Post your favorite mod experience...

[PZ]

There are a few mods that I feel deserve special mention because they have changed my Fallout 3 experience from a so-so game into an eye-pleasing experience.

For basic eye candy, I have the following:

• Terrain Pack
• Rocks Add-on Pack
• Megaton Texture Pack
• Rivet City Texture Pack
• Fellout
• Green World
• Clear Skies

The only caution is that the texture packs come in several resolutions due to potential performance problems.

[PZ]

Changing my PIPBoy into a more pleasing in-game map is something that I've wanted to do ever since I was horrified by it's appearance when I first opened it up.  After my FC2 map experience, I couldn't believe that the FO3 version appeared so bad, and I almost put the game away.

I found a "Hi-Detailed" color map replacement for the in-game ugly green one. I installed it, but at first was disappointed because it looked so green in comparison to the images I'd seen online so I investigated further and discovered that all I needed to do was change my HUD to white from green and the map appeared in all it's splendor.

I've always been perplexed as to why you'd want to see those ugly scan lines (the kind you used to see when computer monitors were first developed), and was delighted to find another mod that did away with the scan lines altogether.

With the combination of the two mods, I now have an eye-pleasing PIPBoy map that suits my gaming style  ;)

[PZ]

The Underground Hideout is my favorite of the functional mods, and I was really excited to explore it's potential.  I've still yet to discover everything it is capable of, especially because the author just came out with an update for the new DLC on 11-10-09!

One of my favorite features is the ability to teleport to and from the hideout even during battle.  If you ever enjoyed playing in a "fort" when you were a kid, you'll love this mod.

[PZ]

I've installed several mods to increase the spawn rate and increase the number of NPCs in the game.   Those NPCs include both hostile and friendly varieties, and it is lots of fun now to be wandering through the wasteland that is much more alive with people (and creatures) to interact with.  Just the other day a "friendly" picked my pocket of 125 bottle caps - what a cheeky chap!  Naturally I donned the fists and taught him a lesson.  ;D

[Ricamundo]

I mentioned in the other long thread about the wasteland revisited mod. if you install it, you must check out the names of the burned books you find all over the place, and some of the gore bags in Mute areas are hilarious! also look for new and valuable chems like Vitamin c, d, military grade morphine, and others. on and caps, and ammo are drastically increased.

[Art Blade]

PZ, I've read through all the stuff you managed to post about. And knowing the source, I dare say you did an extremely good job leaving the crap and diging up good stuff.  :-X

However, I think I might use only very very few, like the underground hideout (useful) and I'm going to check on the Free Play after MQ mod that allows you to play on after the main quest (or, the vanilla game) is over. Additionally, I think I'll use one more mod that populates the world a little.

But in the end, all I really need is my own mod  ;D (because most of the stuff other mods do can be achieved with cheat codes)

[PZ]

Thanks Art - and some of the mods I posted and have not had the chance to investigate yet are probably going to be junk too, but they are there in the mean time for anyone that is willing to take the plunge.

Some of the issues I've had with FO3 are the textures, and the replacement/additional textures are what make the game play more interesting to me.  I'll keep posting and trying the interesting mods and report the results here so anyone having a cursory interest in the game might benefit from a few good mods.

What I can say in all honesty is that this is the first game that I've purchased since FC2 that has held my interest for more than a relatively short while - in fact, I'm almost as excited to get back to FO3 as I originally was with FC2!  (I just love experimenting with mods and the exploring the outcome  ;D )

[fragger]

You're doing a bang-up job trying out and reporting on the various mods for FO3, PZ :-X

I'm following these posts because as soon as I'm finished with Modern Warfare 2 (which shouldn't be too long now) I'm gonna stretch the finances a little and get this one. It sounds like a ripper of a game, once it's been modded up some.

