Load order and resource priority basics

[Ilja]

Content

1. Running LOOT
   
2. Load order basics
   
3. Resource priority basics
   
4. BodySlide and Mod Organizer
   
5. Changes

Load order and priority are constantly popping out here. I decided to make a short post for required\recommended orders for both of them.

Latter is directly made for Mod Organizer (MO), but Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) users also need to make sure that certain mods are installed in proper order, especially the skeleton.

1. Running LOOT

LOOT stands for Load Order Optimization Tool. It will detect and sort your plugins, when you run the tool.

• When you open LOOT it will first check for master list and version updates. This does not sort your load order yet.
  
  
• Click "Sort Plugins" button. It appears as a 3 lines in top right corner of LOOT window. This will now sort your load order.
  
  
• After LOOT is done, the "Sort Plugins" changes to text button saying "APPLY". Click the button to accept changes made to your load order.
  
  
• If you have files that are not yet sorted properly by loot (as presented below), then move these files to proper places manually and you are done.

Download LOOT
I recommend using LOOT.Installer.exe version, under Download > Download LOOT.

• https://loot.github.io/

2. Load order basics

I added the known problem with Real Shelter to this. The position for Real Shelter.esp is not that strict, but so far I have only heard thanks from players who have positioned both files according to my recommendation.

PNENB.esp from Phinix Natural ENB should also be very low in your load order. So far the best position for it has been right above RSPatch.esp.
Order is important for both ESM and ESP files. This is just a basic "skeleton" for what your load order should look like, if you have these files and tools.

Load order template

• Skyrim.esm
  
• Update.esm
  
• Dawnguard.esm
  
• HearthFires.esm
  
• Dragonborn.esm
  
• Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch.esp
  
• [Other ESM files]
  
• HighResTexturePack01.esp
  
• HighResTexturePack02.esp
  
• HighResTexturePack03.esp
  
• Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp
  
• Real Shelter.esp
  
• [Other ESP files]
  
• TES5Merged.esp
  
• Bashed Patch, 0.esp
  
• [SkyProc ESP files]
  
• DynDOLOD.esp
  
• PNENB.esp
  
• RSPatch.esp

https://youtu.be/YzsBKYUrcbE
https://youtu.be/eRqOiM7PsdY

Requiem has it's own list of exceptions. It is very important to follow it. Requiem will otherwise demand old Unofficial Skyrim Patch instead of Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch, if the load order is not set correctly. Requiem has been compatible with USLEEP since version 1.9.3, but the wrong load order has mistaken several players thinking that they would require USKP instead.

Important! This template is for the basic setup. Note that files from Requiem Patch Central require an order that does not fully follow this rule. If you use patches from there, then consult the download page for specific file positions, instead of relying the basic template below.

Requiem load order template

• Skyrim.esm
  
• Update.esm
  
• <all other mods>
  
• Requiem.esp
  
• Requiem - Legendary Bugsmasher Edition.esp
  
• <Other Requiem Patches and rfiles required to load after Requiem>
  
• <Dynamic Patches>
  
• Requiem for the Indifferent.esp

3. Resource priority basics

- NMM: you will have to install files in correct order, if they have conflicting resources. This is especially important with SMIM and custom Skeleton. The skeleton should be installed last. If you end up overwriting something from it, then reinstall the skeleton.

- MO: Just sort the order according to this and match mods with ESM and ESP files according to your load order, when ever possible. Note that you may want to give higher priority to certain mods in resource window. It is a valid problem to sort unanticipated problems with resources: mod authors can't possibly know about all mods that may conflict with their resources.

Note that it does not really matter where your SKSE plugins or SKSE Scripts are. You just need to see SKSE scripts, to make sure that nothing is conflicting with them, unless you especially want something to win the conflict against them.

I recommend the following order, because I have personally found it best to keep SKSE plugins and animations separate from mods that I need to manually move (mostly mods with ESP files.) Sorting files gets easier that way. I don't recommend placing them above master files, or allow them to clutter the mod list for ESPs, so this location is just logical recommendation for them.

Also, position for body meshes and textures are not strict, but you likely wish to keep them where pointed here, because files adding to them usually have ESP files associated with them. You don't want original meshes and textures to mess out the mods you plan to use to enhance them.

Position and priority for separate custom animations is sometimes important, largely depending what you have in your other mods above.

Order is important for the master files + patches, mods with ESP files, meshes, skeleton and Overwrite mods. This order of priority also resembles the order where these tools need to run. My overwrite folders are made from data that MO drops to Overwrite folder. It is safest to make mods out of them and replace the content when ever you run the tool.

1. TES5Merged
   
2. Bashed Patch
   
3. SkyProc\SUM
   
4. FNIS

Resource priority template

• SKSE Scritps folder
  
• Unmanaged: Dawnguard
  
• Unmanaged: HearthFires
  
• Unmanaged: Dragonborn
  
• Unofficial Skyrim Legendary Edition Patch
  
• [Mods with ESM files, matching to load order]
  
• HighResTexturePack01
  
• HighResTexturePack02
  
• HighResTexturePack03
  
• Unofficial High Resolution Patch
  
• HDT Physics Extension
  
• Community Uncapper (Recommended position, if you have mods that use it.)
  
• [Custom Body Meshes] *
  
• [Custom Body Textures] *
  
• [Mods with ESP files, matching to load order]
  
• [Custom Meshes, not meant to win conflicts with SMIM]
  
• Static Mesh Improvement Mod
  
• [Custom Textures and Meshes meaning to win conflicts with SMIM, or order does not matter]
  
• [Custom Animations]
  
• [SKSE plugins and extensions]
  
• [Custom Skeleton; likely XPMS or XPMSE]
  
• Output TES5Merged
  
• Output Bashed Patch
  
• Output <SkyProc>
  
• Output FNIS
  
• Output DynDOLOD TexGen
  
• Output DynDOLOD
  
• Output SKSE**
  
• Overwrite <Empty>

* = Make sure that these do not conflict with content in ESM files. Some mods may have custom textures and meshes with ESM files. Moving custom meshes and textures above them is generally safe, unless these folders have scripts that could conflict with ESM files.

