User:ShadowWhisper/BestOfBothWorlds

Best Of Both Worlds - A TTW Guide

Introduction to "A Tale Of Two Wastelands"

For the uninitiated, "A Tale Of Two Wastelands" is a large mod/overhaul of Fallout New Vegas to incorporate the whole of Fallout 3 into the game, allowing you to play through both storylines (usually starting in DC and then moving to the Mojave from there, although you do have options) with the same character in the same playthrough.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Cool, huh?

Only things that you need are legal (as in NOT pirated!) copies of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas installed, with ALL of the DLCs for both, per the TTW website: Template:Notice

Well, you also need a mod manager to actually implement "A Tale Of Two Wastelands" but just running TTW vanilla? That's all you need.

However, you aren't reading this page because you want to run it vanilla, are you? Good...

Introduction to "Best Of Both Worlds"

This guide is not meant as (and never will be) a replacement for the installation instructions on the Tale Of Two Wastelands site, especially when it comes to the core files, but rather a supplement. Updates happen...changes happen. Look at the dates - if I say "Do X" and the mod author says "Do Y" and their directions are newer, that means that you should probably heed their advice as preferential, since an update probably happened.

Some of this guide is based off of the STEP guides "Clear And Present Danger" ( Link ) and "Fear & Loathing In New Vegas" ( Link ), but some mods have been skipped for personal preference while more mods that weren't on those lists were added for the same.

About the "Best Of Both Worlds" Vault-Boys
This wiki employs the use of small visual cues to not only help break up the wall-of-text effect, but also to serve as an at-a-glance reminder as to what will be covered in that section.

	"Tool Boy" This icon is shown when settings need to be adjusted or mods need to be edited as far as xEdit. It also covers installations done outside of xEdit, such as external program installation.
	"Cleanup Boy" Dirty mods happen, even in the official files, but the game will run much better and with less crashes if the files are cleaned up. This is especially true of files that are to be merged and/or converted for use with TTW via the conversion script.
	"Move Boy" This icon is shown when the instructions include moving mod files from one place to another, either for combining mods or moving TTW-prepped mods into the TTW version of Mod Organizer for actual play/use.
File:Bobw-unpack.png	"Box Boy" Not all mod-makers package their mods correctly, so adjustments must be made, otherwise the mod will not function correctly. Likewise, once a section is completed in this guide, Box Boy may appear with suggestions of packaging up the finished compilation for later 'easy' re installs.
	"Fallout 3 Boy" This Vault Boy specifies that work will be done in the Fallout 3-specific version of Mod Organizer.
	"Fallout NV Boy" This Vault Boy specifies that work will be done in the Fallout NV-specific version of Mod Organizer.
	"Fallout 3 Conversion Boy" This Vault Boy specifies that work will be done in the Fallout TTW-specific version of Mod Organizer and that the task will be focusing on converting a prepped version a mod for use with TTW.
	"Fallout TTW Boy" This Vault Boy shows a happy couple and represents a "final step" in instructions, installing and activating mods in the TTW-specific version of Mod Organizer for actual use.

Required Tools

Mod Organizer Version: 1.2.18 Note: Grab the manual install, not the automated installer - there's a reason for this. (Also, ignore the fact that it is in the 'Skyrim' section of Nexus. It works for the Fallout titles too.) Mod Organizer iPhone Style Icons Version: 1.0 Note: This icon pack will come in handy for distinguishing the different versions of Mod Organizer for determining at-a-glance which one is currently active. FO3Edit Version: 3.0.32EXP Note: Yes, it says experimental, but don't worry. It will be okay - this is being installed only to look inside FO3 mods, not to edit them.. TES5Edit Version: 3.0.33EXP Note: Yes, it says experimental as well, but don't worry. It will be okay. Also, do not worry about the name - that will be fixed in the install below. Merge Plugins xEdit Script Version: 1.8 Note: Fallout: New Vegas has a plugin limit of 140, so merging is not only space-saving in regards to load order, but also often required in order to fall below the plugin limit.. TTW Conversion Script Note: Needed to make the FO3 mods that there are NOT patches for to work with TTW 7-Zip Note: Needed for unpacking and packing mod archives. Some people prefer WinRAR, which is fine too, but 7z is really increasing in popularity. Notepad++ Note: A far better text editor than the stock Notepad that comes with Windows, especially when it comes to .ini files. Loot Note: Have a problem with load order? Wondering if a mod is dirty? Loot will help in many cases. G.E.C.K. Note: The Garden of Eden Creation Kit for Fallout: New Vegas. Needed to create and edit mods beyond what xEdit can do. Tale Of Two Wastelands Installer Version: 2.7.3alpha Note: Needed to be able to install Tale of Two Wastelands.

