Mods that require a fresh game...

[SangRahl]

(originally asked on Official Forums under "...>Fallout 3>Fallout 3 Mods>"Creating a 'Clean' starting Savegame: Any mods that require activation from character creation?")

 

I've completed my rollback and installation of the fake patch and the Unofficial Patch (as well as updating MMM to something beyond 'beta')... and I know I'm going to be reliving my first years in V-101 again.

 

But, I've heard that some changes made by mods require activation with a new game in order to take effect. (I think LVLI changes were the topic of discussion, but it was a while ago that I read it.)

 

Does this mean that certain mods need to be activated from the point of character creation, or just from prior to the point of exiting V-101?

 

I'm mostly wondering at which time is it considered "Game Start" (Character Creation, or verifying character build and exiting the Vault), and/or what specific data types are the cause of the need to have the mod active from the get-go (LVLI, LVLN, QUST, ect.)? The answer to the first question will determine if I need to worry at all... and the second would make it far easier to track down which mods are required to be active through creation, if so needed.

 

I have an... extensive... list of mods I enjoy using. I tend to switch about among several character builds, and though I will stick with one being played at a time, it's not unusual for me to switch out before I've completed the full MQ with the previous. So, I tend to build my mod load list with a wider variety of mods for overall use. (I may not be using guns or have any science skill with my current Melee/Explosives character... but I still keep WMK+Addons, as well as FourEyes and RobCoCertification installed for when they'll be used... just as I'd keep JMSchematics while playing a Sniper or Robotics Expert.) And there are others that are more for balance/immersion, like TalonStandardIssue... almost purely a LVLI/LVLN adjustment mod.

 

Having a "clean" post-tutorial savegame with just 'FakePatch'/'UF3P' active (or perhaps none active at all, if plausible...) at that final outer gate will make restarting with a new build easier and would mean less chance of having a later mod addition, update, or removal create an unrecoverable savegame (I tend to always finish the opening the same way, and then I can just use the doorway options menu to change name/appearance/stats as needed for the new character.)... which is why I'm asking first, before I take the dive and head back in after my rollback.

[TGBlank]

Well, afaik, the only mod that needs to be there since character creation is the alternate start type of mods (since they edit the starting quests).

Other than that, any mod that alters the way skills progress and such should be loaded before the character hits level 2.

[SangRahl]

Thanks for the reply, TGBlank... I've had both postings set to 'email' notification in case someone piped up today. Heheheh.

 

Okay... so technically, I could trudge through the opening scenes until

Amata locks my scrawny behind out of the Vault

, with no mods loaded at all, and everything that is set to 'game start' will activate just fine if turned on prior to the last doorway into the wasteland.

 

If that's so, then I'm willing to go through that for the sake of a fresh restartable savegame.

[TGBlank]

Unless you want to use an AS mod or FWE (for FWE's bundled AS), sure. Note that AS mods tend to have a much quicker start.

[SpeedyB64]

I believe the MERC mod has a tendancy to crash on load unless you start with it. (that's what happened to me)