What not to merge?

[Thuellai]

My mod list is getting pretty big, so I was thinking it might be time to run it through FNEdit and try to put together a merged patch.

 

What sort of mods should absolutely not be included in that sort of patch? I know some mods don't play well merged. I'll post my load order, while I'm at it, for more specific advice.

 

FalloutNV.esm

DeadMoney.esm

HonestHearts.esm

OldWorldBlues.esm

LonesomeRoad.esm

GunRunnersArsenal.esm

ClassicPack.esm

MercenaryPack.esm

TribalPack.esm

CaravanPack.esm

Machienzo-PreOrdAlt#1.esm

Companion Core.esm

Inventory Access.esm

More Perks.esm

NVInteriors_Core.esm

NVInteriors_ComboEdition.esm

Interior Lighting Overhaul - Core.esm

Project Nevada - Core.esm

Project Nevada - Equipment.esm

RobCo Certified.esm

Run the Lucky 38.esm

Selective Fire.esm

Weapon Mod Expansion.esm

WME - GRA.esm

WME - DLCs.esm

oHUD.esm

MikotoBeauty.esm

Project Nevada - Rebalance.esp

Project Nevada - Cyberware.esp

UWHNV-Core.esm

SomeguySeries.esm

Project Nevada - Extra Options.esm

Mission Mojave - Ultimate Edition.esp

MMUE POP.esp

NVEC Reduce CTD.esp

DarNifiedUINV.esp

CASM.esp

Bobblehunt.esp

Centered 3rd Person Camera - Unraised.esp

IntegratedFullDLC.esp

The Mod Configuration Menu.esp

The Weapon Mod Menu.esp

Kobu's New Game Quick Start and Better Rebuild.esp

FactionIDCards.esp

I Fought the Law Workaround.esp

AndTheLawWon.esp

Lucky 38 Suite Expansion.esp

The New Bison Steve Hotel.esp

UWHNV-Addon-DLC.esp

UWHNV-Addon-GRA.esp

XFO - 4a - Perks - Paths.esp

Light My Flare.esp

Selective Fire - Project Nevada.esp

CONELRAD 640-1240.esp

SecretStash60.esp

athornysituation.esp

awilderwasteland.esp

betsybrahmin.esp

Goodsprings Filler.esp

Identity Crisis Part I - Silent Struggle V2.esp

NewVegasBounties.esp

NewVegasBountiesII.esp

outsidebets.esp

Pacersgambit.esp

rotfacetoriches.esp

Expanded Traits.esp

Four Traits v1.esp

Perky Snowglobes.esp

ZZZZ--APB_221S_By_Nokturnihs.esp

Better Casinos.esp

Casino UnBanner.esp

Mojave Express Expansion.esp

MoreContainers.esp

Nuka Cola Enhanced.esp

SaveCass.esp

SleepHeath.esp

AmmoCraftingSchematics.esp

ACS-HonestHearts.esp

Bountiful Harvest.esp

Tactical Crafting.esp

AG Supplementary Uniques-GRA.esp

Better Binoculars High.esp

More Mini-Nukes.esp

DragonskinTacticalOutfit.esp

DragonskinNCRPersonnelWearingOutfits.esp

DragonskinBonusPack.esp

DTO-ProjectNevada.esp

DTOBP-ProjectNevada.esp

Eyepatch.esp

FlashlightNVSE.esp

LFox Invisible Armored Vests.esp

Powered Power Armor.esp

UrgeWasterScarf.esp

LogicalReputationShifts.esp

MMUE-CP-PNCore.esp

MMUE-CP-PNRebalance.esp

MMUE-CP-PNEquipment.esp

Essentialplustweaks.esp

HigherCompanionLevelCap.esp

ImprovedCompanions.esp

ShilohDS-Color Maps and Icons.esp

Delay DLC - DM + HH + OWB + LR + GRA.esp

fastervats.esp

Jump Fall Fixer.esp

limbregen.esp

NVDLC04 Allegiance w Duster.esp

Runner.esp

SpecialEveryThreeLevels.esp

Weapon Mod Expansion.esp

AG Supplementary Uniques-AllInOne WME.esp

Project Nevada - WME.esp

WME - GRA - Complete.esp

WME - GRA - Arenovalis.esp

WME - DLCs.esp

WME - DLCs Arenovalis.esp

WME - Arenovalis.esp

Fellout.esp

Fellout-OWB.esp

friendofnightforfellout.esp

Interior Lighting Overhaul - Ultimate Edition.esp

ILO - NVInteriors Project.esp

BetterGamePerformanceV4.esp

Sideburns.esp

MikotoBeauty.esp

Identity Crisis Part 2 - Long Night.esp

Integration - Couriers Stash.esp

Slave Collar Mk. II.esp

DLC Weapon Integration.esp

PPA-PN Onyx Patch.esp

PPA Hardened T51 PN Patch.esp

MGS_Alert.esp

MMUE-CP-PNALLDLC.esp

TheInheritance.esp

DeanTurnaround.esp

The Lucky 38 Empire.esp

Primm Reputation Restored.esp

Project Nevada - Rebalance Complete.esp

Project Nevada - Cyberware Additions.esp

Project Nevada - All DLC.esp

Radar.esp

MMUE-CP-ILO.esp

ae86seiryuu.esp

PrivateVault.esp

HumanPlaguePerk.esp

Mateba.esp

ACS-GunRunnersArsenal.esp

ACS-LonesomeRoad.esp

ACS-DeadMoney.esp

Shotgun Commando Redone.esp

HZSmoothLight.esp

 

Total active plugins: 150

[Gribbleshnibit8]

A merged patch refers to a comprehensive type of compatibility patch made for a specific load order. FNVEdit has a feature that will create a merged patch with the loaded mods, and will correct many conflicts. It is still advised however to go through and check all the edits and mods to ensure that nothing else conflicts. This process can take a while depending on the number of mods. Of course, if you are unsure of whether or not a value should override, leave it alone.

