Looking to play modded Fallout 3 and FNV for the first time

[ianpwilliams]

I'm trying to put together a step-by-step for myself to follow, in the hope that I've covered everything. I've looked through this thread, and through the online guide and including everything from those:

 

Fallout 3 Modding Set By Step

 

1. Install Fallout 3 and all DLC

2. Run Fallout 3, to create a “My Documents\my games\Fallout3\FALLOUT.ini” file

3. Edit the .ini file:

a) as per the instructions for the streetlight mod

b) Change bUseThreadedAI=0 to bUseThreadedAI=1

c) Add iNumHWThreads=2 line after bUseThreadedAI=1

4. Start a new game

5. Disable all autosave options

6. Play up to just before the “birthday party” section of the game

7. Play up to just before leaving the vault, and create a save

8. Leave the vault, and then create another save, then quit the game

9. Download and install the latest official v1.7 patch, and then the latest unofficial v1.9.3 patch (newb friendly version)

10. Download and install the following:

a) Nexus Mod Manager - to download and install mods, and sort load order. Run as Administrator

b) FOSE - for launching the game - use FOSE_launcher to load the game from now on

c) BOSS - for sorting the load order. Run BOSS_GUI to automatically sort plugin order?

d) FO3 Edit - for fixing mod errors

e) 4GB enabler - enable 4GB RAM for Fallout3.exe

f) Craft - required for FWE

g) CALIBR - required for FWE

11. Download all desired mods using NMM

12. Make a list of which mods affect the vault section of the game (“pre-vault door mods”)

13. Make a list of which mods affect textures (any mod which includes a .dds file)

14. In NMM, arrange the mods into a load/activation order (should the mods that affect the “birthday party” section be early on in the mod order? Or would that conflict with where they should be normally e.g. FWE saying to have near the end of the mod order? Would I have them late in the load order, and then load the pre-birthday party save after activating each one?)

15. Run BOSS_GUI to automatically arrange plugin load order?

16. Activate the first mod in the NMM mod list

17. If the mod is a texture mod, then deactivate and then reactivate ArchiveInvalidation

18. Run BOSS to check for mod warnings and errors

19. Run FO3 Edit and fix any issues (see Dirty Weasel video)

20. Run Fallout 3 using FOSE launcher

21. If the mod is a post-vault door mod, then load the post-vault door save and make sure the save loads ok

22. If the mod is a pre-vault door mod, then load the pre-birthday party save and make sure the save loads ok

23. Quit the game

24. Activate the next mod in NMM, and then return to step 20

25. Once all mods are activated and all fixes made then play the game, and never overwrite existing save slots (the save mod creates new ones automatically anyway)

Does that look about right to you?

I'm also considering using Fallout 3 Mod Manager instead of NMM, seeing as Dirty Weasel has 7 video tutorials for modding Fallout 3, where he uses Mod Manager. Although hopefully the step-by-step will be the same or similar:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWMvEg2LxwXbtc-mZT_H9pOwhIdOcMcn9

[M48A5]

1. Install Fallout 3 and all DLC- -Download and install the latest official v1.7 patch- -needs to be done before starting the game. If you are installing from a disc, download and install Games for Windows Live client. It must be installed in the game directory. It does not have to be run, just be installed.

 

f) Craft - required for FWE & g) CALIBR - required for FWE- - Craft and Calibr will come with the FO3 Wanderer's Edition download, as explained on the mod description page.

 

For installing FO3 Wanderer's Edition with NMM, you must read and follow the instructions posted numerous times in the FWE mod comments pages.

 

10. Download and install the following: - - Should be #2. However, the game must be started at least once from the FalloutLauncher.exe so that your graphics card is detected and the graphics resolution is set.

 

11. Download all desired mods using NMM- - Only if you intend to use NMM to install the mods. Otherwise, use the "Download manually" button on the mod download page.

[ianpwilliams]

Yes it seems like patching before playing would be a good idea...

 

I was aware that Craft and Calibr are included with FWE, just forgot to mention it in my list.

 

I'm pretty sure I'm going with Mod Manager instead of NMM, particularly seeing as the guy in the YouTube video even assumes that the viewer currently has NMM and wants to switch. So hopefully I'll be ok if I follow his video.

