Mods are (apparently) installed but not showing in game

[Rhysy]

Hi, I'm trying to use the Vortex mod manager for Skyrim VR. It sounds really easy to use but it's just not working... I've tried two simple mods (no plugins or need for the script extender), both are installed, enabled and deployed, but neither show up in game. I modified the SkyrimPrefs.ini file to have the [launcher] and bEnableFileSelection=1 lines at the end.

The two mods I've tried are the "enhanced textures detail" and the "Talos guide you" menu (the latter just so I see instantly from the loading screen if it's worked or not). I've activated "enable when installed" and "deploy when enabled" in the automation section, and both mods show they're deploying when I installed them. There are no error messages. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling them (and Vortex itself) multiple times. The staging directory is on the same drive (I only have one) as the game.

Is there anything else at all I could be missing ? I've searched all over the place, and I just can't find any other settings I need to alter.

[BlunderingFool]

Have you tried Mod Organiser 2 or a hard install (Back-up first but not really recommended) to see if either of those work for you? I recall my last use of Vortex being a bit of a trainwreck so it may help to rule out if it is a Vortex issue first.

[Moons Mountain]

Why's it so f&%$ing difficult to *improve* a game drastically?
Compartments please!

[skippysonics]

I don't use Vortex but I know you have to start the game from the mod organizer when you use MO2 and not from Steam. I think I remember something about making sure Vortex is pointing to the right folders so that might be an issue. And I think MO2 is the more stable program now, though I haven't been following closely for a while.

[eQ Shrike]

You could try purge and then redeploy in vortex. Purging just removes them from the Skyrim directory, it does not deleting them from the Vortex staging directory.

[eQ Shrike]

A couple of other points to note:

- If you have installed the script extender, you have to launch Skyrim from a desktop shortcut (sksevr_loader.exe). Do not launch it from the steam app. If you launch it from the app then SKSE will not be active and any mods that rely on it will not work

- Texture mods although showing in Vortex will not show as a mod in a mod manager (like LOOT) since all they do is add textures and are technically not a 'mod' in that they don't alter game behaviour

[Red Ninja]

Originally posted by eQ Shrike:

A couple of other points to note:

- If you have installed the script extender, you have to launch Skyrim from a desktop shortcut (sksevr_loader.exe). Do not launch it from the steam app. If you launch it from the app then SKSE will not be active and any mods that rely on it will not work

- Texture mods although showing in Vortex will not show as a mod in a mod manager (like LOOT) since all they do is add textures and are technically not a 'mod' in that they don't alter game behaviour

As an amendment to this for G2 Owners: \\

You may need to launch Skyrim VR thru the Steam VR Home application in order for your controller bindings to not be a horrific mess. If that's the case, make sure to add SKSEVR executable to your regular Steam VR Library and then set it's Properties to "Include in VR Library". Then you can load SKSEVR thru the Steam VR Home application thus having the mods, all your bindings, and your mind body and soul in tact.

[liverlips]

Don't use vortex, use wabbajack and install UVRE.

[Rhysy]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Unforeseen circumstances prevented me from trying anything until today.

TLDR : nothing works. I'm in the same situation as I started.

What I've tried : launching from Vortex (was doing that anyway), purging and redeploying, complete re-installation of Vortex, launching via sksevr_loader.exe, and using Mod Organiser 2 instead. For the latter I hard to install the mods from zip files as I kept getting a host authentication error, but when I did that it said they were installed successfully but gave the same issue : not actually working in-game. I haven't tried Wabbajack yet (I'd prefer to have more control over what's being installed), but I might do if I can't get anything else working.

This seems bizarrely complicated. I don't understand what I could possibly be doing that's so uniquely wrong.

[badback7]

I see this is dated 2020. I am in the same boat in 2022. About to give up and go back to legendary. I wonder if I can get a refund from Steam for SE...

[badback7]

I think I may have solved it. I am no computer expert so bear with me and pardon my lack of vernacular. It has to do with SKSE64 and Steam. I renamed the SkyrimSELauncher (which steam looks for?), to take it out of the equation, and renamed the SKSE Loader SkyrimSELauncher.exe

Now, when steam tries to launch the game, it loads the renamed SkyrimSE launcher, which is, in fact, the SKSE loader. I got a warning for SkyUI on vortex, but it seems to run fine in the game... so far.

As a result the game shows SKSE installed, and the nexus mods are working. It took me four days to figure that out. I need, and deserve, a drink.

[Rhysy]

Thanks for the recent comments, I only just spotted these ! I do appreciate the additional suggestions two years later :). Last time I gave up because absolutely nothing seemed to work, but I'll give these a look over and try again. I like vanilla Skyrim VR well enough, but it sure seems to look nicer with all those fancy mods...

[Meelow]

Im on the same boat, i need to try one of these recent comments to see if this works, gonna sub to this post just incase someone has a definitive answer

[KarvaRausku]

I just installed thro wabbajack, tried to do it with vortex and loot first, but it's pain in the ass to work the mods in correct loading order.
The probable reason why the graphic etc. mods won't work is the wrong load order. Also if you have wrong load order with some mods it just instantly crashes the game.

[Meelow]

Originally posted by KarvaRausku:

I just installed thro wabbajack, tried to do it with vortex and loot first, but it's pain in the ass to work the mods in correct loading order.
The probable reason why the graphic etc. mods won't work is the wrong load order. Also if you have wrong load order with some mods it just instantly crashes the game.

You managed to get it to work ? My game isnt updating the vanilla texture. I heard i need to resign it in vortex with some administrative tool so it uses the new textures instead of the old one but im stumped asf on that one

[KarvaRausku]

Originally posted by Meelow:

Originally posted by KarvaRausku:

I just installed thro wabbajack, tried to do it with vortex and loot first, but it's pain in the ass to work the mods in correct loading order.
The probable reason why the graphic etc. mods won't work is the wrong load order. Also if you have wrong load order with some mods it just instantly crashes the game.

You managed to get it to work ? My game isnt updating the vanilla texture. I heard i need to resign it in vortex with some administrative tool so it uses the new textures instead of the old one but im stumped asf on that one

I got the models and the other to work in vortex, but I didn't get the graphical ones to work straight away, that's why I changed to the wabbajack and modorganizer.

You can just download some premod file with the wabbajack and build your mods from there, I myself downloaded the "FUS" which has all the basic VR mods for immersion and plan to add to that.