Ill be adding my load order for reference since the problem is likely in something else that I have because well, I dont think anyone releases something that is broken...

My adventure started out as usual, doing all the things my character does in the woods outside Riverwood. Finally I decided it was time to head north to Whiterun and get some things started. I go about half way between the meadery and the first gate and everything just ceased up or crashed all together. I found it so hard just to try and approach the city that I finally gave up and thought I would head south to Falkreath instead. After several days of very strange eventfulness, I finally got within reach of the settlement. I decided that being overburdened and not wanting to drop anything that it would be best to just cut cross country and get there in a straight line. Every time I pass over this small creek I got a few yards then crash... A few times I actually managed to get into the middle of the settlement, but then trying to open a door resulted in crashing. Some times I would get a few seconds of just looking at the ground before it would crash...

Finally I just took the mod out to see what would happen. I strolled right into town without any problems what-so-ever... After sorting all my baggage out and getting all that I could from the town, I decided it was time to reactivate the mod. After reactivation, it didnt seem to matter where I was in the town, out on the street, in any building, I would get an instant crash after loading...

After all of this taken into account, I think I can say with certainty that it is not my load order because I use LOOT and WRYE BASH to fix all that. It isnt a Memory problem because I imagine that it would be next to impossible for the inside of a tavern or shop to overload Ram and cause a crash. Im presently operating on the lowest graphics settings to max FPS with the exception of the view distance maxed out on all sliders, I cant see playing this game without a full field of vision. I cant think of anything else that would be an issue but mod conflict... I used and older version of ETaC with very little problems, just an occasional crash that left me paranoid but able to play without much trouble.

If someone can help me find whats causing this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Active Mod Files:

