Fallout 4 becomes unlaunchable after deploying files in Vortex

[LuxManifestus]

Fallout 4 crashes to desktop soon after launching from either Steam, the F4SE loader, or from links through Vortex after files have been deployed in Vortex.

 

I am using Vortex 1.0

 

30,000 files were deployed

 

I have 328 mods installed

 

Windows 10 64-bit

 

16GB RAM

 

All DLCs

 

What can I try?

 

Thanks.

[AugustaCalidia]

Has the game ever run before with your current mod setup?

 

Are you exceeding the ESM/ESP limit on the game?

 

At what point does the game crash?

 

If all mods are disabled, will Fallout 4 launch?

 

Just a guess, but you may not have a Vortex problem. Rather, you may have a mod or mods problem. Therefore you should also go to a Fallout 4 support forum and publish your mod list there. Someone there may spot your problem right off.

[jaydawg55]

Maybe I can help. I have been using Vortex since it was in the alpha stage of development. My most recent experience has been using Vortex to manage mods for Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout 4.

 

Regardless of the mod manager used (Vortex, MO2, NMM, and Wrye Bash are the best known), the game engines will only load a limited number of mod files. For example, the limit for Skyrim and Fallout 4 is 255 mods including the main game files and official DLCs (Downloadable Content). For older games the limit is even lower.

 

With 328 mods installed now, the easiest thing for you to try is to disable at least 73 mod files using Vortex. That should get you down to the 255 mod limit. CAUTION: Do not disable any official game files or your game will probably not launch. These files usually appear at the top of your load order. Deleting or uninstalling is not the same thing as disabling. Disabling does not delete anything. It just "hides" it from the game engine.

 

Then try to launch your game. Continue disabling mods until the game finally launches. It is tedious, but the only way to troubleshoot this problem that I know of.

 

Let me know if disabling helped you or not. Do not uninstall and the re-install the game again until you have tried disabling mods multiple times.

[AugustaCalidia]

@jaydawg55

 

The 255 limit for Bethesda games applies to ESM's and ESP's. Many mods (e.g., texture only mods) have no plugins. On the other hand, many other mods have multiple plugins. Therefore it's important to get an active ESM/ESP count and not a mod count. In Vortex you'll find that active count in the upper right hand corner of the plugins page.

[LuxManifestus]

Thank you so much for your help. It turns out it was the number of active plug-ins. I reduced the number to 252 and it started right up. Thanks again.