Installing Mod Organizer "Best Of Both Worlds" uses three copies of Mod Organizer in order to install mods correctly, especially those that were packaged wrong or that come with FOMOD or BAIN installers. Directory Setup On a non-SSD drive, create a directory called BOBW-DL and another called BOBW-WIP Go into BOBW-DL and create three more empty directories: One named FO3, one named FNV, and one named TTW. (These will be where mods are downloaded to) Go back and enter the BOBW-WIP directory. Create two empty directories in here: FNV and FO3. (these will be where mods for the vanilla games will be "installed".) Unpacking Mod Organizer Unzip Mod Organizer into a temporary directory. Unzip Mod Organizer iPhone Style Icons and move the icon files into the Mod Organizer sub-directory of the temporary Mod Organizer directory. Enter the temporary Mod Organizer directory and create three empty directories: MO-FO3, MO-FNV, and MO-TTW. Enter the Mod Organizer sub-directory and select all files. Right-click and choose Copy. Go back one directory (where the new MO-whatever directories are located). Paste a copy of the Mod Organizer files + the icons into each of the MO-whatever directories that were created in the previous step. Installing Mod Organizer for Fallout 3 Move the MO-FO3 directory into your Fallout 3 base directory (where Fallout3.exe is located). Navigate into this directory and right-click ModOrganizer.exe and choose Create Shortcut. Rename the newly-created shortcut Fallout 3 Mod Organizer. Right-click Fallout 3 Mod Organizer and choose Properties. Click the Change Icon button and navigate into the MO-FO3 directory, choosing the Fallout 3 icon from the icon pack. Click OK. Right-click the shortcut again and choose a favored place to have it, pinning it to either the Taskbar or Start Menu and/or creating a shortcut to this shortcut on the desktop. This will enable quick access to this version of Mod Organizer. Open this version of Mod Organizer and bypass tutorials. Click the crossed screwdriver and wrench icon at the top of the Mod Organizer screen. Put a check mark in Advanced. The three fields below it will activate. Click the ellipses (...) button next to the Download Directory blank and navigate to the BOBW-DL/FO3 directory that was created earlier. Click the Select Folder button. Click the ellipses (...) button next to the Mod Directory blank and navigate to the BOBW-WIP/FO3 directory that was created earlier. Click the Select Folder button. Click OK and exit Mod Organizer Mod Organizer is now set up for Fallout 3, with the files being stored outside of the SSD drive/game folder, BUT also allowing testing of mods in the native Fallout 3 game, as well as auto-tracking mod updates and endorsements, etc., Installing Mod Organizer for Fallout: New Vegas Move the MO-FNV directory into your Fallout New Vegas base directory (where FalloutNV.exe is located). Navigate into this directory and right-click ModOrganizer.exe and choose Create Shortcut. Rename the newly-created shortcut Fallout NV Mod Organizer. Right-click Fallout NV Mod Organizer and choose Properties. Click the Change Icon button and navigate into the MO-FNV directory, choosing the Fallout NV icon from the icon pack. Click OK. Right-click the shortcut again and choose a favored place to have it, pinning it to either the Taskbar or Start Menu and/or creating a shortcut to this shortcut on the desktop. This will enable quick access to this version of Mod Organizer. Open this version of Mod Organizer and bypass tutorials. Click the crossed screwdriver and wrench icon at the top of the Mod Organizer screen. Put a check mark in Advanced. The three fields below it will activate. Click the ellipses (...) button next to the Download Directory blank and navigate to the BOBW-DL/FNV directory that was created earlier. Click the Select Folder button. Click the ellipses (...) button next to the Mod Directory blank and navigate to the BOBW-WIP/FNV directory that was created earlier. Click the Select Folder button. Click OK and exit Mod Organizer Mod Organizer is now set up for Fallout: New Vegas, with the files being stored outside of the SSD drive/game folder, BUT also allowing testing of mods in the native Fallout: New Vegas game, as well as auto-tracking mod updates and endorsements, etc., Installing Mod Organizer for Fallout: A Tale Of Two Wastelands Move the MO-TTW directory into your Fallout New Vegas base directory (where FalloutNV.exe is located). Navigate into this directory and right-click ModOrganizer.exe and choose Create Shortcut. Rename the newly-created shortcut Fallout TTW Mod Organizer. Right-click the shortcut and choose a favored place to have it, pinning it to either the Taskbar or Start Menu and/or creating a shortcut to this shortcut on the desktop. This will enable quick access to this version of Mod Organizer. The TTW Mod Organizer uses the stock Mod Organizer icon. Open this version of Mod Organizer and bypass tutorials. Click the crossed screwdriver and wrench icon at the top of the Mod Organizer screen. Put a check mark in Advanced. The three fields below it will activate. Click the ellipses (...) button next to the Download Directory blank and navigate to the BOBW-DL/TTW directory that was created earlier. Click the Select Folder button. Click OK and exit Mod Organizer Mod Organizer is now set up for Fallout: A Tale Of Two Wastelands, with the downloaded files being stored outside of the SSD drive/game folder and the installed mods being stored on the SSD/in the game directory, allowing testing of mods in the Fallout: A Tale Of Two Wastelands game. This will also be the version of Mod Organizer used to play the game, once the mod-out is completed. Auto-tracking mod updates and endorsements, etc. are problematic, at best, for TTW mods unless they are downloaded from the Nexus itself.,

