Nerdy And Loving It

Here’s a list/guide on the Fallout 3 mods that I am using and how to install them.

Similar to my oblivion mod guide, my goal is mostly to make the game look better while keeping the gameplay as close to vanilla as possible (with few exceptions).

 

You MUST follow everything exactly as it is written or you will cause massive headaches for yourself.

Make sure to go to options on the launcher and set your graphics to High or Ultra, depending on what your system can handle. If your system can’t handle those, at the very least, go to advanced and enable depth of field.

Pre-Setup:

First thing’s first. We need to make it so the game can use multi threading.

Start the game once by launching the game, clicking play, and then exiting the game. This will create the ini file we will be editing below.

Open “C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\My Games\Fallout3\FALLOUT.INI” and do the following:

Change “bUseThreadedAI=0” to “bUseThreadedAI=1”.

Right below that line add, “iNumHWThreads=2” (without the quotes).

We also have to change the ini so that some mods will work correctly:

Change “bInvalidateOlderFiles=0” to “bInvalidateOlderFiles=1”

 

Next, be sure that the steam overlay is enabled. (Go to steam settings, go to “In-Game”, check “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game”, click “Ok”, go to Fallout 3 in steam and right click it, select “Properties”, check “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game”.)

 

Tools:

Fallout Script Extender (FOSE) – you need to install this to get certain mods to work. On the website, find the section labeled “Current stable version” and select the link next to “Download:” to download the latest stable version. Copy everything but the “src” folder, txt files, and html file to your fallout 3 goty folder. (“C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\fallout 3 goty”)

Next, make a backup copy of “FalloutLauncher.exe” (right click and drag then select “copy here”). Now delete the normal “FalloutLauncher.exe”. Also make a backup copy of the “fose_loader.exe” file. Now rename “fose_loader.exe” to “FalloutLauncher.exe”. This will make the game launch through the FOSE loader when you open the game in steam.

4GB Exe Patcher – This external tool will allow you to patch Fallout3.exe so that it can use more ram. Go to “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\fallout 3 goty” and first make a backup copy of your Fallout3.exe file (just in case). Run the tool and select the Fallout3.exe file to patch. Now Fallout 3 can use more ram. (The FOSE loader will be starting this executable)

After following the instructions above you should have the following files:

Fallout3 – Copy.exe (backed up original version)
Fallout3.exe (patched with 4gb patcher)
FalloutLauncher – Copy.exe (backed up original version)
FalloutLauncher.exe (renamed fose_loader.exe)
fose_loader.exe (original exe)

Now you don’t have to touch this crap anymore.

 

LOOT – Automatic mod sorter. This needs to be installed so that NMM’s mod sorting feature will work.

Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) – This is the official nexus mod site’s tool for installing mods. It will allow you to click a single button on the site to download mods and add them to the program. When it first starts up, it will scan your hard drive for supported games. Click the green check mark on each of the games that it finds and click Ok. (If you get tired of waiting for it to search for games you know you don’t have, just click the red X on each of those games) When it asks to revise folder settings, just accept where it defaults to by clicking Ok. You’ll be asked if you want categories; I chose Yes. When you try to install your first mod from the site, NMM will ask you for your login credentials. (If you haven’t already, sign up for an account on nexusmods.com)

 

HOW TO USE NMM

Unless otherwise noted, go to the files tab on the webpage for the mod in question, click the “DOWNLOAD WITH MANAGER” button for the file you want to download. I will specify which file you should be getting if there are more than one (or multiple versions). Once you click the button, you will probably get a windows popup asking you to allow the mod manager to accept the link; Click yes. Now the mod will start downloading. You can see the progress down in the bottom left.

Go to the “Mods” tab in NMM and find the mod you downloaded. (Note: you can hide unused categories to lower the amount of clutter by going to the icon on the left with four lines, clicking the drop down button on the right edge of the icon, and selecting “Categories: Toggle Hidden Categories”. Alternatively, you can click the last icon on the left to disable categories, then sort by download date. I do the latter.) Once you’ve found your mod, double click on it to install it.

Now go to the “Plugins” tab and make sure that all of the items on it are checked.

Another thing you’ll want to do after you’ve installed a bunch of (or all) mods is to have NMM auto sort them in the optimal order. To do this find the wrench and screw driver icon and click the down arrow on the right of the icon. Select “Automatic Plugin Sorting” and wait for it to finish sorting your plugins for you. This will help to avoid conflicts between mods.

 

Mods:

UPDATED Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch – Fixes bugs in the game. Be sure to download the file called “Updated_Unofficial_Fallout3_Patch” (Described as the “NEWB FRIENDLY version“) Run the installer. Be sure to select “Full ALL DLC installation” from the drop down on the “Select Components” screen.

