Mod organizer download 2.1.0

Warning:

This guide is out of date! It may contain information that is incorrect or not in line with the current state of the game!          View the latest release.

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STEP 2.10.0 Highlights

With this version of STEP comes a change in our versioning scheme. We realized from the last few releases the Guide needed a different solution for the versioning scheme. Up until now, we have included the underbelly of STEP as the first digit in our scheme. This meant major changes to software (like forum software and wiki upgrades) would count as STEP 1.x.x, STEP 2.x.x, and so on. This was not the best standard for us to use. Therefore, from this release and beyond, the versioning of STEP will go as: Major.Minor.Hotfix.

• Major - Introduce fundamental new functionality, tools, or methods. (e.g., Official Pack implementation [i.e., STEP Extended, STEP Lighting, STEP-sponsored Packs], BOSS to LOOT, Wrye Bash to MO).
• Minor - changes to mod lineup.
• Hotfix - Change/fix Guide instructions that require amendment to the changelog (however large or small) and any other 'hotfixes' (e.g., changes to mod install order).

For more information about the versioning scheme, see the link posted above.

Until now, we had been working up to STEP 2.3.0 as our next major release. With the change in the versioning scheme, we'll now be working towards STEP 3.0.0! From this release and beyond, each release will be a step towards bridging our move to the new paradigm. What does this mean for this release? This means that while there are no drastic changes to the Guide's structure, we have again fine-tuned the STEP setup to bring you a fluid mod list to enhance the beauty and feel of Skyrim.

A few of the larger changes in this release are:

• We have replaced Skyrim HD with Skyrim Realistic Overhaul has our baseline for all textures.
• Gone are several of the old character mods including: XCE, XCE - Dawnguard, Better Beast Races, and Better Freckles. These mods have been replaced by alternative selections.
• The entire Characters & Creatures section of the Guide has seen significant refinement.
• Many of the older mods in the Guide have been removed and replaced with more recent solutions.
• The entire INI section has been replaced with BethINI.
• There has been so many changes that we highly recommend users reviewing the changelog, for all the fine details.

Created by TheCompiler, STEP is a collaborative project with input from the modding community, technical volunteers, and project administrators. The goal is to provide tested and validated methods for establishing and maintaining an enhanced modded Skyrim. Thus, the Guide provides detailed, well-tested build instructions for a solid modding template. New modders can follow STEP explicitly to achieve an enhanced, vanilla experience, or more experienced modders may use it as general guide to build a foundation from.

The STEP team collects information from the modding community through extensive mod testing, detailed reviews, feedback, and suggestions exchanged on the STEP Community Forums. Posting rules apply, so be sure to read and follow them. Engage and enjoy a warm welcome and plenty of high-quality support from a large community of experienced STEP-ers.

Nomenclature

The following nomenclature is used throughout this guide and should be understood before proceeding.

• Core mods: Mods that are Core to the STEP Guide collectively known as STEP:Core. STEP:Core is an installation of ONLY Core mods listed in the mod tables within STEP 2 of this Guide.
• Extended mods: Mods that are not Core mods in the STEP Guide collectively known as STEP:Extended. STEP:Extended is an installation of ALL mods listed in the mod tables within STEP 2 of this Guide.
• Baseline: An installation of a mod using the recommend baseline option listed within the Baseline column of the mod tables.
• STEP Patches: A "patch" is a plugin which allows two or more mods to work together without conflict. The "STEP Patches" are the same thing but allow for all of the mods in the STEP Guide to work harmoniously together. All users should use the STEP Patches unless a custom patch will be made; even then the STEP Patches can be used as a base to make a custom patch for STEP + other mods. The STEP Patches are installed with the STEP Compilation in Section N of this Guide. Users should determine whether or not they will be using a STEP Patch before starting STEP 2 due to select mods having alternative installation steps for users not installing a one of the Patches.

Minimum System Requirements for STEP:Core

We recommend the following hardware configuration for running a Baseline installation. The minimum requirements will allow most users to install and run the STEP Baseline recommendations, which provide a good performance/quality trade-off. The recommended requirements will allow most users to install and run a modded setup beyond that of Baseline with higher quality options. For those wishing to use the highest quality options available with higher resolutions than 1920x1080, be advised that a more powerful system will likely be required.

