Overview
The answer to a frequently asked question:Why was Vortex created from scratch rather than continuing Nexus Mod Manager?Complete with Tutorial Videos on how to use Vortex, Links & FAQ’s. Vortex completely installs your Script Extender for you from download to update notices Vortex completely installs your ENB FAQ’s Full list of Bethesda games that use the Script Extender with versions & links Vortex mods approx. 200 games MoreVortex has become a very powerful yet easy to use Mod ManagerThe Go-to Mod Manager – Highly Recommended
Why this Guide?
First, why this guide and what does it contain?
This is under the “Guide” category on Steam but hopefully serves as a means to cut through the main question for Gamers that are playing Skyrim and are new to the modding scene. I spend a considerable amount of my time helping Gamers with their modding questions and many are confused as to which Mod Manager to use and that confusion is many times compounded by “bad information” regarding what Vortex is, who designed Vortex and what happened to Nexus Mod Manager. So rather than giving my personal opinion I thought it would be helpful to give folks a few words directly from the Vortex archives.
Originally much of this guide was copied directly from the Vortex Knowledge Base (I did speak with the very helpful folks in the Nexus Vortex forums, like Tannin42 and Pickysaurus, before publishing this “guide”). I was simply porting over information directly from Vortex to Steam via copy & paste in a Guide format for whomever may be interested. Over time the guide has grown with content I added to what it is today.
This guide is now a combination “How-to” guide and info from the “Knowledge Base”. There is also a Q & A section as well as reference links which will be updated as needed.
There are other Mod Managers out there that are very powerful like MO2 or Wrye Bash. This guide does not recommend one over the other.
Why create Vortex instead of simply continuing with Nexus Mod Manager (NMM)?
The following is taken directly from the Vortex knowledge base & is indicated as such by ” ” :
“The main reason why we decided to create a new mod manager from scratch, rather than to continue on with Nexus Mod Manager is that the latter is based on code written for Oblivion (Oblivion Mod Manager) and Fallout 3 (Fallout Mod Manager) – games that are now over 10 years old.
Since then, we’ve been working hard to bolster the functionality and scope of NMM despite being constantly stymied by code that is long past its prime written by developers who have long since moved on from the community and their work on the mod managers.
As our community has massively grown since the days of Oblivion and Fallout 3 (from half a million users back then to now almost 18 million), both the standards for the code base of our designated mod manager as well as the standards for its functionality have evolved.
Maintaining and updating Nexus Mod Manager meant carrying over inherent flaws in its code from revision to revision and adding functionality to it – such as mod packs, which we are aiming to do in the not too distant future – became akin to building on top of a crumbling foundation. The longer users stuck with NMM, the more likely it became that it would cause issues such as corrupted mod installations, all without notifying or alerting users to it.
Therefore, in 2016 we brought on a full-time developer with a proven track record of making mod managers to create from scratch a new, modern mod manager with the simplicity of NMM paired with high-end functionality that would further work with a vast number of games (at this point almost 70). In many regards, Vortex is the amalgamation of now almost 10 years of our joint experience in making and maintaining mod managers. Not only that, but we are also distributing it with a GPL-3 license, meaning Vortex is open source and based on extensions which gives avid programmers the ability to extend its functionality through plugins.
In essence, rather than having to work around and with flawed code from 10 years ago and keeping on patching NMM, starting fresh with Vortex and now two full-time programmers working on it enabled us to build exactly the mod manager we wanted from the ground up.
That being said, while we could have forced a switch for all users from NMM to Vortex, we chose not to because we think that if you are happy with NMM and have a working setup – by all means – you should stay with it. Just bear in mind that we are no longer providing support for NMM (i.e. helping you trouble-shoot issues with NMM). You can, however, still download the community-maintained version of NMM on our site and get help from users who are familiar with it and/or willing to assist with issues NMM might be causing.
If you are curious to try out Vortex, starting a new playthrough, a new mod setup, or simply want to start over due to issues with NMM or other mod managers, you can download the latest stable build of Vortex on our site.”
For new modders
“For newcomers to modding, especially to modding of Bethesda games (The Elder Scrolls & Fallout series), this means that Vortex might be more intuitive than other mod managers as the main burden of load order management is taken off your shoulders. Because of that, Vortex is a great fit for new modders who have little to no experience when it comes to the intricacies of load order management and mod conflict resolution.”
