Overview
This Guide shows you the basics of modding Fallout: New Vegas and the different approaches of installing Mods
Introduction
This small section tells you everything you need to know about the different aproaches to modding, their pros and cons and some usefull informations
I will not post any Links in this guide to programs or mods since i think you found this guide somehow so you must be able to at least use a search engine of your choice.
The different ways of Modding Fallout: New Vegas:
1. Manual Modding
+ Fast (You just drop the files inside the gamefolder, activate the plugin files in the launcher and you’re done
– Uninstalling a particular mod can be a pain in the arse
– Requires additional Tools to sort the loadorder to avoid crashes
2. Using Nexus Mod Manager or FOMM
+ Easy to manage different Mods, Installing and and Uninstalling them as well as Updating them
– Still requires additional tools to sort the loadorder
3. Using Mod Organizer
+ Basically the same as NMM or FOMM with integrated loadorder sorting and profiles for different Mod-Setups and Savegames
– Sounds Powerfull, but you need a little bit of knowledge to get everything to work propperly… and aside from Skyrim there aren’t many tutorials on using Mod Organizer.
Preparing the Ingredients
After choosing the right way for you to mod the game, we need to prepare everything.
Obviously you’ll need Fallout: New Vegas for all the ways. I’m just mentionig it here in case a smartass comes along and whines about not including it.
Seriously? You’re nuts but i’m going to tell you how to do it anyway. You’ll need:
– a program to open filearchives like WinRar, 7Zip or something along those lines
– LOOT – the LoadOrderOptimizationTool
– FNVEdit
Be Aware: You will not be able to use .fomod files without a mod manager. This limits your modding options, since some mod-authors.
This is the most commonly know way to mod your Fallout experience. You’ll need:
– The Nexus Mod Manager or Fallout Mod Manager (Choose only one, i recommend NMM, since FOMM is discontinued as far as i know)
– LOOT – the LoadOrderOptimizationTool
– FNVEdit
Welcome to the premierleague of modding. Let me be the first to congratulate you by kicking you in the balls… HARD! Here’s what you need:
– Mod Organizer
– FNVEdit
This concludes this Chapter. Please continue according to your Choice.
Manual Modding
Here’s what you do, Step-by-Step:
You might want to install NVSE before continuing, since some mods require it.
Now we are going to clean up our gamefiles using FNVEdit (Mods like Tale of two Wastelands need the “dirty edits” in the game files. Skip this step if you intend on using these mods).
To do so, simply start up FNVEdit, select ONE .esm File in the List and press OK. The programm will do a little bit of work and you should get a list in the left side of the window. Click right on the file you selected before and select “Apply Filter for Cleaning”. After FNVEdit applied the filter, rightclick again on the file and select “Undelete and Disable References” and “Remove “Identical to Master” Records”. Each step might take a while. Close FNVEdit. A Window should appear with the .esm you modified. Press Ok and restart FNVEdit. If any other .esm appear in this window, DO NOT CLICK OK. You’ve done something wrong.
Repeat this process with all your .esm Files.
There are different sources for mods all over the internet, i assume you already knew that. The Nexus is a good place to start. Download the Mods you want. Keep in mind that .fomod files are not beeing covered in this section of the guide.
Simply unpack the archives into your Data-Folder (unless otherwise specified by the mod author).
The Folder should be found at: /Steam/SteamApps/common/Fallout New Vegas/
If something wants to overwrite a file from another mod, choose which mods file you want to use.
Some files require you to modifie the .ini files. Those can be found in /Documents/My Games/FalloutNV/
Before you launch the game, run LOOT. This should prevent crashes on Startup
After LOOT is done sorting your Loadorder, you can start the game normally by using the Launcher or by using the nvse_loader.exe, if you installed any mods requiring NVSE
This is where things get tricky. You need to remember which files you’ve overwritten, replace them with the files from the mod they have overwritten and delete the files from the mod you want to uninstall.
Using Nexus Mod Manager or FOMM
Welcome to the easy way of modding:
You might want to install NVSE before continuing, since some mods require it.
Now we are going to clean up our gamefiles using FNVEdit (Mods like Tale of two Wastelands need the “dirty edits” in the game files. Skip this step if you intend on using these mods).
