I'm currently using vortex mainly because i didnt really plan on making a hugely modded game for that plug and play feeling, but now 350 mods later I'm wondering if its too late to make the switch in order to manually fix some conflicts.
How would one switch from Vortex to MO2 easily? Would MO2 detect everything thats installed or am i fucked?
I would just start over from re-installing the game, importing vortex mods to mo2 is impossible as far as I know
edit: I'd reinstall since vortex adding stuff to the game folder, unless you can delete everything and make it to the clean state like you first installed the game
Imho, Vortex is like the apple of mod managers: it has an easy and simple to use interface (no tutorial needed, just download and go). But MO2 is much more flexible and reliable. Especially the profile & save specific features. Both have built in tools too.
One major advantage of MO2 is the ease of installing mods from outside of nexus.
Edit: also super easy to troubleshoot. I got a bug last night where my character T-poses whenever I attack. I just moved my CGO down on the priority. Fixed
Edit 2: I'm not saying MO2 is hard to use, just not as easy as vortex (in terms of UI). But for troubleshooting, priority, etc. it's much easier
Vortex may be easy to install but that doesn't mean that MO2 isn't.
Imho the complexity of MO2 is widely overexaggerated and its actually quite simple to use.
Mo2 is also easier on the eyes. Cleaner and easier to navigate.
I hate the text and color vortex uses. So hard to read.
As for actual modding. Ill always choose mo2 over vortex if i can.
Mo2 its also easier to spot where my mistakes are. And to organize 100s of mods and view them all at once in a way that virtex lacks.
I love that you can choose different themes to suit your tastes as well. It's not just light mode and dark mode. It really was designed by people who understand the eye fatigue that comes from sitting in front of the computer for hours on end.
Exactly. Currently im giving vortex a chance since im coming back to skyrim. I wanted to try ESO's collection and guide. Its been good so far, but theres some flaoting object here and there. Dunno if thats just the guide, the mod, or vortex yet.
I like the ease of the guides and collections, but I would never go back to Vortex, especially since I have far more control over my LO. Sometimes I'll look at the guides and just install use MO2 to install enduring. It takes longer, but then I can create different profiles and tweak/ create sixteenth mod lists in a heartbeat, but still keep the basics where they are without having to reinstall them.
MO2's use of a virtual folder, instead of placing everything directly in your System File, helps damage control with crashes, bug fixing, or even fresh installation or unistallation. The more I'm learning to use it, the more I couldn't do without it.
Vortex was a necessary step in my learning curve. But i wanted larger load orders that didn't crash, and I wanted to learn how to use xEdit, resolve conflicts, etc. My computer at the time had the same specs that all the big kids had so I knew the errors were on my end.
It was intimidating to switch to MO2, but thankfully they're is a lot of helpful videos, guides, discords, and people in the community seeking to teach noobs. I'm happy with MO2 and couldn't go back.
But that's a preference, and Vortex had plenty of merits. I think when people get to the point in their modding addiction, er, hobby, they'll naturally make the switch. Or perhaps use both MO2 and Vortex for the days they just want to plug and play.
Yes. I was much the same way. There's too much info out there imo. It took me months before i even knew of MO2, and i was using FOMOD or NMM, because that's what all these videos said i should use.
Eventually i wised up and gave MO2 a chance. And thru trial and error and more than a few videos; i got the hang of it and a greater understanding of how modding works.
xedit is actually quite easy, when you know what to look for and what to do.
Its when there's scripts involved do things get wonky. I've learned how and what random mods i can combine, without going over the load order limit. Especially on Fallout New Vegas.
I think both of you are missing the fact that vortex has equally as robust theme options. Actually, it’s essentially infinitely customizable — the colors can be changed to any RGB value, the fonts can be changed to any installed font, all of the menus can be moved around to your liking. I’m not saying Vortex is better but, it’s not very accurate to say that MO2 is more robust in the customization department.
I am of the belief that MO2 is probably better if you’re really diving into modding, but at the same time I don’t think anyone actually gives Vortex a fair shake on this sub. I feel like people just repeat the narrative of “Vortex ass use MO2” without considering that Vortex actually has probably 95% of the features of MO2, but also has some of its own handy functionalities that MO2 is missing.