** = Data coming from mods that would otherwise get stored in SKSE folder. Popular mods causing these files are Campfire, Frostfall and HDT Physics. After they are moved here, game updates them from there and no longer dumps them to your Overwrite.

It may be wise to name and activate your Output mods with character names, if you are using plenty of profiles with different mods, or have different settings for mods like Campfire and Frostfall. This allows you to manage different settings for each profile.

For example:

• Output Bashed Patch Jonchan
  
• Output DSR Jonchan
  
• Output FNIS Jonchan
  
• Output DynDOLOD Jonchan
  
• Output SKSE Jonchan

https://youtu.be/jVSy_5M3NTc

4. BodySlide and Mod Organizer

If you are using BodySlide with MO, then Batch Build will store data to your Overwrite folder.

• Clear the Overwrite folder for unwanted content, before running the tool.
  
  
• Select the body and make changes (if needed) in BodySlide.
  
  
• Run Batch Build for all armors you wish to rebuild to match in to your body.
  
  
• Quit BodySlide. The content is now in your Overwrite folder. Right click to make a new mod out of it. Following the excample above Output BodySlide Jonchan.
  
  
• BodySlide does not create a plugin to your load order. It's location in resource priority seems to be irrelevant, as far as anything from below it is not directly overwriting any content from it.

Extended instructions:

CBBE/UUNP and BodySlide with Mod Organizer
http://steamcommunity.com/app/72850/discussions/0/359543542243784721/

5. Changes

12.01.2019
- Added missing files and cleaned up the language.
10.01.2019
- Fixed a typo from plugin name. TES5EditMerged.esp > TES5Merged.esp
03.04.2018
- Fixed a typo from mod list example. Was: TES5EditMerged. Fixed to Output TES5Merged
30.04.2017
- Changed: Fixes to load order template.
20.04.2017
- Changed: Reference for Mod Organizer left panel management.
- Added. TES5 Merged Patch information.
10.04.2017
- Added: Notes about which version of LOOT to download and formatting changes.
06.02.2017
- Added: Recommended position for HDT PE. Position based on avoiding conflict with BodySlide.
14.01.2016
- Added: Link to CBBE/UUNP and BodySlide with Mod Organizer
10.06.2016
- Fixed: Format.
- Added: Requiem load order information from Requiem Patch Central
06.05.2016
- Added: DynDOLOD position for load order and resource priority.
30.03.2016
- Changed: Renamed Overwrite folders as Output folders. This is now in line with Nexus practises and DynDOLOD.
12.01.2016
- Added: Numbers and Content section
- Fixed: Missing tag from formatting.
- Added: Note chapter about BodySlide and Mod Organizer
- Added: Note about Requiem.
24.12 2015
- Added: Output information
21.11.2015
- Added: Note about custom mesh and texture positions.
12.11.2015
- Added: Gopher's new video of NMM and load order.
- Updated to USLEEP

[cfs111]

Nice guide, as always thanks for all you do here.

[Ilja]

Thanks. I mostly made this to point out Real Shelter files and proper position to XPMSE, but it got a bit longer than I planned.

[Uncle64]

That is one good starter guide.
And it more easy to rescue, wrong overwrites in MO then in NMM.
If you do it wrong there you must remove all the mods that do any overwrite and reinstall them.
But basicly you must install them in the same order as you saying.

[Ilja]

Yeah, I was trying to point that up. I may do a little bit of tweaking to this post and then add it to New player spreadsheet -post.

[Uncle64]

I have banged my head agains NMM for so many years so I think I have tryed all combinations.
But basicly you must do it like you did write for MO.

For body meshes and those things I did find one good guide on one another site.
Did start to follow that and now it works.
Cant post the link here.
When you start to have many mods that have animations and other stuff. Then NMM do struggle wery hard.
One of the reasons I did leave NMM.

LOOT and Wrye are more importent tools in NMM then in MO.
But you still need them, in MO for basic sorting and Bashed Patch.

[Ilja]

I have added "Running LOOT" chapter and reworked the post slightly. Hopefully this will fix mistakes that came from LOOT taking it's time to check for new master list and version.

[Uncle64]

good.

[Ilja]

Added: PNENB.esp from Phinix Natural ENB to load order recommendation.

[saalistaja fin]

i wonder which one should be last in the load order

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/601/?
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/1111/?

when using LOOT realistic force and ragdolls is bottom but mod creator of pure waters says pure waters should be bottom

[Ilja]

Those files should not conflict witch each other, so order between them does not matter.

Both authors recommend placing them last, so that they would win conflicts against other mods modifying similar resources. If mods below them do not use these resources, then the order between last files is not relevant.

[saalistaja fin]

kiitos vinkistä

[luthien.mpl]

What about mods that are masters as well as SKSE plugins, like Campfire? I'd guess that in that case the SKSE scripts would have to be placed above the Campfire resources in MO?

[Ilja]

I haven't yet used Campfire. Are the scripts actually conflicting? If that is the case, then SKSE scripts should be loaded prior of mod that conflicts with them, or mod would not work properly.

Although, creating mods that do conflict with SKSE resources is not something I would recommend of doing. It would cause potential compatibility issues with other mods relying on those scripts.

[Wafflesaurus Supreme]

Are there still working links to those unofficial patches?

[Mreisse]

@Tired_David -- I don't follow. The Unofficial patches are available on Nexus and Workshop....