Installing xedit and the Scripts Unzip Merge Plugins xEdit Script to a temporary directory. Unzip TTW Conversion Script to a temporary directory. Move the files from the TTW Conversion Script directory into the Merge Plugins directory, so that there is a single Edit Scripts directory that contains both scripts. Unzip FO3Edit to a temporary directory. Unzip TES5Edit to a temporary directory. Copy the files from the merged xEdit Script directory into both TES5Edit directory. There should be no overwrites. Go into the FO3Edit directory and select all files. Move these to the Fallout 3 base directory (where Fallout3.exe is located). Go into the FNVEdit directory and rename TES5Edit to FNVEdit.exe Select all files. Move these to the Fallout New Vegas base directory (where FalloutNV is located). If done correctly, FNVEdit, if run, will have both the Merge Plugins 1.75 and the TTW Conversion Script available as selections, but the Mod Organizers still need to be set up to call to these programs from within Mod Organizer, otherwise xedit won't see any plugins that are installed via Mod Organizer. Start up Fallout 3 Mod Organizer and click the gears icon at the top of the Mod Organizer window. Type FO3Edit in the Title blank Click the Ellipses (...) button next to binary and navigate to the Fallout 3 base directory (where Fallout3.exe is stored) and select FO3Edit.exe and then hit Open. Click Add, Close, and then exit Fallout 3 Mod Organizer for now. Start up Fallout NV Mod Organizer and click the gears icon at the top of the Mod Organizer window. Type FNVEdit in the Title blank Click the Ellipses (...) button next to binary and navigate to the Fallout New Vegas base directory (where FalloutNV.exe is stored) and select FNVEdit.exe and then hit Open. Click Add, Close, and then exit Fallout NV Mod Organizer for now. Start up Fallout TTW Mod Organizer and click the gears icon at the top of the Mod Organizer window. Type FNVEdit in the Title blank Click the Ellipses (...) button next to binary and navigate to the Fallout New Vegas base directory (where FalloutNV.exe is stored) and select FNVEdit.exe and then hit Open. Click Add, Close, and then exit Fallout TTW Mod Organizer for now. And that's it. Now when mods need cleaning, merging, or converting, it can be done.

Installing Tale Of Two Wastelands Although the instructions have been copy/pasted into here, it is advised to read and follow the specific instructions on the Tale Of Two Wastelands Installer download page before returning to this STEP guide, just in case anything has changed there that has not been reflected here. Create a temporary directory somewhere (besides the Desktop) called TTW-Install Files. Launch the installer .exe file by right-clicking on it and choosing "Run as Administrator". THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL. When the installer loads, make sure it has found the correct location of both your Fallout 3 and, Fallout New Vegas Installs. If not use the browse button to navigate to the correct game directories. In the install location field, use the browse button to navigate to your preferred TTW installation directory (the TTW-Install Files directory created in step 1 above). DO NOT INSTALL DIRECTLY TO YOUR FNV DIRECTORY. Click Install. Watch the log and the progress bars to see how things are going. The installer can take between 10 to 30 minutes depending on the speed of your computer. Primarily, it is based on your hard drive speed. For example, users with solid state drives, fast processors, and lots of ram will have about 10 minute install times. To be continued Section Skeleton Tools INI Edits Legend The Mods Changelog Credits