00  Skyrim.esm01  Update.esm02  Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]03  Dawnguard.esm04  Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]05  HearthFires.esm06  Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]07  Dragonborn.esm08  Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.6]09  Falskaar.esm0A  Wyrmstooth.esp  [Version 1.11]0B  ETaC - RESOURCES.esm0C  SkyTEST-RealisticAnimals&Predators.esm0D  SkyTEST-RealisticAnimals&Predators.esp0E  ImmersiveBountyHunting_Bandits.esm0F  BFSEffects.esp10  abotFiresHurt.esp11  1nivWICCloaksCRAFT.esp  [Version 2.3]12  Immersive NPC in the dark.esp13  SkyUI.esp14  No Combat Music GMST.esp15  No NPC Greetings.esp16  Hothtrooper44_Armor_Ecksstra.esp17  Requiem.esp18  NoPsychicLockKnowledge.esp19  ETaC - Complete.esp1A  Requiem - Resources.esp1B  Shadow of Morrowind.esp1C  Piratelords Loot Adjustments.esp1D  Requiem - Hard Times.esp1E  Requiem - Dragonborn.esp1F  DragonCombatOverhaulDragonborn.esp20  DragonCombatOverhaul - Requiem Patch.esp21  DragonCombatOverhaulDragonborn - Requiem Patch.esp22  ETaC - Dragon Bridge South.esp23  3DNPC.esp  [Version 3.06.9]24  Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp25  RealisticNeedsandDiseases.esp26  Osare Food.esp27  PIVariety.esp28  SkyTEST-RealisticAnimals&Predators-Dawnguard.esp29  Immersive Sounds - Compendium.esp2A  HARODATH_ImmersiveSoulgems.esp2B  Chesko_Frostfall.esp2C  Hunterborn.esp2D  RequiemSurvivalExperience.esp2E  Purewaters.esp2F  Hunterborn_Dawnguard-Patch.esp30  RND_PureWaters-Patch.esp31  RND_Dragonborn-Patch.esp32  RND_Dawnguard-Patch.esp33  Hunterborn_Requiem-Patch.esp34  Hunterborn_RND-Patch.esp35  Real Wildlife Skyrim 0.1.esp36  nosalt.esp37  RND Requiem Food Patch.esp38  Roasted Meat - RND.esp39  Skyrim Immersive Creatures.esp  [Version v6.5.2a]3A  3DNPC - Requiem Patch.esp3B  RND_USKP-Patch.esp3C  Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp3D  Requiem - SIC Patch.esp3E  Requiem - SIC Patch - ARMOR .esp3F  SoS - The Wilds.esp  [Version 1.13]40  SoS - Civilization.esp  [Version 1.02]41  ESFCompanions.esp  [Version 0.3.7]42  Pureweather.esp43  w2salem.esp44  Merchants Reply Only With Take A Look.esp45  Skyrim Immersive Creatures - DLC2.esp  [Version v6.5.2a]46  SoS - The Dungeons.esp  [Version 1.23]47  Immersive Whiterun.esp48  Immersive Solstheim.esp49  Hunting in Skyrim - No Perks.esp4A  vImmersiveBeds.esp4B  WetandCold.esp4C  WetandCold - Holidays.esp4D  LocalizedGuildJobs.esp4E  Economics of Skyrim.esp4F  Economics of Skyrim - Dawnguard.esp50  OBIS.esp51  Requiem - Wyrmstooth.esp52  Wyrmstooth_RND Compatibility Patch.esp53  Inconsequential NPCs.esp54  Radiance.esp55  Run For Your Lives.esp  [Version 2.0.3]56  Requiem - Inconsequential NPCs.esp57  OBISDB.esp58  Requiem - OBIS.esp59  betterfactionscomplete.esp5A  Civil War Overhaul.esp5B  ImmersiveQuesting.esp5C  Civil War Overhaul - Requiem Patch.esp5D  Immersive Weapons.esp5E  Requiem - Immersive Weapons.esp5F  Requiem - Falskaar.esp60  Requiem - SIC Patch - DLC2.esp61  Cloaks.esp62  SkyTEST-RealisticAnimals&Predators-Dragonborn.esp63  Requiem - Cloaks of Skyrim Patch.esp64  SkyTest RealisticAnimals&Predators - Requiem  Patch - Dragonborn.esp65  SkyTest RealisticAnimals&Predators - Requiem  Patch - HearthFires.esp66  Immersive Orc Strongholds.esp67  Skyrim Better Roads - All In One - Merged.esp68  SkyTest RealisticAnimals&Predators - Requiem  Patch.esp69  Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp6A  1nivWICCloaks.esp  [Version 2.3]6B  Requiem - DB - OBIS.esp6C  1nivWICCloaksNoGuards.esp  [Version 2.3]6D  Inconsequential NPCs - Enhancement.esp6E  Requiem - Immersive Armors.esp6F  Requiem - Immersive Armors - Addon.esp70  CookingExpanded.esp  [Version 1.2b.]71  Cooking Expanded - RND Support.esp72  Immersive Patrols II.esp73  ImmersiveBountyHunting.esp74  Requiem - Immersive Patrols II.esp75  Populated Cities 2.esp76  RND_HearthFires-Patch.esp77  HunterRangerCrafting.esp78  JBS_banking_redux.esp79  Equipping Overhaul.esp7A  Morning Fogs.esp7B  Catsofskyrim.esp7C  Dogsofskyrim.esp7D  fine goods from morrowind.esp7E  SkyTest RealistAnimals&Predators - Requiem Patch - Hard Times.esp7F  Smash It Up - Functional Mills.esp80  CP Apple Trees.esp81  SOT-Sleeping.esp82  WetandCold - Ashes.esp83  When Vampires Attack.esp  [Version 2.0.3]84  wizDynamicThings.esp85  Open Cities Skyrim.esp  [Version 1.0.2]86  Open Cities Skyrim - WCHolidays.esp87  Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp  [Version 2.5.2]88  Requiem for the Indifferent.esp89  Bashed Patch, 0.esp

Do you use any of the patches provided by EtaC? The currents patches available are for an older version of the mod, so those can break things.