For veteran modders
“For experienced modders, Vortex’s automatic load order sorting might necessitate a renewed way of thinking about modding:
Over the years, many of us have become attached to the idea of being able to manually drag plugins in our load orders to specific slots. In fact, this is probably one of the most frequently pointed out things about Vortex from those with prior experience of modding Bethesda games. Through automatic sorting and conflict based granular control, Vortex places more focus on resolving conflicts and keeping changes to the minimum needed to have a working, stable game.”
How Vortex manages your load order
“One of the key features is Vortex’s capability to automatically sort your load order (this applies to Bethesda games only: The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series) to prevent, or severely reduce, the number of conflicts between mods and increase the overall stability of your game. In general, using Vortex will have to spend a lot less time micromanaging your load order to achieve a stable setup.
When it comes to managing your load order, it is important to note that often modders will presume that a given plugin needs to be loaded in a specific load order slot, while in reality, all that matters is when the plugin in question is loaded in relation to another plugin. In other words: it would e.g. not matter if plugin A would load in load order slot 95 or 98, all that would matter is that it loads e.g. before plugin B, but after plugin C etc.
Vortex accomplishes this by making use of LOOT (Load Order Optimisation Tool) to automatically sort your plugins. LOOT is integrated into Vortex by default and does not need to be installed separately.
LOOT, and by extension, Vortex, will in most cases sort your plugins in a sensible fashion, though not always automatically get the load order 100% right. With that in mind, you will still be able to resolve mod conflicts manually. Providing you with information, assistance, and powerful tools, Vortex will help you to achieve exactly the setup that you want with minimal incompatibilities and issues remaining.”
For more information on how Vortex approaches Load Order Sorting Click Here [wiki.nexusmods.com]
The above Link takes you (to an external site) here:
[link]
All quoted (“”) content copied directly from Vortex Mod Manager 1/23/2020
A look at the Vortex User Interface [wiki.nexusmods.com]
Nothing is for Everybody!
Vortex also realizes that nothing is for everyone and clearly states:
“Vortex is a great fit for people who…
- want an easy to use mod manager.
- like the idea of automated sorting combined with powerful conflict resolution tools
- would like to manage multiple games (not limited to Bethesda titles).
- want a mod manager with close integration with the Nexus Mods website.
- want a convenient way of managing mod profiles for different playthroughs.
That being said, we know that Vortex might not be for everyone. If you have a functional installation and a load order with many mods working perfectly together – by all means, stay with whichever way you choose to manage your mods. Likewise, if you are not interested in any of the features offered by Vortex, there is no point in switching.
Vortex might not be suited for people who…
- have massive, stable load orders, which they maintain manually or with another mod manager.
- prefer to do their sorting manually.
- are not interested in profile management, automatic sorting, or a mod manager with close integration with the Nexus Mods website.”
Simple Script Extender install for Bethesda Games
Script Extender: SKSE – NVSE – FOSE – SKSE64 – OBSE – VR(all) Easy install
NOTE: only download script extender from a silverlock.org site listed above
the only exception will be for Oblivion from NexusMods.com also listed above
Updates – What’s new in Vortex ?
Here you can check on some of the most recent updates to Vortex.
What’s new in Vortex 1.4.12[forums.nexusmods.com]
What’s new in Vortex 1.4.9? [forums.nexusmods.com]
What’s new in Vortex 1.4? [www.nexusmods.com]
What’s new in Vortex 1.3? [www.nexusmods.com]
What’s new with Vortex? – 1.2.14 [www.nexusmods.com]
The comments sections in each News Update is another story for me because it’s amazing the number of people who make baseless claims not to mention the fact that a news section is not the place for Feedback let alone complaint issues. Like the guy who said he modded Witcher 3 and Vortex caused his game to constantly crash yet the Witcher 3 mod manager worked just fine. I have modded Witcher 3 with Vortex and my game worked flawlessly? I mean I believe you but why blame the mod manager? hmmm.
Or the guy who said Vortex made him want to quit modding. Why the drama? I have a medium size build (571 mods) that not only made building it simple not to mention Vortex has never once been the cause of problems with my game.
