This video provides a comprehensive guide on setting up Mod Organizer 2 (MO2) for game modding. It covers essential requirements, installation steps, game instance configuration, manual file updates, and personal settings preferences within MO2. The goal is to help users efficiently manage their game mods using MO2.
plugins folder, overwriting existing files if prompted.This video by GamerPoets serves as an in-depth tutorial for setting up and configuring Mod Organizer 2 (MO2), a popular tool for managing game modifications. The presenter aims to guide users through the process with their specific preferences and best practices.
The video begins by outlining the initial requirements. Crucially, the user must have the game they intend to mod already installed and launched at least once. This ensures that MO2 can properly detect the game's presence on the system. Additionally, the presenter stresses the importance of downloading and installing specific C++ redistributables, linking to the necessary files on the MO2 mod page and advising users to always check the mod page for the most current requirements, as these can change over time.
The installation process is then detailed. After downloading the main MO2 executable, users are instructed to run it and select a custom installation directory. A key recommendation is to avoid installing MO2 within the default "Program Files" directories, suggesting instead a custom location on a storage drive. The presenter demonstrates creating a specific folder on their "modding storage drive" for the MO2 installation. During setup, creating a desktop shortcut is advised for easy access, and the option to launch MO2 immediately after installation should be selected.
A significant portion of the video is dedicated to setting up a game instance within MO2. The presenter explains that this process is necessary each time MO2 needs to manage a new game. The steps involve accessing the "Instance Manager," creating a "New Instance," and choosing the "Global instance" option. Users then need to navigate to and select their game's installation folder. If a "Game Edition" window appears, the correct version of the game must be selected. The instance is then named, and the user is prompted to select a directory for the instance's data (mods, profiles, etc.). Similar to the MO2 installation, this data location should also be on a separate drive and not within program files or the game's directory itself. The presenter creates a dedicated folder named "modorganizer2-game instances" for this purpose. After completing these steps, MO2 will close and reopen, now configured for the newly created game instance. A "category setup" prompt may appear; the presenter chooses to do nothing here, preferring to customize everything manually.
The video then addresses the topic of manual file updates for MO2. The presenter explains that sometimes, updates to MO2's plugins might not be included in the main build. In such cases, users need to manually download these updates from the mod page. The process involves closing MO2, checking for updates (e.g., for Skyrim), downloading the update archive, and then extracting the files into the MO2 installation's plugins folder, overwriting any existing files when prompted. If no update file is found, no manual action is needed.
The final section focuses on the presenter's personal settings and preferences within MO2. While emphasizing that these are optional and not required for basic modding, they offer insight into how MO2 can be customized.
The presenter concludes by mentioning the "overwrite" folder within MO2's left pane, noting its utility but also its potential for confusion, and suggests referring to a separate video for more details on its usage. The video ends with a brief musical outro.