I just read your guide and it's very good, for the most part I already did most procedures in your guide to get my game stable too. I would like to share another stability guide you may not have read yet, and this one also helped me get even more stability out of my heavy modded game (250 mods atm). Skyrim project stabilty here on nexus http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32363. The more interesting parts are about cleanmem (no use for win8 however), HPET and CPU unparking if you got multi core CPU.
Decent ideas, that cover a lot of stuff. Guess it would be worthwhile it mention ATTK. Also I guess there could be an entire section about why you should not use Win 8 for gaming yet... at the very least the new UI should be entirely disabled since it is known to screw up a lot of stuff. Even more so if you use ENB´s.
Also Skyrim is a 32 bit app.. hence all you really need to watch is your RAM usage (Here I assume no overheating problems etc). If the game starts to use above 3Gb of ram for a long period of time, then eventually when you load in a new cell or move on in a quest the game will CTD because somehow not everything got loaded into the game, and the game engine then stops working. This problem have been largely improved upon with the latest patch, but the simple solution is to just save your game and quit to menu, and reload. This process will force the game to entirely flush the RAM of any information that is not required to load in the cell´s you are in right now. It can be a bit annoying but it is still faster then having to start the game up again.
I tried a lot of things that didn't help my CTD problems, ATTK being one of them (but thats not to say it won't help you). I've debated on whether or not to include all the thing that didn't work. So far I've felt it better (for the most part) to tell mainly what worked for me to keep PDF as short and concise as possible.
You are probably right about Win 8. But somebody with a new computer or upgraded like I did now has some guidance. As my in-game pal Vilja would say, "Isn't that great!"
Erm... and why you should not use Windows 8 for gaming? I play Skyrim on Windows 8 x64 with ENB, I run it at 2560x1440 with several hi-res texture packs and over hundred of mods, and I've experienced but a couple of CTDs due to messed up load order. All in all I daresay that Skyrim runs smoother and more stable on Windows 8 than on Windows 7, so unless there is some horrible secret only you are aware about, I see no point in vilifying Windows 8.
win 8 is for me nothing more than a temporary solution to the next windows. It has all characters on Windows 7 but it is not a mature system. It's more likely for a new age generation with a lot of useless things on board but not really something for modders such as me. I need a stable and good system as a modder. nothing about a win 7 ultimate 64 bit comes for me. as a gamer and modder.
and strong needs nerves to play skyrim on a 32 bit system. I wouldn't do it. install all the HD texture packs and then one tell me that since nothing stutters. Hats off to that.
i recommend: vista, win7 or win 8 64 bit intel i5 750 or better quadcore (no OCd) 6 GB DDR 3 RAM 1333 mhz or faster GTX 660 TI or better still a few ini and papyrus tweaks and everything runs perfectly with all the stuff that you need.
Have you considered making a "Beginners Guide" on how and where to get all those files. Detailed instructions on using them on your game would be great.
Sharlikan has a YouTube channel where he has posted a number of video tutorials on the installation and use of most of the utilities which are *absolutely necessary* to build and keep a stable modded Skyrim. He has links to most of the software and tutorial sites he describes.
Watching his videos is time consuming but, if you want to know how to do it right and why, and why there is so much really, really bad information in many forum threads, spend the time to watch the videos and absorb the information.
A good guide with many good suggestions, but the author left out Tes5Edit.
IMHO, no mods should be installed and no Skyrim game run until all masters and .esms are cleaned with Tes5Edit, particularly the Update, Dragonborn, Dawnguard, and Heathfire esms. I run *every* mod's esm and/or esp through Tes5Edit before installing it (you'll be surprised how many have dirty edits or contain errors).
After all are cleaned run BOSS to get them correctly ordered, create a bashed patch with Wrye Bash, then a merged patch with Tes5Edit and put the merged patch before the bashed patch. If running ASIS (why wouldn't you?) re-patch ASIS, run BOSS one more time to make sure everything is orderly, double-check Wrye Bash to make sure nothing shows conflicts, and you're good to go.
If you don't know how to create a merged patch or make or refresh a bashed patch, check the video tutorials on both (links are here on the Nexus and Google is your friend -- in fact BOSS, Wrye Bash and Tes5Edit are even better friends!).
