Fallout 3 - Vanilla setup (2024)

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Here are some steps just to install mods and setup for Fallout 3.

1. A clean install of Fallout 3 and run Fallout 3 at least once for the Fallout.ini needs to be created. After that close.

2. Install a program called Vortex (its a mod manager from NexusMods)

Here is the Link: https://www.nexusmods.com/site/mods/1?tab=description
-Vortex will require to install this program as you just installing Vortex. Just click on the fix button during the install and it will install it.
- https://aka.ms/dotnet/6.0/windowsdesktop-runtime-win-x64.exe
Make sure you sign in on Vortex with your Nexusmods login.

3. After the install is done go to the Games tab on the left on Vortex and you will search for Fallout 3. Once it pops up you will click on manage on the Fallout 3 icon. It will setup the folders for Vortex.

4. Once that is done, Click on Dashboard tab on the left. On the very top click on Archive Invalidation. (Archive invalidation simply adds a line to the ini files that allows for texture override, and a .bsa)

5. Finally the mods. Download the one's below in order:

-1 http://fose.silverlock.org/ Download Version: v1.3 b2
(Is this Fallout Script Extender (FOSE)) This is a manual download, download and wait until the next step(5. Installing).

-2 https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/23682?tab=description
(This is Command Extender) This can be downloaded and installed via Mod Manager Download on Nexus.

-3 https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/25717?tab=description
(Unofficial Fallout 3 ESM Patcher) This is a manual download, download and wait until the next step(5. Installing).

-4 https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/19122?tab=description
(Updated Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch) This can be downloaded and installed via Mod Manager Download on Nexus.

-5 https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/24913?tab=description
(Fallout Anniversary Patcher) This is a manual download, wait until the next step
(5. Installing).

-6 https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe
(This is Microsoft Visual C++, its needed for the Fallout Anniversary Patcher) Download and just run the exe, it will install itself.

-7 https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/23561?tab=description
(This is lStewieAl's Tweaks, for Quality-of-Life improvements) This can be downloaded and installed via Mod Manager Download on Nexus.



5. Installing.....
*Follow the order below and you will be fine

*1. For FOSE(Fallout Script Extender), you will open (fose_v1_3_beta2.7z) and Copy the .dll files and fose_loader.exe to your Fallout 3 directory(where fallout 3 is installed). I will look like this is: (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 3 goty). You can find this by going on steam and right click fallout 3 from your library, click on Manage > Browse local files. Thats it for this step.

*2. For Unofficial Fallout 3 ESM Patcher, make a new folder on your desktop, name it what whatever you want and open it. Open (Unofficial Fallout 3 ESM Patcher-25717-1-4-1708771056.7z), copy everything in that folder and paste it in the new folder you made. Once done, double click on (Unofficial Fallout 3 ESM Patcher) to run it. You will need select the
Fallout 3 directory like it shows here: (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 3 goty). Once done it will say: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Balls! :), Next step

*3. For Fallout Anniversary Patcher, you will open (Fallout Anniversary Patcher-24913-1-1-1634894885.7z), Copy everything and paste this to your Fallout 3 directory. Next you will run the exe named: Patcher. It should run on its own but if it does, just click in the Cmd window and hit enter. Once its done just close the window.

*4. At this point you should have Downloaded the other mods via Mod Manager Download on Nexus. Make sure they are the latest files for those mods. They are usual on top of the list of files on the mod page.

*5. Go to Vortex and make sure everything was downloaded and deployed. There will be a notification on the bell icon on Vortex when something was downloaded and installed. Make sure your plugin's are Enabled. That's it!

6. Enjoy the game.

[Vudak]

huh, i've just done a fresh install and basically done all you've done here I think. The game esms are patched, the unoffical patch is applied, fose is done and the anniversary patcher has rolled the version back.

Everything seems done and dusted, one thing i'm currently troubleshooting though - which is incredibly minor. Is that steam screenshots with F12 are no longer working when i launch the game thru Vortex. Any ideas?

*edit* Neither is the steam overlay actually when I try to shift tab.