NMCs_Texture_Pack_for_FO3 – Adds better looking textures for roads, landscape, trees, rocks, vehicles, buildings, and a whole host of other things. Drastically improves the look of the game. Be sure to get the “NMCs Texture Pack LARGE Pack SINGLE FILE FOR NMM” file. If your system isn’t great, consider using the performance file instead. Be aware that this is the largest mod we will install and it will take A VERY LONG TIME to download so be patient.

Fallout 3 Redesigned – Improves the look of most of the NPCs in the game. Be sure to download the “FO3 Redesigned HD version” file. This mod will crash your game unless you DISABLE the “Mart’s Mutant Mod – Project Beauty.esp” plugin under the plugins tab. Don’t ask me why the developer didn’t make the esp an additional download.

Fallout 3 Re-Animated – Changes the animations so that it looks better when you are holding weapons. Be sure to get not only the “Release v0_22” file but also the “Idle Revisions2 – Fixed” file. When you activate the “Idle Revisions2 – Fixed” file in NMM, select “Yes to all” when the confirm overwrite dialog pops up. This will overwrite the old stuff with the updated changes.

EVE – Energy Visuals Enhanced – Makes the energy weapons and kills from said weapons look much cooler.

Fallout Stutter Remover – Makes the game more stable. Be sure to get download the latest version. (“FSR_4-1-36” at the time writing this guide)

Enhanced Blood Textures – Higher resolution blood. Select “No to all” when a popup tells you there is a conflict with EVE. The two instances look better in EVE.

Hi-Res Weapons – Nicer looking weapons. Be sure to get the latest version. (“HiRes Weapons v3_1” as of the writing of this guide) Select “No to all” when a popup tells you there is a conflict with EVE.

CASM – Replaces the buggy save system in Fallout 3 with a better one. Use F4 to quick save and F8 to quick load. Load the game and disable the auto save functions built into the game by going to Settings, Gameplay, “Save On Rest” OFF, “Save On Wait” OFF, “Save On Travel” OFF.

MTUI – UI mod that makes the game more playable at 720p.

Fallout 3 – Enhanced Camera – Allows you to look down at your body in first person. Also keeps first person camera when sitting down and doing other things…like dying. If you want to get a better look at your character, holster your weapon by holding R. (Weapon stance hunches over, making it hard to see your body)

Enhanced Night Sky – Adds a nicer looking night sky.

krzymar HI-RES Moon – Adds a nicer looking moon. Be sre to download the Bright version. (“krzymar_HI-RES_Moon-0_2_0-bright” as of the writing of this guide)

Megaton Lighting Overhaul – Turns all Megaton lights into real light sources rather than just decoration.

Ambient Wasteland 2 – Adds ambient noises to the game for a more immersive experience. Be sure to download the “Ambient Wasteland 2 WAV edition” file and the “Ambient Wasteland 2 Wav Patch” file. When installing the patch, select “Yes to all” to overwrite the old files.

DYNAVISION – Dynamic Depth of Field – Makes the player’s vision work like in real life. When looking at things that are close up, the background blurs and vice versa.

Now we want to change the settings. Launch the game, open your pip-boy, select apparel, and select “<DYNAVISION Lens Package>”. Select “DynaVision SPEED Options”, “Fast”, “Back”. Select “DynaVision BLUR STRENGTH Options”, “DynaBlur: Low”, “Back”. Select “DynaVision SOFT FOCUS Options”, “DynaFOCUS: LOW”, “Back”. Select “Done” and exit your pip-boy.

SmoothLight – Pip-Boy Light Enhancer – Makes your pip-boy light work more like a normal flashlight instead of being terrible. (If you don’t remember how to turn it on, you can do so by holding Tab.)

Vandr HD Creatures – Adds high res textures to the monsters and mutants in the game.

HD Smoky Fire and Explosions for FO3 – Adds high res textures for fire and explosions.

Better clutter and furniture pack – Adds high res textures to clutter (i.e. bottles and other random stuff) and furniture. Be sure to download both the “New Clutter Pack” file and the “New Furniture pack” file.

Better HiRes Skill Books – Adds high res textures to skill books. Be sure to download “HiResSkillBooks” and “WastelandSurvivalGuideRedone“.

Improved LOD Noise Texture – Improves the look of textures that are far a way for very little cost to performance.

FPS Grenade Hotkey – Allows you to hold ‘G’ to equip a grenade and charge it up and throw on release (no need to go into pip-boy anymore to equip grenades). Also add the ability to switch between grenade types by pressing ‘H’.

Better PreWar and Burned Books – Adds high res textures for books (but not skill books). Be sure to download the “HiResBooks” file and none of the rest.

Fallout Street Lights – Makes street lights actually provide light rather than being a decoration.

Color Hi-Detailed map and icons – Adds high res textures to the map. You may want to change your pip-boy color to white in the options menu to see the map better.

Faster PipBoy Light – Makes pip-boy light turn on and off faster.

PipBoy 3000 HD Retexture – Adds high res texture for pip-boy.