Do these steps every time you add or change your mod list and you'll find that most (not all) of the .ini tweaks become less necessary, although eye candy tweaks are always nice.
BTW, thanks for the link to Vilja .... I was unaware of her and I'm definitely going to check her out!
Have you considered making a "Beginners Guide" on how and where to get all those files. Detailed instructions on using them on your game would be great.
352 is correct Tes5Edit is very good. Added some info here on the Description tab, will add some info on next PDF update.If you want to learn about Tes5Edit now I find this video very useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt4W1dZF9IE STEP also have good information on Tes5Edit: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11
Google, "how to make a bashed patch skyrim" without quotes and you will get a giant list.
22 comments
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11/? this will get you to the nexus page, from there you can get to step web site.
I suggest getting vanilla game working smoothly before adding any mods. Then add mods based on steps advice.
Cheers, KK
I would like to share another stability guide you may not have read yet, and this one also helped me get even more stability out of my heavy modded game (250 mods atm). Skyrim project stabilty here on nexus http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32363.
The more interesting parts are about cleanmem (no use for win8 however), HPET and CPU unparking if you got multi core CPU.
Guess it would be worthwhile it mention ATTK.
Also I guess there could be an entire section about why you should not use Win 8 for gaming yet... at the very least the new UI should be entirely disabled since it is known to screw up a lot of stuff. Even more so if you use ENB´s.
Also Skyrim is a 32 bit app.. hence all you really need to watch is your RAM usage (Here I assume no overheating problems etc). If the game starts to use above 3Gb of ram for a long period of time, then eventually when you load in a new cell or move on in a quest the game will CTD because somehow not everything got loaded into the game, and the game engine then stops working. This problem have been largely improved upon with the latest patch, but the simple solution is to just save your game and quit to menu, and reload. This process will force the game to entirely flush the RAM of any information that is not required to load in the cell´s you are in right now. It can be a bit annoying but it is still faster then having to start the game up again.
Other then that just what 352 said.
You are probably right about Win 8. But somebody with a new computer or upgraded like I did now has some guidance. As my in-game pal Vilja would say, "Isn't that great!"
and strong needs nerves to play skyrim on a 32 bit system. I wouldn't do it. install all the HD texture packs and then one tell me that since nothing stutters. Hats off to that.
i recommend:
vista, win7 or win 8 64 bit
intel i5 750 or better quadcore (no OCd)
6 GB DDR 3 RAM 1333 mhz or faster
GTX 660 TI or better
still a few ini and papyrus tweaks and everything runs perfectly with all the stuff that you need.
Sharlikan has a YouTube channel where he has posted a number of video tutorials on the installation and use of most of the utilities which are *absolutely necessary* to build and keep a stable modded Skyrim. He has links to most of the software and tutorial sites he describes.
Watching his videos is time consuming but, if you want to know how to do it right and why, and why there is so much really, really bad information in many forum threads, spend the time to watch the videos and absorb the information.
IMHO, no mods should be installed and no Skyrim game run until all masters and .esms are cleaned with Tes5Edit, particularly the Update, Dragonborn, Dawnguard, and Heathfire esms. I run *every* mod's esm and/or esp through Tes5Edit before installing it (you'll be surprised how many have dirty edits or contain errors).
After all are cleaned run BOSS to get them correctly ordered, create a bashed patch with Wrye Bash, then a merged patch with Tes5Edit and put the merged patch before the bashed patch. If running ASIS (why wouldn't you?) re-patch ASIS, run BOSS one more time to make sure everything is orderly, double-check Wrye Bash to make sure nothing shows conflicts, and you're good to go.
If you don't know how to create a merged patch or make or refresh a bashed patch, check the video tutorials on both (links are here on the Nexus and Google is your friend -- in fact BOSS, Wrye Bash and Tes5Edit are even better friends!).
Do these steps every time you add or change your mod list and you'll find that most (not all) of the .ini tweaks become less necessary, although eye candy tweaks are always nice.
BTW, thanks for the link to Vilja .... I was unaware of her and I'm definitely going to check her out!
352 is correct Tes5Edit is very good. Added some info here on the Description tab, will add some info on next PDF update.If you want to learn about Tes5Edit now I find this video very useful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt4W1dZF9IE
STEP also have good information on Tes5Edit: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11
Google, "how to make a bashed patch skyrim" without quotes and you will get a giant list.