Fallout 4: Let's Start Modding!

Let's create a solid framework to mod from.

0: Introduction

I'm going to use this guide to describe to you how to set up a basic modding foundation manually. We will only be setting up the basic framework for you to build your mod list on. I will not be using this space to tell you what mods you should play your game with. I only want to provide the details for setting up framework and performance mods that you can build upon. Modding your game will make your game run slower, so we set up a powerhouse framework so that when you add your mods it won't slow your game as much.

This guide is going to be for people who either never modded before, or only used the mods you can get through the in-game menu from Bethesda. This guide will take you to the Nexus web site and we will be using mods collected from there. If you're already familiar with modding then this guide might not be for you.

I chose to use Nexus because almost all the mods you can find on the in-game menu are there, and a whole lot more. You can use them both if you want. You can add Nexus mods to your Bethesda mods. They all show up in the same LOAD ORDER page of your MODS menu in-game.

I wrote this guide partially for myself, in case I bork my game and have to do a full uninstall / reinstall again, I know how to get set back up. I figured a guide like this could be helpful to the community. I didn't really see a guide quite like this when I was searching for one. I found YouTube videos but I'm the kind of person who likes to be able to read at my own pace. Videos are a bit clumsy to me.

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WAIT! I'M STILL LEARNING!

If you are comfortable with moving files around in folders using File Explorer and doing some INI file edits from time to time then you should be OK with manual modding. Proceed without worries, it really isn't that hard to mod without an organizer app.

If you don't know how to navigate files in folders then right-click your windows start menu icon in the system tray (bottom-left corner by default). In the menu that pops up, select File Explorer. Now you officially have a broad view of files inside of folders.

What I want you to do for an exercise, is navigate to your Fallout 4 settings folder. In the window we just popped open, double-click the folder called Documents. Now double-click on the folder called My Games. Next double-click the folder called Fallout4. Congratulations! You found your Fallout 4 settings folder!

As another test you can find the file named Fallout4Prefs.ini. For you, the file might only be called Fallout4Prefs if you have file extensions hidden. Right-click it and select EDIT from the menu that pops up. Now you know how to edit an .ini file.

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PREPARATION

To get ready to mod, you should first make a mod list. Each time you add a mod to your load order, you also add the entry to the text file to track it. Personally, I like to keep the Nexus mod link in the file with the title of the mod. So it looks like this (I keep my current mod list on my web site):

Plain Text Version:
https://reedmann.com/aaron/games/fallout4/info/f4_modlist.txt

Web Version:
https://reedmann.com/aaron/games/fallout4/info/modlist.htm

Another thing you should always remember to do is keep the mod packages once you download them. They sometimes get removed from the site and you can't get them again. They will be useful later if we have to manually uninstall a mod.

I strongly suggest putting together a complete list of mods you want to use for this play-through first, then install the mods, then play the game without removing any mods.

This means that if you want to test mods out, then don't commit to a play-through until you've finalized your mod list. It's a bad idea to add certain mods mid-game. It's an even worse idea to remove one.

So what I suggest (since you might bork your game while testing mods out), is to skip this guide maybe until you found your final list, then run through this guide then add your list. Or, just be willing to start a new game after testing mods, and be willing to reinstall the game too if it comes to that. Seriously, removing some mods will bork your game.

The bottom line is:
1.) Make your mod list.
2.) Install the mods.
3.) Play your play-through without disabling any mods. Doing so can break your game.

1: INI Edits You Need For Mods To Work

There are 2 .ini file edits need to be made in order for modding to work. Don't worry, it's easy, you can just open .ini files up in notepad or a text editor and edit them directly. In this case you may need to add these commands because they might not already be in the file for you.

* Note that this step is not required if you use Vortex, as it handles this for you. If you use Vortex, you can safely skip ahead to the next section.

Right-click on an INI file and select EDIT to make changes to the file.
You can just COPY (CTRL + C) and PASTE (CTRL + V) these quoted settings in to your .ini files.

PC -> Documents\My Games\Fallout4\

\Fallout4Prefs.ini:

[Launcher]
bEnableFileSelection=1

\Fallout4Custom.ini:

[Archive]
bInvalidateOlderFiles=1
sResourceDataDirsFinal=

* Note that if the header [Launcher] already exists in \Fallout4Prefs.ini then don't create it again, simply add the bEnableFileSelection=1 setting underneath the [Launcher] header that is already there.

* Note that if the header [Archive] already exists in \Fallout4Custom.ini then don't create it again, simply add the the two settings underneath the [Archive] header that is already there. Also note that it is not an error that sResourceDataDirsFinal= has nothing past the = sign. It is supposed to be left blank.

* Note that if the INI files don't exist you can create them as plain TXT files then rename them to INI files. Simply right-click in the white space in the area where the file should be and select: NEW -> TEXT DOCUMENT. Rename it to Fallout4Prefs.ini and do one for Fallout4Custom.ini too if you need to.

