Could you please-please-please consider adding an esl variant. Added the mod and saw it had an esp and had to uninstall again because being on 254 esp/esm files with a 255th being unticked for the time being (No Puzzles For Old Synths, which only needs to be active for when doing the Far Harbor Arcadia memory side quest)... so, the more esl plugs the merrier, in my case
I actually initially made this as an .esl, but I am very inexperienced with the concept of .esl files (I only have about 35 mods in my game and most of those are my own creations, so I've never had to worry about the 255 limit!) and although the requested .esl version I made for my dining table set worked OK, when I made one for the rugs it didn't seem to want to install with NMM; NMM said it had installed it, but it was showing as unclicked in the Plugins tab and it didn't show up in the game. I don't know if that's normal behaviour for .esls or not, maybe sometimes the player has to click it themselves in the Plugins tab?
I'll try again and if it's unclicked I'll try clicking it, and if that works, I'll upload it with a note to advise players that they may need to do that manually.
Esl files don't show in NMM's plugins tab after install. You need to close and re-open NMM for the esl file to show up, but when having done so, the esl is not active (is unticked) and you always need to tick the box yourself in NMM's plugins tab.
Minimum NMM version to be able to use esl files is 0.64.7 (I think) but you nowadays need at least v0.65.2 (as of v0.65.0 NMM supports HTTPS in accordance with new European Internet Safety Regulations that stipulate all servers/internet pages had to switch from the HTTP to HTTPS protocol. Older versions of NMM can no longer communicate with the updated servers because those versions still use HTTP). In case you don't know, NMM updates can be found on GitHUB where the NMM developers are holding station: https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Nexus-Mod-Manager/releases
Thank you so much for the explanation re .esl files, that's extremely helpful! As mentioned, I hadn't had experience of using .esls, so learning that the quirk about installing them with NMM is expected behaviour, is very useful to know. I've now re-saved as .esl and as you said, once I ticked its box in the Plugins tab it showed up fine in-game.
So, the .esl file is now uploaded - you can give it a try and hopefully not have to worry about disabling No Puzzles for Old Synths after all!
Also thanks for the link to the Github page for NMM - I have NMM 0.65.2 and had wondered why it always fails to get update info from the server. Will try out the latest Github version 0.65.10 when I get a chance.
The NMM v0.65.2 has an error in its xml coding (despite that, Nexus staff never found it necessary to update, preferring people to switch to Vortex). That error prevents you from being able to change NMM's load order. Esl files get mixed with the esp files which causes havoc amongst the chickens because esl plugs are treated as master/esm and as such need to sit above all esp plugs. The "light" part is only because there's a limit on amount of keywords that can be used in an esl (it's around 2400, I think. Not sure).
I've been upgrading NMM as releases were made available and v0.65.10 works flawlessly.
Many thanks once more for going through the motions and uploading an esl file
Thanks for the additional info about .esl and NMM, very helpful to know. And thanks for the screenies, have just approved them for viewing. Glad you like the rugs and I look forward to seeing your new bar!
It's gonna take some serious fiddling. I normally use diner booths from another mod (Unicorn Farts & Godrays: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/33422) that has the booths snap together and also has the lot separated by coloured glass-in-lead panels that also snap to the booths. The separation panels can be used on their own, so I'll try to mix them with some of your booths. Prolly the yellow ones... we'll see how they fare with the beige-ish carpet. I'll keep you posted
Less fiddling involved than I surmised. Went pretty smooth, actually. I'll add more screenies later. Need to stop playing right now to get to the shop in a hurry, unless I want the mice to start picketing in my kitchen cupboards...
And just to annoy you, here's the full gist about esl plugs, as copied from an article by Arthmoor (co-developer of the Unofficial FO4 Patch, among other things):
Spoiler:
Show
Files with the ESL flag are given special treatment with their form IDs. Upon loading into the game, the form IDs are remapped into the FE mod index. This is now considered a special slot in SSE and should not be occupied by any mods in your load order. Not even the Bashed Patch or any other form of merged data.
As a result of this new support, the engine can allow you to bypass the previously hard limit of 255 plugin files. The theoretical limit now should be 4096 ESL flagged mods. Individual files flagged as ESL can in theory hold up to 4096 form ID records. In practice this ends up actually being 2048 form ID records because the engine reserves everything from $0x0000 to $0x07FF. All files using ESL flags must therefore contain their internal form IDs between xx000800 and xx000FFF. Anything exceeding this range is invalid and the game will either crash or you'll have severely corrupted data due to overruns.
The reason for this is how the mapping works. We're all familiar with the normal 8 digit form ID. The first 2 digits are only used to handle load order, the other 6 are internal to their plugin file. What the ESL flag system does is it break this down even further. The First 3 digits get mapped into an internal table for the FE slot. The remaining 3 belong to the actual records in the plugin. You'll end up with something like this:
FExxxyyy and so forth up until you reach FEFFFFFF and run out of IDs and mappings. This is where the 4096 files and 2048 form IDs per file comes from.