Notice:

Start Out Clean! It is particularly important for new users begin with clean installations of both Steam and Skyrim in order to be successful with the setup of this Guide the first time through. PLEASE READ EACH SECTION BELOW CAREFULLY, as no information included in this Guide is irrelevant!

Mod Tables Legend

The following is an example of the mod tables, found in Step 2 below, followed by the legend for reading the table. Users should familiarize themselves with this information.

Mod Name	Baseline	Quality Options	DLC Required	Notes
Mod Name	Baseline		Notes

Legend

Core Mod	STEP:Core mods are indicated by the presence of a green vertical bar in the row at the immediate left-hand column of the table before the mod name. A STEP:Extended installation includes these mod PLUS all the remaining mods in the list.
Mod Name	Shortened version (where applicable) of Nexus mod name presented as a link to Nexus for download.
	Link to the mod's wiki page, which includes various information about the mod.
Baseline	This notes the STEP Baseline version or option of the corresponding mod that should be installed, and usually refers to options affecting performance/quality. General suggestions are located in the "Notes" column; see below.
Quality Options	Indicates if there are lower or higher quality options for the mod relative to the Baseline recommendation:
Relative to Baseline, a lower quality, less demanding version of the mod is also available.
Relative to Baseline, a higher quality, more demanding version of the mod is also available.
Relative to Baseline, both lower and higher quality versions of the mod are available.
DLC Required	Any DLCs listed here are required for the mod to function. Do not install the mod, unless all DLCs listed are present. During mod installation instructions, STEP assumes a Legendary version of the game is being used (all DLC are installed).
Notes	Brief notes that apply to the mod or installation. In some cases, mods with several options will include a suggested option. These suggestions will take the form of: "STEP recommends 'Option A'." In other cases, there may only be one appropriate option, which fits the STEP Mandate. These instructions will take the form of: "Use 'Option A'." Users will also see links displayed as: Detailed instructions available. Users should follow these links to find detailed instructions for installing the mod.

Notice:

Chapter Heading Layout A link to more detailed information related to each section, for users wishing to have more in-depth information, is provided directly below the section heading and looks as follows: Detailed Information -->Link Brief, quick setup instructions follow the heading for users wishing to get through the guide AFAP (as fast as possible).

1.A. Install Steam & Skyrim

Detailed Information -->Skyrim Installation Guide

STEP recommends installing Skyrim to an SSD, if available, and preferably on a separate drive/partition than the Operating System is installed on (i.e. instead of installing to the C: drive, install it to D:, E:, etc). If a separate drive/partition is unavailable, avoid installing Steam and Skyrim in "C:\Program Files" or "C:\Program Files (x86)" folders since Windows User Account Control [UAC] will cause issues with a modded Skyrim.

Skyrim is installed through Steam, and this can be done on one of two ways:

1. Purchase the physical Skyrim DVD from a retailer - Run "Setup.exe," and follow the on-screen instructions to install Steam and Skyrim (see second video link above).
2. Install Steam and purchase the digital media from the Steam store - Navigate to the Steam website, download the installer, and launch "SteamSetup.exe" (see first video link above). Once Steam is installed, use the Steam search bar to search for "Skyrim" to purchase and install the game (see second video link above).

      Notice:

If Steam/Skyrim are installed according to these instructions and Mod Organizer (MO) is used according to recommendations in the STEP Guide, then backup procedures and security changes are optional and not necessary. Nevertheless, these procedures are mentioned in the video guides above.

1.B. Initialize the Game

Detailed Information -->Skyrim Launcher Guide

As a prerequisite to installing the remainder of this Guide:

1. Launch Skyrim from Steam to initialize the auto-detection process and accept the preset provided. Users will customize these settings below.
2. Launch the game to the main menu and then exit to desktop. This completes the required game initialization steps.

1.C. Install Utilities

Applications and utilities that aid in Skyrim mod management.

A mod-management utility is REQUIRED in order to easily keep track of a complex mod setup like STEP. These utilities also make it far simpler to deconstruct a STEP install in order to update to a new STEP version and to update to newer versions of the mods. This is impossible to do simply or efficiently without a mod manager.

