Add warning when using plugins with .esl extension in VR games

[Pickysaurus]

Suggestion: Generate a LOOT error message if the user has included an ESL or light flagged ESP in their Skyrim VR load order.

Not sure if this can be done at a MasterList level, so feel free to move this.

https://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/11472988-vr-lack-of-support-for-esl-files/

[Pickysaurus]

@pStyl3 replied to me on Discord:

As of right now, there is no related message anchor in the prelude for this. When it comes to the LOOT application itself, these are the current localised strings we have relating to ESL/light master:

Active Light Plugins

Light Plugin

This plugin contains records that have FormIDs outside the valid range for an ESL plugin. Using this plugin will cause irreversible damage to your game saves.

This plugin is a light master and requires the non-master plugin "%1%". This can cause issues in-game, and sorting will fail while this plugin is installed.

You have a normal plugin and at least one light plugin sharing the FE load order index. Deactivate a normal plugin or all your light plugins to avoid potential issues.

As you can see, non of these are VR specific, so a new message would need to be created.
Whether or not that should be done via LOOT itself or via the masterlist prelude, is best discussed within the GitHub issue.

[Pickysaurus]

Thanks for the reply. I figured it's something that would be of value to LOOT because the masterlist is referenced in basically all mod managers. It's something that could be added to Vortex fairly simply but then MO2/NMM/Kortex/etc users would not get the same benefit.

[sibir-ine]

From some cursory research, ESL-flagged ESPs don't seem to cause a problem (the flag is just ignored), it only appears that plugins with the ESL file extension are ignored. If anyone knows of any authoritative sources, that'd be helpful. I don't have Skyrim VR to test, so I'm not sure how exactly LOOT handles ESL plugins in it (@Ortham?) or how other mod managers do for that matter.

If we don't already, we probably shouldn't display plugins with the ESL extension in Skyrim VR (FO4 VR too). We could then add a global warning message if any such plugins are found with a simple regex. There's also the issue of plugins that have an ESL as a master, we might need a specific message for that case as well. That'd require something on the app's end.

[Pickysaurus]

I have a copy of Skyrim VR but it doesn't seem to launch without a VR headset (which I don't have). I think FO4VR supports ESLs? I don't have a copy of that at the moment but I can get one pretty easily.

[sibir-ine]

From some cursory research, it appears to be the same case as Skyrim VR. Testing is always appreciated, but I imagine you'd have the same issue with launching it.

[pStyl3]

I have a copy of Skyrim VR but it doesn't seem to launch without a VR headset (which I don't have).

I've bought Skyrim VR (as well as FO4 VR) and it won't launch without a VR headset for me as well. I'm contemplating to buy either a Valve Index or HTC Vive (not only for these two titles, but also for The Talos Principle VR) - so I might be able to actively test VR stuff in the near future.

[MacSplody]

Here is what I have as a suggestion, prelude changes would have to be done as well.
And done for FO4 VR as well.

# Light Master Support
  - type: error
    content:
      - lang: en
        text: 'This game does not support files with the extension **.esl**.'
    condition: 'file("[^\.]+\.esl")'

Not 100% sure about the condition as it's untested.

# Light Master Support
  - type: warn
    content:
      - lang: en
        text: 'You seem to have **.esl** files installed, but this game does not support files with that extension.'
    condition: 'file("[^\.]+\.esl")'

[sibir-ine]

Here is what I have as a suggestion, prelude changes would have to be done as well. And done for FO4 VR as well.

# Light Master Support
  - type: error
    content:
      - lang: en
        text: 'This game does not support files with the extension **.esl**.'
    condition: 'file("[^\.]+\.esl")'

Not 100% sure about the condition as it's untested.

Looks good to me. We could inform users about changing the extension, but it may be for the best that we don't since it would cause issues for any dependent plugins that would require swapping masters.

[Ortham]

From some cursory research, ESL-flagged ESPs don't seem to cause a problem (the flag is just ignored), it only appears that plugins with the ESL file extension are ignored. If anyone knows of any authoritative sources, that'd be helpful. I don't have Skyrim VR to test, so I'm not sure how exactly LOOT handles ESL plugins in it (@Ortham?) or how other mod managers do for that matter.

If we don't already, we probably shouldn't display plugins with the ESL extension in Skyrim VR (FO4 VR too). We could then add a global warning message if any such plugins are found with a simple regex. There's also the issue of plugins that have an ESL as a master, we might need a specific message for that case as well. That'd require something on the app's end.

I don't think LOOT handles ESL-flagged plugins in Skyrim VR any differently from Skyrim SE.

[sibir-ine]

From some cursory research, ESL-flagged ESPs don't seem to cause a problem (the flag is just ignored), it only appears that plugins with the ESL file extension are ignored. If anyone knows of any authoritative sources, that'd be helpful. I don't have Skyrim VR to test, so I'm not sure how exactly LOOT handles ESL plugins in it (@Ortham?) or how other mod managers do for that matter.
If we don't already, we probably shouldn't display plugins with the ESL extension in Skyrim VR (FO4 VR too). We could then add a global warning message if any such plugins are found with a simple regex. There's also the issue of plugins that have an ESL as a master, we might need a specific message for that case as well. That'd require something on the app's end.

I don't think LOOT handles ESL-flagged plugins in Skyrim VR any differently from Skyrim SE.

It'd probably be a good idea to change that behavior for the VR games then. Though, we might want to wait for @pStyl3 to test it when they have the chance.

[pStyl3]

I've ordered the Valve Index now, so hopefully in around 2 to 3 weeks I have things set up.

[pStyl3]

The Valve Index has been delivered and I've spend a bit of the day setting everything up. This included:

• Installing SteamVR
• Placing two base stations and powering them
• Charging the empty batteries of the two controllers
• Connecting the headset itself (power, USB3.0 and Displayport connectors are needed)
• Installing software updates for all five devices individually (heatset, 2 base stations, 2 controllers)

Once everything was ready, I've started a new game in SkyrimVR and played until I've reached Whiterun, as well as Fallout 4 VR, which I've played until I reached Sanctuary. So now I am ready to test things for this issue.

[sibir-ine]

Double-checking that ESL-flagged ESP/Ms work but ESLs don't should be enough.

[pStyl3]

While this issue has been opened first and a solution has not yet been implemented, I'm gonna close it in favor of this issue, where the discussion of this topic will continue.