Doing this will enable modding on your machine. If you don't do the .ini edits, no installed mods will work. Once you have made the edits and saved the files, the game will now search for, and load up loose mod files that you place within the \FALLOUT 4\DATA\ folder.

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SOURCE:
C:/ HELP / MODS / ISSUES WITH FALLOUT 4
https://steamcommunity.com/app/377160/discussions/0/1520386297698187757/

2: F4SE: Fallout 4 Script Extender

Here begins a list of mods I suggest installing manually, before beginning use of a mod manager or anything like that. These are mods you should never want to remove or disable because they end up becoming an integral part of your game and removing them would mean breaking your game. These ones are actually plug-ins, they aren't actually mods.

F4SE:
https://f4se.silverlock.org/

Fallout 4 Script Extender is a prerequisite mod for many other mods and besides that, it takes modding to a whole new level. This is more than just a 'mod'. It's actually .DLL files that are loaded even before you load the game, so that they can manipulate the game in ways that were previously impossible.

If you're worried that all this extra scripting is going to slow your game down, don't worry. The script extender and all the plug-ins that run under it run through their own memory channel. Remember that these are run before the game is even run so the scripts aren't actually tied in to the game's engine. They run separate from the game, and your multi-core CPU can probably handle a little extra text bytes. That's right CPU because these plug-ins are just code, not graphics, so they won't be using the GPU. :)

When you download F4SE, you should get a packaged file, something like this: "f4se_0_06_21.7z"
Extract the contents of the package into a folder. Inside that folder are 3 files that you need.

1.) f4se_1_10_163.dll
2.) f4se_loader.exe
3.) f4se_steam_loader.dll

All you need to do is move these files to your Fallout 4 directory
(example: C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\ ).

There is also a folder in the F4SE package called "Data". Drag and drop that Data folder into the Fallout 4 directory also to copy files from DATA folder to DATA folder.

* Don't worry, it will not overwrite your Fallout 4\Data folder, it will only add the F4SE script files into it. If any files get overwritten it will prompt you.

Once you have done this, F4SE is installed. Now you need to run it from now on. You should right-click on "f4se_loader.exe" and select from the menu that pops up: SEND TO -> DESKTOP (create shortcut). or you can right-click and select CREATE SHORTCUT and then move that to wherever you want the shortcut to be.

If you use Vortex then it will now list F4SE next to your Fallout 4 launch icons. If it does not add it automatically you can create a new icon and link to the EXE we just looked at.

* From now on, you should always launch the game from the f4se_loader.exe file and NOT the usual Fallout4.exe file.

At this time you should run your Fallout4.exe file one last time and click on SETTINGS from the launcher to make sure your settings look correct. Launch the game if you need to test them out. Once you are sure your settings are ready to go and the game still loads fine you should delete your Fallout4.exe shorcut to make sure you always launch with F4SE.

* From now on if you want to change your display settings, instead of doing it through the launcher interface, it will have to be done using your INI files located here.

C:\Users\aaron\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\

* My computer name is 'aaron'. Change yours to find the correct folder.

* Note that F4SE will never show up in the game's load order.

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SOURCE:
FALLOUT 4 Script Extender (F4SE) - Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hoapvrohsd0

3a: Plug-ins: Buffout 4

The next mod I want to install is Buffout 4. It claims to fix some game engine bugs (list can be found on the description) and it also adds a crash logger to the game. So from now on, whenever your game crashes, it will dump the memory stack into a file you can read for clues as to why it crashed.

Buffout 4 [REQ: xSE PluginPreloader, Address Library, TBB Redistributables, F4SE, C++ Redist]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/47359

Buffout 4 has 4 requirements in order to work. We already installed one of them when we installed F4SE. I will walk you through installing the rest of them in this guide.

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Let's install Buffout 4 manually first. When you click the MANUAL button on Nexus to download it, it opens the FILES page. Download and extract both of the packages found there. One is named Buffout 4 (then it gives the current version number) the other says TBB Redistributables. You need those too in order for Buffout 4 to work.

So when you download Buffout 4 from Nexus, it will be a package file that looks something like this: "Buffout 4-47359-1-24-5-1631055640.zip". If you extract the contents you will see that you were given a "F4SE" folder. Drag and drop it into your game's DATA folder, example:
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE

If you did it correctly, you should have created a directory with the following files in it
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE\Plugins\

1.) Buffout4.dll
2.) Buffout4.toml
3.) Buffout4_preload.txt

if you did this correctly then Buffout 4 is installed correctly. Now we need to do the prerequisites.

