So yeah, I'm really new to PC gaming...as of a week or two ago and I need help, good help, getting FO3 to work on windows 8 because I quite honestly don't know how to get it to properly run and a good, visual explanation of what I should do isn't exactly present....I'm an idiot so I need someone to hold my hand and walk me through this
Fallout 3, Windows 8, Steam, PC gaming(helllp)
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I have more experience modding Skyrim, but they basically use the same system.
Nexus Mod Manager is a buggy piece of shit program that will leave mods installed when you want them uninstalled. It's trash, and there's almost no reason to use it when there are alternatives.
That being said, the alternatives are slightly more complicated, and will probably result in nothing happening, since you're having trouble even using Nexus Mod Manager. http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/16348/?
That's the one I use.
You can also manually install mods.
For all modern Bethesda games, they use the same system. In the directory (if installed in steam, something like C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Fallout3), there is a folder called Data. 99% of the mods you install will end up in the data folder. The Data folder is home to .esp's and .esm's, the actual files that tell the game what to (like put X house at this place on the map, fill it with treasure, etc, etc). It is also home to folders like textures, meshes, sound, which contain all the resources those .esp's and .esm's use.
So if you want to manually install a mod, you need to download the file in a format you can deal with without a mod manager. Usually something like a .zip or .7zip. Extract the files, and move them to the data directory. Overwrite any files you have to overwrite.
Next you have to tell the game you want to use that mod. If you've done everything right up until this point and the .esp or .esm of the mod is in the data directory you should be good. Simply open the fallout launcher (don't actually go in game yet, just the launcher), and select data files from the menu. Check the box that should show up for your mod you're trying to install. Congratulations, that mod is now manually installed.
Mod managers offer a lot over manual installation, but it's important to understand what the manual install process is so you understand how the mod managers work. Mod Organizer in particular is nice, because the way it works prevents you from ever having to overwrite anything in the data files (which can become an issue if you want to uninstall a mod later).
EDIT: Oh, also it seems like you're trying to install a body mod or something, going by your T&A comment. In my experience, those are usually packaged in a way that makes manual installation take a few extra steps. They'll have several options in the file, such as Gargantuan tits no hair, or small tits, hairy as a bear, etc, etc. Look at how the folder the mod is contained in is structured. If it has several options, you'll need to choose one. In the end, the mod should look like your data files: ESPs and ESMs at the top of the folder, with everything else in a resource folder such as textures or meshes, before you move it over to the actual data files folder. You should only move as many ESMs/ESPs as the mod needs. For instance, sometimes the mod author will make a separate esp for every option the mod has. So you'd have that gargantuan tit esp, and the small tit esp. Obviously you can't have both big and small tits at the same time, so you need to pick one, and only move or activate that esp.
Nexus Mod Manager is a buggy piece of shit program that will leave mods installed when you want them uninstalled. It's trash, and there's almost no reason to use it when there are alternatives.
That being said, the alternatives are slightly more complicated, and will probably result in nothing happening, since you're having trouble even using Nexus Mod Manager. http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/16348/?
That's the one I use.
You can also manually install mods.
For all modern Bethesda games, they use the same system. In the directory (if installed in steam, something like C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Fallout3), there is a folder called Data. 99% of the mods you install will end up in the data folder. The Data folder is home to .esp's and .esm's, the actual files that tell the game what to (like put X house at this place on the map, fill it with treasure, etc, etc). It is also home to folders like textures, meshes, sound, which contain all the resources those .esp's and .esm's use.
So if you want to manually install a mod, you need to download the file in a format you can deal with without a mod manager. Usually something like a .zip or .7zip. Extract the files, and move them to the data directory. Overwrite any files you have to overwrite.
Next you have to tell the game you want to use that mod. If you've done everything right up until this point and the .esp or .esm of the mod is in the data directory you should be good. Simply open the fallout launcher (don't actually go in game yet, just the launcher), and select data files from the menu. Check the box that should show up for your mod you're trying to install. Congratulations, that mod is now manually installed.
Mod managers offer a lot over manual installation, but it's important to understand what the manual install process is so you understand how the mod managers work. Mod Organizer in particular is nice, because the way it works prevents you from ever having to overwrite anything in the data files (which can become an issue if you want to uninstall a mod later).
