Need Help Learning from Mistakes in Past Mod

[Ea6t]

As I am currently working on a mod for Fallout: New Vegas, I decided to look at my previous mod, Vault 11 - Story of the Sole Survivor. After watching three videos featuring it (the two episode playthrough by Alchestbreach and the September 2015 top ten Fallout: New Vegas mods video by SkyttzTV) and playing through parts of it again myself, two notable issues stand out. I don't know the exact causes for the problems, so help would be appreciated. I don't want any major bugs in my next mod, after all.

 

Minor spoilers from Vault 11 - Story of the Sole Survivor follow.

 

1. The ImageSpace Modifiers don't work properly in the videos I saw.

The entire mod contains three instances of ImageSpace Modifier use, done with the "imod" command. Both vanilla and custom Modifiers are used to cause flashes, blur, etc. When I play the mod, they function properly, but in the videos the flashes don't work, and only blur effects are visible. In all of the videos I watched there was an ENB being used. I can't confirm if ENBs mess up ImageSpace Modifiers because I don't have one installed, but I will install one if I have to test. If someone with who uses/has used an ENB can tell me if they do break ImageSpace Modifiers, I would appreciate it. If they don't and you have another explanation, I'd be happy to hear it.

 

2. Cubic Activators/Triggers in the Deserters' Bunker, the third dungeon, are non-functional.

I'm pretty certain I know the basic cause of this problem: giving the .esp file an ESM header (it helps with the skin color bug and other problems). Without the header, the triggers work as intended. They spawn enemies and control talking activators. I have no idea beyond that what makes them stop working as the first dungeon's triggers work perfectly even with the header.

[PushTheWinButton]

1. Yes, ENBs break image space modifiers. I'm not sure what aspects of them but I know that people who use ENBs have problems with Cateye effects and the Friend of the Night perk in vanilla. Both of these apply a tint to the screen so maybe it's something to do with that but you might want to wait for a second opinion. In my opinion people who use ENBs should use them knowing that they will break some game effects but I can understand if you don't like that YouTubers are unintentionally spreading misinformation because of it - "this mod doesn't work properly", etc. If it is a problem with colour effects you could try making a new fade effect which turns brightness down to zero instead.

 

2. That's a strange one. All I can say is that the skin mismatch bug can be easily fixed by setting "bLoadFaceGenHeadEGTFiles=1" in Fallout.ini/FalloutPrefs.ini (pretty sure that only Fallout.ini is needed but some people say all the .ini files including the defaults). If you recommend that change in your description you could still use the .esp header. Most users will have the ini set anyway because a lot of mods mention it, other than that I don't know what could cause the issue you're having, sorry. Are you sure that changing the header isn't changing the scripts' formID somehow so breaking the references to it? Might be something to check in FNVEdit.

[Ea6t]

1. Yes, ENBs break image space modifiers. I'm not sure what aspects of them but I know that people who use ENBs have problems with Cateye effects and the Friend of the Night perk in vanilla. Both of these apply a tint to the screen so maybe it's something to do with that but you might want to wait for a second opinion. In my opinion people who use ENBs should use them knowing that they will break some game effects but I can understand if you don't like that YouTubers are unintentionally spreading misinformation because of it - "this mod doesn't work properly", etc. If it is a problem with colour effects you could try making a new fade effect which turns brightness down to zero instead.

 

2. That's a strange one. All I can say is that the skin mismatch bug can be easily fixed by setting "bLoadFaceGenHeadEGTFiles=1" in Fallout.ini/FalloutPrefs.ini (pretty sure that only Fallout.ini is needed but some people say all the .ini files including the defaults). If you recommend that change in your description you could still use the .esp header. Most users will have the ini set anyway because a lot of mods mention it, other than that I don't know what could cause the issue you're having, sorry. Are you sure that changing the header isn't changing the scripts' formID somehow so breaking the references to it? Might be something to check in FNVEdit.

Thanks for the response. As far as I know, there are two skin mismatch bugs, one which causes the head to be the incorrect color and one which causes the body to be the incorrect color. The "bLoadFaceGenHeadEGTFiles=1" fix only fixes the first bug, and adding an ESM header is the only solution I know of to the second, which is why I did it. I'll check if the header changes the formID and make sure to test the finalized version of my next mod before publishing it.

[Ea6t]

I think I know the reason the triggers don't work. The trigger scripts were using non-persistent references. Apparently this works as long as the file isn't marked as an ESM. I won't make the same mistake this time.

[Jokerine]

n your first question, yeah, ENBs do break imagespace modifiers. I usually just put a warning in the description of the mod. If you're just using vanilla fades to black you can try out Tomm's IMOD emulator.

 

And yep, activators that are not persistent will break when you turn the mod into an ESM, so just make sure to make them all persistent and you'll be good to go.

[RoyBatterian]

That goes for traps and projectiles (mines) too with the persistent. Also any scripted object, NPC, furniture marker, quest object or referenced object. Does not apply to enable parents however.

 

An yeah, ENB messes with a lot of things.