Modding. ESP vs ESP-FE

[pendraggon]

Difference?
New to Wrye Bash
New to it.

A mod I tried to install does not have a file structure WB recognizes.
I opened archive to see if I could take files to make an archive it could.
Inside there was tw folders, one named esp, the other esp-le and I had to chose one, but I don't know the difference.

Would someone please explain?

[FauxFurry]

An esp-fe is a Light Plug-in, meaning that it doesn't have the normal plug-in limit, going from 254-ish to 4096 or so.

[pendraggon]

Originally posted by FauxFurry:

An esp-fe is a Light Plug-in, meaning that it doesn't have the normal plug-in limit, going from 254-ish to 4096 or so.

So it works exactly like the ESP, but doesn't count towards max number?

[Kobi Blade]

An ESP-FE is an ESP file converted to ESL through xEdit (after being compacted in CK).

It will use the ESL load order limits, but keep the ESP load order rules.

You should choose ESP and ESP-FE whenever you can, avoid native ESL mods though (due to the nature of how they get loaded, it can cause more issues than you need).

[Chef]

Originally posted by Kobi Blade:

An ESP-FE is an ESP file converted to ESL through xEdit (after being compacted in CK).

It will use the ESL load order limits, but keep the ESP load order rules.

You should choose ESP and ESP-FE whenever you can, avoid native ESL mods though (due to the nature of how they get loaded, it can cause more issues than you need).

Incorrect.

An ESPFE is a esp that has the ESL flag set. These plugins can sort anywhere in the esp block. Plugins that have the ESL flag set or have the .esl extension count towards the 4096 (theoritical) limit.

[Kobi Blade]

Originally posted by Chef:

Originally posted by Kobi Blade:

An ESP-FE is an ESP file converted to ESL through xEdit (after being compacted in CK).

It will use the ESL load order limits, but keep the ESP load order rules.

You should choose ESP and ESP-FE whenever you can, avoid native ESL mods though (due to the nature of how they get loaded, it can cause more issues than you need).

Incorrect.

An ESPFE is a esp that has the ESL flag set. These plugins can sort anywhere in the esp block. Plugins that have the ESL flag set or have the .esl extension count towards the 4096 (theoritical) limit.

Before claiming others are incorrect, do some research, you making a fool of yourself (no offence).

I gave a semi-detailed description of the process, and you claimed I was incorrect while giving a simple description of the same process (I find that offensive and ridiculous).

[Chef]

What you are describing is compacting formID's to convert an esp into an esl. That is an esl file.

[Kobi Blade]

Originally posted by Chef:

What you are describing is compacting formID's to convert an esp into an esl. That is an esl file.

It's not an ESL file until you save it as ESL, you clearly never converted any ESP to ESP-FE.

You're wasting my time, you don't convert an ESP to ESP-FE without compacting it first, then you change the flags.

Install CK at least once and read some tutorials and Modders resources, before trying to correct others on how stuff works.

Avoid spreading more misinformation, https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/articles/943

Part of the process of converting a plugin from ESP to ESP-FE is compacting form IDs

[Chef]

Part of the process of converting a plugin from ESP to ESP-FE is compacting form IDs, which can make the plugin incompatible with existing save games, depending on what those form IDs are. This guide will only cover patches which have compacted form IDs. Most patches do not fall into this category, making the ESP and ESP-FE versions interchangeable.

While this paragraph may be technically correct in part for that paticular mod, as a whole it is not correct regarding an esp with an ESL flag.

As far as "converting" it goes, the quickest way to do that is to start xEdit with the -pseudoesl argument and then set the flag on everything that qualifies. Compacting formID's should only be done on a mod you made that has never been released to the public. It should not be done by mod users.

If you think anything I said above is incorrect I would invite you to join the xEdit discord and do some reading of your own.

[Kobi Blade]

Originally posted by Chef:

Part of the process of converting a plugin from ESP to ESP-FE is compacting form IDs, which can make the plugin incompatible with existing save games, depending on what those form IDs are. This guide will only cover patches which have compacted form IDs. Most patches do not fall into this category, making the ESP and ESP-FE versions interchangeable.

While this paragraph may be technically correct in part for that paticular mod, as a whole it is not correct regarding an esp with an ESL flag.

As far as "converting" it goes, the quickest way to do that is to start xEdit with the -pseudoesl argument and then set the flag on everything that qualifies. Compacting formID's should only be done on a mod you made that has never been released to the public. It should not be done by mod users.

If you think anything I said above is incorrect I would invite you to join the xEdit discord and do some reading of your own.

You have no way of knowing if I'm on xEdit Discord or not. After making a fool yourself you now going through Google to try and weasel out of it.

You not telling me anything I don't know already, and yes you're still wrong in some aspects which show clear lack of experience.

But I'm done wasting my time, this topic is dead for me.

When you reach the private nexus discord (not the public one every average joe can enter), we'll talk, is the day you'll actually have minimal experience.

[Chef]

My name on the xEdit discord is Chef93, on the Nexus Mod Author discord I am Chef. Feel free to ping me there.