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v1ld/A Skyrim: Gate to Sovngarde install.md

Last active January 1, 2026 20:12
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Skyrim: Gate to SovnGarde 2025
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A Skyrim: Gate to Sovngarde install.md

Gate to Sovngarde Installation and Mods 2026

General Skyrim Stuff

Vortex

Disable Deploy Mods When Enabled in Vortex's Settings > Interface. Instead, deploy by hand when needed.

Bethini Pie

alias bethini="protontricks-launch --appid 489830 ~/Games/Skyrim/Bethini\ Pie/Bethini.exe"

  • Basic
    • Presets
      • Reset to Default
      • Ultra
      • Recommended Tweaks
    • Display
      • 3440x1440
      • Borderless Windowed
      • All FOVs = 90
      • Disable Always Active, Lock Frame Rate & VSync
  • General
    • Saved Games
      • Disable all Autosave types except the 2 Scripted ones
  • Interface
    • Verify all Subtitles are enabled
  • Visuals
    • Effects
      • Disable Depth of Field

Gate to Sovngarde Install

GtS wiki

  • Answer any FOMOD popups properly, don't just close the pop up as the instructions say.
  • If Vortex complains about unresolved file conflicts at end of install:
    • fd meta.ini -0 | xargs -0 rm
    • fd readme -t f -0 | xargs -0 rm

Mods

Leveling

Based around Experience + Static Skill Leveling. The Slow Your Roll... for GTS collection handles Experience well, we use that with some changes and then add Static Skill Leveling on top.

Add personal collection: GtS Leveling - v1ld

Additions:

Removed from Slow Your Roll's mod list: Racial Levelling, Racial Leveling - GTS Patch, Quest Reward Additions, You are Not Special.

Dragonborn UI - 21:9

Add personal collection: GtS Dragonborn UI 21:9 - v1ld

Extra Mods

Add personal collection: GtS Extra Mods - v1ld

Misc Tweaks

  • Set sGenerate in ~/Steam/Vortex/skyrimse/mods/Player Name Randomizer-92438-1-1-1-1686414775/SKSE/Plugins/PlayerNameRandomizer.ini to gamepady

Unused

(Skip) Lighting: True Light & Window Shadows Ultimate

Use True Light as primary source for indoor light. TL conflicts with ELFX, which GtS uses.

TL needs to be told which worldspace-altering plugins to white/blacklist. Since GtS has a number of these, it's best to wait until Jay Serpa adds support.

Removals

ELFX and patches for ELFX against various mods have to be removed to use TL. Instead of disabling entire mods that may contain a few ELFX patches in addition to whatever they do, we disable only the ELFX patch files.

  1. Individual patch ESPs need to be disabled in the Vortex Plugins tab
  • Verify no ESPs are currently disabled by filtering on Disabled in the Plugins view
    • Make a note of any that are so we can revert easier later
  • Search for "ELFX" in the plugin name and disable all matching files
    • Control-A after the search, then group Disable from bottom bar
  • Disable patches without "ELFX" in the name:
    • FDIELnFXPatch.esp (from "Immersive Fort Dawnguard")
  1. These ELFX Mods must be disabled in the Vortex Mods tab
  • ELFX Shadows
  • ELFX Shadows - Official Patches Hub - USSEP patch
  • ELFX Shadows Patches Hub
  • Enhanced Lights and FX
  • Select the GtS collection in the Collections tab, click View, then go to the Mods tab. Filter by Disabled in Status, then mark these 4 mods as Ignored to silence Vortex's missing dependencies warnings.

Additions

As of v98 all of True Light's dependencies are part of GtS.

Window Shadows Ultimate brightens the interiors too much, leaving it off.

(Skip) Ultrawide Fixes

Skip this section as Dragonborn UI natively supports ultrawide, this collection is only needed if not using it.

Add personal collection: GtS Ultrawide 21:9

Sourced from:

Misc Tweaks

(Skip) Compass and Map Player Marker

Skip this section as the Simple Compass HUD included in Extra Mods is better than the below.

To enable the Compass but keep the Map Player Marker disabled, use:

  • Set ShowPlayerMarker to 0 (1: GtS default of visible with perk, 2: always visible)
  • Set CompassCheat to 1 (toggle compass with the X key)
  • Save
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Adding ENB and changing weather & lighting in Gate to Sovngarde.md

Changing weather & lighting mods in Gate to Sovngarde

Current as of GtS v99, January 2026.

Overview

This shows how to go about changing weather & lighting mods in Gate to Sovngarde. It's a general write up on how to remove the parts you don't want to use and a specific write up on how to install one set of replacements (Nat III weather, Lux lighting, an ENB). It's important to keep in mind that the specific choices made here aren't necessary, you can mix and match to your own needs.

