How do I troubleshoot mods? inconsistent modding success

[Thirdtooth]

Hi. First time poster.

 

Short version:

How do I generally troubleshoot mods? and what does it mean when a mod generally appears to be installed properly, but is just not appearing to be applied to your game? Particularly what does that mean when it applies to mods with no apparent pattern or with no common attributes? if that's too general of a question I elaborate below.

 

long version:

Not technically a modding newbie because I have kicked at this cat dozens of times across a couple different games in the past but always came out unsuccessful. I am dead committed to getting mods to work this time. I started just trying to go gang-busters through vortex and it looked like nothing applied, so I took a step back, uninstalled everything and I started following Gophers recent NV modding tutorials; link to the videos here:

 

Everything goes fine and is applied correctly until the clarity mod (video pt 3), where it just appears that it doesn't apply the deployed mod files, like I was experiencing previously. I tried the next step in the video of installing the texture pack and that seems to have applied itself correctly so it seems it isn't tied to anything graphical, but I don't seem to be getting any prompts or seeing an anything indicating some sort of error for the clarity mod. This kind of issue is typically where I have stalled out in the past with modding because Idk how to troubleshoot this kind of thing when it seems like everything is lining up.

As an experiment I tried to also reinstall the flora and terrain overhaul (one I tried initially but uninstalled when I wanted to try from scratch) and that ones changes are also is not showing up in the game, though the corresponding files are deployed properly.

 

to be clear, there is no glitching, crashes, etc. its just ignoring the mods and operating as usual.

 

Any suggestions what I could try or look at at this point? Typically how do I narrow down possible issues in vortex isn't flagging anything?

[M48A5]

Start here: Fallout New Vegas - Nexus Mods Wiki I'm sure you will find your answer.

[SirTwist]

The way I would do my changes is make a profile, call it test, then install one mod at a time. Starting with DLC delay, body, and SPECIAL mods. Then make a save once you are outside Doc Mitchell's house. Then apply all your other mods one by one. Go into game, after you install each mod, and see if it works. Move around a little, and check things out. If your game CTD, then the last mod you installed is the one that doesn't work, and needs to go from your mod list. It is tedious, I know, but it is the safest, and easiest, method to determine whether your mods work, or not. Slow is the way to really mod Fallout New Vegas. Shotgunning your mods is really bad. So, as I said, one at a time, maybe a couple, then go in game, try it out, then quit, mod, let things settle, go in game, check things out, quit. It is really the best advice that I can give anyone.