Need Help Porting Mods to SSE

[Hyen《A》 ♧]

As I'm not an expert in porting things, if something doesn't work I would have no idea if it's something I'm doing wrong or the mod itself acting up. So if you could help me port it or teach and tell me if the mods I want to port are portable, it would mean a great deal.

The two mods I need to port are:
1. Tirashan, a necromancer themed home [https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/71194]

2. Corpse Preparation [https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/35378/?]

[Uncle64]

If you plan to upload it you need to ask Elianora first about Tirashan.

[Hyen《A》 ♧]

Originally posted by GDI Uncle64:

If you plan to upload it you need to ask Elianora first about Tirashan.

I am well aware about her restriction on porting, which is why I planned to keep it strictly for private uses only.

[Trehek]

There are some guides around, but they tend to be incomplete on how various files types are converted, so here goes my explanation. Keep in mind that conversion is ALWAYS a careful process. Always pay attention to what you're doing, read the instructions on all the tools you're using and make sure you don't misplace any files!

Converting a mod:

1) Manually download the mod you wish to convert, create a working folder somewhere and extract the mod there.

2) If the mod contains a .BSA archive, download the Bethesda Archive Extractor and use it to unpack the .BSA into your working folder. Then delete the .BSA file.

Bethesda Archive Extractor:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/974/?

3) Plugins. If the mod contains one or more .esp or .esm plugin files, you need to install the SSE Creation Kit using the Bethesda.net Launcher. Move the plugin file(s) to the Skyrim Data folder, or if you're using Mod Organizer, you'll need to add the CK executable to MO and place your mod's plugin files somewhere MO can see them (Override is fine at this point).

Run the CK, open up File->Data, set your mod's plugin file as active (one at a time, if multiple. gotta do all of them!) and open it. Ignore warnings. Once CK is done opening it, just re-save it with Ctrl+S and you're done. If you're wary, you can verify in Windows that the file got edited by its date. Move the file(s) back to your working folder.

Bethesda.net Launcher:
https://bethesda.net/en/game/bethesda-launcher

4) Meshes. If your mod contains any mesh files, you'll need to download SSE Nif Optimizer and run all the meshes in the mod through it. Read the Optimizer's instructions carefully before using! Be aware of what meshes are in your mod. If any meshes contain head parts, optimize those meshes using the "Head Parts Only" option. Optimize all other meshes with default options.

SSE Nif Optimizer:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4089

5) Animations. If your mod contains animations, you'll need to convert them using a batch file that runs the Creation Kit's HavokBehaviorPostProcess on them. Go to the guide page, link below, and follow its instructions, but place the .bat and .exe files in a new working folder somewhere (so it's easy to use for other mods in the future), move your mod's animations folder there, run the .bat and move your processed animations folder back.

Guide to animation conversion for SSE:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2970

6) Textures. Most of the time you don't need to do anything with textures. However, the normal maps of landscape texture mods (files ending in "_n.dds") specifically need to be updated. SSE uses an alpha channel for specularity, which Oldrim normals may or may not have. Also, some rarely used 16-bit uncompressed .dds formats as well as TARGA (.tga) files are no longer supported and will crash the game. In the extremely rare cases in which you encounter these, you may be able to convert the files using DDSOpt. Read the tool's instructions for further details.

DDSOpt:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/5755/?

7) Scripts. No action required.

---

Once you're done with the conversion, make sure that all the files in your mod are accounted for and exactly where they should be. If your mod had a .BSA archive, you can choose to repack the loose files at this point using the Creation Kit's archive function, but this is optional and in most cases unnecessary. If you wish to repack, see the link below. Finally, repack your mod into your choice of .zip or .7z and you're done! Install with your preferred mod manager.


BSA packages with Archive.exe:
https://www.creationkit.com/index.php?title=Archive.exe

---

Good luck! if you have any further questions, ask away!

[Hyen《A》 ♧]

Originally posted by Trehek:

There are some guides around, but they tend to be incomplete on how various files types are converted, so here goes my explanation. Keep in mind that conversion is ALWAYS a careful process. Always pay attention to what you're doing, read the instructions on all the tools you're using and make sure you don't misplace any files!

Converting a mod:

1) Manually download the mod you wish to convert, create a working folder somewhere and extract the mod there.

2) If the mod contains a .BSA archive, download the Bethesda Archive Extractor and use it to unpack the .BSA into your working folder. Then delete the .BSA file.

Bethesda Archive Extractor:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/974/?