There are a two mod managers that can be used to manage the STEP setup; however, to simplify Guide maintenance/support for staff and mod management for users, the STEP Guide only officially supports Mod Organizer. Although Wrye Bash is also mod manager, STEP recommends that it only be used for the functionality of creating the Bashed Patch. The reason for the limited support of Wrye Bash is, again, due to simplifying this Guide. Users who wish to use Wrye Bash may do so to install and maintain STEP, however, unless these users are experienced in modding, these users may find it difficult to install this Guide. Wrye Bash users can use the Wrye Bash Guide for detailed instructions on setting it up as a modding utility package. Wrye Bash users should also be aware that support may be limited when seeking help on the forums due to Wrye Bash not being the officially supported mod manager.

1.D. INI Tweaks

Detailed Information -->Skyrim Configuration Settings Guide

The INI tweaks from previous versions of the Guide have been replaced with the BethINI utility listed in section "1.C Install Utilities". If you did not set up BethINI per the mod page instructions, please return there and so so now. For more advanced information about INI settings, please see the "Detailed Information" link below the header above.

1.E. Display & Video Card Settings

Often under-appreciated, display and driver settings have a huge potential impact on the graphic quality of games and anything else displayed on the monitor in 2D or 3D, so it is important to get these settings done correctly. Below are listed only the essential settings. No further tweaking is necessary beyond them. It is highly recommended that only the bare minimal tweaking be done here until after the Guide is installed and configured according to the Baselines provided.

Update Video Drivers

If there is any reason to believe that the latest drivers installed are not installed correctly and are causing issues, then complete the following instructions. Else, simply install the latest drivers as normal.

1. Download the latest stable AMD drivers / Nvidia drivers.
2. Download DDU and install it (DDU forum Page).
3. Restart the system and boot into safe mode by repeatedly pressing F8 once the boot check initializes and before the OS begins loading (no need to uninstall the current drivers, but it will not hurt at all).
   • If using UEFI while using Windows 8 or later, go to to your power options and while holding down the Shift key, press restart. This will open the advanced menu where you can select to boot into safe mode.
4. Launch DDU, and select the appropriate driver from the drop-down combobox.
5. Note the recommendations in DDU and initialize the cleanup.
6. Reboot normally and install the latest drivers.

1.E.1. Configure Driver Settings

STEP has more detailed information in both the AMD-CCC guide as well as the Nvidia Inspector guide, and other AMD-CCC and Nvidia Inspector / Control Center guides exist for the inquisitive user. The following information is minimalistic, sound advice, and users are encouraged to add their own 2 cents for consideration via the AMD-CCC Talk and Nvidia Inspector Talk pages.

In Short - The graphics software should only be forcing max Anisotropic Filtering (AF). All other settings should be left to the Skyrim configuration (see above) and ENBoost configurations (see below).

1.E.1.1. AMD Users

Detailed Information -->Catalyst Control Center Guide (for old driver versions)
Detailed Information -->Radeon Settings

AMD users should read one of the above guides to correctly configure their driver graphics settings.

1.E.1.2. Nvidia Users

Detailed Information -->Nvidia Inspector Guide: Editing Skyrim Settings

Make the following changes via Nvidia Inspector, otherwise leave the defaults (they can be tweaked later if absolutely necessary).

1. Download Nvidia Inspector. This is a portable program and requires no installation. Simply place in a convenient location and create a shortcut to the executable.
2. Launch nvidiaProfileInspector.exe.
3. In the "Profiles" bar, select the "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" profile and keep all of the default settings except for the following changes:

1. Ensure Antialiasing - Mode is set to[Application-controlled]. If set to[Override], AA will be turned off in Skyrim, regardless of the Skyrim INI setting!
2. Force Anisotropic filtering:
   1. Set Anisotropic filtering mode to[User-defined / Off]
   2. Set Anisotropic filtering setting to[16x]
3. Click[Apply changes] at the top of the windows twice and then close.