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Next let's install the Address Library prerequisite

Address Library for F4SE Plugins (Prerequisite)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/47327

So on the Nexus page, just click the MANUAL download button and grab this package file. This is another easy one, just drag and drop the F4SE folder that is in the package into your DATA folder. If you did it right you created this file on your system:
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE\Plugins\version-1-10-163-0.bin

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TBB Redistributables (Prerequisite)
https://www.nexusmods.com/Core/Libs/Common/Widgets/ModRequirementsPopUp?id=215452&game_id=1151

When you extract the package for the TBB Redistributables, you will have a file named
"tbbmalloc.dll".
Place in the root Fallout 4 directory next to Fallout4.exe. Example:
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\tbbmalloc.dll

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Finally, let's install the xSE Plugin Preloader.

xSE PluginPreloader F4 (Prerequisite)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/33946

So on the Nexus page, just click the MANUAL download button and grab this package file. When you extract the contents you will find that you are given 2 files. "IpHlpAPI.dll" and "xSE PluginPreloader.xml". Place BOTH of these files in the root Fallout 4 directory (where Fallout4.exe is, not in the DATA folder). Example:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\IpHlpAPI.dll
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\xSE PluginPreloader.xml

This mod also requires that your Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables are up-to-date.
Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables - Install both x86 and x64
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170
You just need the 2 from the "Visual Studio 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022" section (x86 and x64) - skip ARM64

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Once you've done all that, Buffout 4 and all the prerequisites have been installed. You can find the Buffout 4 crash logs here:

C:\Users\%username%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\F4SE\

+ As an added bonus, Buffout 4 enables Steam achievements even on a modded game.

* Note that none of these plugins will ever show up in the game's load order of a mod manager. They will also not be taking up a mod slot.

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As a bonus, I found this program that can scan your crash logs for you and interpret them a little. It looks for common problems and reports them to you in another text file. It's simpler to read and understand than trying to interpret the crash log yourself.

Crash Log Auto-Scanner [REQ: Buffout4, Python]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/56255

It requires Python
https://www.python.org/downloads

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SOURCE:
How To Install Buffout 4 And Resolve Most Common Crashes
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/articles/3115
Buffout-faqs
https://wiki.fireundubh.com/fallout4/buffout-faqs

3b: Plug-ins: Baka ScrapHeap

Since we installed Buffout 4 and the prerequisites are already there, I want to do this mod next:

Baka ScrapHeap - Script Memory Limit Expander
[REQ: F4SE, Address Library, Microsoft Visual C++ for Visual Studio 2019]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/46340

We already installed the prerequisites for this, so we can just take a look at this mod.

Inside the package is a folder named 'F4SE'. Drag it into your Data folder:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\

You should now be able to locate these 2 new files:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE\Plugins\BakaScrapHeap.dll
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE\Plugins\BakaScrapHeap.toml

This plugin increases the amount of memory that Fallout 4 scripts are allocated. Considering we're planning to be doing some modding, which relies heavily on scripting, then it's a pretty good bet that installing this plugin will improve the game's performance.

3c: Plug-ins: High FPS Physics Fix

Let's do one more plug-in. The prerequisite is already installed. This mod will maintain your FPS at 60 (or below) during gameplay, so that you don't experience weird behavior that happens when the FPS is too high. But it will throttle the FPS during loading screens to cut down on load times.

High FPS Physics Fix [REQ: F4SE]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/44798

Untie the game speed from the framerate. Fixes physical bugs. Reduces loading time. I've personally noticed improvements since using this mod. Several others who have tried it because I suggested it, posted back saying it improved their game as well.

When you extract the package, you will have a Data folder, simply drag it into your Fallout 4 folder:
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\

* It will not overwrite your Data folder, it will simply add 2 more plugin files to your F4SE\Plugins folder:

1.) HighFPSPhysicsFix.dll
2.) HighFPSPhysicsFix.ini

You can use the HighFPSPhysicsFix.ini file to change and alter settings for the High FPS Physics Fix mod. Open it and read it in a text editor. Or continue reading to the next section as I'm about to go over a few INI file edits right now anyways.

* I highly recommend using this mod instead of another load accelerator because this mod is newer and utilizes the power of F4SE. The mod "Load Accelerator" works by overwriting the file d3dll.dll, which is also overwritten when you install Fallout4 ENB. Since both files can't exist at the same time you end up having to choose between ENB effects or load accelerator. With High FPS Pysics Fix, you can have both at the same time.

The d3d11.dll file is part of the DirectX11 distribution and is regularly utilized by games and applications that require a lot of graphical processing. The base game only uses Directx 9 but ENB presets can add their own shaders that use Directx 10 and 11 features.

3d: Plug-ins: Fallout Priority

Lastly, I just added this one to the list recently:

Fallout Priority (REQ: F4SE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/52515

"Make Fallout 4 always take most of CPU usage. Increase FPS and Prevent suddenly lag caused by other processes."

This plug-in will quite simply set the CPU priority of Fallout 4 to high to avoid other background processes from slowing it down. This is the one thing that the Load Accelerator mod does that the FPS Physics Fix mod does not do. Well now your FPS Physic Fix mod can do it too.