Thanks for the wealth of info, from you and all the other members who are contributing :)

[Ricamundo]

I agree PZ, about FO3 being such a great game, really in many ways its FC2's equal, but with more depth of storyline, and mission variety. 8)

I wouldnt have said that the original pipboy or game look would have made me put this game down tho. it's just too much fun to play, even in its vanilla form. ;) The mods do add to the interest, although i decided to turn off the wasteland revisited mod temporarily, as it did add a lot of value to scrounging around(good) but seemed to mess with stimpack value(really high) and render radaways virtually useless, so i had to find a Doc to cure a mild case of rad poisoning. :-\

My pipboy screen does look more colourful now, but doesnt look as good as yours. I suspect it may be because i have my in game textures set to large because i dont have enough of a  powerhouse system.

@ Fragger, i HIGHLY recommend FO3, its really really a blast, with or without mods. 8)

[Art Blade]

I think it's just great the devs of Bethesda allowed the players to change the game to their heart's content. The GECK (modder kit) was already part of the game engine that was used for Oblivion, which is equally cool.

I like to do my own modding, and that usually only meets basic needs: Planet Killer Weapons, Nuke-Proof Armour. And perhaps some fun stuff, like changing the looks of particular NPCs. That's why my own mod is so small, two monstrous weapons, dogmeat immortal, Charon makes me laugh whenever I see and hear him, and Fawkes immortality was just in case I wanted to swap buddies. Fawkes is quite fun to walk around with, too :)

The rest... I like what Bethesda created. I don't need to change anything, I didn't even patch the game, because the few bugs addressed in the patch never really happened to me, apart from a crash or three, but well, those are rare cases and a crash might still happen even after the patch.

The only thing I didn't like much about FO3, compared to Oblivion, was the lack of choice of own homes. Either Megaton or Tenpenny's. In Oblivion, you had several cities and you could purchase a home in every one of them. I had like 8 houses I think, and they all had different aspects. That was cool :) And that's why I think I'll stick with that UHO mod.

[Art Blade]

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I just "survived" the MainQuest with that Free Play after MQ mod :)

[Art Blade]

I've just installed the MTC Wasteland Travelers mod now, and hahaha, I was quite amused to see that Prime robot was still alive and furthermore, started killing those settlers  :-X ;D ;D ;D

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On a sidenote, for some reason now Charon and dogmeat entered the UHO on their own. Right after installing that traveller mod. :) Oh, and Wadsworth left the UHO, saw him float away on the streets, probably headed back to my Megaton house.  ;D

[Ricamundo]

I've been wandering around DC with my bud Charon the indestructable. ;) To my ears Charon's voice sounds just like Krusty the Klown from The Simpson's, so its weird hearing him grunt away behind me, "grrr eerrr grrrm  there is danger here" ;D We finally completed the mish to help the ex slaves re unite Lincoln's body with his lost head, and then wandered into the Museum Of Technology and met up with a rather good looking female scientist who i swear was suicidal, as she kept running on ahead of us to take on Mutes with her "special" 10mm smg(nothing compared to yours Art) i had to re load quicksaves several times after she kept getting killed, as i was trying to get her thru the mish, but finally i got fed up, and let her die, and took her gun. >:(

The buddies i've had seem to like to run on ahead of me, while i wander around scavenging every cap, or bit of ammo, and loot i can from each room, but at least Charon is pretty much undamagable. :-X While i had the "Wasteland Revisited" mod activated i made a ton of caps. I think im up to 43,000 right now, but i didnt like the negative effects on rad healing, so i deactivated it for now.

Beware the Statesman Hotel building. it's difficult to find your way around there, but a word to the wise, before you head up to the roof level, make sure you have a fission battery with you. ;) I've been trying to navigate my way around DC, but im finding it a bit frustrating to get from here to there with seemingly every street blocked by rubble. >:(

Mods currently in use...

Megaton Lighting
Megaton expansion
Wasteland settlers
pipboy anti scan lines and better colours
Underground Hideout
.50 cal sniper
12 extra weapons
Art mod
Vault 101 sealed wing
Fellout SOTD
Starry sky
Vault 101 army convoy wreck
Combat Overhaul
Better Crosshair ( i cant get that 1 to w@&k for some reason)

[Art Blade]

I don't like those debris road blocks either. Every time I see something I'd like to check out, I find myself being blocked. Then again, after a while you find your way around. It is useful to switch on your pipboy and change from world map to local map. Then you can identify dead ends, given you had been there already. Else, it's all greyed out until you walk along those streets.