The mods we show how to remove fall into 3 types:

  1. Lighting Tech: Community Shaders (replaced with ENB)
  2. Weather: Azurite Weather (replaced with Nat III Weather)
  3. Area Lighting: ELFX - Enhanced Lights and FX (replaced with Lux)

It's not required to remove all of these groups or to install their replacements - you could for instance use Community Shaders and Azurite Weather with a replacement for ELFX like Lux and Lux CS. Or you could replace just Azurite, using say Community Shaders, Nat III + Nat III CS, ELFX. What follows is just one set of choices.

Whatever you choose, be sure to check everything works with each other. For example, the Cabbage and Berzerkyr ENBs require Nat III weather - they will work with Azurite but you will lose some of their tight integration with Nat III.

Changes - High Level

We remove each of these groups of mods:

  1. Community Shaders
  2. ELFX
  3. Azurite Weathers

Then we install these groups of mods:

  1. Nat III weather
  2. Lux and related mods
  3. ENB (must match the weather - Cabbage or Berzerkyr work with Nat III, for example)

Removals - Detailed

After each step, we will start the game and verify it continues to work. Start a new save each time as plugins will have been added/deleted by some of these changes.

Remove Community Shaders

  1. In the Mods tab of Vortex
  • Disable "Azurite III CS"
  • Disable "Cloud Shadows"
  • Search for "community shaders" and disable all 19 mods that match (19 in GtS v99)
  1. Deploy Mods in Vortex

Verify the game launches and plays by creating a new character.

Remove ELFX

ELFX and patches for ELFX against various mods. Instead of disabling entire mods that may contain a few ELFX patches in addition to whatever they do, we disable only the ELFX patch files.

  1. Individual patch ESPs need to be disabled in the Vortex Plugins tab
  • Search for "ELFX" in the plugin name and disable all matching files
    • Control-A after the search, then group Disable from bottom bar
  • Disable FDIELnFXPatch.esp (from "Immersive Fort Dawnguard")
  1. These ELFX Mods must be disabled in the Vortex Mods tab
  • ELFX Shadows
  • ELFX Shadows - Official Patches Hub - USSEP patch
  • ELFX Shadows Patches Hub
  • Enhanced Lights and FX
  1. Deploy Mods in Vortex

Verify the game launches and plays by creating a new character.

Remove Azurite Weathers

The "GTS Patches - Quests.esp" plugin has a dependency on Azurite Weathers, so removing Azurite requires some surgery with SSEEdit. If you're not comfortable doing this, consider leaving Azurite in place. If you're using Community Shaders, there's nothing more to do. If you want an ENB, select one that works well with Azurite or one that doesn't care too much about the underlying weather mod.

  1. Remove Azurite III as a Master from the "GTS Patches - Quests.esp" plugin
  1. Disable "Azurite Weathers III" in the mods tab
  2. "Dynamic Interior Ambient Lighting (DIAL)" must be reinstalled as it has a dependency on Azurite
  • Vanilla weathers
  • Brighter Nights
  • No to Interior Weather Sounds Restored
  • No to Lux
  1. Deploy Mods in Vortex

Verify the game launches and plays by creating a new character.

Removal Finished

If you did all 3 stages above, GtS is now using Vanilla lighting and weather. It looks pretty good!

You may now install whichever combination of lighting and weather mods you like. I'm going with Nat III Weather, Lux and an ENB that works with those 2 like Cabbage or Berzerkyr, but you can choose whatever combination suits you.

Additions Detailed

Once again, these are the choices I prefer. Yours may vary so please don't follow this exactly unless you want the same combination of mods as I do!

Add Nat.ENB III Weather

  1. Install NAT.ENB - ESP WEATHER PLUGIN v3.1.1C - Fixed
  • Note: do NOT install the ENB Preset, just the Weather Plugin.
  • Let NAT win both the conflicts
  1. "Dynamic Interior Ambient Lighting (DIAL)" must be reinstalled:
  • NAT III weathers
  • Brighter Nights
  • Interior Weather Sounds Restored: No
  • Lux: No
  1. Deploy Mods in Vortex

Verify the game launches and plays by creating a new character.

Add Lux

Using Lux and Lux Orbis, not Lux Via.