When you download and extract this package, you are given 2 files. The simplest thing to do is copy the Data folder to your Fallout 4\Data folder. They are F4SE plugins so they go the same place all F4SE plugins go.

- PriorityMod.dll
- PriorityMod.toml

The 2 files should go here:

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE\Plugins

or to wherever you have Fallout 4 installed, to the F4SE Plugins directory.

3e: Plug-ins: Editing Configuration Files

Now that we have these things installed, we need to do one thing.

If you're not comfortable editing INI files then you can skip this section safely. It means letting the programs run with the default setting but that's OK. However, doing these edits can squeeze a little bit more performance out of them.

If you're ready, navigate to, and open this file up for editing (in notepad is fine):
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\F4SE\Plugins\Buffout4.toml

Buffout4.toml
Look down into the [Patches] section for the line that says:

MemoryManager = true # Replaces the global memory manager with os allocators

change that line to say this

MemoryManager = false # Replaces the global memory manager with os allocators

The reason is that although Buffout 4 enhances the memory manager of Fallout 4, Baka ScrapHeap enhances it even more. So we need to just flip Buffout 4's memory manager off as recommended in the Buffout 4 installation instructions.

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Now, since we're here in the same folder looking at script settings, let's open up the file named "BakaScrapHeap.toml". Find this line (it should be line #3)

ScrapHeapMult = 2 # ScrapHeap memory multiplier.

Change it to say this:

ScrapHeapMult = 4 # ScrapHeap memory multiplier.

I know it says experimental but it was also suggested by the Buffout 4 installation guide (linked in the SOURCE section below). This is just one more way to squeeze some performance out of the game engine.

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Let's do one more file since we're here. Open HighFPSPhysicsFix.ini

Find this line:

EnableVSync=true

Change it to this:

EnableVSync=false

If you plan to run in borderless, windowed mode, then you need to change this line:

AllowTearing=false

To this:

AllowTearing=true

If you plan to run in full-screen then you don't need this bit.

Now Change this line (no matter what):

InGameFPS=0.0

To this (because we disabled the v-sync, we manually limit in-game FPS):

InGameFPS=70.0

I've had mine set to 70 FPS in-game and it seems to do OK. several of the pros do it as well with no problems. 70 is not so far away from 60 that the physics break, and if you scroll down you can see that the INI file we're editing also lets you keep it set to 60 for lockpicking and in the pip-boy.

Now, Change this line:

LoadingScreenFPS=350.0

To this:

LoadingScreenFPS=2000.0

... and that's it finally. You made it. Now get ready to start hauling some ass in Fallout 4!

4: Test Run

At this point we should check to see that everything works, so go ahead and boot up the game.

Start a new game or whatever, you can exit vault 111 if you want then do a save game up top. This save game is UNMODDED according to the game because all we installed so far were DLL plug-ins. NOT mods.

So if you mess up your game (the save game file), with modding, you can always load back this save and start the modding process over, and not have to repeat exiting vault 111, and without having to reinstall those plug-ins we just installed. The only time you should have to reinstall all these plug-ins is if you uninstall then reinstall the game.

Once you're topside you can save and exit the game for a moment. We did our test run. Hopefully the game ran OK for you but we have to go see that it was actually working. Go to this folder:

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\My Games\Fallout4\F4SE

* Change the folder name 'USERNAME' to the name of your PC.

You should see some files in here. They are plain text files with the .log extension. You should see at least the following files in there:

BakaScrapHeap.log
Buffout4.log
f4se.log
f4se_loader.log
f4se_steam_loader.log
HighFPSPhysicsFix.log

When installed correctly, these plug-ins produce log files when they are run. If you found these files then congratulations, the scripts are all working correctly. If a file is missing then it means the plug-in wasn't installed correctly. Go over the steps again for that section and make sure the files were installed to the correct folder.

* Don't forget that you need to be running the game from the "f4se_launcher.exe" from now on in order to make F4SE run, as well as all those plug-ins that depend on it.

If the F4SE folder isn't even there in the Fallout4 folder then F4SE wasn't installed correctly and you should start over from section 2 of this guide. Repeat the installation steps to verify the files are in the correct folder then launch the game again. Load back your save game so that you are standing in the game, fully loaded. Then save and exit. Go check for those log files again.

5: Using Mod Managers

So at this point I am going to recommend using a mod manager to install the rest of your mods instead of installing them manually. There are a few exceptions, like Fallout 4 ENB. I couldn't get Vortex to put that in the correct folder so I ended up having to install it manually.

So first, let's look at Vortex. This is the one I finally decided to use.

Vortex:
https://www.nexusmods.com/about/vortex/

The only important thing to know about Vortex right away is that the MOD STAGING folder has to be on the SAME DRIVE as your game. This is a must!

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Alternatively, there is Mod Organizer 2 or MO2. I never tried to use MO2 but a lot of people do. It is used to mod other popular games as well, just like Vortex can.

