SKE Mod is Driving Me Crazy with Integration

[HummV_70]

I am relatively new to Nexus and the modding community compared to probably most, but I'm a fast learner.

I have taken some time to experiment and play around with load orders, activating/deactivating various mods from Nexus.
(Started on Bethesda, but a while ago deleted everything from game on up and started completely fresh with Nexus after I learned about it's existence.)

However, I loaded 3-5 mods at a time and had very little issues, some, but fixed them as I went.
Now, I did my research about SKE and why it's needed and what and how it does what it does.

I loaded it and lost a lot of settlement options.
I have spent the last 3-4 hours playing with load orders and which mods give me what.
During my last game with over three days I grew attached to certain settlement mods.
Particularly the Building Blocks.esm.
(or at least I think it's this mod)
No longer can I build various foundations (painted, halves, quarters) and the only 'set' of foundations is in my Homemaker suite.

I have run the multiple menus, added one at a time....same result.
Deinstalled
Ran the single menu, added one at a time.....same result.

It seems that SKE does more harm than good, however there are quite a few mods that state complete SKE compatibility so I am not sure if it is me, or if I have over 250 (which I believe I do not), but like I said, added them one at a time and a lot of new stuff is added, but a lot is missing.

Also, roughly half of the build material menus (wood, metal, concrete) are showing options in text but it is not displaying the object ingame to actually build it/set it/snap it, if that makes sense.

If someone has patience and is pretty familiar with Settlement Building mods please let me know.
I'll be happy to provide any info I can.

I do have NMM, LOOT, FO4Edit, F4SE.
No conflicts or erros....
Only if I disable certain .esp's for testing will I get warnings.

If I activate all downloaded mods I am crystal without any warnings whatsoever.

[ronr42]

OK, I think I understand what you're trying to figure out.

First, list all your build menu mods, perferably your whole NMM load order.

SKE adds a whole new category as you probably already know. It does not remove anything from the vanilla build menus. You should still have the vanilla foundations under structures.

Once you list your mods, I'll take a look at them and can probably help at least with the ones I also use.

Now, when a mod says SKE compatible that does not always mean the mod injects it's scripts into the SKE category. It sometimes just means that the mod won't conflict with SKE and that the mod adds it's items to the vanilla menus.

Some building mods have a non SKE download file and an SKE download file. I recommend using SKE files as often as possible to not clutter up the vanilla menus any more than you have to.

If you use Snap N Build it should still be at the end of structures in the vanilla menu. Homemaker will be under SKE and check both of the mods pages, as there used to be a patch that was needed to make them compatible. I can't remember if I have a patch for them or if the patch is no longer needed due to updates.

There are still many mods, especially older ones that place everything in the vanilla menus and not under SKE. Modular Kitchen, Build your own pool and the clean settlement mods are some of them. Be VERY careful if you ever uninstall a mod that adds it's items to the vanilla menus. Many now have a chem you must make at a chem station and consume it Before uninstalling that mod. The problem with mods that don't have the uninstall chem is that some once uninstalled will cause you to lose one or more of you vanilla categories. Structures for example. Make sure you read a mods uninstall directions before you uninstall it.

While I'm thinking of it, you may want to check out "Alternate Settlements". It is a SKE mod and has Many better looking foundations, walls and windows that you may like. Also the Clean settlement mod "Clean Shacks" retextures some of Snap N Builds walls floors and roofs. They look great!

I'll be up and down from my pc for a while so post your building mods and if they're ones I use I can tell you where they add their items.

Last thing. I have a plant/flower decoration mod called "More Colorful Potted Plants" and when you go to the vanilla decorations misc section those plants have no preview picture yet the planters with plants place just fine. You may run into a mod that plain doesn't work but, just because there's no preview image that doesn't mean you can't place the items. Another thing with some mods is that their items can only be placed on a floor even when it is small enough to fit on a table. You just have to get used to how each mod works which takes time.

Edit; In your load order SKE needs to be placed ontop/before any mods that use it.

Mine goes;

DLC's
SKE
Homemaker
Snap N Build
Alternate Settlements
Clean Settlement Snap N Build
Clean Settlement.esp

[HummV_70]

ron, once again thank you....seems i see you on here often! :)

well, i let my temper get the best of me. i really do plan on playing FO4 for years with all the mods available and my love for the game so i want to learn and actually understand what does what and why it does what it does.

i stated 3-4 hours but really it's been probably 8 over a 3 day span.

no matter what i did i could not get it to work right.
vanilla menus were missing, concrete section completely gone, only under Homemaker and it was just the one section, menus were available with no means/mechanics to actually build it (had the materials), etc etc etc

this has been one he** of a crash course with help only from here...no responses from Nexus community unfortunately.

so, i literally deleted everything and i mean everything down to the game.

loading game now

[HummV_70]

i think you hit the nail on the head with the chem station.

[HummV_70]

Originally posted by ronr42:

OK, I think I understand what you're trying to figure out.

First, list all your build menu mods, perferably your whole NMM load order.