So I would not take any of the comments with anything but a grain of salt unless you are into drama lol.
Where can I download Vortex
For download and other information regarding Vortex please visit the link below:
Vortex: Click Here for Vortex [www.nexusmods.com]
—————————————————————————————
*Not Recommended
NMM: Click Here for Nexus Mod Manager [www.nexusmods.com]
Please note: Nexus Mod Manager is no longer supported however community support is offered.
Video Tutorials
You will find several video’s by Gopher on the Nexus Website starting with this Beginner’s Introduction and another on Sorting your Load Order (there are several others in the series by Gopher):
| | |
| | | |
Profiles * set-up and use
Profiles are a useful way to keep mod lists, game settings and save files separate for different characters on the same game. This functionality is enabled by using the toggle on the “To-do” dashlet or in the settings menu under “Interface” in Vortex.
Each profile will contain the current mod list you have enabled. To start a new profile, click the button below the profile tiles. This will open the form with the following options:
Name – This is what the profile will be called.
This profile has its own save games* – Keep the save games for this profile separate.
This profile has its own game settings* – Keep game INIs specific to this profile.
You can toggle between all profiles you have set up by pressing the “Enable” button beneath each. The icon in the bottom right of each profile will allow you to easily transfer the currently enabled mods list from one profile to another by dragging it onto the icon on a different profile.
Part of Gopher’s excellent tutorial series on using Vortex
*NEW – Flagging as Light Plugins
Vortex has made this process both easy & safe:
Just follow these simple steps:
1. go to your plugins tab in vortex
2. make sure that you have the flags column enabled (you can activate this by using the gear icon in the upper right hand section – I have them all checked)
3. If a mod can be marked as light, you will see an outline of a feather (solid gray colored feather means it’s already a light plugin so ignore it).
4. Double click the feather (actually anywhere but the link) and a new section slides out on the far right and there’s a button that you can click which simply says ‘Mark Light’.
5. Click it – you’re done.
Note: the light plugin option has been there for a while now. also, I have tested this by cross checking in xEdit for the past several months and have yet to see a single error as far as what Vortex says can be safely converted.
*NEW – How to request Forum Support
This section was copied directly from the Vortex Knowledge Base
In order for us to be able to troubleshoot and investigate potential issues with Vortex it is crucial that you provide us with all pertinent information and a concise description of the problem at hand. The more clearly you communicate your issue, the more likely we are to provide assistance and improve Vortex. Please, bear in mind that this forum is intended for Vortex support requests. If you would like to report a bug, or if you have a suggestion, please use the Vortex feedback system which can be accessed from within Vortex (three dots in the top right > Send Feedback).
If you come across a post by a user that is lacking information, please, point them to this forum topic and highlight the fact that they need to provide more information about their setup and system.
It is in your best interest to be as precise as possible so we, as well as other users, can try our best to help you. So, please, be polite and respectful in your report, follow forum etiquette, and describe your issue in a comprehensible manner.
1. Which version of Vortex are you on?
We need to know which version of Vortex you are using as some issues are unique to older versions and may have already been fixed in the latest build.
To look up which version you are using: click on the three dots in the top right corner and select “About”.
2. What game are you trying to mod with Vortex?
Different games come with different Vortex features, deployment methods, or even UI elements. We need to know which game you are using Vortex with so we can properly investigate your issue.
3.How many mods do you have installed?
Some issues might be down to a very large number of mods being used. Providing us with a ballpark number might help us identify the issue at hand.
4. What environment are you running Vortex on?
At times it might be important for us to know what Windows version you are using, how much RAM you have available, as well as whether your system architecture is x64 or x86.
Starting by choosing a descriptive topic name, you should try to communicate your issue in a concise and precise manner. After providing the version of Vortex that you are on, as well as the game that you are using Vortex with, please, lay out the issue that you are experiencing, what you were trying to do when the error occurred, as well as any error messages that you might have received. Moreover, let us know about any steps you might have taken in order to solve the issue yourself.
It is of utmost importance that you provide us with the exact wording of any (error) message that Vortex is producing, rather than trying to describe it in your own words.