Mod Organizer 2 [MO2]:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/6194

Right now these are the only 2 mod managers that I can recommend.

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USING VORTEX

I want to describe how to use Vortex a little bit, since I've been using it for a little while now and know how it works. It's really easy. The first thing you should do is visit the SETTINGS page from the left-side menu and make sure it's going to behave properly for you.

Once you have it installed and running, you can use the special button to download mods from Nexus. For many mods you will have 2 download options. Vortex or Manual. Go ahead and use the Vortex button when it pops up. Vortex will then download the mod for you right in to the program.

If you don't have the Vortex button then downloading it manually is fine. It will go to your browser's download location. We'll simply need to import the file manually into Vortex. So in Vortex, click DOWNLOADS from the menu on the left.

Now there is a small area at the bottom where you can drag and drop downloads. So go grab the package you downloaded in EXPLORER and drop it onto the drop area in Vortex to manually import the file to the program.

No matter how you did it, manually or with the Vortex button, you will need to go to the DOWNLOADS page in Vortex now to install your mod. You will see it there with an install button. Go ahead and install it. Once it's installed you will be able to see it on your MODS page.

The mod should now be installed if your Vortex settings are default. You can find it in the Mods list and it should say ENABLED next to it.

I want to encourage you to use the PROFILES page of Vortex. You should create a new profile for each different set of mods you plan to use with the game. I use one profile called STARTUP which only has about 16 mods that I use to create a new game. Once I get topside of Vault 111 I'll save and exit and enable my full profile which has all the mods enabled.

Profiles are also useful if you want to use different mods in different play-throughs or if multiple people play the game on the same PC. You could each have your own separate mods installed for your games.

Lets click DASHBOARD and take a look at that page in Vortex. If you have any tools to add they can be added here. If you use F4SE then you may need to add it. Install F4SE manually and Vortex might detect it and add it for you, if not you can click ADD TOOL then select NEW.

Point it to f4se_loader.exe. Once you have this tool on your dashboard, click the 3 little dots (it's a menu), then select MAKE PRIMARY for your F4SE tool. now when you run the game through Vortex, it will run F4SE like it's supposed to.

You can launch the game from the PLAY icon at the top of the Vortex window.

This will launch the game through F4SE if you selected that as the primary.

Disabling and removing mods is simple. You can do it from the MODS page. You should also get yourself familiar with the PLUGINS page because that page contains all your info and really lets you dig in and run things better.

From this page, you can view important messages from LOOT, mark plugins as LIGHT, observe the load order and manage rules.

Pay attention to the buttons in the orange menu across the top. You can sort the plugins automatically with LOOT (recommended) by pressing this button here.

6: Load Order

I want to take a section to talk about the Load Order, because it matters. I read a huge guide about it and then saw some people released videos, or guides that talk about the load order so I have to cover it. I adapted the load order of the link I put below in the SOURCE section. I modified his list a little bit, but kept the fact that some categories can be combined.

If you already have a solid load order plan then you can disregard this section if you want. This load order is simply my recommendation for people who don't already have a load order plan. You should adopt one, because just running mods in whatever order the game puts them at can cause problems.

Here is the list of 26 categories that I sort my mods by.

LOAD ORDER:

• PRE-LOAD SOFTWARE (manual installation)
  
• PERFORMANCE PLUG-INS (manual installation recommended)
  
• START-UP MODS - SYSTEM (mod manager installation) - load before starting new game
  
• START-UP MODS - PLAYER (mod manager installation) - load before starting new game
  
• BASICS / WORKSHOP MODS (mod manager installation) - load after exited vault 111
  
• FACTION AND AI OVERHAULS (mod manager installation) - load after exited vault 111
  
• NEW LANDMASSES, NEW SETTLEMENTS, NEW FACTIONS, WORLD EDITS
  
• VANILLA QUEST MODS
  
• WORKSHOP MENU ITEMS
  
• WORKSHOP OVERHAULS
  
• GAME-PLAY CHANGES
  
• NPC AND COMPANION CHANGES, NEW COMPANIONS
  
• RADIO AND AUDIO
  
• VISUAL & TEXTURE & ATMOSPHERE & ANIMATION
  
• LIGHTING AND WATER CHANGES
  
• VANILLA SETTLEMENT CHANGES
  
• SORTING MODS
  
• HUD AND DEF_UI
  
• CHARACTER MODEL REPLACERS, ENHANCERS
  
• PIP-BOY AND MAP MODS
  
• NEW WEAPONS, ARMOR, CLOTHING, GEAR
  
• NEW VEHICLES
  
• CRAFT YOUR OWN
  
• WEAPON AND ARMOR MODIFICATIONS
  
• SCRAPPING, PREVIS, PRECOMBINES
  
• FRAMEWORK BOTTOM

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Some people use a tool called LOOT to help them maintain and sort the load order automatically.