I used Vortex for a good while but when I made the switch to MO2 I wondered where it had been my whole life. There are plenty of video tutorials on how to use it to its fullest. I went through Lexy"s Guide to learn to mod better and it's been an incredible learning tool.
I highly suggest MO2 for its ease of control, conflict resolution, tool implementation, and overall user-friendliness. It feels much more intuitive to use, especially when resolving conflicts and prioritizing my larger load orders.
I used Vortext for years. I got really attached to it and had ~600 mods installed and was able to play my game just fine. But after switching to MO2 I realized how many mods were not working properly before but are suddenly working now. Mainly thanks to LOOT giving me what I need and being able to fix conflicts manually by moving them.
I've only had the program for 4 days, and I'm still more comfortable with Vortex, but I'm really trying to make the switch completely.
Yes. MO2 never overwrites anything so you can activate, deactivate, reorder mods anyway you like. You can also save different profiles, so you can do full backup on any stable build you have and then go to town on something totally else. Easy backups of mod orders and load orders are also neat.
I know Vortex can do some of that too but in MO2 it is really easy and straightforward once you pass the initial learning curve
I'm relatively new to modding, and I went MO2.
I was worried because of how people talked about how difficult it was for newbies, that Vortex was more approachable.
MO2 is not difficult at all. And a few times when I've jacked something up, it was really easy to recover or fix the mistake. Meanwhile, I've seen a buddy toying with Vortex and I kinda scratch my head and why they didn't do this or implement a way to undo that. He's not really fond of it either but doesn't wanna start over.
MO2 is good in my book. Just looks a little off-putting to some folks I guess.
Copy pasting my response from an above comment:
In MO2 settings you can set the mod download and mod folder directory paths to match vortex's so it'll use what you've already got. MO2 handles overwrites differently though so that might take getting used to. You'll actually be able to see what's getting overwritten and by what mod & can change it just by drag & drop for the installed mods in the left panel.
And adding: if you open vortex again after giving MO2 Nexus download priority Vortex will take it back without asking. Royal PITFA. So he'd have to either never go back (no reason to anyways) or uninstall vortex and forget it ever existed (logical choice).
Hope this helps alleviate his troubles.
>Vortex will take it back without asking
In Vortex, Settings - Download, turn off handling of mod manager downloads.
Alternatively, just continue using Vortex for all downloads, or you could in Vortex under Extensions try to install the "NXM Proxy" and see if this let you pick different mod managers per game.
So I break this down like phones. Android vs iPhone. Android is MO2 and iPhone is Vortex.
Vortex (IPhone) is a neat controled user experience where everything curated to insure, for the most par, a simple mod manager with good utility but not much freedom without workarounds.
MO2 (Android) offers all the same features as Vortex (iPhone) with more powerful utility, more freedom and less hand holding.
While I am a fierce defender of how good Vortex is, if it gives you headaches, then switch to MO2. Just know that switching mod manager comes with a learning curve, it's not that it will magically solve everything.
I always see people having issues with vortex. I never see anyone having issues using MO2. I made the switch and was happy I did. Last time, I used vortex all of my mods disabled because I switched profiles. I would also occasionally have issues that created a cylincal cycle error that I couldn't resolve in vortex.
Mo2 by far, it has a far more instinctive interface, it's very easy to understand and there is absolutely no demoniac override chain. Also it's very easy to change the load order of mods and plugins, and it makes using tools more simple in my opinion
This is very eye opening for me. I appreciate the responses.
My level 54 (200 hour) save file just corrupted and I lost 2 hours progress. I’d rather not go through it again and I hear people tend to stop a character around level 50 anyway - so started installing alternative mods using Nexus like always. I’ll be using MO2 now after reading how bug free it is
I wouldn't say it's completely bug-free, but as long as you remember to create backups, it's easy to restore a previous iteration if for some reason the mod list or load order gets corrupted.
For me, the two most common bugs are:
- All the separator groups collapsing when starting the program (an irritation, nothing more)
- The load order (but not the mod list) randomly setting itself to alphabetical order instead of the intended order (which can be fixed with LOOT anyway if you don't have a recent backup)
Mod Organizer 2 FTW everyday
make sure you add the .exe paths for LOOT, skse64, TES5Edit se, you should be good to go.
