The Load Order of Mod Categories

[Daevinski]

I'm using Mod Organizer 2 and I'm learning (again) about Mods and Load Orders, but I'm a little bit confused about the Load Order regarding Mod Categories.

For example, I should load UI/HUD Mods before or after Inventory Mods? Gameplay and Combat Mods before or after NPCs/Enemies Mods? You know, things like that.

I found some references in guides available on Nexus, but nothing really solid that makes sense to me, so would be nice to read some suggestions of active players with experience.

[ZarahNeander]

I'm gonna try....

There're 2 MO2 panels: the right panel with all the plugins and the central panel with all the mods. Usually you leave the right panel to Loot, resp. the MO2 'Sort' button. The central panel is abit more tricky. It's the install order: think of MO2 installing all the mods, starting at priority 1, when you start FO4, and uninstalling when you exit FO4. Now let's say, a mod at priority 5 installs texture A and another mod at priority 50 also does. Obviously, the later mod wins, cause the former texture A gets overwritten.

For the most part, you can ignore install order, when in doubt (or when things go wrong), check the (left pane) 'conflicted' filter.

Hope this helps

Edit: categories are for your personal organisation and are more or less irrelevant

[Daevinski]

Originally posted by ZarahNeander:

I'm gonna try....

There're 2 MO2 panels: the right panel with all the plugins and the central panel with all the mods. Usually you leave the right panel to Loot, resp. the MO2 'Sort' button. The central panel is abit more tricky. It's the install order: think of MO2 installing all the mods, starting at priority 1, when you start FO4, and uninstalling when you exit FO4. Now let's say, a mod at priority 5 installs texture A and another mod at priority 50 also does. Obviously, the later mod wins, cause the former texture A gets overwritten.

For the most part, you can ignore install order, when in doubt (or when things go wrong), check the (left pane) 'conflicted' filter.

Hope this helps

Thanks! That sure helps a lot.

When I say "Load Order" I was considering everything equally, but seems like that Install Order (left) and Load Order (right) are different things to be considered.

I'm going to watch some more videos about the matter.

Edit: I found this thread[forum.step-project.com] that complements really nice, for anyone interested.

[Chef]

Heres some more info.

First there are genrally 2 types of mod types (for this conversation). Mods with loose files and mods that are packed into ba2 files. A ba2 file loads when the plugin (esp/esl/esm) loads, so it is controlled by load order. Also, loose files always overwrite archives.

So in my left pane I have 3 general groups. First is script extender mods (F4SE), then mods with plugins (worted according to the order of the plugins in the right pane), and then texture mods with loose files.

The 3rd group is where you really need to make choices by moving them around and checking which files are overwritten and which mod you want to win. And this group is also the one with the most personal choice. I usually have the large overhauls towards the top of that group with more specific texture mods towards the bottom.

[Daevinski]

Originally posted by Chef:

Heres some more info.

First there are genrally 2 types of mod types (for this conversation). Mods with loose files and mods that are packed into ba2 files. A ba2 file loads when the plugin (esp/esl/esm) loads, so it is controlled by load order. Also, loose files always overwrite archives.

So in my left pane I have 3 general groups. First is script extender mods (F4SE), then mods with plugins (worted according to the order of the plugins in the right pane), and then texture mods with loose files.

The 3rd group is where you really need to make choices by moving them around and checking which files are overwritten and which mod you want to win. And this group is also the one with the most personal choice. I usually have the large overhauls towards the top of that group with more specific texture mods towards the bottom.

And what about UI/HUD mods or mods like AWKCR and DEF_UI, how you deal with it?

[hawkeye]

This faq is for the original MO and Skyrim but explains a lot of things -

https://wiki.step-project.com/Guide:Mod_Organizer#tab=Priorities

[Chef]

Originally posted by Daevinski:

And what about UI/HUD mods or mods like AWKCR and DEF_UI, how you deal with it?

For those there is a specific load order. It's explained on the AWKRC mod page, or in the comments I believe.