LOOT - Load Order Optimisation Tool
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/1918
https://loot.github.io/

* Mod Managers can handle the load order as well. Vortex has LOOT built in so you don't even need to bother downloading it if you use Vortex. Vortex users have the luxury of not really having to worry about the load order, as it's done for you automatically.

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SOURCE:
Fallout 4 Load Order Framework: A Vault Dweller's Load Order Survival Guide
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aknl_ze1hHUCiTBgz55dSzBBsfvG7iGXlRNIGWObyME/edit

7: Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch

Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch (UF4P)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/4598

I use this mod because there are many many people who have told me to use this mod and so very few who have warned against it.

This mod requires that you have all 6 of the Fallout 4 DLC installed:
1.) Automatron
2.) Contraptions Workshop
3.) Far Harbor
4.) Vault-Tec Workshop
5.) Wasteland Workshop
6.) Nuka World

The high-res texture pack doesn't matter. You don't need it. Just these 6. If you don't have all of these 6 DLC installed then skip this mod since it won't work for you. You can continue to follow the guide normally though. You can skip straight ahead to the next section now.

A comprehensive bugfixing mod for Fallout 4. The goal of the Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch (aka UFO4P) is to eventually fix every bug with Fallout 4 not officially resolved by the developers to the limits of the Creation Kit and community-developed tools, in one easy-to-install package.

There are 4 files in the package that you download from Nexus. Put them all into the Data folder:
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4\Data\

You don't have to do anything with the Docs folder, but it is worth taking note of what the readme says about uninstalling the mod:

Due to the nature of Fallout 4 mods, especially those adding scripts, it is strongly discouraged to attempt uninstalling a mod from your active game. Any mod that is more than pure mesh or texture replacements has the possibility to leave behind permanent changes to your save that you may not want. This is not something modders can correct for. It is how the game was designed by Bethesda. No support will be provided for anyone who uninstalls this mod from an active game and continues on with that save. Even if that means you reinstalled the patch afterward.

If you insist on removing it for whatever reason, simply delete the ESP and BA2, then load your game without them. You will get a missing content warning. Say yes, and continue playing.

So basically, if you decide later to uninstall and remove this mod, you need to also be willing to uninstall and reinstall your game.

* It needs to be noted that this mod ALWAYS needs to be at the VERY TOP of the LOAD ORDER. This is the first mod we have installed now that WILL show up in the load order. Always be sure when adding mods that it stays at the TOP.

8: Workshop Mods

If you hate settlement building and would rather let the A.I. handle the settlements then this one's for you. Sim settlements 2 comes highly recommended by players who don't wish to bother with the settlement building system.

Sim Settlements 2
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/47976

---

If however, you like settlement building, then you're going to want to do some work on your game again to get that workshop build-mode running right because as it stands, your workshop runs like garbage. I know, I was there.

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Settlement Menu Manager
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/24204

SMM provides an easy way to add custom menus and makes said menus automatically disappear on uninstall (without breaking your build menu!). This means as you add / remove mods which add furniture or buildable items to the game, your build menu won't break.

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Workshop Framework
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/35004

Framework to open up the settlement system to editing by the community. For Players: New controls and faster, more stable workshop scripts. For Modders: Add new resource types, override settings, and generally change the way settlements work dynamically.

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Workshop Plus [REQ: Mod Config Menu, Workshop Framework]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/35005

Transforms Workshop mode into a God simulator - giving you all of the tools you need to create amazing settlements. Flight, Undo Buttons, Layers, Cloning Tools, Free Build Mode, and more!

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Faster Workshop (Workshop Lag Fix) [REQ: Mod Config Menu, F4SE]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/35382

Faster Workshop is an F4SE plugin that optimizes workshop loading times by replacing some of the most expensive and inefficient regions of workshop loading code with far more efficient versions. Also provides a hotkey to instantly enter Workshop mode and fixes workshop icon load lag.

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Place Everywhere [REQ: F4SE]
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/9424

Place/build objects in settlements everywhere you want, change objects whatever you like. No more RED! This mod simply lets you place anything anywhere. It also lets you scrap anything. Well, almost anything. Oh and you can pick up your workbench and move it around your settlement to wherever you like.

9: Uninstalling Mods Manually

Uninstalling some mods is the root cause to a lot of problems users will experience afterward like game freezing up or crashing to the desktop. It can also cause areas of the map to look strange or character models to appear unusual. It can bork quests, cause abnormal behavior from NPC's and make previously accessible areas of the game, inaccessible.

Some mods, like texture mods, are perfectly safe to remove at any time as they overwrite images not code in the game. Knowing this, should you decide to manually remove mods, the method is simple.

Hopefully you saved the package you downloaded like I suggested because unpacking those files again is how we're going to uninstall. So get those files unpacked again and let's have a look at them. The files you find in there are the files you're going to want to hunt down in your game folder and delete.

