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In addition to playing with the load order in FOMM, you'll want to use FO3Edit to find and resolve conflicts (run Master Restore). You'll want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized, especially the chapter on Conflict Detection & Resolution. Load order setting in FOMM will only get you so far, especially with a long mod list. After which, you really need a merge patch specific to your mods.

According to the Tweak Guide for Fallout3 on TweakGuides.com, try getting the 186.17 driver for nVidia cards from their site. It has proven to be the most stable driver for Fallout3 (as well as Oblivion and other games). It is recommended that you uninstall existing drivers (installed by Windows 7 or Vista) using the Control Panel, reboot into Safe mode, then restart and install the new driver (which will need another reboot). That said, the newest driver (191.07) has included changes specific to Fallout3 (as well as other listed games). So far, it has been stable with my GTS 250. Also, did you install to the default location (C:\Program Files\Bethesda Softworks\Fallout3)? This causes issues as well (though maybe not this specific one) with the Windows User Account Control. It is best to install Fallout3 to a custom directory -- something like C:\Games\Fallout3. This is actually a good practice for all your games. Hope this helps.

The other option is to get ElminsterAU's FO3Edit and Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized. The guide will show you how to check your mods for conflicts and resolve them. Once you are a bit comfortable with FO3Edit, the conflict you are looking for will be in the Default Object Manager (find it by expanding the tree view in FO3Edit's left panel). See which mod is overriding Default Object #0 (which in the Fallout3 master (.esm) is Stimpack). Create a merge patch using the procedures in Miax's guide, and make sure that Stimpack gets added to the merge patch to override the offending mod. It is also a "courtesy" to contact the mod author on their Comment page and inform them to make the change in their distribution.

I'm not familiar with CCCP, but if it has a codec utility with it, check the documentation to see how to use it to disable fddshow in an application (Fallout3 in this case, though you should for Oblivion as well if you have it). As far as K-Lite, I've had no issues with it, but obviously, everyone's system and set-up is going to vary. The new version of K-Lite disables fddshow for Oblivion and Fallout3 (and other games/applications) by default.

Along with Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM), you should get another must-have utility: ElminsterAU's FO3Edit, which is essential for finding and resolving mod conflicts. You'll also want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized to learn how to use FO3Edit to find and resolve your conflicts. Hope this helps.

Matrix: When you run the conflict detection filter (like shown in the guide), you're getting zero orange-on-red or red-on-red entries? Just looking at your load list, I see several conflicts. Not fatal, necessarily, just conflicts that should show -- the removal of quest flags being one of them. The biggest killer in mod conflicts is script-related -- the last-loaded mod will win, and if its script overrides another mod that has its own custom script, obviously the overridden mod's functionality is compromised. Sometimes this is fatal, as Fallout3 isn't noted from degrading gracefully from errors. When using FO3Edit's Create Merge Patch function, the process will get you most of the way there ... but not all the way. Once you create the merge patch and have activated in Fallout Mod Manager (obviously last in the load order), reload FO3Edit and again run the conflict detection filter (as shown in the guide's Conflict Resolution chapter). Start at the top of the load order and begin expanding the tree-view side, stepping through each category, looking for remaining conflicts, particularly with scripts. When looking at conflicts, the first question I ask myself is: "Will this conflict go away if I change the load order?" If the answer is yes, I close FO3Edit, make the adjustment in FOMM, close FOMM, and again run FO3Edit and the conflict filter. Once I am sure that load ordering won't correct any more conflicts, I go into FO3Edit a last time, expanding the entries and, using drag 'n' drop or FO3Edit's "Copy as override into..." function, copy entries into my merge to correct problems (note that this might leave the entry orange-on-red, but that's okay, since it is an intentional override on your part). Once you've stepped through all the mods and accounted for conflicts with your merge, save the changes, exit FO3Edit and run FO3Edit in Master Update mode (see the guide on how to create shortcuts to FO3Edit with the -masterupdate and -masterrestore switches). A note here, though ... sometimes mod conflicts will arise that can't be resolved and ignoring it can prove fatal -- quite often, these are script conflicts. That's where Miax option #4 comes in: get rid of one of the conflicting mods. The alternative is to go into GECK, load both mods and merge their scripts, so that both mods retain their functionality. This will necessitate changing the script reference in the conflicted mods (which sort of violates the general rule of not making changes to someone else's mod -- but hey, you aren't redistributing it, and this will resolve the conflict on your system). Obviously, if you aren't comfortable with scripting, one of the conflicted mods has to go. Following this procedure will give you the optimal load order and by running Master Update, provide for the most stable load for your game. Hope this helps.

And I am eons ahead in scripting and struggling with the GECK :biggrin: ... Just seems to me they intentionally made the interface as confusing and sucky as possible. Or maybe it's me ... lol. I think it could be done globally, though. If I get the time (from my current work on Web-enized), maybe I can do a test script for you. C

Which mods are "best" is very subjective, because it is all dependent on your style of play. The good news is that the contributors to Fallout3 Nexus have pretty much covered all the bases, so it is just a matter of finding the mods that meet your play style. Look through the mods. The Top 100 list is a great place to start, as well as the Files of the Month lists. Take time to look at the mod's Comment page. What are people posting about the mod? Is the mod author responsive to suggestions/bug reports? In the Description page, what are the listed incompatibilities? All of that will help you find and determine the mods that will suit you best. Hope this helps.

Check TweakGuides.com for the Fallout3 tweaks, it might help with performance fine-tuning. If you are using an nVidia graphics card, try using the recommended driver in the tweak guide. Hope this helps.

Tony: Unless you did something with onacquire, where the NPC version armor is swapped for a player-wearable version. Just a thought.

Chuck: First, I love the DCInteriors project :) ... Second, I am no guru at all with GECK ... I'm just starting to learn modding (scripting is sooo much easier lol), but it would seem the blue effect is LOD related. Again lol ... now just don't ask me how to apply LOD in GECK -- it just seems logical, given how objects in the distance render. As far as lighting is concerned, looking at the Realistic Interior Lighting mod might give you some insight as to approach in that matter.

I've encountered something similar in the console. For example, I want to give a character an armor from LingsFinerThings.esm (or .esp). In script, it works just fine and adds the item into inventory (and then equips it with a subsequent command). However, in the console, it didn't work, despite using .additem using its Name (such as Stimpack) or its FormID. In looking in FO3Edit, I noticed the items all began with a leading zero, and wrote it off to being some anomaly related to that. Seeing this post makes me wonder, however, if that was the cause.

Great comment, Tony! That's what I get for assuming that had been done as part of a custom race creation. The same goes for eyes, hairs etc. for your custom race. If you don't add those in, needless to say you won't have much choice in-game ... and again, are likely to crash Fallout3 at character creation time.

An absolute must-have utility for this is ElminsterAU's FO3Edit (that and FOMM are essential IMO). You'll want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized to learn how to detect and resolve mod conflicts with FO3Edit. Between FOMM's load ordering and FO3Edit's conflict detection, you'll pretty quickly figure out your optimal load order. Creating a merge patch with FO3Edit fixes the remaining conflicts that load order alone won't fix.

Type3 has no .esp or .esm because it is a mesh/texture replacing mod. There are other mods of this type, that only change the default textures/meshes in the game for weapons, armors, landscapes, etc. For Fallout3 to find these resources, it has to look into your Data folder's sub folders. By default, Fallout3 doesn't (unless a setting in Fallout3.ini in My Games/Fallout3 is set). You can do it manually, but Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager does it for you (click Toggle invalidation). As the other post said: if your Data folder does not have a Textures or Meshes folder, create them and then extract the archive's (in this case one of the Type3 meshes, i.e., Cali, Berry, etc.) contents into it. Then, from the Type3 Texture Pack (a separate download), you'll install one of the texture options.

