How To Merge Objects When TESTool Has Reached It's Limit : III

» Wed May 02, 2012 9:06 pm

At a certain point (I assume when the amount of mods exceeds TESTool's limit), TESTool crashes when trying to merge objects. In the past, i've heard a way around this is to merge some of the mods, change the name of the Merged Objects.esp to something else (ex: Merged Objects1.esp), merge the leftover mods, then merge the two Merged Objects.esp's together. I've done this in the past and it seemed to work fine. I was wondering if there was another way around this method or if this is pretty much the only option for successfully merging a fair amount of mods for Morrowind. Also, as far as Wrye Mash goes, is there an option to Select/Deselect all mods in the list so I don't have to go thtrough them all and check/uncheck them when i'm merging?

» Thu May 03, 2012 6:01 am

This should be in the mods forum.

But to answer your question, I've had success unchecking mods that don't need to be included in the MO process. Dialogue heavy mods seem to contribute significantly to the crash. I found I could uncheck a companion mod and one of the larger LGNPC mods and the crash would go away and I was able to stick with just the one Merged Objects esp. Its really going to depend on your load order if this method works for you.

To save load order in Mash, just right click on the header in the mods tab and select Load --> Save List... As explained in the help, when you load a saved list, its additive, meaning it will add the mods on the list to any currently selected mods. So you would want to deselect all mods and then load your saved list.

» Wed May 02, 2012 9:48 pm

Well here's my current load order:

Spoiler

001 Morrowind.esm
002 Tribunal.esm
003 Bloodmoon.esm
004 Morrowind Patch 1.6.5 Beta (BTB Edit).esm
005 Better Heads.esm
006 Better Heads Tribunal addon.esm
007 Better Heads Bloodmoon addon.esm
008 abotWaterLife.esm
009 Book Rotate.esm
010 Texture Fix 2.0.esm
011 Morrowind Advanced.esm
012 TR_Data.esm
013 TR_Map1.esm
014 TR_Map2.esm
015 Bloodmoon Landscape Overhaul 1.1.esm
016 H.E.L.L.U.V.A._Merchant_Containers.esm (Version 1.0)
017 MCA.esm
018 MW_Children_1_0.esm
019 Aduls_Master_Mod.esm
020 MetalQueenBoutique.esm (Version 3.1)
021 Vivec Outdoor Mall CoM_v2.esp
022 Illuminated Order v1.0.esp
023 Scripted_Spells.esp
024 Vampire_Embrace.esp
025 Better Bodies.esp
026 Blood Lines I_BloodMoon.esp
027 MW_Adv_PHW.esp
028 Blood Lines I_Tribunal.esp
029 Vampire Realism II.esp (Version 2.2)
030 Vampire Realism II - TB Add-On.esp
031 Vampire Realism II - BM Add-On.esp
032 BE_ghetto_No_BE.esp
033 Vampire Realism II - BL Patch.esp
034 Windows Glow.esp
035 Vampire Realism II - VE Patch.esp
036 Vampiric Hunger Base.esp
037 Key Replacer Trib & BM.esp
038 The Holiday Mod.esp
039 Vampiric Hunger Extended.esp
040 Vampiric Hunger - BL.esp
041 Vampiric Hunger MGE Addon for MGE 1.11+.esp
042 abotWaterLifeTRaddon.esp
043 Elders 0 Count NPC add-on (Trib & BM).esp
044 VampiricIllusion.esp (Version 1.4)
045 VampiricIllusion_MWSE_AddOn.esp (Version 1.4)
046 Nymeria's Faster Walk.esp
047 Westly's Female Head Pack-Humans.esp
048 ScentOfBlood_VR.esp (Version 1.2)
049 ScentOfBlood_MWSE_AddOn.esp (Version 1.2)
050 abotWhereAreAllBirdsGoing.esp
051 Nymeria's Monthly Respawn.esp
052 Diablerie.esp (Version 1.0)
053 Diablerie_MWSE_AddOn.esp (Version 1.0)
054 ve_comp_control.esp (Version 1.2)
055 Clean Key Replacer MW Renamer.esp
056 vampiric_regeneration.esp (Version 1.2)
057 Bob's Armory 2.esp
058 BB_Clothiers_of_Vvardenfell_v1.1.esp
059 BTB - Alchemy.esp
060 BTB - Character.esp
061 Jac_Passing Time While Reading - BRBJ Patch.esp
062 BTB - Equipment.esp
063 BTB - Spells.esp
064 Better Clothes Complete (BTB Edit).esp
065 Sandman101's W.P.L.&M.H.esp
066 DM_DB Armor Replacer-ExpDDBA (BTB Edit).esp
067 IceNioLivRobeReplacerPLUS (BTB Edit).esp
068 NoM_BTB-Settings Compatibility Plugin.esp
069 SWP_patch.esp
070 Westly's Master Headpack X.esp
071 H.E.L.L.U.V.A. Complete Weapons.esp
072 Real_wildlife_2b Complete.esp
073 H.E.L.L.U.V.A. Awesome Armor_Completion Set.esp
074 Book Jackets - Morrowind - BookRotate.esp
075 Booby Traps.esp
076 RW2B_NoTownCreatures.ESP
077 Dura gra-Bol's House Extended.ESP
078 NoM_BTB-Alchemy Compatibility Plugin.esp
079 Area Effect Projectiles (PAR Edit).esp
080 Indy Bank (SW Comp. Patch).ESP
081 New Argonian Bodies - Mature.esp
082 New Khajiit Bodies - Mature.esp
083 H.E.L.L.U.V.A._A.A._MEDIUM 1.0.esp
084 H.E.L.L.U.V.A._A.A._LIGHT 1.0.esp
085 H.E.L.L.U.V.A._A.A._Heavy 1.0.esp
086 H.E.L.L.U.V.A._A.A._Recolors_1.0.esp
087 Improved Caldera.esp
088 abotSiltStridersTR.esp
089 The Haunted Tavern of the West Gash.esp
090 Anya's Directions.esp
091 WhiteSuran2.esp
092 EcoAdjMerchantSkills (Disposition Edit).esp
093 abotThunders&Lightnings.esp (Version 1.2)
094 EcoAdjCrime (Tresspass Edit).esp
095 Service Requirements (BTB Edit).esp
096 CR Caldera Cellar 2.0.esp
097 CoM_Fix.ESP
098 Talrivian's State-Based HP Mod v.2.2.esp
099 BTB - Settings.esp
100 Illuminated Order v1.0 - Bloodmoon Compatibility Extras.esp
101 Vampire Realism II - VH Patch.esp
102 Book Rotate - Tribunal v5.3.esp
103 Pelagiad Greenhouse.esp
104 abotWindowsGlow.esp (Version 1.3)
105 Book Rotate - Bloodmoon v5.3.esp
106 Windows Glow - Tribunal Eng.esp
107 Windows Glow - Bloodmoon Eng.esp
108 Creatures.esp
109 Ald Redaynia Extended COM.esp
110 WA_Signy_Signposts(!).ESP
111 WA_Signy_Signposts(!)_TR.ESP
112 Vality's Balmora Addon.esp
113 Fligg's Slave Mod.esp
114 Passive_Healthy_Wildlife.esp
115 Windows Glow - Raven Rock Eng.esp
116 MCA - Vampire Realism Patch.esp
117 NoM_Creatures Loot PHW.esp
118 Pelagiad Draqers.esp (Version 1.0)
119 NoM_CoM Compatibility Patch.esp
120 MCA - TR Addon.ESP
121 Book Jackets - Bloodmoon - BookRotate.esp
122 Book Jackets - Tribunal - BookRotate.esp
123 Starfires NPC Additions ver-1.11.esp
124 Protective Guards.esp
125 Vality's Bitter Coast Addon (Texture Fix Edit).esp
126 unique Pelagiad.esp
127 Velanbannu1-4.esp
128 mel_teleportPlugin_1_3.esp
129 MW_Adv_Required (BTB Edit).esp
130 MCA - COV Addon.esp
131 TR_CensusAndExciseTravel.esp
132 Syc_HerbalismforPurists (Pearl Bug Edit).esp (Version 1.2)
133 Pelagiad Provisions v1.3.esp (Version 1.3)
134 Quieter_UI_Sounds.esp
135 Frostmoth Docks.ESP
136 k_weather (louder sounds).esp
137 Starfires NPC Additions VR patch.esp
138 Syc_HerbalismforPurists_BM.esp
139 Syc_HerbalismforPurists_TB.esp
140 Improved_No_Glow_v1-MW_Trib_Blood.esp
141 Enhanced Economics 1.2.esp (Version 1.2)
142 Suran Waterfront V-5.1.esp
143 SimpleSeasons_v1.0.esp
144 WhiteSuranWaterfrontADDON.esp
145 Census and Excise Office.esp
146 MCA 6 - H.E.L.L.U.V.A. Wicked Weapons.esp
147 Pursuit Enhanced.esp
148 Redaynia Village.esp
149 ASE Complete (BTB Edit).esp
150 Unique Jewelry and Accessories_no ench.esp
151 TAE - apparatus retexture.esp
152 abotTakeMyPlace.esp
153 dh_furn.esp
154 dh_furn_stores.esp (Version 2.01)
155 dh_thriftshop.esp (Version 2.01)
156 MCA Names 6.1.ESP
157 Aduls_Clocks_and_Watches.esp
158 Aduls_Arcane_Armature.esp
159 Vurt's Ashlands Overhaul.esp
160 A Hermit's Request.esp
161 OTR_Coast_Variety.esp
162 Blight Bounties.esp
163 frostmoth_repaired_v0_31.esp
164 NOM 3.0.esp (Version 3.03)
165 Water Level Fix - Full.esp
166 NoM_IO Compatibility Patch.esp
167 Merged_Objects.esp
168 Mashed Lists.esp

