Red Exclamation Marks, Not a Noob Question

[cro409]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm hoping I can have an experienced modder give me a step by step solution to my problem. I'm going to try to make this as simple as possible.

 

Ok. I have Fallout 3 Game of The Year and the 1.7 Update, I have put nearly 600 hours gametime into the game, and just started playing again after upgrading my computer over the last several months, and decided to start all over for the fun of it. I also have the LIVE Disabler, ArchiveInvalidation Invalidated, Fallout Script Extender, and Fallout Mod Manager.

 

The mods I originally tried to do was a messy combination of CALIBR and Apocalypse Armory mods, that consistently caused me to crash to desktop, no matter how I organized the mods on FOMM. So I decided to go simple again and just do some hideout and simple weapon mods, so I extracted them into Fallout 3 Data, and the game starts, but the "specials" in the hideout and the weapons have the red exclamation marks which tells me I'm having some texture or mesh problem, but I can't figure out where. The files are all extracted properly, and I have reinstalled Fallout 3 and DLC over a dozen times. I have tried it in both Program Files and out, because ArchiveInvalidation has been known to have issues in Vista, and I run Win 7 Ultimate.

 

Here is a list of the mods I would like to be using, if there are some that are known incompatibles, or I need some supplemental files, please let me know. I'm not an expert at modding, but this is certainly not my first time, and I have read all the ReadMe's and mod descriptions to the letter. Also, if there is a load order, please tell me that too.

 

I have already uninstalled everything for another clean start, so please don't ask for my current load order, I don't have one. It's completely possible I have just overlooked a simple step, so any suggestion you give me, I will triple-check.

 

(Seem to Work)

 

Fallout 3 1.7 Update

Live Disabler Patch

Fallout Script Extender Patch

Fallout Mod Manager

Archive Invalidation Invalidated Patch

2nd Home at TenPennys

Fellout

 

(DO NOT WORK)

 

(I know these require supplemental xCALIBR and CALIBR .esm and .esp files, but was unable to find the correct combination, even after following their recommended load setup on FOMM.)

Finger Of God

Apocalypse Armory

CALIBR Merchant

 

HK416

Some Katanas

M4 Carbines

USP

DragonSkin Tactical Outfit

Ghost Helmet

Advanced Recon Gear

Underground Hideout (Near Rivet City)

Springvale Hideout (Red Rocket)

 

Sorry about how much info I had to give, I just really want to enhance Fallout 3 to the best of it's abilities. Last time through, I didn't do many game changing mods, mostly simple hideouts, weapons, and apparel, and have never had this many problems. Thanks a ton for anyone who will attempt to help!

 

CRO

[baduk]

Ok. I have Fallout 3 Game of The Year and the 1.7 Update, I have put nearly 600 hours gametime into the game, and just started playing again after upgrading my computer over the last several months, and decided to start all over for the fun of it. I also have the LIVE Disabler, ArchiveInvalidation Invalidated, Fallout Script Extender, and Fallout Mod Manager.

 

The mods I originally tried to do was a messy combination of CALIBR and Apocalypse Armory mods, that consistently caused me to crash to desktop, no matter how I organized the mods on FOMM. So I decided to go simple again and just do some hideout and simple weapon mods, so I extracted them into Fallout 3 Data, and the game starts, but the "specials" in the hideout and the weapons have the red exclamation marks which tells me I'm having some texture or mesh problem, but I can't figure out where. The files are all extracted properly, and I have reinstalled Fallout 3 and DLC over a dozen times. I have tried it in both Program Files and out, because ArchiveInvalidation has been known to have issues in Vista, and I run Win 7 Ultimate.

 

Hi!

 

I hope that you get things straightened out and enjoying your game with whatever mods u might want.

 

the problems with crashing using calibr and apocalypse armory and the exclamation marks that youget when you are missing meshes ( missing textures causes the textre for the object to change like a chameleon)

is all caused by (sorry): the files are not installed properly.

