FO4- Switching from NMM to Vortex

[JBBooks]

My experience switching from NMM to Vortex-

I finally decided to pull the trigger. I was going to wait until I started a new game, but I’m at level 116 and just did the glowing sea, and I still have Far harbor & Nuka world to visit….

 

So, I started by reviewing the available documentation from this website, and viewing the instructional videos. This helped- a lot. I decided to do a clean re-install of FO4, and NOT to import the mods from NMM.

 

I found a helpful thing from NMM- if you select all the mods, and do a CTRL-C, you can paste your mod list into excel. I used that for a re-install guide. That made life easier. After a clean re-install of FO4, I started a new game, and ran it as far as leaving the vault, totally un-modded. Then the fun began. The first MOD I installed was not really a MOD, but F4SE. I followed the guide from this website (so I thought), but I could not get it to work. I posted for help, and a very helpful person posted a step by step guide for me how to fix my screw up (which, apparently is an inability to properly comprehend what I read- totally my screw up). I then loaded my fresh save with F4SE, no issues.

 

I started installing. Pretty straightforward, as I decided to download and install fresh. Click the download with vortex button from Nexus, switch to Vortex, click install. Click enable. Done. Next. Conflict? Drag the dependency icon between the two conflicting mods, and choose- load before or after? Done. Installing a Mod from “another” site? Download the mod, click install from file (or drag ‘n drop to the “downloads” screen). Install, enable.

 

I downloaded and installed 50ish mods in a few hours, loading the “clean” save every few mods to validate. After I installed and tested all my mods, I loaded my last save from the level 116 game (not the new fresh save). No issues, ran fine.

 

My SECOND big screw-up: a few days after I got everything up and running, I was messing with Vortex settings. I changed the Mod staging folder, to a better naming convention. It didn’t work, so I changed it back. When I loaded the game next- NO MODS LOADED! The mod screen still showed them installed and enabled, but they would not load into the game. I freaked out, but decided to see what Vortex could do. I alphabetized the MODs, and did a Re-install on each one in turn. Vortex told me if I was missing “Masters” as I went through, so I took care of those as they came up, as well as any dependency issues. Crossed fingers, and loaded game- SUCCESS! It took 10-15 minutes and I was back in business.

 

I’m only sorry I waited so long to switch to Vortex.