how do I manually install mods WITHOUT nexus mod manager?

[Just another Ian]

Every tutorial I found shows you how to install mods using Nexus mod manager, but I downloaded without it. Where do I put my .esp files? where do i pt my .bsm files? where do I put my texture files? where do I put my static mesh improvement files? Does it all go in the data folder?

[Incunabulum]

You extract the mod files and put them in the appropriate directories.

[Just another Ian]

I see... what are the appropriate file names?

[JDaremo Fireheart]

Why do you want to?

It's best to use a Mod Manger program like Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 for your mod installations. Especially mods with loose files.
If you add one mod and then another mod wants to Over-Write files of another mod, you have to keep track of what files get over-written in case you want to reverse that and restore those files.
Using Vortex or Mod Organizer 2 removes that step by remembering what is over-written by what.

Many of us Modding Veterans used to manually install our mods and when Mod Organizer 1 came along, it was like a weight was lifted from our shoulders. Both Managers use a Virtual Folder System that prevent corruption of the game's data folder. Manual Modding your game always runs the risk of you having to totally reinstall the game to clean the data folder because the file system gets so buggered from installing and uninstalling mods that your game crashes every time you launch it.

Another great thing about using Vortex or MO2 is that you can create Different Profiles and have a different Mod Load-out for Each Profile. Manually Installing your mods Locks you to 1 Mod Load-Out and forces you to use the same Load Order for each character you make.

[bLaCkShAd0w]

Originally posted by JDaremo Fireheart:

Both Managers use a Virtual Folder System that prevent corruption of the game's data folder.

Not really the right word. Cluttered maybe, Corrupted, No way.

That was the only original way to install mods. Its also exactly how the "official" workshop or bnet mods are installed.

Ive never bothered to learn any other way to install anything.

To me personally, I see no difference in putting mods in data, Or virtual links that essentially extrapolate the data folder over multiple locations.

You either clutter data, or you clutter your mods folder which links to data. Same boat imo.

Managers are better if either a: you dont know how to install, Or dont want to risk messing something up.

Or b: you are constantly trying or changing mods and the quicker management is obviously much easier to switch stuff out.

To each their own though, I would never claim manual is better than managed, Its just what I know and stick to, I would expect anyone else to do the same.

[tulle040657]

Any good mod author will have manual install directions on the description page of the mod

[Ihateeverybody]

To answer the OP. Very carefully and one mod at a time. Seriously. Until you have an intimate knowledge of where every thing is and how it affects everything else.

Learn how to read a mods FOMOD XML (because most mods have them). Even then you will likely screw up (I still do). Even though I have installed XP32 Skeliton literally HUNDREDS of times, I still stress every time it updates and keep backups of the last version.

My opinion is if you don't plan to spend hundreds or thousands of hours with the game modded, just use a mod manager.

I will give a few pieces of advice.

Never use the ingame mod manager for anything but creation club content.

Here is another In the Plugins file there is invisable field between mods that can exasperate manually enabling mods. You can tell where it is by arrow keying past it (it will take two presses to get to the next character). The * in front of the mod you want to enable needs to be to the RIGHT of this field.

Never let anything copy over your XP32 Skeliton files (if you install it).

It's not scary or impossible, it just takes dedication, reading up on the mod pages and knowing what you are doing and when. The machines do it faster and some say more reliably. I just feel better doing it myself.

[SpeedFreak1972]

the problems mostly start with uninstalling mods it's very easy to accidentally forget files especially with large mods that have loose files.

[bLaCkShAd0w]

Originally posted by SpeedFreak1972:

the problems mostly start with uninstalling mods it's very easy to accidentally forget files especially with large mods that have loose files.

But if you did your due dilligence, You will have a downloaded copy of the entire mod for reference.

After you mess up a few times and have to nuke the entire directory, You learn quickly not to make mistakes.

[JDaremo Fireheart]

Originally posted by Ihateeverybody:

To answer the OP. Very carefully and one mod at a time. Seriously. Until you have an intimate knowledge of where every thing is and how it affects everything else.

Learn how to read a mods FOMOD XML (because most mods have them). Even then you will likely screw up (I still do). Even though I have installed XP32 Skeliton literally HUNDREDS of times, I still stress every time it updates and keep backups of the last version.

My opinion is if you don't plan to spend hundreds or thousands of hours with the game modded, just use a mod manager.

I will give a few pieces of advice.

Never use the ingame mod manager for anything but creation club content.

Here is another In the Plugins file there is invisable field between mods that can exasperate manually enabling mods. You can tell where it is by arrow keying past it (it will take two presses to get to the next character). The * in front of the mod you want to enable needs to be to the RIGHT of this field.

Never let anything copy over your XP32 Skeliton files (if you install it).

It's not scary or impossible, it just takes dedication, reading up on the mod pages and knowing what you are doing and when. The machines do it faster and some say more reliably. I just feel better doing it myself.

Very well said, ihateeverybody. I probably would have seemed to write a book if I tried.

Modding Manually takes a lot of time and Very Careful Planning. As I said before, some mods you install will want to Over-Write files you already have installed, and as tulle040657 stated, Good Mod Authors will have instructions on their page about what mods theirs is compatible with and what files from other mods theirs should Over-Write or be Over-Written by.

If you plan to continue with this, do your research on how to do it right and Keep Notes . . . LOTS of Notes. Write down:

• What Mods Over-Write What Mods.
  
• What Files were Over-Written.
  
• Instructions made by the Mod Authors.
  
• ETC

The Pinned Discussions both in this Discussion Board and the Original Skyrim Discussion Board will be of great help to you whether you choose to Manually Mod your game or use a Mod Manager like Vortex or Mod Organizer 2. For the latter two, Gopher and GamerPoets have great Tutorial Videos on YouTube.

Here, Bookmark these just in case you choose to use a Mod Manager.

• Gopher's Vortex Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE7DlYarj-DfYgxma5znKGYEqAHDU_WU-
  
• GamerPoets' Mod Organizer 2 Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlN8weLk86Xh3ue76x2ibqtmMramwQmHB

Those are also the Official Tutorials for those two programs.

If you need further help or have more questions, Seek Out the Old Farts (Veteran Modders) in the Old Farts Coffee House https://steamcommunity.com/app/489830/discussions/0/154643795211522292/

[smr1957]

Nice discussion of what is involved in modding manually - great job, everyone! Am making a note of this thread for my notes - good reference.

[JDaremo Fireheart]

Originally posted by smr1957:

Nice discussion of what is involved in modding manually - great job, everyone! Am making a note of this thread for my notes - good reference.

But But But, you're a modding Pro . . .

[smr1957]

Always good to have something to link to for those who aren't - saves on writing time! And god, remember manually modding all the old games - what a pain! Don;t even want to THINK of what would be involved in doing my load manually (probably would not really be feasible!).

[JDaremo Fireheart]

Originally posted by smr1957:

Always good to have something to link to for those who aren't - saves on writing time! And god, remember manually modding all the old games - what a pain! Don;t even want to THINK of what would be involved in doing my load manually (probably would not really be feasible!).

I started with Morrowind back when Robin broke away from being a Fan Site to an actual Mod Hosting Site called TESSsource. I think that was back in 2007.

[smr1957]

I remember modding the original Silent Hunter submarine game - that was way back!

[JDaremo Fireheart]

Originally posted by smr1957:

I remember modding the original Silent Hunter submarine game - that was way back!

wow, yeah. I think I have the install disk around here somewhere . . . might be with my Windows 3.11 stack of 3.5 disks, and my DOS 5.0 disks. Yes, I seriously still have those, along with my first PC. IBM 386 dx33 with a 8Mb Memory Daughterboard.