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by Vudak:

huh, i've just done a fresh install and basically done all you've done here I think. The game esms are patched, the unoffical patch is applied, fose is done and the anniversary patcher has rolled the version back.

Everything seems done and dusted, one thing i'm currently troubleshooting though - which is incredibly minor. Is that steam screenshots with F12 are no longer working when i launch the game thru Vortex. Any ideas?

Maybe check your settings on steam? check the overlay settings

[Vudak]

It's not a generic steam issue, was working perfectly fine in new Vegas a couple hours back. It's only when I run FO3 through Vortex. It seems to work fine if i run FO3 through steam itself.

*edit*
I'd also add, assuming people are playing with keyboard and mouse, to disable the mouse acceleration & change the FOV.

Go to the Fallout 3 ini settings in your 'my documets' folder and open it in notepad, find the 'control' section and add these lines.

fForegroundMouseAccelBase=0
fForegroundMouseAccelTop=0
fForegroundMouseBase=0
fForegroundMouseMult=0

Your FoV can be done by simply finding and replacing the default fov of 75 with something more like 90.

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by Vudak:

It's not a generic steam issue, was working perfectly fine in new Vegas a couple hours back. It's only when I run FO3 through Vortex. It seems to work fine if i run FO3 through steam itself.

Maybe something with Vortex overriding a setting?

[Vudak]

Eh, given i'm not really modding the game - I just wanted a patched / bugfixed version of the original. The game files & ESMs are all patched now - so i'll just run it by default through steam. Weird that this problem showed up though, I just did a full playthrough of NV with a similarly unmodded Vortex setup and had no issues with the overlay / screenshots etc.

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by Vudak:

Eh, given i'm not really modding the game - I just wanted a patched / bugfixed version of the original. The game files & ESMs are all patched now - so i'll just run it by default through steam. Weird that this problem showed up though, I just did a full playthrough of NV with a similarly unmodded Vortex setup and had no issues with the overlay / screenshots etc.

Depending on the mods, they can override some functions.

[Vudak]

It's literally just the 'Command Extender' and 'Updated Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch' in Vortex, as well as the FOSE & the Anniversary Patch that ran in the folder itself.

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by Vudak:

It's literally just the 'Command Extender' and 'Updated Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch' in Vortex, as well as the FOSE & the Anniversary Patch that ran in the folder itself.

Welp, if it runs it runs.

[Vudak]

Yeah, this will be useful for anyone simply just wanting a stability & bugfix basic install. Though running the game through Vortex may see folks lose the steam overlay / screenshot functionality, so just a heads up to you & others. If anyone finds a fix i'll keep an eye here :)

You might also wanna put some notes about the mouse acceleration fix in the OP.

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by Vudak:

Yeah, this will be useful for anyone simply just wanting a stability & bugfix basic install. Though running the game through Vortex may see folks lose the steam overlay / screenshot functionality, so just a heads up to you & others. If anyone finds a fix i'll keep an eye here :)

You might also wanna put some notes about the mouse acceleration fix in the OP.

I will look into, I need some time.

[Dalet64]

I did all of this today and it still didn't work. This ended up being the solution on an all AMD platform: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/17209?tab=files&file_id=82734

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by Dalet64:

I did all of this today and it still didn't work. This ended up being the solution on an all AMD platform: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/17209?tab=files&file_id=82734

Not every PC will be the same, but glad you got your game running.

[craigsters]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=244272720

is the Multi-Core Fix for Fallout 3 ini file tweak fix relevant to follow still?

[Vick, The Conqueror]

Originally posted by craigsters:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=244272720

is the Multi-Core Fix for Fallout 3 ini file tweak fix relevant to follow still?

Very dated..... Maybe for a older PC but wouldn't advise to follow that on a newer PC.

[craigsters]

Originally posted by Rocky210420:

Originally posted by craigsters:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=244272720

is the Multi-Core Fix for Fallout 3 ini file tweak fix relevant to follow still?

Very dated..... Maybe for a older PC but wouldn't advise to follow that on a newer PC.

doesn't the NVAC - New Vegas Anti Crash mod also fix the multi core issue?