Keeping the Game Folder clean

Overview

The general idea is that we need a way to keep the Vanilla games clean in their installation locations, so that we don't cause issues with other tools or modlists, but there are files and mods that need to be in the games directory. For this there are two solutions both with their own pros and cons, Root Builder and A "Stock Game" copy inside MO2 Instances.

Root Builder

Since the author of the Tool can describe it best here an excerpt from their website:

Root Builder is a plugin for Mod Organizer 2, allowing users to manage files in the base game directory through Mod Organizer.

Some of the things you can do with Root Builder:

  • Install script extenders (SKSE, OBSE, FOSE, etc) through Mod Organizer.
  • Install ENB and different presets for it through Mod Organizer.
  • Manage different versions of the same game as mods within Mod Organizer.
  • Keep your game folder untouched and as clean as the day it was installed.
  • Keep all your mods in Mod Organizer, saving your setup if you need to reinstall or switch computer.

Source: Root Builder Website

ProsCons
Can use different root folder Binaries depending on different supported platforms like Steam or GOG by using MO2 ProfilesYou need to be careful with game updates, if the game updates the binaries for that version might not be there anymore
Can use different ENB presets in different performance MO2 Profiles
Requires less storage space

For using Root Builder we recommend the very on point and well written official instructions on the official website. A guide that also features compiling with Root Builder can be found here.

Stock Game

The general idea is to build a WJ modlist that stores the game files inside the MO2 install folder. WJ will recognize these files and copy them from the end-user's game folder. This has the side-effect of keeping the game folder completely clean.

ProsCons
Game updates can't break itrequires a lot of storage space
locked into one specific platform (only users owing the game on the same store can use the modlist)
Can only include one ENB preset

Preperation

  1. Build a WJ list as normal
  2. Create a folder in the MO2 base folder, let's call it Stock Game, so users don't think these are Game Folder Files
  3. Copy in all the game files from your Skyrim Special Edition folder
  4. Remap MO2 files, open Mod Organizer.ini and change GamePath= to c:\\Path\\To\\MO2\\Stock Game
  5. Open MO2 and edit the custom executable paths for SKSE/Launcher/Skyrim to the new path inside the MO2 folder

Optimization

Doing the above will add about 12GB of bloat to the installed modlist, but we can likely reduce this quite a bit.

  • Any .ESMs that have been cleaned are no longer required (as the cleaned files are in a mod), so delete those .ESMs from Stock Game\\Data
  • Any .BSA that are 100% replaced with files by the same name can be removed. So if you're using unofficial performance optimized textures, you can safely delete all the Texture BSAs

Final setup

You can now put any ENBs, .dlls, etc. Directly into the Stock Game folder.

Users should now be able to Install via WJ -> MO2 -> Run SKSE, removing the rather "complicated" step of copying game files into the game folder. This also allows multiple lists to be installed at one time that use the same base game, removing the need for a ENB manager.