TT_TT_TT_TT: Cheers for pointing out "Tale of Two Wastelands" seems like i have to restart my play-through ;) as it sounds amazing!
It is!
Just make sure you install according to instructions AND use mods that are EXPLICITLY created for it. I STRONGLY recommend you to use Fallout Mod Manager (FOMM) instead of Nexus Mod Manager (NMM). The former is A LOT more advanced.
Carefull with mods that MIGHT change content that TTW adds or changes. Especially any changes to existing weapons, items - so called "replacers".
You can add any mod that adds or expands locations. Monster Mod, A world of pain, New Vegas Expanded Camera (allows to look down your legs), Bullet Time, FOOK (you need TTW version here).
The content for TTW is hosted on TTW site, where major mods are available of Nexusmods (including some with TTW, just search for "TTW").
If you have a problem, always use New Vegas AntiCrash (NVAC) to try to get around it and report the actual issue.
Actually, I INSIST you to install NVAC even if you don't have any problems. It does NOT affect performance, but should you become a problematic state in game - NVAC will try to fix it, where without the game will crash. If NVAC fails to fix it, Vegas will crash - but NVAC will report the actual cause instead of default gibberish.
Usually the issues are from mod conflicts:
- one mod removes item, another tries to change it
- one mod writes to item, another one overwrites it
- one mod changes script name, another mod tries to call this script by name
Most of issues can be solved with "FNVEdit" tool.
It allows to automatically create a "merged patch". How to do is documented on youtube.
This tool is to be used once your list of mods is finalized.
Merged patch, is basically:
- Mod A changes item X stats
- Mod B changes item X name
without merged patch, mod that is loaded LATEST is effective.
with merged patch, patch will have BOTH changes to item X because it is "conflicting".
of course such a patch needs to
- created every time you add or remove any mod
- specific to your mod set
- loaded at the very end
but
- its created automatically.
- process is fast.
Finally, never install more than 255 mods ! Below I specified symptoms of Mod Limit.
Fallout New Vegas+DLC brings own content, which narrows the limit down to 140 mods!
Fallout 3+DLC has a limit of 200 mods!
Means -- if you play TTW (FNV engine with FNV+DLC and F3+DLC content), your mod limit is about 80 mods!
There is a tool to automatically merge smaller mods into one, however it has a bug with ammo - so if a mod:
- has or changes scripts
- adds or changes AMMO on weapons
do not add this mod to your merged mod.
The tool is called "FNVplugin" and written in Java. It works VERY well except the cases above.
Symptoms of mod limit:
When engine meets mod limit, it can't address content that is outside of 255 range (0xFF in hexadecimal).
Any mod (ESP or ESM) increases this value. The engine will NOT quit if there is a mod limit, but you will experience following:
- exclamation marks on many objects, even those present in vanilla (ie not modified) game objects
- scripts will fail to execute
- NPCs will not talk or move
- game might freeze or crash
- missing textures
- if you enter some location and then go back - exclamation marks will vanish, but other objects will receive them
- savegame might get corrupted, that is it takes forever to load it. Even, if you use menu to save, or console command /save savenamehere; which you should always do even in vanilla (not modified) games because quicksave is always buggy --- save will still be corrupted.
To fix this, you need to lower amount of mods and then make a "clean save".
Lower amount of mods:
- go to closed location (room) that was present in original fallout, without characters
- remove all items from you
- save
- remove (unchecking suffice) the mods from your list
- remake the merged patch (FNVedit) in necessary
- load the game, confirm mods absent from lists
- wait in that location for 4 days, uncheck "Hardcore mode" if necessary to not starve.
- save
- load and it should work.
Have phun!