 

I wasn't sure about Games for Windows Live. This guide suggested that it was an optional step:

 

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=149946772

 

I do have the disc version of the game, but it seems to run absolutely fine. Although you say to install Games for Windows Live, whereas the guide says to download and activate the "Games for Windows Live Disabler". Well actually it says that FOSE includes GFWLD, so if I was going to disable it then it sounds like FOSE would cover it for me. So would you recommend that I install GFWL or just let FOSE disable it instead? Also I made sure that I didn't install Fallout in Program Files, in fact it is actually in a manually-created Program Files folder on a different hard drive. So hopefully that will help.

[M48A5]

The game needs xlive.dll and xlive.ini in order for it to run. FOSE disables GFWL, if you don't have it I don't know if it will work or not.

 

FOMM also has a feature where you can use a fake xlive.dll, so you don't need a separate mod to disable xlive. However, every guide I have seen states that you must have the xlive.dll installed or the game will not start.

[ianpwilliams]

I seem to recall that many of my disc-based games include GFWL as it mentions it on the box, so I'm guessing that my F3 does too because it runs, but I'll double check for the files to make sure.

[M48A5]

I seem to recall that many of my disc-based games include GFWL as it mentions it on the box, so I'm guessing that my F3 does too because it runs, but I'll double check for the files to make sure.

 

The Games for Windows Live client was not included on the disc. It was necessary to download it from the GFWL website.

 

However, if you had it from previous games, you do not have to download it again. The client just needs to be on the computer. It does not have to run.

[ianpwilliams]

 

So would Blackened go after MMM in both sections, and before the Follower/Weather mods (as FWE suggests)?

The Blackened files are compatibility patches and are .esp files. Compatibility patches must always load after the last mod that is being patched.

 

Make sure you read the mod page and pay particular attention to the requirements. The Blackened MMM - FWE patch requires the Paradox Ignition version of Mart's Mutant Mod.

 

Be sure to read the instructions for installing the Paradox Ignition file.

 

The instructions for installing Enhanced Night Sky were written almost seven years ago and have not been changed. With the advent of ArchiveInvalidation Invalidated! and the use of the various mod managers, it is no longer necessary to have an ArchiveInvalidation.txt file in the Fallout 3 data folder.

 

 

These are the search results for "Paradox Ignition":

 

http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/searchresults/?

 

There doesn't seem to be a Paradox Ignition version of MMM, just a Paradox Ignition merged mod, or a patch for the Paradox Ignition version of the MMM mod. Am I supposed to use the Paradox Ignition merged mod (in which case presumably I would remove the esm's and esp's for Fellout as per the merged mod instructions, as that was on my list)?

[M48A5]

"just a Paradox Ignition merged mod" - That is the Paradox Ignition version of Mart's Mutant Mod. All the extra .esp are merged into one file.

 

You must read and understand the installation instructions or the mod will not work.

 

Which mods you choose to use is up to you. Personally, I don't use any of the Paradox Ignition files. I have read that they are the way to go, especially if you are going to have a large load order.

 

The game engine has a limit of about 120-135 files in the load order, depending on your equipment, texture files added and type of mods installed.

 

Once you reach the limit, strange things start to happen to the graphics and other things in the game.

Edited September 17, 2015 by M48A5

[ianpwilliams]

I was only going to choose the Paradox Ignition merged mod because that is apparently required if using Blackened FWE - WWW, and that Blackened FWE - MMM is required if using both FWE and MMM together. But if there is a simpler way of using FWE and MMM together then I'd be happier doing that, especially seeing as the installation instructions for Paradox Ignition seem rather complicated.

[M48A5]

To use the Blackened patch for FO3 Wanderer's Edition and Paradox Ignition Mart's Mutant Mod, you would first install all of Mart's Mutant Mod. Do not activate the mod in FOMM.

 

Go to the folder Fallout3\Data and remove all the .esm and .esp for Mart's Mutant Mod. Install the Paradox Ignition version and activate it in FOMM. This will leave only Mart's Mutant Mod.esm active.

 

In the search there is also a patch for FWE and the new MMM that needs to be installed.

 

The only other course you can take would be to use the FOIP patch, but I don't think it works with the latest version of MMM.