To do so, simply start up FNVEdit, select ONE .esm File in the List and press OK. The programm will do a little bit of work and you should get a list in the left side of the window. Click right on the file you selected before and select “Apply Filter for Cleaning”. After FNVEdit applied the filter, rightclick again on the file and select “Undelete and Disable References” and “Remove “Identical to Master” Records”. Each step might take a while. Close FNVEdit. A Window should appear with the .esm you modified. Press Ok and restart FNVEdit. If any other .esm appear in this window, DO NOT CLICK OK. You’ve done something wrong.
Repeat this process with all your .esm Files.
By using the “Download with Manager” Button on the Nexus Sites, Nexus Mod Manager downloads your mods automatically and sorts them into the same system used by the Site. This makes it easy to find a specific mod later on. You can also add mods that are not from the Nexus by clicking the Blue Puzzle Icon with the green plus on the left side of the window of the “Mods” tab in the Nexus Mod Manager.
You can install a mod by simply selecting the Mod in the “Mod” Tab of the manager and clicking the Blue Puzzle Icon with the green arrow on the left side of the window.
Fomod files can be installed the same way as normal mods, they might add a selection menu so you might choose different options
Some files require you to modifie the .ini files. Those can be found in /Documents/My Games/FalloutNV/
Before you launch the game, close the Mod Manager and run LOOT. This should prevent crashes on Startup
After LOOT is done sorting your Loadorder,restart the Mod Manager and select the desired option to start the Game in the top left corner. Use “Launch NVSE” if any of your mods require NVSE.
Simply Select the Mod in the “Mods” Tab and click on the Blue Puzzle Icon with the red arrow on the left side. This uninstalls the Mod.
Mods uninstalled this way can be reinstalled later by simply following the install instructions.
To permanently delete a Mod, click the red X on the left side on the screen while the mod is selected.
Using Mod Organizer
Here you go. It might look easy but it can be a pain in the arse from time to time.
I’m not going into the creation of Profiles and such, since there are guides to that out there anyway and it doesn’t matter from which games these guides come from since it’s a Mod Organizer Thing and not depending on the game…
ALWAY RUN MOD ORGANIZER AS ADMINISTRATOR! You have been warned.
You might want to install NVSE before continuing, since some mods require it.
Now we are going to clean up our gamefiles using FNVEdit (Mods like Tale of two Wastelands need the “dirty edits” in the game files. Skip this step if you intend on using these mods).
To do so, simply start up FNVEdit, select ONE .esm File in the List and press OK. The programm will do a little bit of work and you should get a list in the left side of the window. Click right on the file you selected before and select “Apply Filter for Cleaning”. After FNVEdit applied the filter, rightclick again on the file and select “Undelete and Disable References” and “Remove “Identical to Master” Records”. Each step might take a while. Close FNVEdit. A Window should appear with the .esm you modified. Press Ok and restart FNVEdit. If any other .esm appear in this window, DO NOT CLICK OK. You’ve done something wrong.
Repeat this process with all your .esm Files.
By using the “Download with Manager” Button on the Nexus Sites, Mod Organizer downloads your mods automatically. You can also add mods that are not from the Nexus by right-clicking on the left side of the window (the Part where your mods are) and choosing “All Mods”-> “Install Mod…” or clicking the Icon with the CDon the top of the window.
You can install a mod by simply selecting the Mod in the “Download” Tab on the right side of the window and installing it. Then you need to enable it by simply clicking the checkbox in the list on the left. That’s it
Fomod files can be installed the same way as normal mods, they might add a selection menu so you might choose different options
Some files require you to modifie the .ini files. Mod Organizer manages those on a per-Profile Base. Simply click on the Puzzle Icon in the top and use the .ini editor.
Before you launch the game, you need to hit the “Sort” button. It can be found in the “Plugins” Tab on the right side of the window. You can then choose, which version you want to run by using the drop-down menu on the right side of the window left to the “Run” Button. Then you hit the “Run” Button and play the game
Simply Select the Mod in the list on the left and uncheck them. Mods uninstalled this way can be reinstalled later by simply checking them again.
To permanently delete a Mod, right click on the mod in the list on the left and choose “Remove Mod”
Recommendations
Here are a few mods i personally use to increase the games performance or find helpfull
– NVSE (As mentioned before in every guide)
– 4gig Patch (Run the game using this .exe)
– Fallout AutoSaver (In case you don’t know the golden rule of modded gaming: “Save early, save often”)
Also you might want to watch Gopher’s guides on New Vegas Modding. They’re pretty cool and he’s giving you a more in-depth-look into modding.