If there's any mods anyone could suggest I shouldn't merge, please let me know. Maybe any future suggestions on which types of mods I shouldn't merge would be helpful too. I tried adding abot's Boats and Gondoliers mods, and when I reached NoM, it crashed. I've since removed those 2 mods until I can figure this out.

» Thu May 03, 2012 8:25 am

Basically, you don't have to include mods that have no objects that need to be merged. A mod may have nothing to merge but, when included in the scan that TESTool performs, it still contributes to the crash. You should have a good idea of the content of each of your mods. If you suspect a mod doesn't have any objects or NPCs that need to be merged with another mod, you can deselect it right before you run the MO function, then don't forget re-select it (them) when you're done so that they load properly in your game. If you are unsure if a mod doesn't need to be included, you could check it against all your other mods with http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Utilities.Detail&id=24 (do the "Single vs" checktype), a must have tool to have if you are dealing with large mod loads, imo. Start by checking abot's Boats and Gondoliers mods; maybe they don't have anything that needs to be merged. I'd also try quest mods. The Holiday Mod might be a good one too. Hopefully with a little experimentation you can keep it to only a handful of mods you need to deselect.

Just remember in the future, the more mods you continue to add to your mod list, the more you'll have to deal with this issue, now that you've hit the limit that triggers the bug. (Btw, its not a magic number of mods that triggers the bug, but it is due to a large number of mods--something to do with "text buffer overflow.")

» Thu May 03, 2012 6:13 am

Maybe you can also run mlox, it also states which mods that is not recommended for merged objects. Merged objects is pretty good if you have 2 mods modifiying the same npc, etc, but I had in 1 instance where the affected merged npcs will die whenever I load their cells. I saw it somewhere in this forum that it is caused by merged objects (had forgotten the topic title, but its something about NPC dying and the thread's solution is by Dragon32). So this is something you should definitely take note.

Also, creatures.esp should not be included in the merged objects as well.

» Thu May 03, 2012 12:12 am

Also, creatures.esp should not be included in the merged objects as well.

Well this is a long-standing conventional wisdom that hasn't really been proven. Although it was stated so in the readme, turns out including Creatures was only suspected of causing issues but it has never been proven. Piratelord clarified this further in one of his recent threads. I've been including Creatures for quite a while with no issues, so maybe I've just been lucky.

In any case, the newest version of Creatures has a work-around with a patch so that you can include it even if you were worried about it before. More info in the mods section.

Speaking of which, I'm surprised a moderator hasn't moved this to the mods forum yet.

» Wed May 02, 2012 7:35 pm

Yeah, i'm not sure if it's wise to keep this thread going in the wrong forum. But I suppose maybe if it isn't they can just move it or they'll let me (us) know. As far as the Creatures mod goes though, i'm using Piratelord's newest version but i'm still not including it in the merging. Also, mlox states that the MCA-COV patch isn't supposed to be merged either. Other than that, it doesn't say anything about merging (or not) any of the other mods i'm currently using.

» Wed May 02, 2012 6:50 pm

Opps, I guess I havre been outdated,, did not know that the latest version of Creatures can be included in the Merged Objects. have been trying out Oblivion recently. As for your query, I don't think I know of any solution. Probably you can read this link to see if any of it helps you? http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1177482-best-practices-for-making-merged-objects/

» Wed May 02, 2012 10:30 pm

Yes, there's a little esp you load after merged objects, which only contains the scripts that Creatures uses, so theory goes, if merging mucks up the scripts, this esp will then force fix them.