What is a .ESM file?
An ESM file is a type of computer file that is important for some video games made by a company called Bethesda Softworks. These games include The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 4, and a few others. The letters ESM stand for "Elder Scrolls Master," which hints at its origins with the Elder Scrolls series of games. This file contains important information that the game needs to run properly. It has details about the game's world, like the characters you can meet, the items you can find, the places you can visit, and how the game behaves or its rules.
To use or modify these ESM files, you can use specific programs or tools provided by Bethesda Softworks, such as: - The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and its Special Edition version (Skyrim SE) - The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion - Fallout 4 - The Creation Kit (a tool for making your own modifications or mods for the games) - The Elder Scrolls Construction Set Bethesda first introduced the ESM file with a game called The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind back in 2002. Since then, these files have been a key part of Bethesda's games, including the official expansion packs (which add more content to the games) and mods. Mods are changes or additions to the game made by players, and they often use ESM files (along with another type called .ESP files) to add new features or change how the game works.
You can usually find ESM files in a specific place within the game's folder on your computer. This place is often called the Data sub-directory. For example, if you're playing Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the main ESM file named Oblivion.esm will be in the /Oblivion/Data folder.
It's also worth noting that there's a similar file type called .ESL, which is a "lighter" version of the ESM file. This was introduced with a patch for Fallout 4 in August 2017. The ESL files are smaller and can only hold up to 4096 records, making them less heavy on the game's resources.
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