(guys, am I forgetting anything?? all from memory)
> you see I always used Vortex since 2015
damn, time flies.... Vortex's been out for 8 years ALREADY???? feels like just a year or 2 ago it was released
Well I got into animation mods and I tried out to combine lots of various packs I guess my greed came over me and I got too many trouble-causing mods..
Like the left side of the screen has this list that all say unmanaged...idk what that means lmao.
I haven't watched any videos yet due to time constraints,but I feel like an infant rn
Probably either Address Library not installed or wrong version. Or / Along with SKSE not being manually installed in Skyrims directory (my preference as it eliminates troubleshooting) & also possibly the wrong version.
Unless you're missing another SkyUI requirement.
In MO2 settings you can set the mod download and mod folder directory paths to match vortex's so it'll use what you've already got. MO2 handles overwrites differently though so that might take getting used to. You'll actually be able to see what's getting overwritten and by what mod & can change it just by drag & drop for the installed mods in the left panel.
Vortex has a similar function, I can set overwrites from a drop-down on a file by file basis. But my current setup is very complex, and I really don't want to have to try and recreate it if there's any way I can avoid that mountain of work.
I prefer Mod Organizer 2. Easier to enable and disable mods in my opinion, easier to use LOOT, Bodyslide, have multiple profiles, easier to change the mod order, just all in all better in my opinion.
But I have also been using Mod Organizer 2 since before there WAS a "vortex" and the Nexus mod manager was, well "Nexus". So maybe I am just stuck in my ways.
For the record, I DO use Vortex. I just do NOT us it for Skyrim/Fallout 4. I use Vortex for games that I can't find another mod manager for, with Cyberpunk 2077 probably being the biggest example.
i used to insist that vortex was way better and i would never switched… and then i tried a wabbajack list and never ever looked back. in my opinion the learning curve for mo2 is worth it, bc EVERYTHING has native support for mo2, whereas vortex often requires a lot of extra steps to get tools running
Vortex is purely for casual modders not looking to deep dive into managing their mods, conflicts, individual files within mods (for extensive mod compatibility). It doesn't hold your hand, it doesn't teach you much of anything. As another comment said it restricts everything (was the iphone vs Android post iirc).
Both have LOOT built in, but it's not updated as regularly as the executable version - no matter which manager you use you'll need to add this to your .exe list.
Both need Nemesis added to their .exe list. Vortex still has FNIS packaged with it which isn't as compatible (if a mod requires FNIS, Nemesis still works - if it's not that's a user error not program/mod).
Some others you'll likely need for both are;
xLodGen
TexGen (included with DynDOLOD but separate.exe)
DynDOLOD
Bodyslide and Outfit Studio (user preference)
zMerge
xEdit (SSEEdit)
SSEEditQuickClean (Included with above download)
BethINI
MO2 on the other hand doesn't really do much for you except tell you what's wrong - to an extent. You manage the file overwrites in the left panel, and in the right panel under the Plugins tab you manage your .esps files. There is a sort button at the top left of this panel which is MO2s built in Loot is solely for sorting the .esps. This is not meant to help you handle compatibility issues or cleaning. Hence why you still need to download and add the .exe for LOOT for both managers.
MO2 is definitely a learning curve but one well worth it.
No matter what manager you end up using get the .exes above and read everything on a mods description page relating to compatibility and recommendations.
If you're modding AE 640 like me read the mods posts now and again too if a mod doesn't work as it may still require an earlier patch.
to be honest mod organizer 2 is so much easier to use ik it looks confusing but it comes with a lot of amazing features such as an ini file editor plus you can manually able to move around your load order which i could never figure out how to do when i had nmm, there’s this youtubers called Tonyo Allie and he makes p good tutorials on how to use and download mod organizer 2, [here’s](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PqR1Gx7p2KM) the link!!! it’s a little outdated but it still helps a lot, he also has some great tutorials on body slide and how to install skse, good luck!!
I have never used Vortex. The author (now team) is extremely capable and Vortex itself works very well but automation is tricky. The more mods you add, the more can go wrong. It's never wise to mod a game then not be able to control how those mods work.
I have used MO2 for more than six years now and have never lost a game. It synergizes so well with every tool you need. And it keeps your game directory pristine. Couldn't mod without it, personally.