C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 4

Many of the files you're looking for will usually be there in the 'Data' folder.

You can not remove or disable mods mid-game and then try to continue from the same save as when those mods were active. Some data from mods can remain within the save data even after the mod is removed. Trying to continue those saves after removing the mod often results in problems like CTD's, missing content and other abnormal behavior.

---

I want to make an important note about uninstalling / removing / disabling mods. Doing this should be reserved for people who are ready to start a new game. Removing mods mid-play-through will almost certainly break your current save game unless the mods are simple texture packs and the like.

When you remove mods you have to be ready to start a new game. Starting a new game is the only time you should plan to be removing mods from your load order.

The reason is that your mods get baked into the save file and when you remove them from your game you corrupt that save file.

It is safe to add mods mid-play-through but never, under any circumstances should you remove them unless you're just testing something out and plan to re-enable them then reload a previous save.

10: Reaching the Mod Limit

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The game is hard-coded with some default settings. One of these settings limits the number of mod slots to 256. The mod number range is 0-255. Files which consume a slot end in .ESP or .ESM. Mods with files that end in .ESL or .BSA do not count toward the mod limit.

.ESP and .ESM files are plugins that are loaded by the game engine, they contain for example, quests, scripts, the data for races and a lot of other stuff. There is a limit to the amount of ESP/ESM files that can be loaded by the engine. ESM are MASTER files and ESP are PLUGIN files. According to what I read you can have 253 active plugin files. This is because a couple slots are reserved, like one for the master game files and one for all the ESL files.

.ESL files are a variation of .ESP files that were created for the Creation Club. They work basically the same as .ESP and .ESM files except that they are restricted in how much they can store, and don't count towards the plugin limit. The L in ESL stands for Light. Like "light master files".

.BSA files are archives that the game loads with an ESP/ESM/ESL. They mostly contain assets like sounds, textures, meshes, etc.

Also, F4SE, Buffout4 and other similar scripting plugins do not count toward the mod limit.

---

Locate your mod list:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Fallout4\Plugins.txt

Now, it won't list them all. For example, it isn't listing the main game files here, it's just listing your "downloaded content". So basically, plugins that you've added on top of the base game engine. If you use a mod manager it will show you the game files in the load order, not just the added plugins. But anyway, here's what's missing from the plugins.txt file:

00 Fallout4.esm
01 DLCRobot.esm
02 DLCWorkshop01.esm
03 DLCCoast.esm
04 DLCWorkshop02.esm
05 DLCWorkshop03.esm
06 DLCNukaWorld.esm

This means that your mods will start loading in on slot # 7 typically, unless you don't have the DLC. Now the high-res texture pack doesn't count toward the mod limit as far as I know because those are BSA files and don't get loaded into a mod slot.

If you use a mod manager then it should list the load order, nicely numbered, within the program interface somewhere.

Now, the last mod slot, #255, is reserved for all the .ESL files. That's right, all those ESL's get loaded in to one mod slot. This means that one way to reduce the number of mods is to convert ESP and ESM files into ESL files. The maximum number of ESL files you can have is 4,096. So instead of thinking you have a 253 plugin limit, start maybe thinking of it as a 4,350 limit.

If you don't use a mod manager or LOOT then you can use some text editors in your plugins.txt file to do a search for the term ".esm" to count how many times it comes up, and a search for ".esp" and add the two counts together along with the 7 base game and DLC files listed above to get your mod file count, but some ESP files are flagged as ESL inside the file so this method isnt' 100% reliable. You're better off using Vortex which handles this beautifully.

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How to convert ESPs into ESLs using xEdit
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/35922

It's on Nexus but it isn't a mod to install, don't worry. The files you download there are PDF or DOCX or ODT. Then read the instructions. It will walk you through how to convert ESP and ESM to ESL files. I simply can't put that much documentation into this guide.

Please note that some ESP and ESM files can not be made into an ESL file because of size limitations or other restrictions.

You can also read this excellent documentation about converting files using xEdit
https://tes5edit.github.io/docs/8-managing-mod-files.html

If you use Vortex this is simple. Click on the PLUGINS menu option and pay attention to the FLAGS and ACTIONS categories. The empty leaf flag means you could flag that one as an ESL. the ACTIONS category will contain a button that lets you flag it. The button will say MARK AS LIGHT. If it says this you can press it to mark that plugin as an ESL and it will stop taking up a regular mod slot.

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If you have converted all the files that you can and are still over the mod limit then it's time to BASH. This means we're going to have to take 2 or more mod files and merge them into one file. This should be a last resort and it should only be done with mods which are relatively small, non-conflicting and purely additive.

