I hate the 255 plugin limit... (trying to figure out the proper way to merge plugins)

[fauxpas]

Well, I managed to hit the 255 plugin limit tonight, ran an automated bash patch which allowed me to add a few more mods; but hit it again.


So, does anyone have any advice on how to proper merge plugins or do I need to grit my teeth and slash my mod list? *crosses fingers and hopes that isn't the answer*

[Jjp7123]

Here's a guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S6cpCwTezE

[fauxpas]

Thanks, I'll watch it tomorrow.

[Mringasa]

Look at the Coffee House posts and quake in fear at a certain Guru's 1200+ mod setup. There is no legitimate limit to how many mods you can load, because with xEdit and WryeBash you can pare it down by merging and creating bashed patches.

I'm up to 300 right now, roughly, just from answering some questions and seeing various mods that piqued my interest. Going to be a fun time learning how to do all that when I sit down and build the dang thing.

Good luck with your build, fauxpas. If you have problems, post them here so you can get the dogpile of help from everyone. :)

[smr1957]

I've posted this several other places, but I'll repost this here for easy access (you should copy to notepad or other program and have it handy as you go through the process of merging) In addition, though I haven't watched that particular vid, a lot of misinformation as to what mods can be merged or should be merged is floating about - I really would not trust any vid unless it was made by Gamer Poets or Gopher (and even they can sometimes make mistakes - though not often!):

Merging mods is just about the last step in the learning process of handling mods. The reason for this is that one of the prime requirements for merging mods is that you have a completely stable, nonconflicting game. Every mod that you are going to merge together should be known to work with not only the mods you are merging with it, but also with every other mod in your load order. In addition, your load order should be finalized to the point that you will not be removing mods from it - every mod in your load order should be pretty much set before you begin merging mods. You may want to add more in, but you should not be taking any out (and any that you may add, should be tested on a clean, test save to ensure that they will work with all the others).

Another thing (at least for myself), mods should be edited for compatibility - especially ones that you wish to merge - prior to the merging process, and this is pretty much the most advanced thing you can do with TES5Edit (in fact, I don't recommend it at all for anyone who is not totally experienced and comfortable using TES5Edit).

The safest mods to merge are patches that effect one mod so that it can work well with others - and these are usually the most numerous mods in an individual's load.

To put it all together:
1. Ensure that your load order and all the mods are stable and do not cause any problems.
2. Finalize your load to the point that you will not be removing any mods.
3. Ensure that everything is compatible and all or any patches necessary are present in your load.
4. Test the game. If it runs with no problems, make a hard (manual) save and keep it as a backup, just in case you have to roll back.
5. Select the mods you wish to merge - and keep it simple.
6. Merge - and once merged, reload merged file in TES5Edit and check for any errors.
7. Install and place the Merged file in the proper place in your load order.
8. Test to ensure that everything functions as it should with the merged file installed.
9. Play and enjoy

HOW TO MERGE
This is taken from page for Merge Plugins xEdit Script by matortheeternal - http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/37981/? , which is what I use (there is a newer merge mod out that replaces this one: Merge Plugins by Mator - http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/69905/? )

Begin quote:

Merging Plugins with Mod Organizer:
1. Set up the plugins you plan on merging so they're all in adjacent load order slots. Test to
make sure the plugins create the desired behavior in the game before merging.
2. Run xEdit through Mod Organizer and load the mods you want to merge.
3. Use "Check For errors" on files to be merged and fix any errors xEdit finds. See the FAQ
for more information on errors and how to fix them.
4. Hold control and click on each of the mods you want to merge so they're highlighted.
5. Right-click on one of the mods and click "Apply Script".
6. Choose "Merge Plugins v1.8" from the drop-down menu and click OK.
7. If it's your first time running Merge Plugins v1.9 you will be taken to the Advanced Options window.
When here, check the "I'm using Mod Organizer" checkbox and set Mod Organizer's directory (you can use the Detect button to have the script try to find it for you). Check "Copy General Assets", and
set the Asset destination directory to Mod Organizer's overwrite folder, then click "Save".
8. Verify the mods you want to merge are checked, and that no other mods are checked, then click OK.
9. Choose -- CREATE NEW FILE -- and click OK.
10. Enter the filename you wish to use for the merged plugin.
11. Wait for merging to complete. If an error occurs (highly unlikely) the script will stop, display the
log, and alert you that an error occurred. Post this log on Nexus Mods to receive assistance.
12. Once merging is completed, close xEdit saving ONLY the new merged plugin you just created.
13. Right click on the Overwrite mod in Mod Organizer and click "Create Mod...". Name the mod,
activate it, and then deactivate the mods you merged.
14. Start the game and test to see if the merged plugin is working as intended.


Merging Plugins with Nexus Mod Manager:
1. Set up the plugins you plan on merging so they're all in adjacent load order slots. Test to
make sure the plugins create the desired behavior in the game before merging.
2. Run xEdit and load the mods you want to merge.
3. Use "Check For errors" on files to be merged and fix any errors xEdit finds. See the FAQ
for more information on errors and how to fix them.
4. Hold control and click on each of the mods you want to merge so they're highlighted.
5. Right-click on one of the mods and click "Apply Script".
6. Choose "Merge Plugins v1.9" from the drop-down menu and click OK.
7. If it's your first time running Merge Plugins v1.9 you will be taken to the Advanced Options window.
When here, check "Extract BSAs", and set the Asset destination directory to a folder on your desktop (or somewhere else) for the Merged Plugin you're making.
8. Verify the mods you want to merge are checked, and that no other mods are checked, then click OK.
9. Choose -- CREATE NEW FILE -- and click OK.
10. Enter the filename you wish to use for the merged plugin.
11. Wait for merging to complete. If an error occurs (highly unlikely) the script will stop, display the
log, and alert you that an error occurred. Post this log on Nexus Mods to receive assistance.
12. Once merging is completed, close xEdit saving ONLY the new merged plugin you just created.
13. Open your Skyrim data directory and move the Merged Plugin ESP file from it to the folder on
your desktop. Add the folder on your desktop to a .zip, .rar, or .7z archive, then install it in
Nexus Mod Manager. Activate it and deactivate the plugins of the mods you merged from your
load order.
14. Start the game and test to see if the merged plugin is working as intended.


