skyrimscripting / papyrus_template_helloworld

Papyrus "Hello, world!" mod

🚧 Under Development 🚧

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📜 other templates available at https://github.com/SkyrimScripting/Papyrus_Templates

Papyrus "Hello, world!"

The simplest possible Papyrus plugin for Skyrim.

• Papyrus "Hello, world!"
• What does it do?
• Requirements
  • Skyrim (from Steam)
  • Skyrim Creation Kit (from Steam)
    • Installing Creation Kit
  • Visual Studio Code (optional)
• Download the template
  • Put this folder into your "Mods" folder (Optional)
    • MO2
    • Vortex
• Project Setup.bat
• Compiling the project
  • Visual Studio Code
  • Compile.bat
• Copy mod files (into Skyrim or mods folder)
  • Visual Studio Code
  • Deploy.bat
• Personalize the .esp Plugin File
  • Personalize.bat
• Setup your own repository

What does it do?

As soon as you begin a game or load an existing game, it pops up a "Hello, world!" message.

Requirements

Skyrim (from Steam)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition from Steam.

-or-

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim from Steam.

Skyrim Creation Kit (from Steam)

You need to install the Bethesda Skyrim Creation Kit to author Papyrus scripts.

Installing Creation Kit

The Creation Kit comes with the Papyrus compiler and required game scripts.

If you have either Skyrim, Skyrim Special Edition, or Skyrim Anniversary Edition, then the Creation Kit will be available in Steam.

Skyrim Special Edition: Creation Kit appears under Software if you have Skyrim Special Edition (or "Skyrim Anniverary Edition") :

If you have the old The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ("Legendary Edition") of Skyrim on Steam, Creation Kit appears under Tools:

Visual Studio Code (optional)

Optional but Highly Recommended

• Visual Studio Code with the Papyrus extension installed

Download the template

• (Recommended) Download this repository using git
  • If you are new to git, please use GitHub Desktop. It's very easy.

    Under the "Code" button, choose "Open with GitHub Desktop"
    
    

• (Alternate) Download this repository as a .zip

  Under the "Code" button, choose "Download Zip"
  
  

Put this folder into your "Mods" folder (Optional)

If you are using a mod manager, it's easiest if you put this folder directly inside of your mods folder.

When you edit your .esp or other files, you won't have to copy those files into your mods folder manually!

In your mod manager, find the location of your mods folder.

MO2

Vortex

Take this template folder and place it inside of the mods folder.

For example:

C:\<your mods folder>\Papyrus_Template_Something

Refresh (or close and re-open) your mod manager and this template should now show up as a "mod"!

Note: Vortex users may still need to Disable and then Enable the mod after making changes for them to become visible to the game.

Project Setup.bat

To get started, run Setup.bat (e.g. double-click on it from File Explorer)

This does a few things to configure your project:

• finds your Skyrim installation (containing Creation Kit)
• detects your Skyrim Creation Kit game scrtips (will prompt to extract them if necessary)
• configures a location to copy your mods files to, if desires (Skyrim Data folder or a mods folder)
• asks you for a custom name for your mod, if desired
• updates all required scripts with these required pieces of information

Nothing will work if you skip this step.

Compiling the project

There are two supported ways to compile this Papyrus project:

• Visual Studio Code
• Compile.bat

Visual Studio Code

In Visual Studio Code with the Papyrus extension installed:

Run Terminal > Run Build Task (or Ctrl+Shift+B).

Compile.bat

Double-click on the Compile.bat file in File Explorer and files will compile.

Note: if you have pyro downloaded and the containing folder added to your PATH environment variable, then Compile.bat will run your .ppj file(s) using pyro. Otherwise Compile.bat will run the native PapyrusCompiler.exe.

Copy mod files (into Skyrim or mods folder)

If you did not place this template folder inside of your mods folder (see: Put this folder into your "Mods" folder (Optional)), then you will need to copy mod files and compiled scripts every time that you make changes to them.

There are two supported ways to copy mods files for this Papyrus project:

• Visual Studio Code
• Deploy.bat

Visual Studio Code

In Visual Studio Code with the Papyrus extension installed:

Run Terminal > Run Build Task (or Ctrl+Shift+B).

The Deploy.bat script is automatically run by Visual Studio Code after each build.

Deploy.bat

Double-click on the Deploy.bat file in File Explorer and mod files will be copied to the destination configured by Setup.bat

Personalize the .esp Plugin File

Most templates come with an .esp "Elder Scrolls Plugin" file.

If provided, this file defines things including:

• Editor IDs and names of any Quests (and names of attached scripts)
• Editor IDs and names of any Spells (and names of attached scripts)
• and more

It is not recommended to share the template .esp on sites like Nexus:

• The Editor IDs may not be unique!
• The script names may not be unique!

With Skyrim, it is very important for each mod to use unique script names.

You can customize your .esp using Creation Kit, SSEEdit, or by running Personalize.bat.

Personalize.bat

Every template with an .esp is configured so it's easy for you to personalize the .esp and make it your own.

Double-click on the Personalize.bat file in File Explorer and you will be prompted with a series of questions for what to name certain things in your mod.

Once complete, the .esp will be updated with your own names for Quests, Spells, scripts, etc.

Note: Personalize.bat uses bethkit (also known as Bethesda Toolkit) to make changes to the template .esp.
Running Personalize.bat will provide you with instructions on how to install bethkit properly.

Setup your own repository

If you clone this template on GitHub, please:

• Go into LICENSE and change the year and change <YOUR NAME HERE> to your name.
• Go into CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md and change <YOUR CONTACT INFO HERE> to your contact information.

It's good to have a Code of Conduct and GitHub will show your project's CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md in the project sidebar.

If you'd like to know more about open source licenses, see:

• Licensing a repository
• Choose an open source license

If you use this template, PLEASE release your project as a public open source project. 💖

PLEASE DO NOT RELEASE YOUR SKSE PLUGIN ON NEXUS/ETC WITHOUT MAKING THE SOURCE CODE AVAILABLE