Fallout3:Unofficial-Essarrbee-1.0.0

Introduction

Fallout has been one of the greatest of RPG franchises since its initial release way back in 1997. Mods have kept the games alive since then with Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas being some of the most lively modding communities around. This guide will cover some of the basic and advanced features that go along with modding Fallout 3 and New Vegas which will save time and headaches.

Getting Started

Since both Fallout 3 (FO3) and Fallout New Vegas (FNV) run on the Gamebryo engine, many of the programs used to mod them will be identical. Any differences between the two will be denoted with game specific instructions.

Game specific information will appear throughout the guide like so: Template:FO3 Note Template:FNV Note

Every section of the guide will cover a different area of modding Fallout games, from different mod managers to complex mods that have difficult installations. having a clean installation of a game is the first section, so that the Fallout game directory is pristine and ready for modding.

Installation
Mod Managers
Utilities
Selected Mods
Troubleshooting

Installation

Installing Fallout games is most commonly done with Steam. There is another version of FO3 and that will be covered.

Before installing either game it is important to remember that Fallout (and really any game that is going to be modded) should be installed outside of the Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder to avoid Windows UAC restrictions. Some mods may not operate correctly if they are installed in that folder. This also means that Steam should probably not be installed inside those folders. To move Steam follow the directions here.

Mod Managers

It is hard enough to mod, but doing it without a mod manager is masochistic. There are a few different mod managers and each one offers different levels of complexity for modding Fallout. No matter what a mod manager should be used by anyone that is using more than ten or so mods.

Mod Organizer

• Author: Tannin
• Version: v1.2.18
• Note: There is some information to be aware of when installing Mod Organizer:

• The Skyrim Nexus version is the latest version. The other nexus sites are not updated.
• For more information, see the Mod Organizer Guide.
• Official STEP Mod Organizer Video Series by Gamer Poets.

• Installation: To use MO for multiple games it must have multiple installs in different locations. It is recommended to put each install of MO into the game directory of each game that it will be installed for. MO Install Video
  Works for Skyrim/FNV/FO3/Oblivion

1. Open the Mod Organizer archive.
2. Extract the Mod Organizer folder to the installation directory.

Setting Up Mod Organizer

1. Start MO and click the Profiles button.
   1. Now highlight the Default profile, make sure Archive Invalidation is checked, and click [Copy].
      • Ticking Local Savegames will make all saves from the profile from being used by any other profile.
   2. Rename the profile to the desired name, and click [Okay], then [Close].
      • Users wishing to setup a base profile should do so now, then copy the base profile again to setup the modded profile. See Gopher's MO video to setup a base profile. Setting Up MO Profiles
      • This procedure can be repeated for copying any profile in the future.
2. Setup MO to download mods from the Nexus, follow the directions provided on the Mod Organizer Guide. Linking to Nexus
3. Click the Executables button and set up the programs that will be run from the MO launcher using directions from the Mod Organizer Guide. Third Party Programs
   1. Recommended programs to add: LOOT, 4GB Loader (see the Extenders section below), FNVEdit, and Wrye Flash NV. Only add the GECK if necessary.
      • MO LOOT Installation
        . Other programs can be installed similarly.
      • LOOT has one extra instruction to setup
        1. In the Executables menu select LOOT.
        2. Template:FO3 Note
        3. Template:FNV Note
        4. Click [Modify], then [Close].
4. Set up optional settings as desired:
   1. Click the Settings button. General Settings
   2. Choose style, language, mod folders, customize mod categories among other things.
5. Check that the official DLC is sorted correctly.
   1. In the left pane make sure the official DLC are listed as the first mods when sorted by priority. Left Pane: Columns
      • Users updating from older versions of MO may have to drag the DLC into place. Put them at the top as shown in the image here, but the rest of the mods will be listed underneath.

      Template:FO3 Note

      Template:FNV Note

Mod Organizer should now be installed and properly set up for modding from this point forward.

One of the most versatile mod managers available is Mod Organizer. It is the mod manager available that will keep the installation directory clean of any mod that is installed in the Data folder. It accomplishes this by using a virtual directory and running all the modding utilities and launching the game through Mod Organizer.