Verifying your Merged ESP:
You should also re-open the merged ESP in xEdit after merging and use Check For Errors to make
sure everything is functional.


Removing Plugins from a Merged Plugin:
As of v1.7, you can remove plugins from a merged plugin. This will only work on plugins made with
Merge Plugins v1.7 or newer. Note: this is an experimental feature and results may vary.

1. Load your merged plugin in TES5Edit.
2. Right click on the merged plugin, and click "Apply Script".
3. Choose "Merged Plugin Manager v1.2" from the drop-down menu and click OK.
4. Check the plugins you want to remove, then click "Remove".
5. Close the Merged Plugin Manager and then exit TES5Edit, saving the merged plugin.

End quote.

[Nuverotic]

Here’s the question that never gets answered...
How do you check to see if it’s all working before you merge, if you’re over the 255 plugin limit?

I’m at the point where I’ve got 800 mods and 32 are over the plugin limit.

I can’t Bash it down because WryeBash doesn’t read over the 255 plugin limit.
I’m unsure if Xedit does.
I’ve already ESL’d everything I could.

I need to merge mod groups before I can run wryebash.
And I obviously can’t test in game until I’ve done that.

And now everything is done with zEdit of which there is ONE tutorial on YouTube. And it’s a mess of a tutorial. Jumps between all the mod managers the whole video.

So how, when you’re so far over the 255, do you start whittling that number down?

[Vlad 254]

Originally posted by fauxpas:

Well, I managed to hit the 255 plugin limit tonight, ran an automated bash patch which allowed me to add a few more mods; but hit it again.


So, does anyone have any advice on how to proper merge plugins or do I need to grit my teeth and slash my mod list? *crosses fingers and hopes that isn't the answer*

A very simple yet detailed Video by one of the best.

https://youtu.be/g_urrHrGQOY

[smr1957]

For those asking how you go about it if you are already over the limit, you don't.
You need to plan ahead. You need to know what your mod list will most likely be. You need to merge as you go.

And, most importantly, you need to be experienced. You just can't just say "I'm going to make an 800 mod build," you need to work up to it, so that you know in advance what steps you need to take. And if you are not sure, then you need to make a smaller build. A tremendous amount of work is necessary to put together a very large build, and much of the work is based upon knowledge obtained from putting together smaller builds. The ability to put together a large build does not come overnight, nor in a week, or even a month - and sometimes it never comes.

But, the very first and most important thing is the ability to put together a completely stable and CTD free game, and the knowledge and ability to use xEdit to achieve that. Without that, any attempt at a large build is doomed to failure.

[smr1957]

It's almost like the story of the person who asked Mozart to teach him how to write a symphony - and Mozart said he couldn't. To which the person allegedly said " What do you mean you can't teach me? You were writing symphonies at the age of 12!" And Mozart is said to have replied, "But no one had to teach me."

[Tiberius]

Originally posted by Nerds Playhouse:

Here’s the question that never gets answered...
How do you check to see if it’s all working before you merge, if you’re over the 255 plugin limit?

I’m at the point where I’ve got 800 mods and 32 are over the plugin limit.

I can’t Bash it down because WryeBash doesn’t read over the 255 plugin limit.
I’m unsure if Xedit does.
I’ve already ESL’d everything I could.

I need to merge mod groups before I can run wryebash.
And I obviously can’t test in game until I’ve done that.

And now everything is done with zEdit of which there is ONE tutorial on YouTube. And it’s a mess of a tutorial. Jumps between all the mod managers the whole video.

So how, when you’re so far over the 255, do you start whittling that number down?

You cant.

Idc what anyone said. Theres no way to check it, even with all the tools out there.

The only definitive way to check it is by playing the game.

I know some (really) famous guides out there who stupidly put both honed metal and ars metallica in their mod list. You could never detect problems between those two mods until you play the game. Ctd will occur sometime when you talk to blacksmith with those two mods enabled.

[258789553873]

Have you tried to turn some of your mods into ESL files? That's what I've been doing. xEdit can even tell you which mods you can convert and which you can't. That's what most modders do. You can easily go above the 255 mod limit this way (I have about 300 installed in my game).

As for merging mods, I have no clue how to do that. It used to be that wryebash could do it, but they removed that feature for some reason. As far as I know, there isn't currently a way to merge plugins in SE. Though turning your own mods into ESL files should get you pretty far. Heck, its common for mod authors to upload ESL versions of their own mods! Some of your mods may already be ESL files without you knowing (if you open up xEdit, it'll tell which mods are ESLs and which not). Also, patches tend to be ESL files (I know the patches from qwinn's are all ESL files). You can also normally turn patches into ESL files yourself without issue.

[smr1957]

Mods can be merged in SSE - I really don't know where anyone is getting the idea that they cannot. Also, using Wrye Bash to merge was never the proper way to do it. It must be done using the standalone merge tool or the merge script for xEdit (which is what I use).

Also, please note - these last few answers are in response to Nerds Playhouse - NOT to the OP.

Nerds Playhouse, it would be a good idea in the future to start your own thread. If you have more questions with regard to this subject, again, start a new thread.