3) Plugins. If the mod contains one or more .esp or .esm plugin files, you need to install the SSE Creation Kit using the Bethesda.net Launcher. Move the plugin file(s) to the Skyrim Data folder, or if you're using Mod Organizer, you'll need to add the CK executable to MO and place your mod's plugin files somewhere MO can see them (Override is fine at this point).

Run the CK, open up File->Data, set your mod's plugin file as active (one at a time, if multiple. gotta do all of them!) and open it. Ignore warnings. Once CK is done opening it, just re-save it with Ctrl+S and you're done. If you're wary, you can verify in Windows that the file got edited by its date. Move the file(s) back to your working folder.

Bethesda.net Launcher:
https://bethesda.net/en/game/bethesda-launcher

4) Meshes. If your mod contains any mesh files, you'll need to download SSE Nif Optimizer and run all the meshes in the mod through it. Read the Optimizer's instructions carefully before using! Be aware of what meshes are in your mod. If any meshes contain head parts, optimize those meshes using the "Head Parts Only" option. Optimize all other meshes with default options.

SSE Nif Optimizer:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4089

5) Animations. If your mod contains animations, you'll need to convert them using a batch file that runs the Creation Kit's HavokBehaviorPostProcess on them. Go to the guide page, link below, and follow its instructions, but place the .bat and .exe files in a new working folder somewhere (so it's easy to use for other mods in the future), move your mod's animations folder there, run the .bat and move your processed animations folder back.

Guide to animation conversion for SSE:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/2970

6) Textures. Most of the time you don't need to do anything with textures. However, the normal maps of landscape texture mods (files ending in "_n.dds") specifically need to be updated. SSE uses an alpha channel for specularity, which Oldrim normals may or may not have. Also, some rarely used 16-bit uncompressed .dds formats as well as TARGA (.tga) files are no longer supported and will crash the game. In the extremely rare cases in which you encounter these, you may be able to convert the files using DDSOpt. Read the tool's instructions for further details.

DDSOpt:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/5755/?

7) Scripts. No action required.

---

Once you're done with the conversion, make sure that all the files in your mod are accounted for and exactly where they should be. If your mod had a .BSA archive, you can choose to repack the loose files at this point using the Creation Kit's archive function, but this is optional and in most cases unnecessary. If you wish to repack, see the link below. Finally, repack your mod into your choice of .zip or .7z and you're done! Install with your preferred mod manager.


BSA packages with Archive.exe:
https://www.creationkit.com/index.php?title=Archive.exe

---

Good luck! if you have any further questions, ask away!

Thank you for the detailed response. Truly appreciated. But one last question. Is Tirashan possible to port? I've been scrolling the comments section but have yet to see a single soul mention "Yay i ported it on my own".

[smr1957]

Tirashan can absolutely be ported. I have ported several of Elianora's house mods with no problems.

[Uncle64]

Yea Those should be easy to port.
But ask her if you want to publish them since she have other modders stuff in her mods.

If you do one good port you may get permission to post them.

[Vlad 254]

Originally posted by GDI Uncle64:

Yea Those should be easy to port.
But ask her if you want to publish them since she have other modders stuff in her mods.

If you do one good port you may get permission to post them.

That's the correct answer. Always proper to ask where other modders resources are involved regardless.

[Trehek]

Originally posted by Vlad 254:

Originally posted by GDI Uncle64:

Yea Those should be easy to port.
But ask her if you want to publish them since she have other modders stuff in her mods.

If you do one good port you may get permission to post them.

That's the correct answer. Always proper to ask where other modders resources are involved regardless.

Just to give proper weight to "proper", publishing without permission is copyright infringement, and while it rarely goes that far in modding circles, is grounds for legal action. Any modding assets are automatically the intellectual property of their creator, who has the legal right to control their distribution.

Haven't seen this pointed out in a while in these forums, so just wanted to do that. I feel like the severity of it can get misunderstood since modding is often seen as "just a hobby, done in free time". But copyright law still always applies! Don't distribute without permission, and failing to get hold of an author for any reason does NOT give you permission. Even if they've quit modding.

[Uncle64]

And even if you want to share the private. Dont do that.

[★Kelvy★]

I have ported 3 mods over for my use only, have stated which ones I use, but never given them out to anyone or in nexus etc..

[Hyen《A》 ♧]

Originally posted by smr1957:

Tirashan can absolutely be ported. I have ported several of Elianora's house mods with no problems.

Thank you very much. I'll try to port it on my own. I just hope it will go well.

Originally posted by GDI Uncle64:

Yea Those should be easy to port.
But ask her if you want to publish them since she have other modders stuff in her mods.

If you do one good port you may get permission to post them.

I have tried contacting her but have yet to gain any response. So I'll be keeping it for private uses only, assuming I successfully port it xD