UHQ Terrain Overhaul – Adds even more high res textures for terrain. When the conflict dialog pops up, select “Yes to all” to overwrite some of the stuff from the NMC Texture pack. (It won’t overwrite all). Both of these mods combined improve the graphics dramatically. Download the “HQ Terrain Overhaul v2″ file.

Improved Glass Bullet Impact – Adds better looking effects when you shoot glass.

Swampfolk Backwater Retexture – Adds high res textures for the swamp people.

Mothership Zeta DLC Retextured – Adds high res textures for the Mothership Zeta DLC.

Auto Aim Explained and Properly Applied – Despite its terrible name, this mod extends the range at which you can target enemies. Extremely helpful if you use sniper rifles a lot.

Retex_Gorycorpseparts – Adds high res textures to dead bodies.

Chems and Meds Re-Texture Pack – Adds high res textures to chemicals and medications.

Hi-Res Vault Door Panels – Because why not? Be sure to download the “Hi-Res VaultDoorPanels -repack-” file and not the other one.

Its a Dogs World – Dog Texture Overhaul – Adds high res dog textures. Be sure to download the optimized file: “DogsWorldTextureOverhaulFO3_Optimized_V1_0“.

Ghouls Hires retexture – Adds high res textures to human ghouls.

Dust Mote and Fluid Drip Effects HD – Adds high res textures for the dust devils and fluid effects.

HD Mist – Better looking floating mist. Be sure to get the “HD Mist 2k” file since it won’t affect frame rate too much.

Bear Trap Retextured – High res bear traps.

Schematics – High rest textures for schematics.

Tiny Marie Retexture for The Pitt – High res texture for baby npc. Be sure to get the “Tiny Marie Retexture for The Pitt – Large” file.

BobbleHeads_HiRes_Retexture – Adds high res textures to bobbleheads. Choose whichever skin color you want.

Weathered Bobblehead Case – Changes the bobblehead case to be more weathered so that it matches with the rest of the wastes.

Almost Perfect Anytime Bobbleheads – There’s a way you can screw yourself over in the game. When you get to level 30, you can choose a perk called “Almost Perfect”. It raises all of your stats to 9. Getting a bobblehead for that stat AFTER getting the perk will raise it to 10. If you get the bobblehead BEFORE getting the perk, the stat is only raised to 9. This mod fixes that, so that you can get the bobbleheads whenever you find them and not have to worry about screwing yourself (or remembering the locations and returning to them once you are max level). Be sure to get the “Almost Perfect Anytime Bobbleheads” file and none of the others.

NPC-Confessor Cromwell has a Break EV _ DV – There’s a guy who stands in front of the bomb in the first town preaching…all day…everyday. This gives him a schedule so that he sleeps, eats, and hangs around town as well so that he’s less annoying. Be sure to get the “Confessor Cromwell has a Break_EV” file and not the other one.

Refurbish DLC – This will make it so that the DLC is unveiled to you at a more natural pace rather than dumping it all on you at the beginning of the game. You will talk to NPCs in the game that will give you the quest for each DLC in a way that makes more sense. Be sure to get the “All Refurbishes Merged” file and not any of the others. (NOTE: I didn’t naturally find the Operation Anchorage DLC during my playthrough. Head north east from the nuka cola factory to find the outcast base if you don’t end up finding the dlc naturally.)

5X Faster Waiting – This mod will making waiting faster. This is important because you have to wait three days to refresh the money on a merchant and waiting 66 seconds every time gets old fast.

AFTER YOU ARE DONE WITH EVERYTHING BE SURE TO DO “AUTOMATIC PLUGIN SORTING” IN NMM AS DESCRIBED AT THE TOP.

Note 2: If you want to change game settings like pip-boy color or keybinds, you need to launch the Fallout3.exe by itself rather than using the renamed FOSE launcher; otherwise your settings won’t be saved. Just go the fallout goty folder and launch the Fallout3.exe, change your settings, and exit.

BONUS

For Starting stats I did some research and decided to go with the following based on recommendations:
Strength       5
Perception   6
Endurance   6
Charisma    1
Intelligence 9
Luck           6

These stats set you up in the best way possible for perks and to enjoy the game the most.

Suggested starting perks on the G.O.A.T. test are:
Lockpick
Sneak
Speech

Extra Tips:
Hold R to holster your weapon.Hold the Pip-Boy key (default Tab) to turn on or off your flashlight)
Press R while hovering over an item to repair it (if you have compatible items).
You can assign items like weapons, armor, and medicine to hotkeys 1-8 by holding down the hotkey and clicking on the item you want in the slot.

NOTE: If you want to change any setting in the game and have them stay saved, you need to rename the launcher file back to normal and rename the fose file (which is renamed as the launcher) back to fose. Make your settings change, then rename fose back to launcher and launcher back to launcher – copy.