Separate Fallout 4 game versions on same Win 10 computer possible?

[MissingMeshTV]

@GerhardReinke1: I can’t help with what NMM folders you need to change, but I can tell you that yes, you can use NMM for one install and use MO2 for the other(s) if you use the portable MO2 installation I mentioned. This is what I do myself.

 

I have NMM manage the mods for my development/mod making FO4 install because in this case I actually DO want assets in the Data folder (all my custom textures, meshes, etc.). But for all my other installs I use MO2 with an install of it within each game folder as described.

[DjinnKiller]

When using NMM You need to make copies of four folders to get a complete backup:

1 - Small configuration directory

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\AppData\Local\Fallout4

2 - Save games, ini-files, log files F4SE, MCM, Better Console etc

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\My Games\Fallout4

3 - NMM-directory (NB! The path where You installed NMM, for example)

C:\Program Files\NMM

4 - FO4 install (NB! The path where You installed Steam, for example)

C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\Fallout 4

Backup those folders to a safe place before playing around with parallel installs.

[GerhardReinke1]

Awesome I'm gonna try this out and reply with my results. Thanks guys!

[Slavemaster4u]

I’ll echo what DjinnKiller said. Very doable with a little bit of folder name swapping. I have at least six installs of varying version from the latest and greatest back to 1.10.75, each with their own specific purpose. I also have them on two different drives (Steam lets you set multiple game libraries on different drives).

 

To get the second (or more) FO4 install:

- Rename your current/old FO4 install: something like Fallout 4-MAIN for example.

- Have Steam validate your Fallout 4 game files. Since you renamed your FO4 install, it won’t find a game to validate and will create a fresh install of the latest version.

- When the install is finished, you have two different FO4 installs with two different versions. Keep the one you want to play named “Fallout 4”, and the other renamed as I suggest above. When you want to switch installs, just adjust the folder names accordingly. Steam doesn't care which one you use. As long as it can find a folder called Fallout 4, it's oblivious to the multiple installs.

 

My only divergence from DjinnKiller’s post is to suggest ditching NMM and use MO2 for this. MO2 is much better suited for this set up as it can be installed as “portable” with all of your mod and profile data stored in one location. MO2 also handles multiple profiles far more effectively than NMM ever will. It also will never install mods into your Data folder (it uses a virtual file system) so your game install will remain relatively clean. NMM also is rather poor at handling different profiles with different load orders. MO2 is light years more efficient and effective for this.

 

I create a folder for MO2 within my game folder and install the MO2 application into it. It installs all the mods and profile data (which includes your load orders) with that folder.

 

The end result is that more or less everything you need to play the game is stored in one location, making backups and archiving a snap. Just copy the game install folder. It does require lots of storage space, but that’s the price you pay! But it does cut down on the number of folders you have to do name swaps with.

 

You can probably do the same with NMM with some extra work, but I find MO2 to be superior for this sort of thing, as well as mod management in general. YMMV.

 

Also, if by “a new NMM account” you mean making a new Nexus account to download mods with, that’s not a good idea. Multiple accounts are a TOS violation and people have been banned for it. There is no need for that whatsoever if you set up your modding tools to handle multiple installs with multiple profiles.

I think your over complicating this issue. I have several steam games that are in Alpha development. All I do is create a folder in the same "Common folder" game is installed to. Name that folder same as original except add version # after name. Now copy all content within that game to new folder. Make a shortcut to the exe you use to launch game. Steam will continue to update original game folder. That's all it takes. Doing this with SkyrimSE and Empium Gallatic survival. Hope this helps.