A minor point, but load the Broken Steel .esm after Zeta, as it is that DLC that gives you the level 30 cap. To find and resolve mod conflicts you'll need two must-have utilities: Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM) and ElminsterAU's FO3Edit. You'll want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized to learn how to use FO3Edit to find and resolve mod conflicts. Any time two mods make changes to the same thing (like MZ), the probability for a mod conflict increases -- FO3Edit is invaluable for finding the conflict and resolving it. The worst-case scenario is the removal of one of the offending mods.

First of all, get Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM). The Bethesda launcher isn't worth poo as far as managing your mods. Secondly, just moving /Data from one install to another won't do anything. You need to turn archive invalidation on. Without doing that, Fallout3 bypasses all the sub folders (textures/meshes/sounds etc. that mods create). FOMM has that function (click the Toggle invalidation button). You'll probably also want to click FOMM's Tweaks button and select the option to disable xlive.dll. Use FOMM to select and load order your mods. Then launch Fallout3 from the conveniently placed button at the top that says Launch Fallout3. This totally bypasses the default launcher and some of its inherent shortfalls. You'll also want to get ElminsterAU's FO3Edit. This is another must-have utility for finding and resolving mod conflicts. You'll want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized to learn how to use FO3Edit to its potential. Hope this helps.

You can also disable XLive in Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager (which is a must-have IMO). Click the Tweaks button and check the box to disable xlive.dll. This obviates the need for FOSE (which can also present its own install problems in Vista and -- I suspect -- in Windows 7). Launch Fallout via FOMM. If the Fallout3.ini file doesn't exist in My Games/Fallout3, it will get created at start up by Fallout3. If you do have FOSE installed, the button at the top will read "Launch FOSE" instead of "Launch Fallout3" ... this will start FOSE, which in turn will start Fallout3.

Just a general comment - load Broken Steel last of the DLC masters. It has the level 30 cap built in (though many mods can override this). I haven't tried The Pitt since loading MMM and the DLC add-ons for it, but I don't think it would break that. The way to find out with certainty is to use ElministerAU's FO3Edit to find mod conflicts. Some can be resolved by playing with your load order in Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager, but many cannot. For those cases you'll need FO3Edit. You'll want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized to show you how to use the utility for conflict detection and resolution.

It is best to install them. The order is to install Fallout3, immediately patch to 1.7 and then install the DLCs. Check out the Refurbish DLC mod on how to "disable" the message boxes you get about the DLCs. There are slower leveling mods that help, as well as a mod that re-balances the Operation Alaska equipment. Not to mention mods that add to realism and difficulty. So it isn't really a problem to make Fallout3 more challenging and more even-paced level-wise -- the trick is finding the ones that suit you and your style of play.

Gosh, I'm sorry to hear that LeeHarvey! *big hug* I hope you find a new job soon and can get back online -- you'll be missed.

Feel free to post specific NPC-related issues in FO3Edit here.

As a ps: When creating a custom race, you can't just create the adult version. You have to provide for young and old as well (the ages are linked). If you didn't provide for that in your custom race, it's probably creating an issue when you are in "toddler" stage (and no doubt later at the birthday party scene and for a quest later on -- no spoiler :D ). I've used custom races (raider, Alice, Tribal Caucasian) and had no issues whatsoever. So what I've mentioned is the only thing I can think of to be a probable cause.

You'll want to get Timeslip's Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM) and ElminsterAU's FO3Edit (and Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized). The first is a must-have mod managing utility, the second is a must-have for finding and resolving mod conflicts.

As for Fallout3 crashing ... I suspect the devs put in a getRandomCrash(int Random()) function so they could stay employed after the last DLC. :D Correct load order of mods and using FO3Edit to find and resolve mod conflicts can minimize the crash issue. A must-have utility IMO is ElminsterAU's FO3Edit and you'll want Miax's great FO3Edit Guide - Web-enized to learn how to find and resolve your conflicts.