to try and remember what's what.
So I guess I'm asking should I use creations mod manager and what do I do if it "breaks a mod"? And are there directions on how it works?

[Rathollorn]

Creations has stopped all my Vortex mods working. I can't find any way to just having Vortex load the mods I want - Creations is overwriting it and it won't recognise or load any of my Vortex mods.
Example: Star UI Inventory installed and managed by Vortex does not load and does not show up in the Creations Load Order.

[lunsmann]

Originally posted by Rathollorn:

Creations has stopped all my Vortex mods working. I can't find any way to just having Vortex load the mods I want - Creations is overwriting it and it won't recognise or load any of my Vortex mods.
Example: Star UI Inventory installed and managed by Vortex does not load and does not show up in the Creations Load Order.

That issue is one of the reasons I switched to MO2. Vortex installs it's mods into the physical game directory. Whereas MO2 keeps it's files separate and builds the modded game in virtual space every time you launch the game. Making it super easy for creation club and MO2 managed mods to live together in the same game. MO2 allows you to adjust the CC mods load order with your outside (MO2) managed mods with just a drag up or down the list.

There was a very small learning curve for me, which is a miracle as I am pushing 60 years old. Who said old people can't learn new tricks.

[Rathollorn]

Originally posted by lunsmann:

That issue is one of the reasons I switched to MO2.

Thanks mate, I'll give that a go.

[SilverX95]

Originally posted by lunsmann:

Originally posted by Rathollorn:

Creations has stopped all my Vortex mods working. I can't find any way to just having Vortex load the mods I want - Creations is overwriting it and it won't recognise or load any of my Vortex mods.
Example: Star UI Inventory installed and managed by Vortex does not load and does not show up in the Creations Load Order.

That issue is one of the reasons I switched to MO2. Vortex installs it's mods into the physical game directory.

it uses Hardlink Deployment by default
also it uses Staging folders
https://wiki.nexusmods.com/index.php/Deployment_Methods

[WOLFHORS3]

Originally posted by InquisitorOverhauls:

Creations is super noob friendly. Only issue is load order. Click, install, play. No need for 10 other installs such as SFSE, Plugins enabler etc.

Well without SFSE, address libraries, etc you're not gonna get the really complicated mods afaik.
I did not have a load order option in Vortex because my starfield extension failed and I didn't notice the popup. So reinstalled the SF ext and everything's good now. I don't think creation mod manager will bother my load order anymore because Vortex is handling it.
A lot of the really, I don't know what to call em, cool mods require other mods to do what they do. Some modders make "frameworks" for other modders to use. Kinda like the really nuts and bolt guys make it possible for the really creative but not so nuts and bolts guys do what they do. So a lot of mods get adapted, improved or changed by other modders with permission or in cooperation and they take on a life if their own. I don't mean that as a critique of either type of modder or to pigeon hole any modder into either category or either one, and all modders are different.
I'm just kinda using a metaphor to explain what I'm talking about. Since you can't have mods that need or rely on other mods on creations. Consolers are gonna miss a out a bit. The sad thing is that's not really necessary that was a choice bethesda made because it wasn't like that in FO4.
Like, there's a great hair and beard mod out right now but it takes another framework mod to work. BTW Script extender (SFSE) is the mod that allows modders to do all sorts of things you can't do without it. So those mods will never be on creations.

[WOLFHORS3]

BTW, anyone know what protections there are for modders not on creations. Like if someone just completely stole a mod off nexus and just put their name on it. Does Bethesda condone or ignore that?

[General Fredrik]

Originally posted by WOLFHORS3:

BTW, anyone know what protections there are for modders not on creations. Like if someone just completely stole a mod off nexus and just put their name on it. Does Bethesda condone or ignore that?

There is no way to report mods on the creation site so you're just boned.

[lunsmann]

Originally posted by WOLFHORS3:

BTW, anyone know what protections there are for modders not on creations. Like if someone just completely stole a mod off nexus and just put their name on it. Does Bethesda condone or ignore that?

That actually happened when the Skyrim creation club was implemented. BGS apparently took the mods down and banned the thieves game accounts. Permanent ban ??? But it's a while ago now. There's bound to be people about who were involved.

[Vlad 254]

As long as people/users know that both mod managers are still being worked on for use with Starfield then have at it if you have experience modding BGS games. I'm using Vortex right now but am being very careful in what I add as to possible conflicting data between mods.

Consider both mod mangers a WIP right now. We all know what comes with anything that's a WIP.

[hamletsdead]

Late to the party, but just use MO2. All the creations mods will be in your overwrite folder automatically, broken into their various components and with the stupid naming protocal Beth uses (e.g. sfbgs19 instead of mod name). All you need to do is create empty mods (by right-clicking in MO2 and selecting "Create empty mod inside"), then name them appropriately, cut-and-paste the relevent files into them (e.g., ba2, esm, etc) and then drag your newly named creation mods whereever you want in your load order. If you leave them in Overwrite, they "overwrite" everything, which is no bueno.

[lunsmann]

Originally posted by hamletsdead:

Late to the party, but just use MO2. All the creations mods will be in your overwrite folder automatically, broken into their various components and with the stupid naming protocal Beth uses (e.g. sfbgs19 instead of mod name). All you need to do is create empty mods (by right-clicking in MO2 and selecting "Create empty mod inside"), then name them appropriately, cut-and-paste the relevent files into them (e.g., ba2, esm, etc) and then drag your newly named creation mods whereever you want in your load order. If you leave them in Overwrite, they "overwrite" everything, which is no bueno.

I actually launch the game from STEAM. Then go to the creation club from the menu, install the mods, then EXIT the game from the menu.

Then launching MO2 the CC mods are in the top section on the left side and can be managed like any other mod. A lot less messing about.

I'm using v 2.5.3dev2