Removing elements from ESPs?

[SovietSailor]

I've been wondering this for some time now, but is it possible to manually "strip" esps/esms of content in FNVEdit or the GECK, in order to facilitate better compatibility with similar mods?

 

For example, I have both FOOK and Project Nevada installed. For the most part, everything runs smoothly, but they share some weapons. Take the Combat Shotgun, for instance. Is there a way for me to remove the Combat Shotgun from FOOK outright, and simply use the one that Project Nevada provides. And then, for instance, could I remove mention of the Combat Shotgun from WMX or AWOP patches?

 

Thanks again!

[Gribbleshnibit8]

A better option would be to go in and replace the instances from one mod with the item from whatever mod you want to use it from. That would be better solution in the end.

 

An alternative would be to put a script on the weapons from the mods you don't want, and have it swap that weapon out with the one you do want. You could even use the NVSE BuildRef function to not need any master files, though that's getting a little complicated.

 

However, just removing the items outright is a bad idea if you leave empty leveled lists, because then enemies can spawn with no weapons.

[SovietSailor]

A better option would be to go in and replace the instances from one mod with the item from whatever mod you want to use it from. That would be better solution in the end.

 

An alternative would be to put a script on the weapons from the mods you don't want, and have it swap that weapon out with the one you do want. You could even use the NVSE BuildRef function to not need any master files, though that's getting a little complicated.

 

However, just removing the items outright is a bad idea if you leave empty leveled lists, because then enemies can spawn with no weapons.

 

How would I replace the instances, then? Sorry, n00b here.

 

So, lets say I decide to outright delete items, for the sake of argument. I go into the GECK, go to Items-Weapons-FOOK, and outright delete the Combat Shotgun. What would I have to do next? How do I ensure that leveled lists aren't empty?

[Gribbleshnibit8]

First you should right click on the item you want to remove, and click the "Use Info" option. That opens a window of all the places where that item is referenced. Make note of the form type of where it is used. If any of them are SCPT or INFO then you should NOT delete that item, as it is used in a script or dialog option and deleting it can cause scripts to crash and possibly the entire game.

 

If, however, it says FLST, LVLI, CONT, or NPC_ then you're fine in removing it. Again though, I do not recommend deleting the items, but instead just replacing them with something else. In the case of the Combat Shotgun, if you have another mod that adds it too, then you should replace the one you don't want with the one you do.

 

 

So basically, for every one of those LVLI, CONT, or NPC_ references, you would double click on it in the list, which will open another window for that form. Just find the item in the list in that window (for NPC you'll have to navigate over to the "Inventory" tab), delete it, then drag the item you want to replace it with in. You could just add a vanilla weapon if you want, replacing all Combat Shotguns from say, Project Nevada with Caravan Shotguns. Make sure that if the new weapon uses a different ammo type you change the ammo as well.

 

 

Project Nevada Equipment Module is already a master file, I'm not sure about FOOK. If the FOOK file has a .esm extension, you can skip this next part and move on to the paragraph below it.

 

In order to do all this though, you'll need to make a few other edits first. If you don't have it already, then go download FNVEdit and follow its installation instructions. Once it's set up, open it and select the two mods you want to work with, say FOOK and the PN Equipment Module. Unselect everything else (right click and 'select none') and then chose the two you want to work with. Load them and then expand both mods out. Look for the "Header" line (it will not have a + next to it) and select it. On the columns on the left, find the "Record Flags" line and right click in the column under the mod's name. Click "Edit" and confirm that you do want to edit the file, then check the very first option "ESM". Click OK and do that for any other mods you want to edit. Once it's done, just close FNVEdit, and click "Yes" when it asks if you want to save.

 

Once you have them flagged as ESMs you need to enable the GECK to load multiple masters. Read this for how to do that.

 

Now you can load your two mods in GECK, select Project Nevada - Equipment.esm and FOOK.esp/m (whichever it is, do NOT change the extension of the file). Do not make an active file, as you'll be saving your new file as an override to the contents of PN and FOOK. You should never EVER make an edit to another mod's files for something like this. If the other mod updates, you'll lose all your work and have to do it over again.

 

 

Once you have the two mods open, you can refer back to the beginning of this reply for how to find out where a weapon or other item is being used, and what to do to replace it.