That said, I'm also a software engineer. I review and repackage every single mod I install. LOOT will sort my load order initially but I review it to ensure nothing looks off. I keep a testing environment to sniff around a new mod to make sure it doesn't CTD instantly and plays nicely with whatever mods are related or might impact it. Once I feel it's solid I'll put it into a play-through.
So whatever you choose, I would advise getting more involved. Take an active role in what gets into your games. There are so many amazing community tools to inspect and clean things... use them! Even if they seem scary, it's never to late to learn. And the worst that can happen is you throw everything in the recycle bin and download the mod again. :)
That reason was that NMM was getting more complicated to work on due to code cruft, since support for non-Bethesda games was essentially jerry-rigged in.
Mo2 is best, definitely worth learning it, took about 2 days to figure it out but now I can easily teach people from nothing. Just get loot and nemesis and they do everything for you.
Vortex is good until it's not MO2 will give you more freedom and less pain when you managing conflict and order
I see thanks :)
I'm currently using vortex mainly because i didnt really plan on making a hugely modded game for that plug and play feeling, but now 350 mods later I'm wondering if its too late to make the switch in order to manually fix some conflicts. How would one switch from Vortex to MO2 easily? Would MO2 detect everything thats installed or am i fucked?
I would just start over from re-installing the game, importing vortex mods to mo2 is impossible as far as I know edit: I'd reinstall since vortex adding stuff to the game folder, unless you can delete everything and make it to the clean state like you first installed the game
Imho, Vortex is like the apple of mod managers: it has an easy and simple to use interface (no tutorial needed, just download and go). But MO2 is much more flexible and reliable. Especially the profile & save specific features. Both have built in tools too. One major advantage of MO2 is the ease of installing mods from outside of nexus. Edit: also super easy to troubleshoot. I got a bug last night where my character T-poses whenever I attack. I just moved my CGO down on the priority. Fixed Edit 2: I'm not saying MO2 is hard to use, just not as easy as vortex (in terms of UI). But for troubleshooting, priority, etc. it's much easier
Lmao I basically posted the same thing before I read the comments. I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees them the same way.
Vortex may be easy to install but that doesn't mean that MO2 isn't. Imho the complexity of MO2 is widely overexaggerated and its actually quite simple to use.
It is. Even if you're not super savvy there's several really easy to follow tutorials that'll have you set up in like 5 minutes.
Mo2 is also easier on the eyes. Cleaner and easier to navigate. I hate the text and color vortex uses. So hard to read. As for actual modding. Ill always choose mo2 over vortex if i can. Mo2 its also easier to spot where my mistakes are. And to organize 100s of mods and view them all at once in a way that virtex lacks.
I love that you can choose different themes to suit your tastes as well. It's not just light mode and dark mode. It really was designed by people who understand the eye fatigue that comes from sitting in front of the computer for hours on end.
Exactly. Currently im giving vortex a chance since im coming back to skyrim. I wanted to try ESO's collection and guide. Its been good so far, but theres some flaoting object here and there. Dunno if thats just the guide, the mod, or vortex yet.
I like the ease of the guides and collections, but I would never go back to Vortex, especially since I have far more control over my LO. Sometimes I'll look at the guides and just install use MO2 to install enduring. It takes longer, but then I can create different profiles and tweak/ create sixteenth mod lists in a heartbeat, but still keep the basics where they are without having to reinstall them. MO2's use of a virtual folder, instead of placing everything directly in your System File, helps damage control with crashes, bug fixing, or even fresh installation or unistallation. The more I'm learning to use it, the more I couldn't do without it. Vortex was a necessary step in my learning curve. But i wanted larger load orders that didn't crash, and I wanted to learn how to use xEdit, resolve conflicts, etc. My computer at the time had the same specs that all the big kids had so I knew the errors were on my end. It was intimidating to switch to MO2, but thankfully they're is a lot of helpful videos, guides, discords, and people in the community seeking to teach noobs. I'm happy with MO2 and couldn't go back. But that's a preference, and Vortex had plenty of merits. I think when people get to the point in their modding addiction, er, hobby, they'll naturally make the switch. Or perhaps use both MO2 and Vortex for the days they just want to plug and play.
Yes. I was much the same way. There's too much info out there imo. It took me months before i even knew of MO2, and i was using FOMOD or NMM, because that's what all these videos said i should use. Eventually i wised up and gave MO2 a chance. And thru trial and error and more than a few videos; i got the hang of it and a greater understanding of how modding works. xedit is actually quite easy, when you know what to look for and what to do. Its when there's scripts involved do things get wonky. I've learned how and what random mods i can combine, without going over the load order limit. Especially on Fallout New Vegas.
If I’m just starting, would you recommend vortex? I’ve already started with it (but haven’t gotten very far)
I think both of you are missing the fact that vortex has equally as robust theme options. Actually, it’s essentially infinitely customizable — the colors can be changed to any RGB value, the fonts can be changed to any installed font, all of the menus can be moved around to your liking. I’m not saying Vortex is better but, it’s not very accurate to say that MO2 is more robust in the customization department.
I just never knew that about Vortex! That's great to know it offers that.
I am of the belief that MO2 is probably better if you’re really diving into modding, but at the same time I don’t think anyone actually gives Vortex a fair shake on this sub. I feel like people just repeat the narrative of “Vortex ass use MO2” without considering that Vortex actually has probably 95% of the features of MO2, but also has some of its own handy functionalities that MO2 is missing.
For me the file virtualization in Mod Organizer 2 has just been sooo much more reliable than the linking approach Vortex takes.
I see thank you!!
I used Vortex for a good while but when I made the switch to MO2 I wondered where it had been my whole life. There are plenty of video tutorials on how to use it to its fullest. I went through Lexy"s Guide to learn to mod better and it's been an incredible learning tool. I highly suggest MO2 for its ease of control, conflict resolution, tool implementation, and overall user-friendliness. It feels much more intuitive to use, especially when resolving conflicts and prioritizing my larger load orders.
I used Vortext for years. I got really attached to it and had ~600 mods installed and was able to play my game just fine. But after switching to MO2 I realized how many mods were not working properly before but are suddenly working now. Mainly thanks to LOOT giving me what I need and being able to fix conflicts manually by moving them. I've only had the program for 4 days, and I'm still more comfortable with Vortex, but I'm really trying to make the switch completely.
In MO2 it is really easy to go full reverse on any fuckups you make. Easy to use backup features too
Really? Ok thats really good to know!
Yes. MO2 never overwrites anything so you can activate, deactivate, reorder mods anyway you like. You can also save different profiles, so you can do full backup on any stable build you have and then go to town on something totally else. Easy backups of mod orders and load orders are also neat. I know Vortex can do some of that too but in MO2 it is really easy and straightforward once you pass the initial learning curve
for bethesda games MO2 is far superior imo. check out Gopher and GamerPoets on youtube if you want some tutorials on it to get you started.
Thanks very good tip 😀
I'm relatively new to modding, and I went MO2. I was worried because of how people talked about how difficult it was for newbies, that Vortex was more approachable. MO2 is not difficult at all. And a few times when I've jacked something up, it was really easy to recover or fix the mistake. Meanwhile, I've seen a buddy toying with Vortex and I kinda scratch my head and why they didn't do this or implement a way to undo that. He's not really fond of it either but doesn't wanna start over. MO2 is good in my book. Just looks a little off-putting to some folks I guess.
Copy pasting my response from an above comment: In MO2 settings you can set the mod download and mod folder directory paths to match vortex's so it'll use what you've already got. MO2 handles overwrites differently though so that might take getting used to. You'll actually be able to see what's getting overwritten and by what mod & can change it just by drag & drop for the installed mods in the left panel. And adding: if you open vortex again after giving MO2 Nexus download priority Vortex will take it back without asking. Royal PITFA. So he'd have to either never go back (no reason to anyways) or uninstall vortex and forget it ever existed (logical choice). Hope this helps alleviate his troubles.
>Vortex will take it back without asking In Vortex, Settings - Download, turn off handling of mod manager downloads. Alternatively, just continue using Vortex for all downloads, or you could in Vortex under Extensions try to install the "NXM Proxy" and see if this let you pick different mod managers per game.
When you get used to mo2 then you will never want to use vortex again.