In order to combine mods, we need F04Edit and WRYE BASH:

FO4Edit
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/2737/

Wrye Bash
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/20032/

Here's a guide that walks you through the process
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=947769634

Here's a video on the subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=285spy0lUQI

11: Conclusion

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When you decide to mod your game you should go about the modding in this manner:

1.) Make a list of mods you want to use on this play-through. Maintain that list.
2.) Get the counts, if you exceed 255, convert what you can to ESL.
3.) If you're still over, BASH / merge plugins into less files.
4.) If you're still over you'll need to choose some to cut. There is no option #3.
5.) Install the game and your mod manager if using one.
6.) Install all your mods, in chunks if it's a large list (like near to, or over 100).
7.) Do your whole modded playthrough.
8.) Try not to add or remove mods until you're done and ready to start a new game.

The reason for this is bashing mods or removing mods later on in your play-through can cause bugs and problems that get baked into your save game files and can only be undone by reverting back to old saves or starting over anyways. So you should just plan to start over when you do a massive overhaul to the mod list.

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Well you've concluded this short guide for setting up the basics. From this point on you can install your mod manager of choice and begin adding mods that way. Or if you're like me you can continue to do them manually. I said I wasn't going to shove 100 mods down your throat. I really just wanted you set up to run right.

When installing mods manually, you may often come across a folder named 'fomod'. You never, ever need to install that folder to your game. That folder is a reference folder for Mod Managers and their built-in package installers. The files in that folder instruct the mod manager on what options are available for the mod. If you use a mod manager then keep those folders.

You can delete the 'fomod' folders if you want, but the smarter thing to do is open those XML files up in a text editor and read them. They will show you what the options are if you can read between the code, it will list the filename with a description and show you how each selection is an option. Now you know how the mod managers do it.

Sometimes when installing a mod, you don't want to install every file that is included with the package. One common example is the Scrap Everything mod. It comes with several versions in the same package. I only use the 2 files from the Ultimate Edition folder, not every single file in there.

Moving forward, you should keep track of all your mods. I keep mine in a text file with the link to nexus in case I need to go read up on a mod quick to look for conflicts with a new mod I plan to add.

I put my current modlist on my web site so you could check it out. This is what you should do, keep track of all your mods in a text file list, and also, keep all the mod packages that you download. Make a new folder for them somewhere and just keep them. Trust me.

Plain Text Version:
https://reedmann.com/aaron/games/fallout4/info/f4_modlist.txt

Web Version:
https://reedmann.com/aaron/games/fallout4/info/modlist.htm

I hope you enjoyed this guide and found it useful! Happy gaming! :D

* If you are having trouble getting your game to run and need a faster response then email, ask for help in the steam general forum for Fallout 4.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/377160/discussions/

* UPDATE *

After coming back to this game a couple years later I've had some problems getting the game to run with my former mod list. I'm bringing this update to point out some problems and offer some solutions.

First, I removed the following mods from my load order permanently.

Scan Crash Logs Script (REQ: Buffout4, Python)
Unofficial Fallout 4 Patch
MCM Booster (REQ: MCM)
Buffout 4 (REQ: Address Library, F4SE, TBB Redistributables & xSE PluginPreloader)
xSE PluginPreloader F4
TBB Redistributables

^ DON'T USE THOSE MODS ^

USE THE MODS LISTED BELOW:

I was having trouble getting these mods to run so for now I removed them from my list. I'm guessing buffout is one that needs installed manually (I tried installing it through Vortex and it didn't work). I'm not installing it now because I can do without the reporting features this time.

The following mods seem to be working if you download fresh, updated copies from Nexus Mods (I am also using Vortex to manage with). I was delighted to see that F4SE is now on Nexus mods. :D


-------------------------------------------------
-> 01 PRE-INSTALL
-------------------------------------------------

F4SE: Fallout 4 Script Extender
https://f4se.silverlock.org
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/42147

High FPS Physics Fix (REQ: F4SE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/44798

Address Library for F4SE Plugins
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/47327

Baka ScrapHeap - Script Memory Limit Expander (REQ: F4SE, Address Library, Microsoft Visual C++ for Visual Studio 2019)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/46340

Fallout Priority (REQ: F4SE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/52515


-------------------------------------------------
-> 02 SYSTEM BASICS
-------------------------------------------------

Better Console - (REQ: F4SE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/26582

No Bethesda and S.P.E.C.I.A.L Intro
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/361

SKK Fast Start new game
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/29227

MCM: Mod Configuration Menu (REQ: F4SE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/21497

Game Configuration Menu (REQ: Mod Config Menu) (x3)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/33759


-------------------------------------------------
-> 03 ENHANCEMENTS / CHEATS
-------------------------------------------------

Cheat Terminal
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/13285

Easy Picket Fences Magazines
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/17090

Unlimited Fast Travel (REQ: F4SE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/26161

Canary Save File Monitor
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/44949


^ ^ ^

With the above mod list you should be able to get a new game up and running. After you've done that, then add more mods.

I appreciate everyone who supported my Fallout 4 guides over the years. If I do dive back in to playing this then I might get a more updated guide put together here.

Shadowrun out.

- August 17, 2024