 

Anyway. as long as you have it installed OUTSIDE of program files you wont have to reinstall your game.

since you have fallout mod manager, you should take advantage of the fomod feature. that is the main function of fomm.

 

fomods can be packed from a folder. extract your mod to a neutral location folder named as the mod is. then iniside that folder it is the same as data directory for your game.

meshes folder and texture folder and esp files located at this level.

it is good to arrange things the way they need to be inside this folder before packing the fomod but usually they will be.

exeption is if fomod conversion data is included in the archive.

 

you should definitely use calibr and apocalypse armory. there is nothing messy about it. make sure that you have the compatibility patch and as you can imagine it must load after the mods in question.

 

Some other utilities that can help a lot is

fo3edit: this is handy for checking your load order cause conflicting records are hilighted in red, make sure the conflicting record that you want to have active is loading last in your load order.

fo3edit is also useful for creating a merged patch and examining and editing plugins.

 

wryeflash: this program can also create a bashed patch. it is basically like a merged patch but has some better features so use this one instead. this is also imho handier for changing your load order. i usually just use fomm for the fomods and bsa browser. It also has handy tab for managing your savegames.

[cro409]

Haha thank you for help, I feared that I may have installed something wrong, but was hesitant to admit being I seemed to have already done all the fixes given on existing forum questions, and you gave me the exact answer I have been looking for, one I haven't heard already.

 

When I mentioned messy, I did not mean that AA or Calibr were messy themselves, I had meant that the way I installed them was poorly organized as I was in a huge rush to install the game and get to playing again. That said, I was looking through the data files, and I realized while overwriting I apparently merged several mods that have texture and mesh folders into one giant texture folder and one giant mesh folder, being they were the exact same name. Would that most likely be the improperly installed meshes that I have been searching for, or does it even matter if the the different textures are in one giant texture folder and the different meshes are in a giant mesh folder? Like I said, I'm no professional modder, I know nothing about making mods, and not a whole lot more about applying them that I haven't learned from simple directions and repeat experiences.

 

Currently my Fallout 3 is installed on a Fallout 3 folder located on my desktop, and I'm fairly certain the pathing is correct since it was set there since the last reinstall where you open your computer map to decide the location to save the files, and theres nothing regarding Fallout 3, Bethesda, or BethSoft in the Program Files on the Hard Drive like there was when I accepted the default location.

 

Is the fomod the package manager that's listed on the right side? I remember trying to activate that, but I think it required an internet connection, which I just got the other day after a long argument with my internet company about Win 7 compatibility with my Wireless USB. (I had been extracting to my external hard drive from my laptop, and then cutting and pasting from the external hd to the desktop afterwards, up till now) Fomm, and therefore Fomod, I am fairly new with, so if you have any load order tips or general use tips, or a url for more tips (if allowed), it would be appreciated.

 

I don't mind reinstalling, since I can choose to keep my saved games, unless that should be deleted too? I'm doing this playthough primarily for the mods and the alternative choices, and I'm not far into the second playthrough, so if need be, I can delete my saved games. (My first playthrough is gone along with the corrupt harddrive that prompted me to upgrade computers in the first place) I appreciate the help, I had a large list of questions, and I think you might have the solution.

 

I will also download the new recommended programs, since I am unfamiliar with the advanced rules for load order, and I hate the stock setup for saved games. I look forward to some may more impressive and immersive mods than what I did the last playthrough, and perhaps my wishlist of mods are kind of greedy, with so many mods to choose from, I can hardly be surprised with possible incompatibilities.

 

Thanks Again!

 

CRO

[rickerhk]

Currently my Fallout 3 is installed on a Fallout 3 folder located on my desktop,

 

If it's actually installed in a path like C:\Users\Username\Desktop\Fallout3\ , that may not be advisable for a Win 7 computer. The advice I have seen is to install it to C:\Fallout3 because of enhanced security in the user profile directories causing file access problems for the Fallout executable.

[ccmechanic2]

what kind of upgrade of your pc?