 

 

For what you're actually talking about doing, which is merging smaller mods together to reduce the load order size, that's a completely different process. There is a small utility somewhere that will do it fore you, but I prefer to merge mods manually. I will not go into that since there are already some guides on how to actually merge mods.

 

 

They types of mods you should merge varies, though I would suggest only merging mods by the same author, and of the same type. For example, the Fellout mods can be merged with no real issue. Mods that just add new weapons can be merged, and I usually will merge DLC patches into the main file to reduce the load order on that.

 

Mods that should not be merged are mods like Project Nevada, or other heavily scripted mods. You also need to ensure that the plugins you're merging and removing are not required by any other mods you use, or you will not be able to use them.

[Thuellai]

A merged patch refers to a comprehensive type of compatibility patch made for a specific load order. FNVEdit has a feature that will create a merged patch with the loaded mods, and will correct many conflicts. It is still advised however to go through and check all the edits and mods to ensure that nothing else conflicts. This process can take a while depending on the number of mods. Of course, if you are unsure of whether or not a value should override, leave it alone.

 

 

For what you're actually talking about doing, which is merging smaller mods together to reduce the load order size, that's a completely different process. There is a small utility somewhere that will do it fore you, but I prefer to merge mods manually. I will not go into that since there are already some guides on how to actually merge mods.

 

 

They types of mods you should merge varies, though I would suggest only merging mods by the same author, and of the same type. For example, the Fellout mods can be merged with no real issue. Mods that just add new weapons can be merged, and I usually will merge DLC patches into the main file to reduce the load order on that.

 

Mods that should not be merged are mods like Project Nevada, or other heavily scripted mods. You also need to ensure that the plugins you're merging and removing are not required by any other mods you use, or you will not be able to use them.

 

 

Thanks for your rather thorough explanation there. On that second note as far as actually merging mods together goes, do you have a particular guide you favor? I would like to slim this down a bit, and if things like the Fellout plugins or aforementioned DLC patches can be fairly easily rolled into the primary file that would certainly help [although so far I haven't seen any issues except a single misrendered wall in Nipton, which is pretty good considering I've gotten to Vegas already, so I may have dodged the usual 140+ issue]

[rickerhk]

FNVPlugin is a utility for merging plugins together. http://newvegas.nexusmods.com/mods/39655 and it works great for those that are new to this.

The FNVEdit guide doesn't really go into borging plugins by injection-then-copy. But there are numerous threads here and on the Beth forums that have explained it.

Post #13 - http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1432357-can-2-esp-files-be-merged/page__p__21976545__hl__borg__fromsearch__1#entry21976545

[Thuellai]

Thanks. How are quest mods, generally speaking? Could I get away with merging the various Uncut mods? How about the New Vegas Bounties mods and such? Reducing all of that to a single 'Quest Mod' would be quite useful.

[SMB92]

My personal recommendation to you is to merge all your weapon, armor, item etc mods together, things that don't heavily rely on other mods or say mods that would require MCM. You could technically merge quest mods but be sure you know what your doing in FNVedit when you're fixing it up. Take New Vegas Enhanced Content (NVEC) for example, he merged Searchlight Airport and BOTH new vegas bounties to NVEC and patched them up and they are flawless, I use it myself. But in my opinion merging your smaller mods together is the way to go and leave the other stuff that your not sure of behind. Mods like "I fought the law" and the workaround can be mrged safely, just be sure to make sure the overrides make it to the patch.

[Thuellai]

Thanks for all your help guys. Got three merged ESPs together already that are working quite nicely and cut about ten mods out of my loading order altogether. And, running FNV Edit alerted me to a load order problem that BOSS didn't catch with its latest master list, so that worked out well as well!

[SMB92]

That's great. Remember to keep back ups of your merged plugin so that if you make a mistake you can easily correct it. Good luck to you my friend, go wreck some Enclave and Legion butt XD!!!

[Thuellai]

Everything's working great, guys! Having a ton of fun!

 

One small thing - I have the DR bug again [where armor in the craft/repair menus show their DR value instead of their DT] which I remember the patch fixing, so I'm assuming something broke it. What causes that, and how do I fix it?

[Thuellai]

Just ran into one slightly strange bug. To explain it as succinctly as possible, Doc Mitchell REALLY, REALLY wants to talk.

 

I assume it's because of Quick Start having trouble setting a flag, so he's trying to run his start-up dialogue, but what it amounts to is I walk in and am immediately greeted with 'how you holding up' repeatedly.

 

Any easy console fixes for this? I tried toggle AI, and as long as his AI is off he acts fine, so I guess that'll hold me for now.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Thuellai