1.E.2. Display Calibration

Color calibration is critical to photographers and graphic artists who work across media types, but it is also equally important for gamers. This is because there is a lot of screenshot sharing and qualitative discussion about in-game visuals. It is ideal if all users' systems are somewhat 'standardized' for comparative purposes alone. However, with that said, all monitors will be slightly different in their accuracy of displaying colors.

The gist: Calibrate the monitor's display settings based on the video driver configuration utility with all other configuration baselines set to something akin to "mid level".

There are three places to configure color saturation, temperature, brightness, contrast, gamma, etc:

1. The monitor's built-in configuration menu
2. Windows color management
3. The driver configuration utility (see "Configure Driver Settings" above)

The value of one setting can affect the appearance of other settings, and depending on the quality of the monitor, #1 above could be very good or just 'OK'. The #2 and #3 objects should be standard though, since they are made to work across various monitors.

• Ensure that #1 above is set to "the middle ground" with respect to all settings. Having extreme settings in the monitor configuration could potentially constrain the other configurations. For some, setting all #1 values to mid levels will be best, but for the other options the 'auto-config' will be best (auto-config may not set all #1 values to mid settings). Depending on the monitor, there may be other auto-config options based on various presets. Whatever seems most "middle of the road" is probably best for option #1 above.
• Optionally, also run option #2 (Control Panel > Display > Calibrate Color) and set to 'vanilla' mid-levels with respect to all attributes. If this was never run previously, then it should already be at mid-levels.
• Calibrate using option #3 (see below) using a this reference image and in a room with no direct lighting that could affect what the monitor shows (not-too-bright, diffuse-lighted room). The main calibration should be done using option #3 once a mid baseline 'canvas' has been established for options #1 and #2.
  • AMD-CCC: |Desktop Management| > |Desktop Color| (click "Reactivate AMD color controls").
  • Nvidia Control Panel: Access from the Windows Control Panel. |Display| > |Adjust desktop color settings|

• A STEP:Core installation is an installation of all, and only, the STEP:Core mods indicated in the tables below by a green bar to the left of the mod's name.

• Remember that STEP:Core can be used as a base for ANY modded setup. It is a universal build and will not spoil any downstream setup or Packs, although there may be a few minor redundancies whereby a STEP:Core mod is later installed again with some added or subtracted options.

• A STEP:Extended installation is an installation of all the mods listed below.

• Whether installing STEP:Core or STEP:Extended, install mods in the order that they are presented in the mod tables to achieve the correct result.

• Read the ReadMe files and other mod-related documentation that comes packaged with most mods. This also includes the mod description on Nexus. If the mod author has seen fit and taken time to create these reference materials, then they are relevant and important in the eyes of the mod author. This means that they are relevant and important to you!

STEP Patches

The STEP Patches are patches provided by STEP for the STEP:Core and STEP:Extended mod lists below. These patches resolve any conflicts between these mods which could cause issues if left unpatched. Users should decide now, before installing any mods, whether they will be installing STEP:Core or STEP:Extended and whether or not they will be using the STEP Patches. These two decisions now will be referenced later during mod installations. Deciding now will allow users to know which instruction sets to follow and will alleviate any confusion when these decisions arise. Users who decide to install the STEP Patches will do so at the end of the Guide during the STEP Compilation install.

All users should use one of the STEP Patches unless a custom patch will be made!
We recommend the use of the STEP Patches, even if users will be installing mods on top of a STEP build which require further patching. Using the STEP Patches will give these users a head start as most of the mods will already be patched for them. New users who are unfamiliar with the mod patching process are highly recommended to use the Patches.

• STEP Patches Requirements - It is recommended to keep the STEP Compilation topic open for reference to this list of required mods.
  • Users who decide they will not use the STEP Patches will need to install all relevant patches for mods listed on that topic. Take note of those plugins since they are not listed throughout the Guide.

Finally, we offer the following options in regards to the STEP Patches:

• Full STEP:Core Patch
• Full STEP:Extended Patch
• STEP:Core Patch without Enhanced Lighting for ENB (ELE) and/or Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul
• STEP:Extended Patch without Enhanced Lighting for ENB (ELE) and/or Immersive Citizens AI Overhaul

Notice:

Consider the following while installing mods Mods should be installed in the order that they are listed to ensure that mods further down the list overwrite those occurring before them. This is necessary to ensure the desired in-game effect. Mods are listed in alphabetical order within each section, and any deviations from this are purposeful to achieve the desired outcome. Always install plugins (ESPs/ESMs) unless otherwise noted. If there are not any notes associated with a particular mod, then all options fit the STEP mandate and it is the user's decision. The notes only provide instructions where necessary; otherwise, STEP encourages user customization. Unless otherwise stated, follow LOOT's advice with regards to mod cleaning and sorting.