At this moment I dont think im using any patches. I had this patch collection and none of them seemed to have anything to do with what im using.

Are you sure its that mod? It could just be the straw that breaks the camels back. It seems like your using a fair number of script heavy mods. not to mention extra npcs, graphics etc etc.

I have had a history with lots of scripts, script slow down doesnt cause the game to crash. NPCs and graphic (graphics set to lowest values) would cause FPS slowdowns, not crashes.

hmm, I admit I am curious if that mod is causing the issue, using it myself. But not started a new play-through yet.

Have you tried just running that mod by itself and going to that village? It'd be the way to be 100% certain.

edit: cant bring myself to start a new game til perkus maximus is released. Cant stand vanilla skyrim anymore.

Not much help as I'm not using the mod, but if I would, I would post issues in the Nexus thread. missjennabee and others are very helpful and they know of course just about everything about the mod.

Yep, best place to ask is on a mod download page comments section if the author and community is active there. Missjennabee takes short breaks from time to time, but when she's there she's very active.

I've had the occasional issue with CTD and other glitches around Whiterun myself since updating to the new version with Immersive Settlements incorporated, which adds a market and other buildings around the exterior of the city. You could try running ETaC but just disabling the Immersive Whiterun esp.

Don't dismiss memory related issues, as IS adds a bunch of new buildings, clutter and NPCs:

- Are you using Sheson's memory patch (SSME or enabled in the SKSE ini)?

- Are you using ENBoost?

- Are the rest of your mods clean according to LOOT/TES5Edit?

- Could be a corrupt spawn point or glitched spawn lists. Try resetting your cells (use the "prepare for cell reset" option in the Immersive Creatures MCM menu).

- Check that SkyTest isn't trying to place a new animal spawn point inside one of the new buildings added by ETaC/IS.

Im going to look into those tools, ive heard of them before, but never tried them.

Here is some high strangeness... I accidentally set up and started playing without plugging the power cord in. I had just switched to the modular version of the mod to see if it made a difference. When I started up everything seemed really choppy, but I managed to get into town and sell all my loose crap and was largely able to take care of business... The thing about it is that when i plugged in the crashes started again, which should actually be the opposite. Running on battery power should hinder performance and make it harder to do what its trying to do, in this case it actually caused the game to function choppy as it was... So I really dont think that its a performance issue especially given that this discovery...

I think in general I have just been needing performance boosting utilities so thats definitely what ill be after today. As for Skytest and immersive creatures, it might be best if more patches were developed for all this kind of stuff...

Just booted up a game and tried starting in the falk inn. It worked right up to the point where I tried to exit the inn (using live another life). It would have an infinite load screen or ctd. I tried several times, and it would never allow me to exit into the village.

However, I then loaded *just* the dlcs and live another life, with ETAaC, and it it worked.

My guess is that there is some odd conflict with one of our mods.

*Note* Used loot to sort mods, and have properly cleaned all mods that needed it.

Which mods out of my list are you using?

I guess the most distressing thing for me is, why does it have to CTD at all? I have played a number of other games where the system couldnt handle it and they always suffered with FPS and artifacting, but why CTD?

If there is anything that frustrates me the most about all this, its that I have to wait a day and a half for anything I post to get answered, and those answers dont always include a solution...

You have gotten quite a few tips from jackstarr, but you haven't commented on which ones you've tried and how it went. Anyway, the obvious tip would be to remove ETaC and see how it goes. Not using it myself but as I understand it, the latest release is the first that incorporates Immersive Settlements so it might have some initial issues because of that.

I've given you several possible solutions. Time for you to do some work yourself - modding TES games has never been plug-and-play if you're using more than a couple of mods.

If you don't understand anything, just ask - don't just sit back and complain. Also bear in mind that these boards don't move as fast as they used to, and many of us are in different time zones and have stuff to do in real life as well (shocking, I know!) so don't always expect an immediate response.

