Textures not changing - Archive Invalidation - Mod Organizer

[Broblin]

So. Some background. I think the mistake was reinstalling NVEC (New Vegas enhanced content), it was somehow a part of my Overwrite folder rather than a standalone mod (I don't know how I missed it?), and the game would crash with some overwriting errors. MO had NVEC's master file in the load order correctly so it seemed to be writing NVEC, then my load order, and then trying to overwrite with NVEC again based upon stuttering with various game aspects. When I tried to create it as its own mod from the MO's overwrite folder the game would not start. I reinstalled it, created it as its own mod from the Overwrite folder, applied bashed tags, rewrote my bashed and merged patches, and all is good the game starts up. All of my mods are working correctly, settings are the same, etc.

 

Except the texture mods and one mesh mod. Poco Bueno, NMC, various armor reskins, and etc all fail to load into the game now and I'm getting base New Vegas textures. All of the other mods I'm using (those in the load order) seem to be working fine, I'm also getting less stutters overall and the NVEC content runs smoother in the game because I believe it's not trying to overwrite itself (I'm using the smallest texture packs and they no longer have a huge impact on the game and I fixed numerous memory issues and had not had a related crash in quite some time). Texture swaps like NewVegasRedesigned that changes NPCs face textures work and I believe I know why... I just don't know how to fix it.

 

*I believe MO archive invalidation is failing to actually invalidate anything, or at least failing to invalidate NVEC textures when it tries to overwrite them, but all of the load order ones are functional. I've changed the archive settings, tried reinstalling the texture packs, all .ini files have the correct lines changed, (invalidateoldfiles=1 , sinvalidationtext= , etc). Nothing seems to change. The non-mod textures just do not enter the game at all, but MO recognizes that the textures are supposed to be there in the Data tab.

 

Is there anything that forces archive invalidation to work? Or at least somehow allows a mod creation of the texture pack to overwrite NVEC/base game changes? Or does my problem lay elsewhere? Any feedback is appreciated, this game can be fun to mod and fix problems but I'm now at a full loss.

Edited January 18, 2018 by Broblin

[dubiousintent]

The mods you mentioned as having problems are falling into two separate categories. "Poco Bueno" and NMC are "VWD/LOD" texture replacements. You need to run FNVLODGen after you get your load order stabilized for them to show up. Please see the 'Checklist Item #15 & 16' entries in the wiki "Fallout NV Mod Conflict Troubleshooting" guide.

"Texture/Mesh" replacement mods replace vanilla versions of those files. You absolutely have to toggle "ArchiveInvalidation" off-and-then-on again after installing or removing one of them so it recognizes that there are loose files (added by the mod) which have to be used in place of the vanilla files in the BSA files or are no longer there and the BSA files should be used instead. That failure to toggle is the most common reason behind such "not working problems". This is usually evidenced by red "!" icon for missing meshes, and solid colors for missing textures. Please see the 'ArchiveInvalidation (by Manager)' section in the wiki "Fallout NV Mod Conflict Troubleshooting" guide.

The only other reasons for mods to have these "missing element" error indications are that you failed to install all the necessary files (such as an ESM or BSA file), or they aren't in the correct location.

 

I realize the following is not about NVEC, but it illustrates the possible problem and I don't use NVEC in order to customize it to that mod.

 

In the case of (for example) "Weapon Retexture Project" (WRP), the package has a "non-standard" folder structure. (Not an uncommon mistake by mod authors, so learn from this.) The game (to include most mod managers like NMM, MO, and FOMM) is expecting the top level folder of an archive package to be standardized, folder names such as "Textures" or "Meshes", or ESM/ESP/BSA files. It assumes they are being placed under the game "Data" folder. This example package starts with a "RLS" folder, which the game does not recognize, and so it places that as the "top level" under "Data". (Sometimes this is the author's name or initials, other times it's the mod name and version, but anything unexpected is treated the same way: as a new folder or file.) Most likely when the files are "installed" but aren't found correctly, something similar to this is your problem. Unpack the mod archive (WRP in this instance) to some other location and then either rebuild the archive so the top level folders are "Textures" and "Meshes" (in other words, without the "RLS" folder from WRP at all), and then install with your mod manager, or manually drag those two folders into the game "Data" folder.

The text file under the WRP "RLS" folder is a documentation file. If you want to keep similar in the package, just place it in the top level along with the "Meshes" and "Textures" folders. Personally, I rename such to "<mod_name>_ReadMe.txt" so I know which package they came from. (Many author's act as if their mod's text file is the only one that might possibly exist in the same location or use the same common name (i.e. "Readme.txt").)

-Dubious-

Edited January 18, 2018 by dubiousintent

[Broblin]

dubiousintent you've come through again. I've tried the data folder management and several things mentioned in the troubleshooting guide. After reinstalling the texture mods and running FNVLODGen, I got nothing.

 

BUT after deleting the meta data in the the downloads folder and then running FNVLODGen the textures are replaced...I'm not questioning it but its odd, every texture is now replaced correctly, no more vanilla textures and the one's I want are overwriting correctly (in order of reinstall).

 

So, cheers yet again, another issue down :laugh: