MO2 vs Vortex

[alexdoerofthings]

I've been using Vortex forever and I'm giving MO2 a try. I hear that MO2 gives you more control, but I'm not seeing that. What am I missing?

[Vlad 254]

Vortex has advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few years. They both give much control but sometimes for some things they're done in different ways so it often comes down to what a user is used to or plain old personal preference. Does MO2 give you more control? Probably yes, but this usually pertains to advanced users. Most feel Vortex is easier to learn.

Bottom line: both are excellent mod managers that get the job done. Use whatever you are comfortable with.

[xybolt]

The main difference between Vortex and MO2 still stands: MO2 uses a virtual file system to manage the mod files. If you have multiple mods doing a change on a specific mesh, you can decide which has the priority. If the end result is not what you want, you can simply re-arrange the mods in the left panel of MO2. At Vortex, the file gets overwritten. You have to reinstall the overriden one if you want to use that mesh.

[mikk011]

I've never tried Vortex, and from what Vlad says you can ultimately get the same results using Vortex. However, when I switched from community-version Nexus Mod Manager to MO2 what I found most useful (aside from the benefits of mod isolation) was at-a-glance conflict detection and identification for loose files (and if you enable archive parsing you get the same function for conflict detection in .bsa files). I've often used the hide files functions to fine-tune which textures I see when I don't want to change to load priorities. Other things that were useful were separators and various other grouping and manager UI stuff. And I'm sure there are a lot of other functions I'm not using to their potential.

[Vlad 254]

Yep Vortex uses Hardlink deployment (also offers Symlink and Move deployment). MO2 uses VFS as xybolt said. Both mod managers were created by Tannin and the different methods of deployment are described as follows in the Vortex Knowledge Base:

"Both methods achieve a similar result but go about it in different ways. The VFS used by Mod Organizer (originally designed by Tannin, Lead Vortex Developer) has been heavily customised to work with Gamebryo (Bethesda's Elder Scrolls and Fallout series) games and popular tools for that modding scene. Using this approach in Vortex would have the following drawbacks:

There is no stable high-quality VFS with a free-to-use licence.
VFS methods require extensive customisation to work with different tools, hard links are supported natively as they are no different to access normal system files.
Diagnosing errors in VFS deployment is considerably more difficult.
USVFS is a Windows-only feature, whereas hard links are supported on all platforms. This means Vortex would be easier to support Linux or Mac operating systems.
USVFS can often trigger false positives on anti-virus software.
Hard links have no performance impact on the game, whereas USVFS will access files considerably slower.
This is not to say that using VFS is worse or bad, simply that Vortex did not opt for this as a default deployment method."

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by xybolt:

The main difference between Vortex and MO2 still stands: MO2 uses a virtual file system to manage the mod files. If you have multiple mods doing a change on a specific mesh, you can decide which has the priority. If the end result is not what you want, you can simply re-arrange the mods in the left panel of MO2. At Vortex, the file gets overwritten. You have to reinstall the overriden one if you want to use that mesh.

Actually Vortex uses virtual file system too. Every mod is installed in their own folder, and if there's a conflict, you set a rule to select the winner. But you can also override this rule file by file.

edit: I shouldn't say it's a VFS, but the result with hard links is pretty much the same

[Vlad 254]

Originally posted by mikk011:

I've often used the hide files functions to fine-tune which textures I see when I don't want to change to load priorities.

You can do this in Vortex although Vortex does not use the term "Hide". What it comes down to is what you are comfortable with and depending on when a user gave Vortex a try they would not be aware of the many changes/advances Vortex has made over the years or even as of late.

I'm 100% in the camp that both are excellent mod managers.

[alexdoerofthings]

I don't deny that they are both good. I'm just more comfortable with Vortex, so I'm going to stick with it for now.

[Riverdusk]

Originally posted by Vlad 254:

Vortex has advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few years.

Very much. The people that say the most hate about Vortex I'm convinced are basing their opinion off of very old experiences with it. It was pretty bad when it first came out. It seems very good now imo.

Probably the one annoyance left I have with it is that it still doesn't have an easy drop and drag way to modify load order (unless I'm missing it).

[Vlad 254]

I simply drop them in the very bottom of the mods section of Vortex. Of course you can always use the + in the upper left hand corner to "Install from file" but I prefer drag and drop.

[SpeedFreak1972]

Both are good personal I use MO2 that said MO2 is as said more for Bethesda games if you mod more games from other devs I would opt for Vortex. Running both is possible, however every time switching you'll get popups about nxm downloads

[Sep]

As someone who use both, I would say use Vortex if you plan to keep your modlist small. If you go big with mod, go for MO2 instead.

[smr1957]

Originally posted by Sep:

As someone who use both, I would say use Vortex if you plan to keep your modlist small. If you go big with mod, go for MO2 instead.

That's really not true - we have many people here who use Vortex with extremely large builds and there are no issues. In fact, if you take a look at Vlad's guides, some of them are for quite large builds, and are created with using Vortex in mind. This one, for example:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2944593951

Link from the following section of PINNED TOPIC Helpful Links and References
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2882868252

[Ilja]

Yes, you can do long lists with Vortex and that works just fine. Personally, I hate managing even a moderate mod list with Vortex and find MO2 far easier for that.

When ever that statement gets made, someone says the same about MO2. Both would be correct.

Both managers can handle large load order. It's a matter of how user visualizes the managing process in their head that makes the difference between the practicality of either manager. That makes the choice of mod manager 100% personal.

[Sep]

Originally posted by smr1957:

That's really not true - we have many people here who use Vortex with extremely large builds and there are no issues.

What's not true about it? I didn't say you cannot go big with Vortex. If you want to go big, go ahead. I only recommend Vortex for small list and MO2 for big list, that's all.

[s.turner3030]

Originally posted by alexdoerofthings:

I don't deny that they are both good. I'm just more comfortable with Vortex, so I'm going to stick with it for now.

That is a good enough reason for anything, and do not let anybody tell you otherwise.