Get the essential http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/51038/ ini for SKSE (thanks to Sagittarius22) – this will help to prevent crashes in a modded game.

Also get http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/41592 but do NOT increase your uGrids – running this mod with default uGrids is also fine and will help stability.

Trickier to install is http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/38649 – this will also prevent crashes by allowing your game to exceed the hardcoded 3.1gb ram limit. Don’t worry if you can’t figure out the install procedure at first – get the other mods and then come back to this later if you find you have crashes. Make sure you download the ENB binaries from http://enbdev.com as well - unfortunately you'll need to navigate Boris's site yourself as there's no way to hotlink to the actual file download page there

Because no other game has such a sophisticated engine that allows such openness of user modding. You're effectively rewriting the game itself by modding, so need to take care that the mods you add don't conflict with each other and don't overpower your system or the engine (that was designed primarily for the old generation of consoles).

Hah, I did a double-take when I read that and though you were trolling at first - plugging in a desktop without a power cord and being able to play would be a feat indeed

What are your system specs? You just might not have a powerful enough system to play this combination of mods.

Check you don't have any other running applications getting in the way - a virus scan or other app doing stuff in the background would affect performance, and could explain things like this.

When playing Skyrim, shut down any other running applications including your web browser.

Also add your Skyrim-related folders (and Steam in general) to your antivirus software real-time scan exclusion list - that may stop it scanning every file accessed by the engine in-game and thrashing your system if your antivirus does things like that.

For SkyTEST, you mean you want a patch for that and ETaC. First off, check that one is even needed. Who do you expect to make a patch? There are so many mods and not everyone is using every combination. You could request a patch from the author of either mod, but if they don't use the other mod themself then you may be out of luck. If so, you may need to choose one mod or the other - or take the plunge and look into using the CK or TES5Edit and learning how to make a patch yourself. Plenty of people in the Creation Kit forum here who can help you, but don't expect them to do the work for you.

For Immersive Creatures, what do you mean you want a patch developed? It doesn't need a patch for ETaC.

The glitched lists I'm referring to aren't specific to SIC, and I'm just suggesting to use the Prepare for Cell Reset option of SIC to reset your cells in general - that option will clear up the cells of corrupt spawns from ANY mod.

Believe it or not I look to stuff like this to relax...

I am just convinced that this is a conflict issue, the game runs to smooth to be a performance issue and I dont have crap like this happening unless this mod is involved... I have sent a message to the maker and thus far she has not answered, maybe in a few days I can get an answer, the problem however, is that I want to play in the next few days... It pains be but I might have to simply go without it at first because it just doesnt seem possible right now...

I have been trying to do the same thing actually, funny...

I used a bunch of NPC adding mods and added this mod without ever thinking about it, I couldnt enter the cities either, but now that I have taken away all the NPC mods it seems to work fine.

Something though, I did notice some freezing for a moment when walking down the road, like the game was having trouble and trying to catch up. Think that has anything to do with Open Cities?

I guess the game works now that I took all the NPC mods away, but I still want to have a bigger population than the crappy vanilla game. Does anyone know what different mods can handle? i use 1GB VRam and 4GB Memory, I have an Nvidia 540M if that helps... I have a bunch of wilderness mods that adds animals and I dont see much if any problem outside of settlements so that seems ok, just dont know what to do about this...

I see a number of mods that just add 'filler' NPCs that dont really do anything, I guess what I really want are NPCs that will offer radiant quests and have dynamic dialogue, and stuff that will actually make them seem more like real people, not just automatons...

I've been down this road before. I fixed it by removing mods that add extra NPC's and animals: immersive patrols, populated cities, inconsequential NPC's, Skytest, dogs, cats, etc. For extra NPC's in the game, I just use ETAC, 3DNPC, a few follower mods and one or two mods that add locations and a few NPC's.

You have overloaded the game engine.