Computer games have long become one of the symbols of modernity. Many gamers spend hundreds and thousands of hours annually on them. Unfortunately, there are not so many projects that can be "killed" for more than one week, but not the least bit regret it. Skyrim is one of the few exceptions.
But even the best game in the end can be annoying, and therefore gamers are constantly looking for ways to improve them independently. Fashion, for example. They add a lot of unique content to the game, with which it is even more interesting to go through even repeatedly studied levels. By the way, how to install mods on Skyrim? Let's discuss this issue in our article.
What is this all about?
As we already mentioned, a modification is a set of special content that brings a lot of new features to the game. Modifications can add to it not only commonplace weapons or improved textures, but even whole levels, quests and characters. Largely thanks to them, the same Morrowind still confidently holds the palm among RPG games, although several years have passed since its release!
So how to install mods on Skyrim? Now we will talk about this.
Some important information
First you need to find a site on which these modifications are available. Before that, it will be useful to read thematic forums, as they often have “tips” on good resources. But you should not think that it will be enough only to unzip the downloaded files into the directory with the game. As a rule, they need to be thrown into specially created directories. To better understand this, you should conduct a brief excursion into the world of game dev.
Before you
install mods on "Skyrim", you need to remember about the main database containing all the content of the game. It is packaged in archives with the extension .bsa. For unpacking them at home, a special utility called "FO3 Archive Utility" was created. You can find these archives in the directory of the game itself, in a folder called Data.
List of archives with game content
The Meshes.bsa file is extremely important, since all three-dimensional models of the virtual world are packed into it. A similar function is performed by the Textures.bsa file, which contains all the textures. The Misc.bsa archive contains all the sounds that are found in the game. Sounds.bsa plays a similar role, in which there are excellent musical compositions that accompany the entire gameplay.
For the mod creators themselves, the Shaders.bsa archive is extremely important, since it is where all the game shaders are located. Finally, Animations.bsa packs decisively all the animation that can only be found in the game. Why did we tell you all this? The fact is that all content is downloaded only (!) From the Data! This must be borne in mind when setting mods.
Start installation
Before you install the mods on Skyrim, you must unpack the archives with the content you need, and it is preferable to use WinRAR or another archiver (7-ZIP, for example), which has built-in compression error correction tools. This is very important, since the slightest error can lead to the complete impossibility of starting the game.
Using the archiver, we upload the content to the Data folder. Attention! In no case do not rename the folders that were in the archive! Despite the absurdity of such an act, some novice users for some reason think that replacing the name with “more understandable” will have no consequences.
Here's how to install the mod. "Skyrim 5" in this regard is much simpler than the earlier games of the series, since almost no additional settings are required. However, for the sake of clarity, we will comment on the installation procedure of the mod, which adds new weapons and equipment to the game. Note that this is just an example, as you can take any modification you like.
About everything a little more in detail ...
Consider the installation process by downloading the modification “Swords of Billiro”. However, you can choose any other mod, since the essence of this will not change at all. The file "weighs" a little more than 14 megabytes, so that even those users who are forced to access the Internet through the use of a USB modem should not have problems getting it.
Opening the downloaded mod using any normal archiver, you can see several files, each of which has its own sample of weapons or equipment. In addition, we recommend that you read the Readme file document. It contains not only detailed information about the installation process of the mod, but even information about the content that it adds to the game.
Description of modification folders
As in the Skyrim catalog itself, the archive with the downloaded file contains the Data folder, by opening which you can personally observe its other contents: two directories with the names Mesh and Textures. As you might guess, one of them contains three-dimensional models of swords, and the other contains their textures.
These are the directories, as well as the file called abmod.esp that you should drop into the Data folder. Attention! If you bought the game on Steam, it will be located elsewhere. In this case, it is located at this address: C: \ Program Files \ Steam \ steamapps \ common \ skyrim.
Important!
In general, with regard to Steam, you should be extremely careful about the security issue of your account. Simply put, Valve often bans those players who put mods, and therefore it is better to contact technical support in advance and find out whether it is permissible to put a specific modification.
Otherwise, you will not only be left without new swords, but in general you can be blocked in the "Steam". Please note that in the latter case, you can safely say goodbye to all installed games, as the account is not restored.
What to do after installation?
It seems to be nothing complicated. But how to make the content contained in the mod really appear in the game itself? There is also absolutely nothing complicated about this. After you install the modification, you should open the Skyrim directory, find the SkyrimLauncher.exe file there, and then double-click on it with the left mouse button. A dialog box will open in which you need to click on the “Files” tab, and then select the mode that you recently installed in the drop-down list!
Here's how to install Skyrim mods! You just have to start the game and find on its vast expanses that location where those swords that were part of the mod will be sold.