The benefits of all of this should be fairly clear. No more need to merge the 20 weapon mods with 5 records each. Just flag them with ESL and you're good to go. This is much safer than merging and is fully supported by the game engine so it works the same way for everyone.
When I install .ESL mods with NMM, I have to restart NMM just to se it in the list, and then manually enable it. And I have seen posts her and there that ppl have the simular problems with NMM. But the mods always work tho
Thanks very much for the additional tech info about esl files! Very interesting and very helpful to know about. And thanks both of you for confirming about having to have people manually enable the mod in the Plugins tab.
@JimmyRJump I just wanna tell that to help EsmeraldaF figure out the ESL thingy. Its not a problem or issue or "bug" for me, I learned how NMM works and somewhat why
I just want to say thanks for all your work. You made the microphone mirror for the sims. Without that I wouldn't have been able to make some of my music videos. I'm so happy to see your work here, I know I'll enjoy it.
Hi, it's great to see another Sims player and I'm so glad to hear you found my microphone useful, thank you! Hope you'll like my Fallout creations, if you like colourful and sometimes a bit silly stuff (I think other modders already have the more serious stuff covered very well!).
any chance you will do the torn ones aswell? I kinda avoid the straight rugs they look abit "stiff" or out of place for some reason (vanilla or any ones)
I did try doing the torn ones but they just didn't look right with the colourful textures, and even making the textures grubbier still didn't look right. So, sorry, I won't be doing those, but thanks for asking.
31 comments
All the mods you make will turn the depressing,cruel world into a better one! Thank you for all of them! )))
I'll try again and if it's unclicked I'll try clicking it, and if that works, I'll upload it with a note to advise players that they may need to do that manually.
Minimum NMM version to be able to use esl files is 0.64.7 (I think) but you nowadays need at least v0.65.2 (as of v0.65.0 NMM supports HTTPS in accordance with new European Internet Safety Regulations that stipulate all servers/internet pages had to switch from the HTTP to HTTPS protocol. Older versions of NMM can no longer communicate with the updated servers because those versions still use HTTP). In case you don't know, NMM updates can be found on GitHUB where the NMM developers are holding station: https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Nexus-Mod-Manager/releases
Thanks a ton for considering updating your mod
So, the .esl file is now uploaded - you can give it a try and hopefully not have to worry about disabling No Puzzles for Old Synths after all!
Also thanks for the link to the Github page for NMM - I have NMM 0.65.2 and had wondered why it always fails to get update info from the server. Will try out the latest Github version 0.65.10 when I get a chance.
I've been upgrading NMM as releases were made available and v0.65.10 works flawlessly.
Many thanks once more for going through the motions and uploading an esl file
Their size is reduced to 80% (90% for the two that are shoved next to one another). I'll add more once the bar I'm assembling is finished
And just to annoy you, here's the full gist about esl plugs, as copied from an article by Arthmoor (co-developer of the Unofficial FO4 Patch, among other things):
As a result of this new support, the engine can allow you to bypass the previously hard limit of 255 plugin files. The theoretical limit now should be 4096 ESL flagged mods. Individual files flagged as ESL can in theory hold up to 4096 form ID records. In practice this ends up actually being 2048 form ID records because the engine reserves everything from $0x0000 to $0x07FF. All files using ESL flags must therefore contain their internal form IDs between xx000800 and xx000FFF. Anything exceeding this range is invalid and the game will either crash or you'll have severely corrupted data due to overruns.
The reason for this is how the mapping works. We're all familiar with the normal 8 digit form ID. The first 2 digits are only used to handle load order, the other 6 are internal to their plugin file. What the ESL flag system does is it break this down even further. The First 3 digits get mapped into an internal table for the FE slot. The remaining 3 belong to the actual records in the plugin. You'll end up with something like this:
FE000800 - FE000FFF ModFile1
FE001800 - FE001FFF ModFile2
FE002800 - FE002FFF ModFile3
FExxxyyy and so forth up until you reach FEFFFFFF and run out of IDs and mappings. This is where the 4096 files and 2048 form IDs per file comes from.
The benefits of all of this should be fairly clear. No more need to merge the 20 weapon mods with 5 records each. Just flag them with ESL and you're good to go. This is much safer than merging and is fully supported by the game engine so it works the same way for everyone.
And I have seen posts her and there that ppl have the simular problems with NMM.
But the mods always work tho
Running NMM 65.9 atm
Not a "problem". It's just the way NMM handles esl plugins.
I just wanna tell that to help EsmeraldaF figure out the ESL thingy.
Its not a problem or issue or "bug" for me, I learned how NMM works and somewhat why
I'm so happy to see your work here, I know I'll enjoy it.