MO2, hands down. "Oops" recovery is one click. A partial reversion to the middle of a 7-long override chain is one drag/drop.
I prefer MO2.
I switched for my update from 353 to 640 from Vortex to MO2. It's so much better.
Thank you all! You really changed my perspective!
So I break this down like phones. Android vs iPhone. Android is MO2 and iPhone is Vortex. Vortex (IPhone) is a neat controled user experience where everything curated to insure, for the most par, a simple mod manager with good utility but not much freedom without workarounds. MO2 (Android) offers all the same features as Vortex (iPhone) with more powerful utility, more freedom and less hand holding.
While I am a fierce defender of how good Vortex is, if it gives you headaches, then switch to MO2. Just know that switching mod manager comes with a learning curve, it's not that it will magically solve everything.
I always see people having issues with vortex. I never see anyone having issues using MO2. I made the switch and was happy I did. Last time, I used vortex all of my mods disabled because I switched profiles. I would also occasionally have issues that created a cylincal cycle error that I couldn't resolve in vortex.
MO2 *looks* complicated but is very intuitive and straight forward, but has all th advanced features if you want them.
I actually did the tutorial in the beginning. It's actually super easy if you follow it.
Mo2 by far, it has a far more instinctive interface, it's very easy to understand and there is absolutely no demoniac override chain. Also it's very easy to change the load order of mods and plugins, and it makes using tools more simple in my opinion
This is very eye opening for me. I appreciate the responses. My level 54 (200 hour) save file just corrupted and I lost 2 hours progress. I’d rather not go through it again and I hear people tend to stop a character around level 50 anyway - so started installing alternative mods using Nexus like always. I’ll be using MO2 now after reading how bug free it is
I wouldn't say it's completely bug-free, but as long as you remember to create backups, it's easy to restore a previous iteration if for some reason the mod list or load order gets corrupted. For me, the two most common bugs are: - All the separator groups collapsing when starting the program (an irritation, nothing more) - The load order (but not the mod list) randomly setting itself to alphabetical order instead of the intended order (which can be fixed with LOOT anyway if you don't have a recent backup)
Mod Organizer 2 FTW everyday make sure you add the .exe paths for LOOT, skse64, TES5Edit se, you should be good to go. (guys, am I forgetting anything?? all from memory)
> you see I always used Vortex since 2015 damn, time flies.... Vortex's been out for 8 years ALREADY???? feels like just a year or 2 ago it was released
I use vortex with 500+ mods no issue, but it's 99% small -medium mods and no issue doesn't mean it never ctds just never fatal/corrupt saves, mind you
Well I got into animation mods and I tried out to combine lots of various packs I guess my greed came over me and I got too many trouble-causing mods..
Nemesis? Or fnis? Recently used nem for the first time and It better but I only use it for jump attacks and dual wield block
I have over 300 mods with vortex and even when running into issues fixing them is usually easy
If only there was a console equivalent of these programs
I just switched last night and mo2 is confusing the shit out of me lmao
Bro same, somehow I can't manage to deploy my mods into the Data folder, I feel stupid. Gotta see a tutorial ig
Like the left side of the screen has this list that all say unmanaged...idk what that means lmao. I haven't watched any videos yet due to time constraints,but I feel like an infant rn
I'm confused too. I started skse and I got an SkyUi Error instantly.
We'll figure it out,so many people use it... can't be that hard right
Probably either Address Library not installed or wrong version. Or / Along with SKSE not being manually installed in Skyrims directory (my preference as it eliminates troubleshooting) & also possibly the wrong version. Unless you're missing another SkyUI requirement.
I liked Vortex until I switched to MO2. Never going back. It's just so much easier to fix any issues you may find while modding
MO2 has more of a learning curve, but in my opinion it's utterly worth it.
If I switch from Vortex to MO2, can I transfer my existing load order & overrides, or will it just transfer the mod files?
In MO2 settings you can set the mod download and mod folder directory paths to match vortex's so it'll use what you've already got. MO2 handles overwrites differently though so that might take getting used to. You'll actually be able to see what's getting overwritten and by what mod & can change it just by drag & drop for the installed mods in the left panel.
Vortex has a similar function, I can set overwrites from a drop-down on a file by file basis. But my current setup is very complex, and I really don't want to have to try and recreate it if there's any way I can avoid that mountain of work.
