Select the application of your choice that is easiest and most efficient for sorting mods. Name pros and cons if you want and If you select other, name which and also what benefits.

Your Wrye Bash option should specify BAIN since BAIN is the installer component.

Pros: Manages resource overlaps without deleting files needed by other mods should you uninstall one.

Cons: Doesn't handle shader mods.

Scripting used to be a con, but BAIN has wizards now, so that's one less thing

BAIN hands down, if you take the time to learn it.

OBMM crashes and runs out of memory when installing large mods like OOO... and it is not under active development anymore either, unlike Wrye Bash's Bain.

I've never had such issues with OBMM , even when installing OOO, active development is a bummer, but I'm sure TimeSlip would allow another to take over.

OBMM for me, used it for a long time

Pros: Easy to use, most of the mods I use/want come in OMOD format

Cons: Does not allow for mod type grouping

Voted BAIN.

Pros:

• Can manage and switch install order without uninstallation.
  
• Handles install adjustments without uninstallation. I just rearranged which FCOM and MMM and COBL options were running.
  
• Handles uninstallation perfectly.
  
• Doesn't install dll and exe files.
  
• BAIN is one function of a program that does a bunch else I need to do, too. I don't have to close the program and open another to finish my installation.
  
• Run BOSS, TES4LodGen and several other useful programs right from Wrye Bash.
  
• Built-in cigarette break while Installers tab is initializing. :wink_smile:

Cons:

• Steep learning curve.
  
• Doesn't install dll and exe files. (Yes, I listed this as both a pro and a con. It's safe but inconvenient.)

Did not vote OBMM.

Pros:

• Easy to learn to use.
  
• Included BSA tools - browser, creator.

Cons:

• Uninstallation, order of installation changes, and installing new mods - especially ones that include textures/meshes - requires practically starting your installation over.
  
• Requires the omod format.

gothemasticator

EDIT: @InsanitySorrow - Looks like you didn't vote in the poll.

gtm

Voted BAIN

I don't like that OBMM redates the files it installs

Um, the ESP and ESM dates have to be changed in order to have control over your load order. The game engine loads them in order of time and date.

gothemasticator

OBMM redates ALL files.

Every time I've tried Bash, I've screwed up my game. In all honesty, I just couldn't be arsed to learn it. OBMM for me.

Thanks, I just fixed that. I've been absent from TES for a while and I'm trying to get some new content mods going and was looking for opinions on which installer is better, i think i'll make the switch to BAIN since OBMM is kind of difficult sometimes and I usually have to install by hand(putting things in their respective folders, textures, meshes, etc.)

Why is this a problem?

BAIN is clearly the better install manager. It just gives you so much more control over your installation, but it does have a bit of a learning curve. OBMM is simply easier and a good choice for folks who just want to make sure they can install a few simple mods correctly.

I didn't say it was a problem, I said I didn't like it.

The reason I don't like it is because BSAs that either replace or is replaced with files in the data\* folders are very sensitive to the relative dates they have.

While this works IF you don't touch (update, activate, manually install, etc) anything, because it can cause problems if you do.

Question. Are they free, and if not, how much do they cost? Cause really, I know about about modding, and nothing about installing mods.

Both are totally free. Get them on The Nexus.

Yes they are free. You can't charge for mods or the tools for installing them I suggest you start with OBMM. BAIN is a pain BAIN does have a steep learning curve and takes a lot of effort to get going. I'm sure once you get the hang of it, it's great, but I've used OBMM for years and continue to do so...

as if you really need to ask - I voted http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1084204-bain-mod-installation-projects/.

Main reason (and I'm serious) - it is still in development and supported. Go to where the support is. Other reasons - if fully utilized can give nearly full control with amazing feedback over your installed mods as well as many many other useful tools and reports.
Cons - you have to install python and other extensions - and learning curve to use Wrye Bash.

OBMM can do good stuff but too much of a black box form of installing and so easy to lose track of what is installed and in what order. This is not true for fallout mod manager which provides even more control over replacers (with it you can literally choose which file from each mod that should win - where BAIN is per package). If OBMM were to be up to par with BAIN in that regard then it would be a tough decision.

H2Odk-
I think what you mean is that when installing a mod it always places it last - I too find that annoying. With BAIN I often will first clean and date the plugins before repackaging so that if ever I need take them out or anneal them with BAIN they will mote often than not end up near where I dated them.

Doomknight- yes BAIN does have a learning curve - but really only need to climb it once.

Well technically you could charge people for Wrye Bash, GPL license and all that, but you'd probably be skinned alive by someone for doing it Also, nobody would pay when someone else will just offer it free.

Well, well. BAIN by a landslide. Huh. :huh:

Good thing too, mind you. It is the best, after all, in so many ways.

I can't vote as I don't find a Wrye Bash alternative - only Wyre Bash. Just kidding, but I'm always curious why so many get that wrong. Voted BAIN but have nothing to add to the reasons given in posts above. And I don't think it has such a steep learning curve either. Sure, it's deep - but rather simple to get started w/o delving into the depths of it IMO. But basically it's as simple as OBMM IMO: right-click > install instead of activate.

Voted BAIN. The only things that OBMM does better are:

* Scripted installs. Wizards do this, but haven't had the time to get as fully-featured as OBMM's scripting.
* Shader editing. BAIN can't do this.
* BSA editing/creation. BAIN/Wrye Bash can't do this.
* Installation of dll and exe files. BAIN doesn't do this. I prefer to do this manually though, so that's OK.

Voted Wrye Bash Bain - Since learning the benefits of Bain installers OBMM is now mostly growing cobwebs. If I had to go back to relying on OBMM I think it would drive me mad not having the fine control over replacers, or the ability to easily change texture/mesh combinations from different mod sets at a whim.

I cannot vote here since I have fully tested only one of the two installers (OBMM).

I voted BAIN, despite being very newly converted over from OMODs and not yet fully understanding all that Wrye Bash can do or how to go about doing it. And despite an as-yet-unsolved issue with my BAIN install that didn't exist with its OMODesque predecessor (http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1107968-sunglare-error/page__p__16234080.).

My favorite thing about BAIN thus far is the customizability possible with packages. I'm created some that offer options to select between cleaned and original ESPs (00 clean ESP, 00 original ESP), between PyFFI or original meshes (03 meshes-PyFFI, 03 meshes-original), and so on. Conflict management is a strong point, as is the feedback Wrye Bash gives you on almost every aspect of your installation.

OBMM has its place, and still does some things better than Wrye Bash. For some folk OBMM in conjunction with several other utilities is all that is needed. Still, if push comes to shove, BAIN gets my nod.

-Decrepit-

Thanks.