FALLOUT 4: Installing Mods on PC (MANUALLY)

  • Comment
Nexus Mod Manager is getting updated to support Fallout 4 soon, but in the mean time I put together a quick guide to installing mods manually. I always recommend using a Mod Manager, but knowing how to install manually is still a useful skill to have.



Download links for the Mods installed in this video:
1. Easy Lockpicking
2. Value per Weight indicator for container UI

38 comments

Comments locked

A moderator has closed this comment topic for the time being
  1. deleted42202115
    deleted42202115
    • account closed
    • 68 kudos
    If you want to add lots of textures to FO4 this is the issue free way to do it right.
    Each tool is very basic to use.
    1)Use an 7zip to unpack the mod.
    2)Use an BAE.exe to unpack BA2 files.
    3) Use IrfanView 64 to view the DDS files.
    4)View, compare, and choose your textures.
    5)Drag and drop your choices into a new folder.
    These are called loose files and slow your game.
    6)Use Archive2.exe to make your new folder into a single BA2 file.
    You get Archive 2 with the Creation Kit free.
    7)Put the BA2 into your Data folder.
    8)Change your fallout4.ini to make the BA2 work.

    Modding without knowledge is painful. Take a day, get these free tools, google how to this and that, have 2 gigs of textures without mix matched bricks, flicker, crashing, or fps loss. Getting/Installing Creation Kit was a pain. The rest was supper easy.
    1. zhnkhske
      zhnkhske
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      Hello my good sir!

      what are the changes that I need to make in my fallout4.ini to make the ba2 files work?
      I've always wanted to have subleader100's UZI smg in my game, but somehow the mod doesn't work (although the game doesn't crash to desktop). I've always suspected that it had something to do with the texture_BA2 file & the main_BA2 file.
      I have also tried extracting them using a BA2 extractor, but even when I put all files in their proper places, the game crashes to desktop while I'm loading a save game from the menu.

      Thanks!
  2. Starp131
    Starp131
    • member
    • 0 kudos
    it wont even let me mod the game ;_; no mods work ;;;____;;;
    '
  3. AzraelDeGallos
    AzraelDeGallos
    • member
    • 0 kudos
    so i did as you said, had to edit the plugin file manually now my game wont even load...
    1. AzraelDeGallos
      AzraelDeGallos
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      crashes immediately
    2. AzraelDeGallos
      AzraelDeGallos
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      even reverted the plugin file back to the way it was originally and that did not fix the issue...
    3. AzraelDeGallos
      AzraelDeGallos
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      the only way the game would work was to remove all plugins and revert the plugin file in AppData. any help here would be REALLY appreciated. i dont have many mods, just a select few that i would really like to play with.
    4. ReCoNzEIRE96
      ReCoNzEIRE96
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      I've edited the plugin file and it cause no issue.Maybe recheck you have put it in correctly?
    5. UniversalDisaster
      UniversalDisaster
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      I don't suppose you ever found a fix for this? I've run into the same issue myself.
  4. TwistedBlackMan
    TwistedBlackMan
    • member
    • 0 kudos
    Hey I did everything it said to install the mod installer but every time i click fallout 4 after the finder it says im missing the program files x86 but i checked and they are there
    1. ahays07
      ahays07
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      Try re-scanning the game. It happened to me as well but re-scanning fixed the problem for me.
  5. Maniac3020
    Maniac3020
    • premium
    • 22 kudos
    I have a severe dislike for video instructions. It takes longer to watch then to read, it's a pain to rewatch if I missed something, I can't skim through for relevant information, and so on. It's just a pain. Why can't we have a nice, written set of instructions?
    1. Mehra
      Mehra
      • member
      • 2 kudos
      I was just about to comment the same. I get that videos are the new medium, but some of us don't LIKE watching videos for everything. Why not supply us with both? It doesn't seem like it would be that time consuming and it would also be a boon to those of us that prefer reading our instructions over watching someone. I came to the comments to see if anyone else felt the same or if anyone posted something a little bit more readable.
    2. RS13
      RS13
      • member
      • 12 kudos
      1) it would take more time than you think. It would certainly take longer to write clear, idiot-proof instructions (which you need lest you get spammed by outraged idiots) than it would for you to skip around in the video.
      2) Use google. Type the instructions into the box, hit enter, click on the first link. There's your written instructions. There's no need for gopher to provide additional written instructions when it's already been done.
    3. DarkGenius
      DarkGenius
      • member
      • 16 kudos
      RS13, if he (gopher) wished he could do this, it would satisfy both parties and thus give him more reviews, you don't need to google anything, and idiot-proof? just because someone doesnt pour enough interest into something does not mean they're "idiot" nor does it mean they have to right to argue for their failure, anyway. As a rule, unless you do it better, its best you do than say you can.