2.A. LOOT Sorting

At any time during the mod installation process LOOT should be used to sort plugin load order before running the game. This is necessary to ensure proper plugin priority order (load order), which can have a dramatic impact on the game (or at worst cause a CTD). To sort with LOOT:

1. Launch LOOT via Mod Organizer from the executables drop-down menu.
2. Click the[Sort] button at the top.
3. Examine the resulting order carefully and look for any alerts or warnings and address each.
4. Click the[Apply] button which has replaced the Sort button at the top.
5. Close LOOT.

      Notice:

LOOT must be run prior to launching the game every time a mod is installed which adds one or more plugins.

2.B. Cleaning Vanilla Master Files

To remove errors in the Bethesda master files, it is recommended they be cleaned with xEdit before modding begins. This ensures maximum stability and compatibility within the modding experience.

Standard Cleaning Procedures

1. Run xEditQC from the drop-down executable list in MO2.
2. On the plugin selection window, double-click on the mod being cleaned (i.ee, Update.esm, Dawnguard.esm, etc).
   • xEdit will now automatically clean up the "Identical to master" and "deleted" records from the selected mod.
3. Once xEdit is done cleaning, click the X at upper right of the program window.
4. At the prompt, check the box next to the mod that was cleaned and the Backup Plugins box. Click OK to close the tool.

After the vanilla master files are cleaned, users should create separate mods for them in MO2 and restore the original. This prevents users from having to re-clean the file after verifying their files in Steam. To do this, complete the following:

1. Right-click the Overwrite folder in MO2 and select Create Mod..., name it “MasterName.esm - Cleaned” (i.e., Update.esm - Cleaned), and click OK.
2. On the new mod listing that appears, right-click and select Open in explorer. Leave this folder opened.
3. Open the Skyrim Special Edition Data directory (i.e., C:\Modding\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim Special Edition\Data)
4. Drag and drop the just cleaned master file from Data to the "MasterName.esm - Cleaned" folder from step 2.
5. Open the TES5Edit Backups folder found in Overwrite in MO2 and rename the file to “MasterName.esm”.
6. Drag and drop the renamed file from the TES5Edit Backups folder to the Data directory and choose to overwrite it.
7. Close the explorer windows.
8. Drag and drop the new MasterName.esm - Cleaned mod listing in MO2 directly below its vanilla master mod listing.

Update.esm, Hearthfires.esm, Dragonborn.esm

Follow the standard cleaning procedures to clean these master files, one at a time. Place the “MasterName.esm - Cleaned” mod listing for each below it's vanilla master mod listing. Update.esm will not be listed in MO2 and Update.esm - Cleaned is placed at the top of the modlist.

Dawnguard.esm

Follow the standard cleaning procedures to clean Dawnguard.esm; however, it is a special case and must be cleaned twice. Therefore, once the first cleaning is complete, repeat the process a second time before continuing to the manual cleaning below.

Dawnguard also has some manual cleaning required. To do this, visit this topic on AFKMods and complete the section under “Dawnguard.esm needs manual cleaning as well as automatic cleaning”. Return here when those three (3) steps are completed: https://afkmods.iguanadons.net/index.php?/topic/4110-manual-cleaning-skyrim-and-skyrim-se-master-files/

After the manual cleaning is complete, create the mod listing as directed above and place the “Dawnguard.esm - Cleaned” mod listing directly below Dawnguard.esm.

2.C. Extenders

Third-party programs (or extensions thereof) that enhance Skyrim functionality or display.

The mods in this section are required for a properly functioning STEP installation. YES, ENBoost is needed by EVERYONE, including those that do not use ENB Presets!

2.D. Fixes

Essential mods that fix bugs and tweak deficient aspects of Skyrim.