I'm making a mod with other people which uses custom models/textures as well as new objects using existing models/textures.
For the mod to work correctly for other people which files do we need to release?

Obviously the .esp file, but for the models how do we go about setting up the files for other people to install?



Instead of making another new thread I might as well ask here: How do you go about saving scripts? I save it but when the script editor window is closed it asks if I want to save and when I click yes it doesn't close and when I click no the script disappears from the list of scripts.

Yeah, the .esp file of course.
Also, you'll need to include any custom files you have used.
Rule of thumb: Include any files that aren't included in the vanilla game package.

The standard way of setting up your mod for download is to package everything so that all the user has to do is drop the Data folder in the archive you create (the custom files packaged with your mod) into their Data folder.
The way most people will set up their archive is:
Archive file (ie: MyMod.zip):
>ReadMe.txt
>Data Folder
>>MyMod.esp
>>Meshes Folder
>>>(Custom Meshes... use subfolders)
>>Textures Folder
>>>(Custom Textures... use subfolders)

etc., etc...


See http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1132226-fix-for-lack-of-nv-geck-debug-info/ for a fix for the GECK script compiler.

Ok so then I have a question, your mod esp will automatically look in the data folder for other folders labeled "meshes" or "textures" etc or do you have to manually set it up? If you have to set it up manually I can google that but its nice to get a starting point for searching.

Also if it has to be manual, how do you go about just creating an ESM if you have a lot of custom things?

Kinda...

Say you have a custom box you want to add to the game.
The mesh for that box would go in:
Data\Meshes\MyMod\Box.nif
The texture for the box would be in:
Data\Textures\MyMod\Box.dds (and Box_n.dds)
The path to the texture would be specified in the .nif file.

Then, when you add the box to your esp file, you would specify that the mesh is at Data\Meshes\MyMod\Box.nif.
Now you can place the box in the game world.

When you package up your mod to share, you would make an archive that looks something like:
ReadMe.txt
Data\MyMod.esp
Data\Meshes\MyMod\Box.nif
Data\Textures\MyMod\Box.dds
Data\Textures\MyMod\Box_n.dds


The only difference between an .esp and an .esm is that the .esm file is flagged as being a master file.

If a plugin is flagged as being a master file, it means that it will load before any of the .esp files do.
Also, you will be able make .esp files that modify only certain records within that master .esm file.

I don't think you would want to make your mod an .esm file if you are just adding some new items...
There are some complications that come in to play when you start creating an .esm.

Just because the file is an .esm, it doesn't mean you don't need to include the custom content.

The only reason I am curious is because I know some about .esm and .esp, enough to know an .esp has a file size limit, and essentially .esm's don't. Do you know the actual limit of .esp's?

I can't remember where I exactly got it, it was a modder trying to explain esm vs esp and one difference he/she noted was the size limit. Is that even true?

Are you possibly saying ESM when you mean BSA? ESMs and ESPs store changes to game data, BSA's store actual assets (meshes, textures, etc). Sorry I don't know what's involved in making custom .BSA's.

I Could be confusing them. And ironically I have a program that unpacks and creates BSA's but I have no idea how I would go about using a custom one, though I have no need to.

Is what I found out about ESM and ESP's though correct? Size limitations I mean, at this point that's what I want to know.

I am getting a headache now X_X

Packing a mod is simple. Just include all custom assets you have in the same folder structure they are in on your computer. Anything the game already has, obviously you don't need to include it. If you make any changes to an existing model, you need to include that.

Not what I am asking anymore. And I always knew to include CUSTOM content, I needed to know how to include that, which I now know.

You wont have to worry about size limitations. It is higher then you could even get to unless you are trying to remake FalloutNV.

Alright then I assume ESP's can hold a decently sized amount of content. The only reason I have an interest in that is because I've seen some mods that were extremely big for Fallout 3 in the .esm format and not .esp, hence my curiosity. Thanks everyone for your answers.

I wasn't aware that there was a file size limit on plugin files. And, if there is one, I wouldn't think there would be a difference between the limit on an .esp file, and an .esm file.

They are functionally the same type of file (the data is stored within the file in exactly the same format).
Say you have a mod that adds a player's house to the game, all the records that define that house are contained in a file called House.esp. If you change the extension of the file from .esp to .esm, and change the ESM flag in the file's header to "on", it will now be a master file called House.esm. Nothing changed in the way that the data is stored.
Data-wise, the only difference between those two files would be the file name, and a flag in the header switched from "off" to "on".

There are some differences between an .esp and an .esm when it comes to the way the engine handles them.
I converted the Vim & Vigor mod for Oblivion from an .esp to an .esp / .esm pair setup. There were quite a few things that had to be considered when doing it.
Also, the fact that the Master Update process for FO3 makes a difference says that the engine handles the data differently.

If there is a difference in the amount of data that an .esp can contain, and an .esm can contain, I doubt that it is practically relevant, unless you are talking about a total overhaul, or something.