If possible, provide screenshots of any error messages (you can use http://imgur.com to upload your images), Vortex UI issues, or your particular mod or plugin setup. Further, in some cases, it might be helpful if you provide your Vortex log files which you can find in %AppData%/Roaming/Vortex.
To access that folder hold your Windows Key + R
Type in %appdata% and hit Enter
Open the Vortex folder
Look for text documents named Vortex, Vortex1, Vortex2 etc. The most recent one will be the log file that is most relevant to your issue. You can upload it to a hosting platform of your choice, or copy and paste the content of that log file in your post (please use the spoiler tag in that case).
Address any follow-up questions staff might have
If one of the admins (Dark0ne, Tannin42, BigBizkit, Pickysaurus) responds to your report with further questions about your issue, please, try to answer these questions providing more specific information if possible. If you do not respond to our follow-up questions within a reasonable amount of time, we will conclude that the issue did not persist or you were since able to resolve it.
Good example report
Topic: No deployment method available (0.16.5)
I am using Vortex version 0.16.5 and I am trying to mod Fallout 4. I am using Windows 10, x64, and I have 16gb of RAM. I am only using a handful of mods (12) but I am receiving an error message saying “No deployment method available” right from the start, as I have only just now installed Vortex for the first time.
Here’s a screenshot of that error message: <screenshot>
This report is short and to the point while providing all pertinent information. The topic title already conveys which version the user is on and what their issue is.
Bad example report
Topic: Vortex not working
I cannot run Vortex with my game, I just get an error. Can anyone help?
This report is very vague and entirely devoid of information. We only know that the user is having some sort of issue, but we do not know which version they are on, what the issue is, what game they are trying to mod etc. In this case, we cannot help them until they have answered several questions.
At times people post in the Vortex support forum with requests for help related to their load order, mod setup, or bugs they experience in the game. Unfortunately, if it is apparent that these issues are not related to Vortex, but rather to the mods themselves – be it faulty textures, meshes, or scripts – we cannot help you and the appropriate place to ask would be in the corresponding mod troubleshooting subforums e.g.:
Skyrim Mod Troubleshooting
Skyrim Special Edition Mod Troubleshooting
Fallout 4 Mod Troubleshooting
*NEW – How to Report a bug
If you would like to report a bug, or if you have a suggestion, please use the Vortex feedback system which can be accessed from within Vortex (three dots in the top right > Send Feedback).
FAQ
Some Questions Vlad 254 has come across from both users & potential users of Vortex
Q: Where does Vortex install to by default?
A: C:Program FilesBlack Tree Gaming LtdVortex
Q: How can I remove ALL my SSE mods from Vortex so I can start over?
A: 1. Open Vortex
2. make sure you are in the “Mods” section
3. Purge Mods by using the “Purge Mods” button at the top
4. then click on the very first (top) mod then Ctrl + A on your keyboard
5. New line will appear at the very bottom
6. Select Remove all (that’s it for Vortex but we should also clean up any loose files – see step 7)
7. Now perform a Clean Vanilla Reinstall of SSE following this
Q: Does Vortex have an option to open my Skyrimprefs.ini & Skyrim.ini files?
A: Yes, I’m sure it will be in the next update as an easier way to access, however, in the meantime you can download it now. Follow the instructions on the Download page; [link]
Q: Where is a list of my plugins from Vortex when people ask me to post my load order?
A: You can find it here: C:Users[your name]AppDataLocalSkyrim Special Editionloadorder.txt
Q: Can Vortex Handle a Large load order effectively and efficiently?
A: Absolutely. I (at the time of this post) have a 525 mod set-up and my character is level 71, so I have played hundreds of hours on this character adding mods as I go and I can report zero issues since the day I started my character that were directly related to Vortex. I have even used Vortex to safely remove mods that were simple textures or Armors or mods the mod author of that particular mod said were safe to remove mid- playthrough.
Q: Why do I need Loot if Vortex already has Loot code built-in, wouldn’t that be redundant?