  1. Optional Lux Resource Pack (ENB light)
  • Install only the resource pack from Lux Via, it's a dependency for Lux proper
  1. Lux (main)
  • Beams - Particle without effect lighting
  • Mists and fogs - Particle without effect lighting
  • Webs
  • Ice Cave Meshes: Fixed Vanilla
  • Rugs: RUGNAROK
  • Pelts: Vanilla parallax
  • Tables: Vanilla
  • Chandeliers: Vanilla
  • Embers XD compat: BYOH (for now)
  • Optional Giant Campfires: None
  • Optimized Meshes: Parallax
  • Skip next page
  • Improved Dwemer Glass: no
  • SMIM Meshes: None for all
  • CC Meshes: parallax
  • Window models: none
  • Fixes: Skyrim Landscape and Water Fixes -> on, others off
  • USSEP: latest
  • Brighter Nights: None for all
  1. Lux (patch hub)
  • Defaults for all until Non Automated Patches
  • Select only
    • Flat Maps Framework
    • Vigilant Weathers - leave off for now
  1. Lux Orbis
  • Optimized meshes (parallax)
  • Solitude vanilla meshes
  • Vanilla well mesh
  • Vanilla Giant Campfires (for now)
  • Embers XD patch - off for now
  1. Lux Orbis - Patch Hub
  • Defaults for all until Manual Installation
  • Whiterun White Horse Statues (Capital Whiterun)
  1. "Dynamic Interior Ambient Lighting (DIAL)" must be reinstalled:
  • NAT III weathers
  • Brighter Nights
  • Seasonal Weathers Framework: No
  • Interior Weather Sounds Restored: No
  • Lux: No
  1. Deploy Mods in Vortex
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Config Tweaks & MCM.md

Config Tweaks & MCM

Config Files

  • Player Name Randomizer-92438-1-1-1-1686414775/SKSE/Plugins/PlayerNameRandomizer.ini
    • sGenerate = gamepady
  • Skyrim Skill Uncapper for SE and AE-82558-2-2-3-1695703184/SKSE/Plugins/SkyrimUncapper.ini
    • bUsePCLevelSkillExpMults = false
    • Set bUseAttributesAtLevelUp = false if using Geometric Stat Growth
    • The trailing / sets base and offset exp multiplier: 
      [SkillExpGainMults]
fOneHanded = 0.0/
fTwoHanded = 0.0/
fMarksman = 0.0/
fBlock = 0.0/
fSmithing = 0.0/
fHeavyArmor = 0.0/
fLightArmor = 0.0/
fPickpocket = 0.0/
fLockPicking = 0.0/
fSneak = 0.0/
fAlchemy = 0.0/
fSpeechCraft = 0.0/
fAlteration = 0.0/
fConjuration = 0.0/
fDestruction = 0.0/
fIllusion = 0.0/
fRestoration = 0.0/
fEnchanting = 0.0/

MCM

  • Improved Alternate Conversation Camera
    • Camera Zoom (assumes we're using SmoothCam Vanilla Enhanced 2)
      • Lock Camera -> off
      • Switch Target -> off
      • Letterbox -> off
      • 1st Person Zoom -> 75
      • 3rd Person Zoom -> 200
  • Quickloot IE
    • General
      • Show in Combat -> off
    • Controls
      • Disable Loot Menu -> -
      • Enable Loot Menu -> +
  • Safe Save System Overhaul
    • ~/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/489830/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents/My Games/Skyrim Special Edition/Saves
    • ~/Steam/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/Data/SSSOConf/<player name>.txt
    • MCM - Main tab
      • Verify encoded character name from above was accepted
      • Enable mod
      • Enable Manual Save Rotation, 10 saves
      • Set Manual Rotation key to F7, Named Save key to F6
  • Simple Compass Hud
    • Compass Appearance
      • X -> 27, Y -> 664
      • Transparency -> 50 for all 3
      • Scale -> 20 for all 3
      • Brightness -> 5 for all 3
  • SmoothCam
    • First, select Preset
    • ThirdPerson tab, scroll to bottom right and bind Toggle Custom Offset Group (RS) to PgUp
  • TrueHud
    • Player Widget
      • Vanilla Style -> Load
      • Display Health / Magicka / Stamina / Shout -> Dynamic
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New Game First Steps.md

First Steps

  1. Create character - be sure to pick race before picking a preset
  2. Wait for GtS to initialize
  3. Quicksave and quit game
  4. Set SSSO encoded character name
    • ~/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/489830/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents/My Games/Skyrim Special Edition/Saves
    • ~/Steam/steamapps/common/Skyrim Special Edition/Data/SSSOConf/<player name>.txt
  5. MCM
    1. SmoothCam
      • Pick Preset
      • ThirdPerson tab, scroll to bottom right and bind Toggle Custom Offset Group (RS) to PgUp
    2. Safe Save System Overhaul - Main tab
      • Verify encoded character name from above was accepted
      • Enable mod
      • Enable Manual Save Rotation
  6. Make a manual save with F7
  7. Pick Traits
  8. Pick Origin
  9. Manual save again before picking start
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