How do .ESPs apply changes?

Post » Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:10 pm

I've done enough research to know that .ESMs hold records, and .ESPs modify fields in records or add new records.

What I haven't been able to find asking the Google Oracle, however, is the level at which .ESPs track record changes. If I have two mods, and one changes field A in a record while the other changes field B, with load order A.esp -> B.esp, does B clobber A even though they technically don't conflict? Or is the loader smart enough to track changes in individual fields, and only overwrite where a specific field is in conflict?

For context, I have a mod where the only master records I'm going to touch are the RACE records, modifying the SPCO and SPLO fields to add a racial ability to all playable races (at least to start with). Is the game smart enough to not clobber the model data for someone using a aesthetic mod?

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Isabella X
 
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Post » Wed Feb 26, 2014 4:00 pm

In almost all cases, any edit (even to a single field) of a record means that that plugin will override the entire record in another mod. Unfortunately the game does not load things on a field-by-field basis, it's all or nothing (and this is one of the main reasons why so many patches are needed for everything to work together). If Wrye Bash gets developed some more it might allow more "merging" of records (as I understand it does that very well for some other mods like Oblivion). If you touch the Race, it will override any other mod editing races (or those mods will override yours). Generally it's not a good idea to touch Races unless your mod is explicitly a "Race mod" so-to-speak, but it's kind of up to you of course.

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Patrick Gordon
 
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