I use those few mods:

Art mod
MTC wasteland travellers
Underground Hideout
Free Play after MQ.

[Art Blade]

I have to admit, with all those mods (see my edit in the previous post) the game is a lot more fun. Thanks guys, especially PZ, who got me into all that  ;D :-X

Oh, JRD... FO3 has a lunar phase! Not allways full moon  :-X

[Art Blade]

• Fellout
• Green World
• Clear Skies

PZ, the readme of Fellout states it works well with green world yet cannot w@&k with clear skies. Are you using both at the same time?

If so, I guess one mod dominates, rendering the other one useless, at best.

[Art Blade]

The green world combined with fellout's sky and light/night... great and major changes.  :-X

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[Art Blade]

I've just recovered... from laughing so hard... the human catapult is ACE  ;D ;D ;D I've sent some monsters, mutants, raiders flying away, hilarious! Just need to remember to remove the killer shades first lol  :) :) :)

[Art Blade]

The Underground HideOut is fantastic. Now I can see all weapons (just found the last one hehe)  :-X

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[Art Blade]

I think this pic shows how different a modded FallOut3 can be, and I admit I do like it :)

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[Ricamundo]

Wow! That green world mod looks quite dramatic! Im using fellout sotd and clear skies atm. Art you said that greenworld and clear skies dont w@&k together, but that last pic looks pretty much like all three working to me. :-X BTW do you think that greenworld would slow down the frame rates a lot?  I already have some stuttering outside here and there. >:(

[PZ]

That night vision is cool - can't wait to try that one out.  Seems like there is lots of experimenting with the mods - good to see because it really is quite a bit of fun.  The added benefit is that we're testing things that will make it easier for each of us to decide which mods we want to use. 

To modify Fiach's excellent phrase a little bit:

OWG gamers - testing FO3 mods so you don't have to

[Art Blade]

do you think that greenworld would slow down the frame rates a lot?  I already have some stuttering outside here and there

Well, green world adds trees. Probably. Stutters can be caused by loads of different factors, so the best advice would be: Just do it, Rica  :) Maybe it doesn't cause stutters :) If it does, check your vid setup in the game options, reduce quality if possible (like texture size), and if nothing helps, remove the mod.


Ricamundo,
and PZ,

The readme of Fellout (Rica: Fellout's readme, not green world's) states that Fellout works great with green world.
The readme of Fellout states it can never w@&k with clear skies.



PZ, I still don't know if you are using them together.
Rica, I know you do (and PZ, if you do), I recommend you use the same savegame (ie quicksave) to test this:

1) Use all mods as you did, then check the environment. I'd prefer a save at half day/night, like dusk or dawn.

2) Disable clear sky, enable Fellout. Reload that savegame, and check again. Differences?

3) Enable clear sky, disable Fellout. Reload that savegame, and check again. Differences?

4) change the load order in FOMM. (clear sky before Fellout, or if that is the current order, change to Fellout before clear sky)

5) now repeat 1), 2) and 3)

That should show if it works together or not.

Please let me know, both of you chaps :)

[Ricamundo]

Ill have to try that Fellout/Clear sky test tomorrow. I did try Greenworld, but i had even more stuttering so i switched it off. :-\ More importantly, i installed FOSE, but after i started the game with FOSE, as u must, even with the FOMM launcher, i had a very unstable game. In the space of a few minutes, i had 2 CTD's and a freeze up that forced me to turn off the power bar and reboot everything. >:(

Once i deleted all the FOSE files from my FO3 folder, i restarted (Greenworld still off) and played several hours with no problems.(I am doing the Pitt mod atm).

[Art Blade]

Hmm... I don't think it's got to do with FOSE, I reckon it was something else. As far as I am aware, there are no issues with FOSE (haven't seen any complaints). Maybe try it again? Don't start FO3 with FOSE, but with FOMM, which indeed will launch FOSE for you, and that will launch the game.