[SovietSailor]

First you should right click on the item you want to remove, and click the "Use Info" option. That opens a window of all the places where that item is referenced. Make note of the form type of where it is used. If any of them are SCPT or INFO then you should NOT delete that item, as it is used in a script or dialog option and deleting it can cause scripts to crash and possibly the entire game.

 

If, however, it says FLST, LVLI, CONT, or NPC_ then you're fine in removing it. Again though, I do not recommend deleting the items, but instead just replacing them with something else. In the case of the Combat Shotgun, if you have another mod that adds it too, then you should replace the one you don't want with the one you do.

 

 

So basically, for every one of those LVLI, CONT, or NPC_ references, you would double click on it in the list, which will open another window for that form. Just find the item in the list in that window (for NPC you'll have to navigate over to the "Inventory" tab), delete it, then drag the item you want to replace it with in. You could just add a vanilla weapon if you want, replacing all Combat Shotguns from say, Project Nevada with Caravan Shotguns. Make sure that if the new weapon uses a different ammo type you change the ammo as well.

 

 

Project Nevada Equipment Module is already a master file, I'm not sure about FOOK. If the FOOK file has a .esm extension, you can skip this next part and move on to the paragraph below it.

 

In order to do all this though, you'll need to make a few other edits first. If you don't have it already, then go download FNVEdit and follow its installation instructions. Once it's set up, open it and select the two mods you want to work with, say FOOK and the PN Equipment Module. Unselect everything else (right click and 'select none') and then chose the two you want to work with. Load them and then expand both mods out. Look for the "Header" line (it will not have a + next to it) and select it. On the columns on the left, find the "Record Flags" line and right click in the column under the mod's name. Click "Edit" and confirm that you do want to edit the file, then check the very first option "ESM". Click OK and do that for any other mods you want to edit. Once it's done, just close FNVEdit, and click "Yes" when it asks if you want to save.

 

Once you have them flagged as ESMs you need to enable the GECK to load multiple masters. Read this for how to do that.

 

Now you can load your two mods in GECK, select Project Nevada - Equipment.esm and FOOK.esp/m (whichever it is, do NOT change the extension of the file). Do not make an active file, as you'll be saving your new file as an override to the contents of PN and FOOK. You should never EVER make an edit to another mod's files for something like this. If the other mod updates, you'll lose all your work and have to do it over again.

 

 

Once you have the two mods open, you can refer back to the beginning of this reply for how to find out where a weapon or other item is being used, and what to do to replace it.

 

Alright, this looks pretty good! I'll try this out!

 

Just a question though, whats the difference between an ESM and an ESP? Which is preferable for editing?

 

EDIT: FOOK has an ESM and ESP for"Fook New Vegas" and "Fook New Vegas DLCS", each. 2 esms, 2 esps. Which should be edited?

EDIT EDIT: Alright, I've gone as far as "Use Info", and I have to ask, what do you mean by drag them in? Drag what in, from where?

Edited July 27, 2012 by SovietSailor

[SovietSailor]

Just bumping this sucker, for the sake of bumpage.

[SovietSailor]

Another bump. Hooray!

 

Still not sure whether to edit from the esm or the esp.

[SovietSailor]

Bumping, once more.

 

Just be safe, I opened up both the esps and the esms, and did the changes (at least, I hope so.)

 

Just to make sure, I'm saving this as a new file? Not overwriting anything?

[Cynthetic]

use fnvedit,

 

open the fook or projekt nevada plugin in the left list and copy the entries from the conflicting weapons as override into a new file (the yellow or red entries, edit the new file with the weapons u want. close fnvedit save and enable the new plugin file in the modmanager.

 

here an example picture.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/5953/examplerf.jpg

 

note;

if u using weapon mods in the savegame, u need to remove the weapon mods with this mod before u editing the weapons,

http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/44515/

 

greets

Edited July 30, 2012 by CYNTHETIC

[SovietSailor]

Now, I'm messing around in the GECK, and it seems to be going well so far. One question, though. Does it matter that, when I drag the PN Combat Shotgun into, say, the "NVAllWeapons" formlist, its at the very top of the list, at Index 0, before even fists? Or does it not matter where they are in that list?

 

EDIT: How do I replace the items in a cell? Theres FOOK Chinese Assault Rifles in the Black Mountain storage room, and I want those to be PN ones.

Edited August 1, 2012 by SovietSailor