The G.E.C.K crashing

[drevanna]

is there a version of the geck that actually works? i have no idea what is going on when it screws up like it does. either it freezes while i load the files i need, crashes when i try to change the looks of an npc, doesnt load the information it is supposed to, or crashes out when i try to close it. are there any workarounds or unofficial patches? it's just rediculous. its tough to get anything done :(

[mechine]

Well I had to change the install location

 

 

Default is C:\programfiles\bethesdasoftworks\fallout3

 

Which in my case I had to change to D:\bethesdasoftworks\fallout3

 

 

If you only had one hard drive, make sure you install fallout 3 to it's own folder

 

rather than C:\programfiles\bethesda it's C:\bethesdasoftworks

 

 

Then when you download the update for the geck, just drag an drop the update program

into the bethesdasoftworks\fallout3 file, then run it, then delete it.

 

 

No mater where you put it, the options are still in my documents\games\fallout3

along with the fallout3.ini notepad option file

 

 

Vista users might wana run as admin, and also run in compatabiltiy mode for XP SP3

 

I use XP so I don't really know about what to do for Vista

 

 

I always download the GECK from the bethesda site.

 

 

 

Also the first time I run it I don't load any .esp or .esm

 

I maximize it, then move the windows around to what I want

 

then click X to save those settings. Other than this time

 

the GECk will almost certianly crash an lockup each time you click the X

 

to exit, We get around this by using the task manager.

 

 

So click the X then enter the taskmanager (ctrl alt delete)

then End the GECK process to exit the window

[mechine]

You'll also need some other stuff

 

Watch the tutorials.

 

 

 

You work all day on a project, then save it with the name WhateverYouPick

 

Which creates that days work in a file, WhateverYouPick.esp

 

.Esp is plug in version .Esm is Master version

 

for the most part plug in or .esp work cleaner or better than .Esm (which can be concidered the dirty way)

 

 

 

The next day you wake up an take a poop, then load the GECK, select Fallout.esm (which usually is always loaded)

 

Then you select to load your WhateverYouPick.esp, however at this point on the second day you want to

 

set WhateverYouPick.esp to active, active meaning a WIP (work in progress)

 

With it set to active all you have to do is do your second days work then click save

 

not save as. In other words setting it to active saves your first days work an second

 

or any further days all together, while if you had not set WhateverYouPick.esp to active

 

when you clicked save it would overwrite the first days work with only the second days work

 

Also if you pick save as an put a new name on it like WhateverYouPickNumberTwo.esp

 

it only saves what you did that day, and the references an numbers won't work together

 

so say WhateverYouPick.esp has the building then WhateverYouPickNumberTwo.esp has the tables.

 

Even if you load fallout 3 with both files in order, you'll end up with a cell (cells are world spaces)

 

where one cell has a building with no tables, then the other cell has tables with no building.

 

 

 

 

GECK can be a nightmare to learn, and is otherwise tough, for one the mouse is wicked fast

 

but there are ways to adjust it I think.

 

 

Also you need a program like FOMM (fallout mod manager) which you should be using anyway

 

FOMM has a .BSA unpacker among other things, A .BSA file is a archive of many files that have

 

been compressed. The unpacker will remove one file or many files from the archive. Which you place

 

in the data file following the folder path to where it should be. Like say you unpack the 10mmpistol empty shell case.

 

You place it in the data folder just like you would when you install a mod following the data path

 

which is something like data\meshes\projectile\45calcasing.nif You unpack stuff from the .bsa to be able to use

 

it in GECK, Sounds, textures, meshes the whole works. You don't have to do it all at once though.

 

Over time you'll need odds an ends in order to make stuff. Which part of the process is unpacking if it's vanilla content that

 

you needed.

 

 

 

 

The Grid is rather important. The tool for aligning to grid is set in sets of 16

 

like 16 32 48 64 128 or whatever. Using a 64 grid then snap to grid will move the object

 

in 64's While setting the grid to 16 will allow more adjustablity. The grid applys to X Y Z

 

left right forward backwards up down. So you kind of have to set all of those to a 16

 

or at least a number which 16 can be divided into evenly. You right click the render window

 

void space (empty space) which opens the properties for snap to grid.

 

 

 

For the most part we duplicate a cell by right clicking it in the list, then rename it, and then

 

delete everything in the cell, there's a special way to delete a navmesh though. After this

 

you have your empty cell yes, but the Light settings or settings for the lighting are still there.

 

So really we just pick a lighting scheme to duplicate, to save work. Anyway So I drop in a floor

 

into the render window from drag an drop. Depending on where I dropped it it could be put

 

at X1234.4356 Y2345.5432 Z23456.4352 Not able to be divided by 16

 

You can have snap to grid on an move the object an yeah it will snap to grid, but it's messy

 

 

the grid will sill have the .3456, so it's best to either use a calculator to find a number that can be

 

divided by 16 or just double click the object in the render window an manually set them to 16

 

X16 Y16 Z16 But it does make it a little difficult to find it once you reload the cell.

 

but depending on how you want it you could just use a calculator an set them all to 4800

 

X 4800.0000 Y 4800.0000 Z 4800.000 I think a close up view would be using something around

 

7000, but even using just X 16.0000 Y 16.0000 Z 16.0000 you get the hang of where it is an how to zoom in.

 

 

 

Having it all set with .0000 rather than .4352 will help you later on in putting more floors down or adding in

items. Keeps the grid clean, an provides clean installs of items.

 

 

 

 

The best way I've found to create new items or even effects is to open a item kind of the same to what you are making

 

by double clicking it in the list, then change the entry name, and ingame names, which will make it prompt to create a new

 

form, if you don't create a new form then it will replace all the items by that name with what you make, Which I've only

 

had to not create a new form one time in the last 6 months.

[JonMcClane]

I'm having a similar problem, the GECK stops responding when loading data files, almost always between 15% and 25% of loading Fallout3.esm. It did work once, but only once out of many tries, and I'm pretty sure I didnt do anything different that time. Anyone have any ideas what could be causing this?

 

 

Also @ mechine; Installing it in a different directory dosent work, it complains that it needs various files from the fallout 3 folder

[D_V_A]

I thought it crashed the first time I used it but I just had to wait like 75-90-120 seconds and it loaded correctly.

it's always kinda blocking all responses for a while, and if u insist, then the "not responding" thing appears on it (or in Task Manager), but if u just leave it alone for a few minutes it kicks in eventually

maybe you're not as patient as other people :)

[JonMcClane]

Leaving it for about a minute seems to work: I didnt try that before because it said 'Not Responding' straight away without being pushed, which normally means the program has actually broken

 

Thanks D_V_A!

[ST3GGZ]

Is there any particular reason why GECK crashes when you save it? Well is anyone else having the same problem??

 

I could be working for hours then try and save it then BAM its all gone..

 

Any suggestions??