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Add-Ons - Help!

BecomingNplus1

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I'm about to start SS2, but I am a bit overwhelmed by all the Add-ons. What's a good way to think about Add-ons? How many should I have? What criteria should I use to select Add-ons? Is there a curated list? Are Add-ons themed, fitting SS2's themes? Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
Addons are 100% optional, and (almost) all they do is add more variety to the list of designs available for the various Plot Types, or provide more options for "City Plans" (a "City Plan" is the mod basically building a settlement for you, despite how it might look it's basically a glorified copy-paste of how another player built the place); Most Addon Pack Authors put a list on the description page and some images on the mod website/s of what's in them, and most Authors stick fairly reasonably to the "design" the core of SS2 uses of the building designs looking like they still fit in with how the game itself designs houses and stuff.

Which and how many you use is completely up to you; personally I have all the ones that add more designs for individual plot types installed, and I'd find it nigh impossible to say which one is my absolute favourite.
 
Thanks so much yaugieLC! Very helpful.
If you don't mind, what are the differences between 'city plans' and 'plot types'? Would having more varied plot types provide me with more varied cities? Again, thanks so much.
 
A "plot" is the name for the individual 'building zones' in SS2 - those being Residential, Agricultural, Industrial, Commercial, Martial, Recreational, and Municipal. They work kind of similarly to how other "city builder" type videogames do things, it always feels most like the OLD SimCity games to me. You can manually choose which building gets made when you place down a Plot zone, or let the game do it for you. Installing more Addon Packs provides more options for either you or the game itself to draw from, it's MOSTLY just an aesthetic choice.
A "City Plan" is a design for the entire settlement, made up of multiple Plots with the buildings on them the designer selected, and whatever else the original builder put in there (like turrets, walls, water pumps, etc).
 
Awesome. I'm guessing that plots do not conflict across different mods...? How about different city plans? I should just pick which city plan I want for each, yes?
 
Awesome. I'm guessing that plots do not conflict across different mods...? How about different city plans? I should just pick which city plan I want for each, yes?
Plots mods won't conflict with other plot mods or anything else in SS2 as long as you don't ever try and use SS1 stuff with SS2. City plans come in all shapes and sizes and the authors mod page should give you an idea what they do and don't. City plans will use the mods and addons the author used. IF you have the same addons installed you will see their vision. Also using the Designer's Choice setting to ON in SS2 settings. If not the plots will default to something similar you DO have installed. just be sure to read all requirements for each and every add-on. Some have other requirements as well.
 
There shouldn't be any conflict with having multiple options for either; there's menus the mod has that lets you pick which to actually use at the time you deploy them. As long as you have any other requirements the individual Addons might have (the DLCs, other mods maybe, etc) you should be fine.
 
Really appreciate the answers. Just learning about 'plots' and 'city plans' has helped me better understand different Add-ons. Thanks! Also knowing the different plots won't conflict really opens up the possibilities. I'll probably go slow on the city plans, and figure out some looks I like, etc.
City plans will use the mods and addons the author used. IF you have the same addons installed you will see their vision. Also using the Designer's Choice setting to ON in SS2 settings.
Super helpful. Thanks dinelen_darkstar. Nice to know about this setting.

I imagine searching Nexus for the most endorsed SS2 mods will give me a good place to start.
 
Yeah, sorting the SS2 category by Endorsements puts things in roughly the order that I'd say is approximately my own preference for the Addon Packs.
 
Well my City plans are like less than a couple weeks old one less than 24 hrs so not as many endorsements.
 
In your collective experiences, is it good practice to install city plans prior to running SS2, or can I install city plans as I discover new locations, etc.? In other words, should I just download and install all my city plans now, or wait as I go along?
 
Bethesda games doesn't like adding or subtract mods mid save. Get everything installed and start your game. Then don't add or take anything out without stating a new game. Updating is fine just don't take mods out or add new ones mid save.
 
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