      There is people that prefer to read and see for themselves rather than hearing/watching someone prattle incessantly, spilling out instructions with you having to pause to let the most technical info sink in, I tend to do both in varying degrees.

      And guess what? thats the miracle of the internet for you, nowadays you can just google to find all sorts of knowledge and information, this changed our world and changed the people.
    4. MyrddinDE
      MyrddinDE
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      Exactly my thoughts. So annoying, 30 sec (self)ads and self worship then fool proof bla bla... I could have skipped to the vitals on a text. So annoying.
  6. Claymoredog
    Claymoredog
    • member
    • 0 kudos
    I appreciate everything you guys do, one question though, it seems like I have to constantly Check my plugins, for some reason. I remember in skyrim, you check the plugin box and it would stay. Any clue as to what im doing wrong?
  7. FiddleOfGold
    FiddleOfGold
    • supporter
    • 0 kudos
    SO I installed the mod, along with the cinematic reshader...had no issues until I can up on some water..it look ed great then a straight up CTD...TO remove and test if the water mod is the issue, all I need to do is delete the filed placed in the data file by the water mod, yes?
    1. ParaLyze
      ParaLyze
      • member
      • 1 kudos
      Yep, that's all you need to do
    2. RS13
      RS13
      • member
      • 12 kudos
      Be sure to delete all the files placed in the data folder. As time goes on, mods will begin adding multiple esps and files to the data folder (or virtual data folder in the case of Mod Organizer). That's why using a mod manager is so necessary.
  8. Meverah
    Meverah
    • member
    • 0 kudos
    Hi, You can open the familiar mod selection window by clicking on the powerarmors right eye (left side) in the launcher. You might have to click around a bit to find the exact spot.
    1. Etnojz
      Etnojz
      • supporter
      • 0 kudos
      It actually worked O.o
    2. dannis
      dannis
      • premium
      • 1 kudos
      Or maybe you want everyone to spend time clicking around on the launcher :/ couldn't find it
    3. Mcgan
      Mcgan
      • premium
      • 48 kudos
      Works, but it is slightly below the right eye for me.
      Nice tip, thanks :)
    4. Raimiette
      Raimiette
      • premium
      • 0 kudos
      This does work but I basically just clicked around the eye randomly until the menu popped up lol.

      Thanks though, helps a lot.
  9. acelogan
    acelogan
    • supporter
    • 4 kudos
    Thanks for another great mod video, Gopher. Always appreciated.

    I'm waiting for Mod Organizer to support Fallout 4 before installing any major changes - sticking to just the basic ini settings and tweaks for now.
  10. deathdifire
    deathdifire
    • member
    • 0 kudos
    So im trying too configure my .ini files too enable mods on my game but i cannot for the life of me find launcher in my notepad to add that extra line. Can anyone help?
    1. poopooface123
      poopooface123
      • member
      • 0 kudos
      Press Ctrl+F to look for keywords and type in launcher.

      Are you sure you're on the .ini file Fallout4Prefs not Fallout4?