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Fallout 3 Mod Clinic part 1 : Remastered, Blackened and Merged
My first Fallout 3 mod clinic. Here I focus on mods that fix problems and tidy up the load order a little.
Download Links:
Paradox Ignition presents The Mergers
Fellout
EVE - Energy Visuals Enhanced
Fallout Remastered
Blackened
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A moderator has closed this comment topic for the time beingSo in other words, load all your mods (FWE, MMM, P.I. EVE, RH_Ironsites), make your merged patch, then install Remastered CPs, and then (finally) insert merged patch 1 above Remastered CPs?
Yes.
Also, I have FWE, MMM, EVE installed. I get random crashes at times. Is it due to the engine in the game now able to keep up? Shall I show you my load order?
So (and I'm new relatively to Fallout 3 mod installation) why use NMM instead of FOMM? I have always heard (on the Skyrim nexus forums, where I come from) that the NMM didn't work well for Fallout 3, and that FOMM was pretty much the way to go. Also, in regards to the merged patch & Remastered: could you just put Remastered in the last spot of the load order, and the merged patch second to last?
Preface:
As Gophers has said in the video, different users always have very different levels of knowledge. Both in moddding the game and the general use of their computer. I'll try to keep my answer at the entry or intermediate level. If you did not understand something ask, if possible in a specific way. If you already have more knowledge and spotted a mistake, say so.
That said, what did Gopher do?
Gopher
- downloads a mod which has fixes or patches manually
- extracts the mod into a temporary directory
- adds the fixes & patches !!! IN THE CORRECT ORDER !!! (This step may include deleting files. Exampe: The PI Mergers series. Always read both the mod description and readme.)
- removes files that are unnecessary for his gameplay - Say CP patches for mods he does not use or additional Readme files.
- repacks the mod into an archive (.zip, .rar , .7z - does not really matter)
- adds the patched and repacked mod to NMM
- may rename the mod in NMM to give it a better, more distinctive name.
Also, in case of NMM incompatible mods, Gopher
- downloads the mod which is incompatible with NMM manually
- extracts them into a temporary directory
- changes the file structure so that the mod is compatible to NMM
- repacks the mod into an archive
- adds the repacked mod to NMM
- may rename the mod in NMM to give it a better, more distinctive name.
Obviously there are some mods that simply can't be made NMM compatible.
Programs like FO3Edit are the obvious example.
(Did he cover an incompatible mod in this mod clinic? Can't remember.
\me does very much the same, but I also rename repacked mod before I add it to NMM. I also try to rename files which often use the same names like Readme.txt to something more mod specific like Undiscovered Capital - Readme.txt.
The file handling capabilities of NMM ...leave a lot to be desired. I like the ability to find mods on my archive disk without a lot of make work, so my filename usually also contains information about what I did and when I did it. Say FWE 6.03 - full install with official fixes - September 2012 or NMC light textures including reduced bumpmaps - May 2010.
NMM usually picks up the filename as mod name when you add a mod manually, so I don't have to rename the mod in NMM.
That said: You do not have to do so.
You can download compatible mods and patches with NMM and install them with NMM without repackaging.
BUT in that case you have to obey installation order an you also have to remember which .esp must NOT be activated in the load order. Chances are that uninstalling and reinstalling even one of the them will break stuff, unless you go through the whole process again.
Repackaging mods simply makes live easier, especially if you return to the game or change mods after weeks or months.
Way I did it was to install the main mod package without Alt. Travel (only added Followers Enhanced (BS) with the required components). Then, the 6.03 Hotfix adds Alt. Travel .esp anyway, along with the Restore Tracers .esp's.
Hope that helps,
Geek
Was there talk one time about a new Nexus feature so that people could easily share their load orders with anyone interested in it? Something like that would be really handy in this case, Gopher, if you wanted to divulge the secrets of your LO to the masses.