SKE adds a whole new category as you probably already know. It does not remove anything from the vanilla build menus. You should still have the vanilla foundations under structures.

Once you list your mods, I'll take a look at them and can probably help at least with the ones I also use.

Now, when a mod says SKE compatible that does not always mean the mod injects it's scripts into the SKE category. It sometimes just means that the mod won't conflict with SKE and that the mod adds it's items to the vanilla menus.

Some building mods have a non SKE download file and an SKE download file. I recommend using SKE files as often as possible to not clutter up the vanilla menus any more than you have to.

If you use Snap N Build it should still be at the end of structures in the vanilla menu. Homemaker will be under SKE and check both of the mods pages, as there used to be a patch that was needed to make them compatible. I can't remember if I have a patch for them or if the patch is no longer needed due to updates.

There are still many mods, especially older ones that place everything in the vanilla menus and not under SKE. Modular Kitchen, Build your own pool and the clean settlement mods are some of them. Be VERY careful if you ever uninstall a mod that adds it's items to the vanilla menus. Many now have a chem you must make at a chem station and consume it Before uninstalling that mod. The problem with mods that don't have the uninstall chem is that some once uninstalled will cause you to lose one or more of you vanilla categories. Structures for example. Make sure you read a mods uninstall directions before you uninstall it.

While I'm thinking of it, you may want to check out "Alternate Settlements". It is a SKE mod and has Many better looking foundations, walls and windows that you may like. Also the Clean settlement mod "Clean Shacks" retextures some of Snap N Builds walls floors and roofs. They look great!

I'll be up and down from my pc for a while so post your building mods and if they're ones I use I can tell you where they add their items.

Last thing. I have a plant/flower decoration mod called "More Colorful Potted Plants" and when you go to the vanilla decorations misc section those plants have no preview picture yet the planters with plants place just fine. You may run into a mod that plain doesn't work but, just because there's no preview image that doesn't mean you can't place the items. Another thing with some mods is that their items can only be placed on a floor even when it is small enough to fit on a table. You just have to get used to how each mod works which takes time.

Edit; In your load order SKE needs to be placed ontop/before any mods that use it.

Mine goes;

DLC's
SKE
Homemaker
Snap N Build
Alternate Settlements
Clean Settlement Snap N Build
Clean Settlement.esp

would you add me please? i would like to contact you out of public posts if you don't mind. may want your advice down the road.

[ronr42]

Yeah I will but LOL I don't comment or read comments on my profile much. I will keep a check on it and if there's a way I can help I will. You just might have to be patient waiting for an answer. Accepting friend request now.

FYI; My profile IS public. I have no desire to ever make it private.

[ronr42]

Since you're redownloading and starting over, don't forget to first launch the game so the .ini's are created then re-add the 3 lines to your Custom.ini so nexus mods will work.

You said you're new to nexus mods and NMM. Always remember that all .esm's must load before any .esp's. It's best to only download one mod at a time, go ingame and make sure it's working as intended before downloading another one. That way if you get anykind of a conflict you'll know it was caused by the last mod you installed. Oh, and always make a clean/new save before downloading a mod.

[HummV_70]

3hrs of updates....really??? lol

[HummV_70]

not that new to NMM :)

[ronr42]

Here's something else. It is posible that a mod you Install can cause you to lose a menu category. It's not just uninstalling a mod that can cause that.

I have a mod called "All DLC Building Independent Patch". Took me quite sometime to realize that mod had caused me to lose my SKE "Alternate Settlements" Concrete menu. Took awhile because all that mod does is place all DLC build menu addons under one menu instead of several. Once I disabled it, not uninstall, I had my Concrete menu back.

[HummV_70]

although, that does remind me of one thing...

had the Scrap Everything Mod in in my load order I had it at the bottom as the developer suggested on Nexus, but when applying LOOT, it put it at the top with the other .esms

thought that was a little odd

[HummV_70]

is there a mod out there to be able to 'label' your saves? always hated that.

i will do everything you said.

going to be an all-nighter with this now.
have to reinstall FO4Edit and F4SE and Loot
plus one mod at a time

[HummV_70]

seems like LOOT isn't actually needed if you do everything correctly on NMM?

[ronr42]

I have never used LOOT so I don't know how it decides to rearrange your load order.

My Scrap Everything is towards the bottom of 54 mods but not all the way to the bottom.

Warning! Scrap Everything messes up the meshes and texture in vault 88. Some players get it worse than others. Some just have a few missing textures on walls. ME, The whole flipping vault is pulled apart! Up is down and down is Way down. Hard to explain except I can't use vault 88 at all! The price I pay because I want Scrap Everything more than I want vault 88. I got 32 starving settlers there and there ain't nothing I can do about it. :)

[HummV_70]

SSD loads the game in a very short amount of time and now 3hrs from Steam on updates???
something seems wrong with that picture....lol

Just checked the 'View Updates' and it takes you to the reviews of mods, really, wtf? ;)

[HummV_70]

in my second game i completed 88 so i agree, scrap everything is more important to me also.