Downloaded Mod Instalaltion issues

[renfield007]

Hey all, I think I may be about to ask a dumb question but...

 

I've recently downloaded mods but when I try to extract them to the data folder it just dumps the folder in the data folder and doesn't dump the files where they need to go (meshes to meshes effects to effects etc). This means I have to go through and manually copy the files to each folde rand that doesn't even guarantee that I get the folders right. For example I recently downloaded the Mod for the Franchi-Spas but I can't get the actual weapon to show up at all, just the character holding up his hands. I've had issues with mods not showing up due to not being in the correct place in the load order, but how do I know what is the correct place for the load order?

Is there a tool to help with that? I have FOMM installed but nothing else as I try to avoid adding to many programs to the Files. I end up avoiding Mods that require FSE (I do not believe the Spas mod requires it).

Any help that aids in comprehension is welcomed.

[Branimirzg]

Hey all, I think I may be about to ask a dumb question but...

 

I've recently downloaded mods but when I try to extract them to the data folder it just dumps the folder in the data folder and doesn't dump the files where they need to go (meshes to meshes effects to effects etc). This means I have to go through and manually copy the files to each folde rand that doesn't even guarantee that I get the folders right. For example I recently downloaded the Mod for the Franchi-Spas but I can't get the actual weapon to show up at all, just the character holding up his hands. I've had issues with mods not showing up due to not being in the correct place in the load order, but how do I know what is the correct place for the load order?

Is there a tool to help with that? I have FOMM installed but nothing else as I try to avoid adding to many programs to the Files. I end up avoiding Mods that require FSE (I do not believe the Spas mod requires it).

Any help that aids in comprehension is welcomed.

 

Franchi-Spas - After extracting you get "Clint1337Wood- Franchi Spas 12" folder, open it and copy

textures,meshes,sound folders and esp. Go to data folder and paste it. If asked to overwrite click yes to all.

And that's the whole science...

 

Also you must activate archive invalidation (in fomm use toggle invalidation button)

[renfield007]

Hrm I was worried that if I replaced all it would overwrite my other mods...8P

[BadPenney]

If a mod author has not created a FOMOD with their mod then you can do it yourself before installing it. I think that there is a downloadable reference for Fallout Mod Manager that explains how to do it. Not only does using a FOMOD make it easier to install a mod, it makes it very simple to uninstall as well.

[Branimirzg]

yeah... Use package manager in fomm

 

Two clicks to install, two clicks to remove

[renfield007]

Okay thanks, I'll take a look at it when I get home.

[renfield007]

Ok so now I've gone from bad to worse. I've tried using the package handler but it doesn't appear to do anything; I can see the mods and a bunch of happy little check boxes, 1 for each mod, but I can check any of the boxes. I hit the "activate" button and nothing happens.

I uninstalled and reinstalled fallout hoping to clear up any mistakes I had made only to find all of my old mods came right back as they were.

Now the three weapons mods I'm trying to use have the textures all jacked up; 1alexscorpionsniper set weapons and the M4 set have all of the colors flickering back and forth from one layer to another. I know this is a load order issue but I don't have the time/energy to move on item at a time until it works. The Spas-12 apparently has NO skin at all, I have the amazing invisible gun...it WORKS, but no picture and if I pan back the character is surrounded by this weird semi-translucent box with a giant exclamation mark in it!

What the hell am I doing wrong? IS there an easy way to set the correct load order? Or do I need to do some sort of uber-uninstall to gaurantee the mods will be cleared so I can start from scratch? Ugh this is annoying...and why I try to only use a few mods...8P

I wish I could rely on the FOMM to automatically order the mods so they all load properly or if there is a way to do that, as it is I am loathe to even think about trying out any of the new quest Mods I've seen..8(

[evilneko]

The only intelligent ordering FOMM does is automatically load ESMs first, regardless of their actual position in the list (although it does not, AFAICT, force the main Fallout3 esm to load first, so always stick it at the top). As for ordering everything else, keep in mind what mods what, whether the readme contained any suggestions for load order or not (particularly if a mod contains multiple ESPs), and what you would prefer to override another mod if it came to it (last one wins). The vast majority of mods, it won't matter where they're loaded at.

 

The triangle/exclamation mark in game means textures and possibly mesh(es) (depending on the color of the triangle, IIRC) are missing. You should make sure archive invalidation is enabled, and possibly reinstall the mods, saying yes to any overwrite prompts.

 

I've never messed with the whole package thing for FOMM. It'd sure be convenient for when I remove mods, but I rarely do anyway. ;) I can't really tell you how to fix the FOMOD thing since I've never used it, but as I understand it, all it does is automate the process of extracting the files from the archive and then later deleting them if you decide to remove the mod. So, simply extracting the files to their proper places should fix your in-game issues and theoretically any lingering FOMOD issues as well.

 

I install mods by opening them up in 7zip to check out the internal directory structure, and if it's set up in the most common way, just hit extract, select my data directory and I'm done. If it's not like that, then I drill down to where the data directory in the archive file is and drag and drop from there.

 

Here are some example screens from a badly-organized mod, much like the Spas-12 you're having trouble with (in this case, it's a replacer, that's why there's no ESP file. I never actually used this, either.) :

 

Top level, screen 1 - Second level, screen 2 - Third level, screen 3 (all mods would be zipped to start here in a perfect world)

 

I had to double click twice to get down to where I needed to be to extract. If I had simply extracted the contents of this zip directly to my \Fallout 3\Data, the mod would not have worked at all.

 

Yes, I keep a directory called FO3Mods containing (almost) all the mods I've ever downloaded. ;)

[renfield007]

Ok so I git the M-4 Set and Sniper set working again but the Spas-12 is still invisible, looks like something is missing from the files.

Has any else had trouble loading and running the Spas-12 Mod? If so did you get it fixed and how?

[renfield007]

Nvm, helps to read the commentary! Copy and Rename to franchi_spas12 works like a charm, but why wasn't it named that to begin with?

Would be nice to see this tweaked so the hand position was right in third-person perspective but I'll live with it for now...8)