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ASIS Improved INI Files FAQ
Note: Comments are disabled on this article for the sole reason that I'm terrible at remembering to check them. Please leave comment in the main mod comment area. Thanks!
Q: Does ASIS support (such-and-such) mod?
A: Before I list them, let me say that not being "supported" by these files is not the same as being incompatible with these files. When I add support for a mod, I'm simply adding entries that lets ASIS affect that mod. If a ASIS encounters an unsupported file, most likely the worst thing that will happen is that you won't get any of ASIS's enhancements with that mod. A few of the other possible effects on an unsupported mod are:
- Unintentional spawns random or extra spawns, especially on summoned creatures.
- NPCs which are weaker than ASIS-altered NPCs, due to not receiving additional perks and spells.
- Possibly breaking quests which require you to kill an NPC or clear out a room.
- Possibly breaking scripted events.
For those last two, you can lessen the problem by using an autosave mod (I recommend Autosave Manager) and reloading a save from before you enter the afffected cell. Before you enter the affected cell, use the ASIS MCM to turn off Random and Increased spawns before entering.
Q: Does ASIS need support for (such-and-such) mod?
A: The only mods ASIS needs support entries for are mods that add new NPCs and mods that add new cells. Mods that just add new weapons and armor don't need support. Mods that modify vanilla spells, npcs, perks, cells, and what have you don't, need support because ASIS will pick up on those changes automatically. Mods that add new spells only need support if you want to distribute those spells to NPCs.
Q: So what mods do these INIs have support for?
A: From memory, and in no particular order: All of my mods (duh), SPERG, SkyRe, Perkus Maximus, Requiem, Apocalypse Spells, Wintermyst (both the standalone and Perkus Maximus versions), Imperious - Races of Skyrim, Aurora - Standing Stones of Skyrim, Thunderchild, Dwemertech, Spectraverse, Midas Magic in Skyrim, Skyrim Immersive Creatures, Skyrim Monster Mod, Dwemer Spectres, Dwemer Mechanical Dragons: Guardians of Kagrenzel edition, Better Vampires, Moonlight Tales, Wyrmstooth, Falskaar, Moonpath to Elsweyr, Moon and Star, Helgen Reborn, Lost Wonders of Mzark, The Wheels of Lull, Brhuce Hammar - Legacy, Organized Bandits in Skyrim, Revenge of the Enemies, High Level Enemies, Deadly Dragons, Dragons Diversified, Dragon Combat Overhaul, Warzones 2015, Bellyache's New Dragon Species, Hoth, Inigo, SkyTEST (Lite version), World Eater Beater, High-End Merchants of Skyrim, Immersive Patrols, The Sands of Time, The B-Team, Interesting NPCs, Inconsequential NPCs, The Populated Skyrim series of mods, DFB Random Encounters, Extra Encounters, Dovahkriid: The Dragon Lords, the Dev Aveza.
There's probably a bunch that I've forgotten, too. :)
Q: Are there any mods you won't add support for?
A: Yes. I'm not going to provide support for mods from the 'slab (You know, that other site) or any mods I find exceptional perverted on the Nexus either. For example, no, I won't help you figure out why Estrus or SexLab or Immersive Rape or whatever isn't working with ASIS. You'll either need to figure it out for yourself, or make the choice between making your Skyrim a better game or a better fetish simulator. I'm not going to give you the tech-support version of a dutch rudder.
That being said, my permissions on this mod are basically wide open. You are free to make and upload your own version of this mod. Go for it, tiger.
Q: How do I make ASIS distribute perks from Perkus Maximus/SkyRe/Requiem/SPERG?
A: Short answer: Don't. It's a bad idea. For a longer explanation, read this.
Q: On such-and-such's mod page, it says to do blah-de-blah with ASIS...
A: 99% of the time, I've already included those fixes. There is one notable exception. The advice the author of Deadly Dragons gives is based on the behaviour of a very outdated version of ASIS. I deliberately do not include those changes, because they're unnecessary now.
Q: I use SUM and--
A: Stop right there. SUM, to put it bluntly, causes way more trouble than it's worth. I seriously recommend not using it. The current version, according to Dienes, has a glitch that causes each patcher you run to fail to include the previous patches. Don't use SUM, at least for now.
Q: How should my load order be set up?
A: You should use BOSS or LOOT to set up your load order. I recommend LOOT. However, there are a few things you really should do before accepting it's output.
First of all, you should set it up so LOOT/BOSS sorts any equipment mods that add equipment directly to NPCs (in other words, those that don't use scripts to do so) are near the TOP of your load order. Mods like Cloaks of Skyrim, Immersive Weapons, Armonizer, Weaponizer, Lore Weapon Expansion, and so forth. The reason for this is that to add equipment to an NPC without using a script, mods have to include the entire NPC record. Now if you want to use, for example, Cloaks of Skyrim with Revenge of the Enemies, if Cloaks comes after RotE in your load order, it will completely overwrite any changes RotE makes on enemies that Cloaks adds cloaks to. If you put cloaks first, when you make your merged patch, it will include the cloaks it adds while also including the changes RotE makes.
