Alternative Riften - Revived and Optimized
🟡 Updated this year⚠️ Install Order · 6 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview
🔍 Analysis
- 👍 0.2% endorsement rate
- 🏆 #13 of 25 Locations - Vanilla mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Revives Kelretu's Alternative Riften mod
Optimizes the meshes
Adds new patches
Alternative Riften (LE) by Kelretu is a pretty cool mod that was never finished which I decided I wanted to expand and make new patches for. The meshes were in LE format and needed a fair bit of optimizing but I think they add some really cool things to Riften which is one of the more neglected cities. Performance is not impacted at all and in some cases will be even better since the new market mesh has added Occlusion Planes which can significantly reduce draw calls for everyone.
This redoes all the navmesh and removes landscape edits from the original mod to reduce the conflict surface. There are some patches for this mod to work flawlessly but do let me know if there are any incompatibilities with any other mods (just don't use imgur for links bc im in the UK lmao).
Install as any other mod with a mod manager of your choice
!! Make sure to run PGPatcher again !!
All Patches are provided within the Patch Collection FOMOD
// Compatible //
Medieval Markets - Compatible
RYFTEN DOWN - Compatible
RYFTEN - Make Your Riften - Inner - Compatible
// Addons //
City of Crossed Daggers - Sev Cut:
In the new district, lowers the ground down to make buildings feel taller - Requires CoCD + Patch from this page
// Patched //
JK's Skyrim - Patch Provided
Dawn of Skyrim - Patch Provided
The City of Crossed Daggers - Patch Provided
Spaghetti's Cities AIO - Patch Provided
Lux Orbis - Patch Provided
Embers XD - Patch Provided - robertgk2017
Riften Gate Restored - Patch Provided - MissileMan
Medieval Markets No Well Addon - Patch Provided
Bells of Skyrim - Patch Provided
Magic Pillars in Riften - Patch Provided
Blubbos Riften Trees 2022 - Patch Provided
Mharlek1 City Trees - Patch Provided
LOTD - Patch Provided - Ivy
Elsopa HD Medieval Anvil - Patch Provided - Ivy
Animated Forge Water - [color=li
This mod ports Kelretu's Alternative Riften to Skyrim Special Edition, converting meshes and adding new patches for compatibility. It's a visual overhaul for Riften, optimized for stability. With 212 endorsements and over 102k downloads, it's a popular choice for players seeking a refreshed Riften without performance hits.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community favorite with 212 endorsements and over 102k downloads.
- Optimization means you get a visual upgrade without tanking your framerate.
- New patches make it easier to run alongside other Riften mods.
⚠️ Cons
- Requires the original mod as a base, so you'll need to download that too.
- Since it's a port, you might run into issues if you're not on the latest version of Skyrim SE.
- Compatibility with other Riften overhauls could still be tricky despite the patches.
For Skyrim SE players who want a refreshed Riften without the performance hit. If you're already using Kelretu's original on Oldrim and switching to SE, this is a must. Skip if you prefer vanilla Riften or want a complete overhaul like JK's Skyrim.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Make sure you have the original Alternative Riften installed first, as this is a port and requires it.
- Use a mod manager like Vortex or MO2 to handle the file structure and avoid overwriting issues.
- Check the patches included to see if any are for mods you use, and enable them accordingly.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- Skyrim Mods
- Author
- Kelretu
- Version
- 1.4.7
- Downloads
- 102,738
- Endorsements
- 212
- Category
- Locations - Vanilla
- Created
- 1/8/2026
- Updated
- 4/30/2026
🔧 How to Install Skyrim Mods
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