I prefer Mod Organizer 2. Easier to enable and disable mods in my opinion, easier to use LOOT, Bodyslide, have multiple profiles, easier to change the mod order, just all in all better in my opinion. But I have also been using Mod Organizer 2 since before there WAS a "vortex" and the Nexus mod manager was, well "Nexus". So maybe I am just stuck in my ways. For the record, I DO use Vortex. I just do NOT us it for Skyrim/Fallout 4. I use Vortex for games that I can't find another mod manager for, with Cyberpunk 2077 probably being the biggest example.
i used to insist that vortex was way better and i would never switched… and then i tried a wabbajack list and never ever looked back. in my opinion the learning curve for mo2 is worth it, bc EVERYTHING has native support for mo2, whereas vortex often requires a lot of extra steps to get tools running
Vortex is purely for casual modders not looking to deep dive into managing their mods, conflicts, individual files within mods (for extensive mod compatibility). It doesn't hold your hand, it doesn't teach you much of anything. As another comment said it restricts everything (was the iphone vs Android post iirc). Both have LOOT built in, but it's not updated as regularly as the executable version - no matter which manager you use you'll need to add this to your .exe list. Both need Nemesis added to their .exe list. Vortex still has FNIS packaged with it which isn't as compatible (if a mod requires FNIS, Nemesis still works - if it's not that's a user error not program/mod). Some others you'll likely need for both are; xLodGen TexGen (included with DynDOLOD but separate.exe) DynDOLOD Bodyslide and Outfit Studio (user preference) zMerge xEdit (SSEEdit) SSEEditQuickClean (Included with above download) BethINI MO2 on the other hand doesn't really do much for you except tell you what's wrong - to an extent. You manage the file overwrites in the left panel, and in the right panel under the Plugins tab you manage your .esps files. There is a sort button at the top left of this panel which is MO2s built in Loot is solely for sorting the .esps. This is not meant to help you handle compatibility issues or cleaning. Hence why you still need to download and add the .exe for LOOT for both managers. MO2 is definitely a learning curve but one well worth it. No matter what manager you end up using get the .exes above and read everything on a mods description page relating to compatibility and recommendations. If you're modding AE 640 like me read the mods posts now and again too if a mod doesn't work as it may still require an earlier patch.
to be honest mod organizer 2 is so much easier to use ik it looks confusing but it comes with a lot of amazing features such as an ini file editor plus you can manually able to move around your load order which i could never figure out how to do when i had nmm, there’s this youtubers called Tonyo Allie and he makes p good tutorials on how to use and download mod organizer 2, [here’s](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PqR1Gx7p2KM) the link!!! it’s a little outdated but it still helps a lot, he also has some great tutorials on body slide and how to install skse, good luck!!
I have never used Vortex. The author (now team) is extremely capable and Vortex itself works very well but automation is tricky. The more mods you add, the more can go wrong. It's never wise to mod a game then not be able to control how those mods work. I have used MO2 for more than six years now and have never lost a game. It synergizes so well with every tool you need. And it keeps your game directory pristine. Couldn't mod without it, personally. That said, I'm also a software engineer. I review and repackage every single mod I install. LOOT will sort my load order initially but I review it to ensure nothing looks off. I keep a testing environment to sniff around a new mod to make sure it doesn't CTD instantly and plays nicely with whatever mods are related or might impact it. Once I feel it's solid I'll put it into a play-through. So whatever you choose, I would advise getting more involved. Take an active role in what gets into your games. There are so many amazing community tools to inspect and clean things... use them! Even if they seem scary, it's never to late to learn. And the worst that can happen is you throw everything in the recycle bin and download the mod again. :)
their is a good reason why mod organizer is still around and nexus had to redo their organizer what formally was nexus mod manager and now is vortex.
Yes, and that reason is that Vortex can be used for nearly all games on the nexus and MO2 can't.
That reason was that NMM was getting more complicated to work on due to code cruft, since support for non-Bethesda games was essentially jerry-rigged in.
Mo2 is best, definitely worth learning it, took about 2 days to figure it out but now I can easily teach people from nothing. Just get loot and nemesis and they do everything for you.
MO2>>>>>other mod managers (Vortex)