Yes, an SSD can improve performance when modding games by providing faster load times and smoother gameplay.
Yes, an SSD can improve performance when modding games by providing faster load times and smoother gameplay.
For newcomers we should consider NMM, but later on it becomes handy for certain tasks like handling the 255 plugin cap with "bashed patches" and tweaking endings. I also know MO helps organize mods more easily. I'm listing my mods here honestly—even though some said I chose the wrong manager, I felt MO was too much. If I could try a few fully modded games, maybe I'd switch to something else. My main rule would be to install no more than 30 mods at once. When playing, open the command window, type "key Under escape," and press tfc. Spend about two minutes exploring the world; if it crashes, you might have a problem. Otherwise, keep adding mods until you reach your goal, then stop. I made that mistake once, but luck saved me thanks to loot. Edited March 27, 2016 by Flowey
I’m not familiar with the 255 plugin concept beyond episode 2 of the Gophers NMM series. I might consider changing later, but thanks for the warning. Regarding the advice about around 30 mods and using the TFC command, it could really help. I might try combining mods to see how they interact. I understand you work there, but if you had a specific point earlier about moving my Skyrim files to an SSD, I’m curious—when Gopher mentioned putting the Skyrim game and mods on the same drive (or the NMM did), what was your intention?
Simply put, your Steam games are stored in your C drive under SteamApps. If your boot drive is an SSD, that’s your C drive. You’d want to navigate to the folder list on your C drive, find the “x64” and “x86” folders along with others, create a new one named “Skyrim,” and then move your installed games there. If you didn’t know how to transfer the data, you could have erased everything, reinstalled, and then downloaded again. After that, install NMM and search for your games—now you’re free from admin hassles. The main issue with installing mods is these folders hold system files; running mods without admin rights can cause crashes. It saves a lot of time. Basically, whenever you want to play a modded game, make a new folder for it and download all its data there. You might also need to edit an INI file. If needed, check the comments on Gopher or Vids—those sites helped me a lot. TL;DR: create folders for each game, move files, and handle settings properly.
Oh yeah, keep all that's linked to modding in the same drive as your Skyrim folder. Even if I'm wrong, reinstalling NMM isn't as much of a pain in the ass as reinstalling Skyrim all over again right? Also, if you haven't started modding yet, best tip I've gotten from someone regarding modding here : "NMM is fine, but I'd recommend Mod Organiser once you catch your bearings and learn how to mod better. I can't recommend the S.T.E.P. Guide enough for people new to modding. It'll tech you the basics and get you a good and efficient base to work off of. Oh, and LOOT (updated version of BOSS, so you know what they're talking about if an old mod you download mentions it) is an absolute must no matter how experienced a modder you are, but make sure you read the compatibility guides for every mod you install to make sure all the mods you have are compatible, and to audit any small mistakes LOOT might make"
Also, during stability tests, verify your savefile dimensions (manual saves only), ensuring they exceed 10mb upon initial saving. If not, refrain from starting play. Identify the problem unless you’re prepared to face significant challenges at level 30 when the game becomes essentially unplayable.
You're unsure about how to proceed, but saving less frequently or more often with overwrites might help depending on your situation. Consider what you need to preserve and try different strategies.