A: Yes if you ONLY used the Loot stand alone program to sort your load order and even then it’s a great way to cross check load order which many modders do regardless of using Vortex or not. The more mods you add as your modding knowledge increases you’ll realize that YOUR load order needs a mod manually placed in a different spot in your load order than Loot (or Vortex) suggests. But Loot also informs you which mods need cleaning, checks identical to masters (ITM’s), informs you of wild edit’s, recommends patches and more. Loot is a useful tool but it’s but one tool. SSEEdit is another tool that would be used to then clean files and make patches and it does a great job of finding conflicts. You may eventually use SSEEdit more than any other tool. You will develop your own style and methods. So yes, it is redundant to check your load order with Loot EVERY TIME you add a mod with Vortex.
Q: I saw LL recommends MO2 in many of their mods. Why is that?
A: Once upon a time, before Vortex and even in Vortex’s Alpha stage that was true. Today there are a tremendous number of gamers who mod with Vortex and use mods from LL in their Load Order with no problems. Many of those descriptions where written long ago. Vortex is now a Premium modding tool IMHO.
Q: Can I mod Oblivion or Fallout 4 with Vortex?
A: Yes, and other Elder Scrolls Titles like Fallout New Vegas and Legendary Skyrim. Thing is, older games like Morrowind (which I also mod with Vortex) and Oblivion came from before Mod Managers were a thing. So back then a lot of mods were not packed for Mod Manager use. You would manually install those mods back then. That’s where the “preview” link on Nexus comes in handy so you can see if you are going to manually install it or repack it for mod manager use. Another thing is, WryeBash was the go to for games like Oblivion. So you can just run Wrye Bash through Vortex like you would xEdit for the times you wanted to use it.
Q: How do I manually adjust my load order with Vortex?
A: Although Vortex utilizes Loot code to sort your load order it also gives you total control over your load order. The video below from Gopher best describes this in detail. You can skip ahead to the 9 minute mark to get right to the meat & potatoes:
For a list of FAQ’s directly from the Vortex archives Click Here [wiki.nexusmods.com]
What is Hardlink Deployment?
A deployment method refers to how Vortex installs your mods so they load when the game is launched. When adding a supported game to Vortex, it will automatically choose the best deployment method for your game and system. It is not recommended that you switch the deployment method.
To understand Hardlink deployment you must first know how File Systems work. Files are stored in two parts, the actual file data and an index containing the filename, access rights, creation/modified dates and other information.
Hard Links work by creating a second entry in the index pointing to the new location but still referencing the original file data. This way there is no difference between the original and link files after the link is created.
Vortex adds your mods to the mod install path, then makes a hard link to your mod install location when deployed. Each deployment will check and rebuild all Hard links. On purging your mods these links are removed.
For more information see this[wiki.nexusmods.com]
This is an extension for Vortex that adds a new deployment method to Vortex.
Fully Virtual Deployment[www.nexusmods.com]
Reference Links
For MORE INFORMATION regarding Vortex:
About Vortex:
[link]
Vortex User Interface:
[link]
Vortex Support – Nexus Forums:
[link]
Vortex FAQ:
[link]
*NEW this gives you easy access to both of your .ini files from Vortex
[link]
Vortex Github:
[link]
Vortex Categories: Category:
[link]
Vortex Nexus Forums:
[link]
Steam discussion and Update thread for this Guide
The Vortex approach to load order sorting: [link]
INSTALL/REMOVE VORTEX
Vortex Download Latest Version –
[link]
How to correctly uninstall and remove Vortex – [link]
You will need a Archiver also known as a Data Compression Tool to download mods
* “Almost all the mod files on the Nexus sites are compressed in to what are known as “archives”. The file formats for these archives will usually be either .zip, .rar or .7z
File compression software packages multiple files in to one simple to use file. Instead of you having to download many different files you will only have to download a single file that contains all the other files within it. If the file author has packaged the archive correctly, then all the files and folders will be in the proper structure and directories, saving you a heck of a lot of time.”
You’ll need the latest version of one of the following (both have Free Trial Versions that do not expire although you will get the expiration message):
7zip Download (Get 64bit) [www.7-zip.org] (I prefer 7z)
Winrar Download (Get 64bit) [www.win-rar.com]
* Archive information from NexusWiki [wiki.nexusmods.com]
Vlad 254’s Guides
MY OTHER GUIDES FOR SSE
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
NEW
[link]
Before you go..
Did this guide help you in your Skyrim SE modding ventures?
So that others may find it as well