User:Kelmych/Fallout3 ControlPanelMenu Settings

Introduction

Fallout 3 doesn't have the Mod Configuration Menu (MCM) mod that was added for Fallout New Vegas. Instead there are Control Panel menus accessed through the Pipboy Item menus and/or through hotkeys. The following is a list of all the menus in the game and those added by the mods in theFallout 3 guide, and some recommendations on parameters that are worth changing from their default values.

Game Settings

Gameplay

The autosave options should all be set to OFF; otherwise game stability is reduced.

• Difficulty: Normal or Hard (FWE, MMM, and some other mods are configured for Normal or perhaps Hard difficulty)
• Save on Rest: OFF
• Save on Wait: OFF
• Save on Travel: OFF

Display

• Texture Size: LARGE
• Crosshairs: ON
• Dialog Subtitles: ON
• General Subtitles: OFF

Control Panel Menu List

The list of all Control Panel menus added and the mod that added the menu is provided below. In addition to the menus in the Item menus, the menus for some mods are available through a hotkey. Some Control Panel menus are available through both a hotkey and an item menu

Mod

• Advanced Recon: Apparel Menu < Adv. Recon Settings >
• Dynamic Crosshair: Apparel Menu < Configure Crosshair >
• Fallout 3 Wanderers Edition: Apparel Menu < FWE Control Panel >
• Flashlight: Apparel Menu < Flashlight Options > ; Hotkey (default is 'B', recommend changing to 'L')
• Triage (FWE): Apparel Menu < Triage >
• Powered Power Armor: Apparel Menu [PA] - config ; Hotkey (default is 'P')
• CASM: Aid Menu: CASM Options Menu
• Enhanced Weather: Aid Menu, Enhanced Weather Settings
• Dragonskin Tactical Outfit: Aid Menu [DTO Bonus Menu] (available on Pipboy exit)
• RH_IronSights: Aid Menu [Gun Oil]
• Bullet Time function (FWE): Misc Menu {Bullet time}; Hotkey (hotkey set in menu)
• Sprint function (FWE): Hotkey (hotkey set in menu)
• JIP Selective-Fire: Hotkey (default is 'B')
• JIP Realistic Weapon Overheating: Hotkey ('Shift' + 'Backspace')
• Stimpack Counter: Hotkey ('Right-Shift')
• Adjustable HUD (aHUD): Hotkey (default is 'F6')
• Immersive HUD (iHUD): Hotkey default is 'I' held 2 seconds)
• Darnified Menu Options: Main Game Menu DUIF3

Darn UI Combat Indicator

As mentioned in Arwen's Mod List for Fallout 3 this page DarnUI includes a Combat Indicator. The default for this indicator is off, but it can be enabled by changing the following line inDarnUI Support for FWE: menus\prefabs\DUIF3Settings.xml with Notepad++. This parameter is not available as an option in the DUIF3 menu, it needs to be changed in the settings file. Having this indicator activated does reduced game immersion, so it's generally best to leave it deactivated.

change

<_HUDShowCI> 0 </_HUDShowCI> to
<_HUDShowCI> 1 </_HUDShowCI> 

Menu Comments

Perk Menu during level up

The Educated perk adds 2 skill points (when using FWE) at every level up. It reduces game balance by adding too many skill points during the course of the game. It was removed in Fallout NV because of this issue. It is recommended that this perk not be taken in Fallout 3.

FWE Options

Fallout 3 Wanderers Edition full description of FWE menu options

Recommended changes from Default FWE settings; otherwise the recommendation is to use the default values

Experience Control Panel Options ( > Character > Experience )

Option 3 - Fast leveling (iXPBumpBase = 300), requires 60-90% more XP across all levels, balanced for Level 30 Cap.

Skill Increases

Option 2A: Moderate Skill Increase - 7 Skill Points at Level Up. With FWE installed, tag skills add 2 skill points for each point expended, so getting 7 points at level up vs. 10 points helps to balance this. With 3 tag skills adding a maximum of roughly 30 points per skill to yield roughly 60 points of skill increase per skill. Divide the roughly 90 additional skill points by 29 levels to get approximately 3 points per level decrease needed to balance the skill increases to the alternative of 10 skill points per level with tag skills receiving only 1 skill point per level up point (as in vanilla)).

Option B0: every two points of INT provides 1 additional skill point (FWE Default)

Flashlight: Menu Options

change flashlight color (if desired)

change hotkey (recommend changing hotkey to 'L')

Ability/Hotkey Menus

Stealth Field

Stability Settings

Change the Stealth Boy mode to Default (2) when using a Stealth Boy and to (1) when using armor with a stealth field.

Unfortunately the default is not the Stealth Boy default mode, so when starting the game change this.

Afterwards this value needs to be changed every time you switch between a stealth field from armor and a Stealth Boy.

Primary Needs Configuration

Needs

Set sleep need to 8 hours

Other needs can be changed as needed; try the default values and see if they seem reasonable to you.

For me reasonable would be eating and drinking need to occur several times a day.

Compare what it takes over the course of a game day to reduce hunger and thirst levels to 0 with what would be needed in real life.

Abilitiy/hotkey settings

Explosive Entry

Item descruction settings

Items Cannot be destroyed (0)

Immersive HUD

Immersive HUD Menu (hold hotkey for 2 seconds to get this menu)

Activation Options

Hitpoints

Activate on combat - change toggle to 1

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

Compass

Activate on combat - change toggle to 1

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

Action Points

Activate when weapon out - change toggle to 1

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

Ammo & CND

Activate when weapon out - change toggle to 1

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

Crosshair

Activate when weapon out - change toggle to 1

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

Sneak Meter

iHud activated

Fading Options

General

6 seconds

Hitpoints

8 seconds

Compass

15 seconds

Action Points

8 seconds

Ammo & CND

8 seconds

Crosshair

8 seconds

Target info

6 seconds

iHud Compatible Mods

Darnified UI

Clock

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

General

Nightvision and Stealth field

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

Adv. Recon Thermal Nightvision

Activate with right mouse - change toggle to 1

RH_Ironsights

As mentioned in the ULTIMATE Fallout 3 Setup and Mod Guide, the gun sway needs to be reduced for weapons using IronSights. Select the Aid Menu [Gun Oil] to access the RH_IronSights menu.

Powered Power Armor

Set Scaling to disabled.

This might not be needed with the script change mentioned in the guide, but if it is not used this helps reduce the invincible Enclave soldier bug.

An Evening with Mister Manchester

After the main quest portion is complete and you have an MTS-400: when the Options menu is open click the FWE toggle to on (i.e., 1).