Secondly, you need to make sure that BOSS/LOOT sorts the BOTTOM of your load order like so:
{all your other mods}
Bashed Patch, 0.esp (optional)
Merged Patch.esp (As mandatory as I can make it.)
{skyproc patcher files}
With LOOT, you'll need to use the "Edit Metadata" function, and with BOSS you'll need to use the "Custom Rules" function. Explaining those functions is beyond the scope of this FAQ, espcially in a world where Google is a thing that exists.
Q: Do I need a TES5Edit merged patch?
A:
Seriously, if I had some way to make a merged patch a hard requirement, I would.
Q: But I have a Bashed patch!
A: That's not a question, but to answer it anyways, Wrye Bash is much reduced from the Oblivion-engine days. It only fixes conflicts between a few record types now, mainly leveled lists. However, it does do leveled lists better than TES5Edit. So my recommendation is to use a Merged Patch, or a Bashed Patch and a Merged Patch, but not a bashed patch by itself.
Q: How do I make a Merged Patch? TES5Edit is scary.
A: Making a merged patch in a few easy steps:
- Download and install TES5Edit. Generally you stick it right in the Skyrim folder.
- Run TES5Edit. If you are using Mod Organizer, you'll need to run TES5Edit through MO's executables button.
- When it shows you a list of all your files with checkboxes next to them, just click the OK button.
- Wait until the status bar at the bottom says "Background Loader Finished." This can take several minutes. Go eat a sandwich or something. Get me one too.
- Right click on ANY file on the left-hand list, select "other" on the popup menu, and then select "Create Merged Patch."
- Click OK on the unnecessarily melodramatic warning(s), then enter a filename without an extension. I always use "Merged Patch", but don't use "Merged Patch.esp"!
- Wait a few seconds for TES5Edit to work it's magic, and then just close the program, clicking "OK" when it prompts you to save your shiny new Merged Patch.
Done!
If you want to use a bashed and a merged patch, make your bashed patch first. It should be at the end of your load order. Next, load up TES5edit. Be sure to load your bashed patch with all your other mods. Follow the steps above except for #7. Once you've created your merged patch, click on the little [+] next to it to open it up. CTRL-left click on the Leveled NPCs and Leveled Items entries, then right click on them and select "remove." Click yes. Next, click on the little [+] next to your bashed patch, CTRL-left click on Leveled NPCs and Leveled Items, right click on them, and select "Deep Copy as Override", and copy them into your Merged Patch. Now close TES5Edit and be sure to save.
Q: What options should I check when I run the patcher?
A: I recommend all of them. Even if you don't really want Increased or Random spawns, check them in the patcher and turn the rates down to zero, so if you want later you can turn them on with the MCM without rerunning the patcher.
Q: Does the Custom AI module conflict with Deadly Combat, Duel, Ultimate Combat, whatever?
A: Most likely not. It's really a series of very small changes.
Q: Should I include the Custom GMSTs?
A: Absolutely, because one of the things it includes is a setting to let more NPCs be active in combat at once, which is kind of important here.
Known Issues and Troubleshooting
Q: Help! ASIS won't complete a run!
A: The most common cause of this is ASIS running out of memory. Make sure you include these arguments in the ASIS command line: -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M
These will let ASIS use more RAM. You may also want to use a more advanced step of making your Java able to use more RAM, which you can do with this little program. (Incidentally, this is the same little program you can use to make Oblivion use 4gb of ram.) Just point it at your Java, which is generally something like C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\javaw.exe
This is more necessary if you use Mod Organizer, because Mod Organizer can't use 64bit Java.
Q: Help! I'm using Perkus Maximus and ASIS, and I get the title screen but the menu never shows up.
A: (Un?)Fortunately, I've never personally gotten this problem. The solutions I've seen people suggest in the comment thread are to turn off the NPC Enchant Fix, Turn off Automatic Perks, and/or run Patchus Maximus last.
Q: Help! I'm using Dragon Combat Overhaul and ASIS and there are literally dragons everywhere!
A: This seems to be related to using an outdated version of DCO. Upgrade it.
Q: Help! Many of my NPCs have no name, and/or I can't loot enemies!
A: From what I can gather, this seems to be caused by having ASIS set to the incorrect language for your install. To set it to the correct language, open up ASIS.ini and follow these instructions:
The language should be EXACTLY how it looks in the Strings files.
This means that it has to be capitalized the same, also.
The directory to check is Skyrim/Data/Strings, where you'll find strings files of ModName_language.strings.
The latter portion (the language) is what you want to put below.
If You Still Need Help
If none of the answers in this document help you, please post your issue with as much detail as possible in the main comment thread of the mod. Please, please, please, include a pastebin link to your load order. Keep in mind, I may decline to help if your problem is caused by mods I won't add support for.