EDIT: Oh, also it seems like you're trying to install a body mod or something, going by your T&A comment. In my experience, those are usually packaged in a way that makes manual installation take a few extra steps. They'll have several options in the file, such as Gargantuan tits no hair, or small tits, hairy as a bear, etc, etc. Look at how the folder the mod is contained in is structured. If it has several options, you'll need to choose one. In the end, the mod should look like your data files: ESPs and ESMs at the top of the folder, with everything else in a resource folder such as textures or meshes, before you move it over to the actual data files folder. You should only move as many ESMs/ESPs as the mod needs. For instance, sometimes the mod author will make a separate esp for every option the mod has. So you'd have that gargantuan tit esp, and the small tit esp. Obviously you can't have both big and small tits at the same time, so you need to pick one, and only move or activate that esp.
No, Nexus Mod Manager is not a "buggy piece of shit", I've used it since I got Skyrim and I have had no trouble with its installation and uninstallation functions.
It is, however, useless for Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas. The way mods are packed and set up for FO3 and FONV is for the most part incompatible with NMM. The program didn't exist during the largest modding movements for those games, so no one built their mods with it in mind. They had something different to work with.
The mod manager you want to use for FO3 is FOMM. Unfortunately, it's a bit outdated, so the best version you'll find is on the LoversLab forums, which is an adult-content modding community.
I personally would not recommend using Mod Organizer yet. Not that it's bad, it's really not, but it has a much steeper learning curve and it is easy to mess up with it if you don't know what you're doing.
It is, however, useless for Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas. The way mods are packed and set up for FO3 and FONV is for the most part incompatible with NMM. The program didn't exist during the largest modding movements for those games, so no one built their mods with it in mind. They had something different to work with.
The mod manager you want to use for FO3 is FOMM. Unfortunately, it's a bit outdated, so the best version you'll find is on the LoversLab forums, which is an adult-content modding community.
I personally would not recommend using Mod Organizer yet. Not that it's bad, it's really not, but it has a much steeper learning curve and it is easy to mess up with it if you don't know what you're doing.
At least for skyrim, it is a buggy piece of shit, because it doesn't always remember what files belong to what file. I glad you were able to avoid it, but you just got lucky. I'd seriously recommend you not use it for your skyrim modding if you do still.
Most people's problems with mod organizer come from not understanding what it does.
Mod organizer creates a "virtual data directory". What this means is instead of it moving all your files to the data directory like you have to do if you install things manually, you just have them all separate in their own folders, anywhere you want on your computer. When you launch your game, it does magic and tricks your computer into thinking all those mods are actually in your data folder.
This has benefits: it means you never have to worry about overwriting a game file when you install a mod, making uninstalling super easy. It lets you have multiple mod profiles that would otherwise be incompatible. Say one day you're in the mood for giant tits one day, and small tits the other day in your T&A simulator that is fallout 3. With every other program, you'd have to uninstall the mod you had, and reinstall the mod you want, everytime you want to switch.
With Mod organizer you just tell it not to load the giant tit mod into the virtual data drive, and then load the small tit one in. It's basically just checking boxes.
It does have some downsides that cause some common errors though. The biggest one is that if a mod, or you ever makes a change to the .ini files, it won't work, unless you know what you're doing. This is because MO generates its own .ini files for the game. You have to edit these instead of the default ones that come with the game. A lot of people don't realize that and mess up. There's a .ini editor built into the program that you can use.
EDIT: Most of this is for ADD's benefit, and not yours, since you seem like you may know it already
Most people's problems with mod organizer come from not understanding what it does.
Mod organizer creates a "virtual data directory". What this means is instead of it moving all your files to the data directory like you have to do if you install things manually, you just have them all separate in their own folders, anywhere you want on your computer. When you launch your game, it does magic and tricks your computer into thinking all those mods are actually in your data folder.
This has benefits: it means you never have to worry about overwriting a game file when you install a mod, making uninstalling super easy. It lets you have multiple mod profiles that would otherwise be incompatible. Say one day you're in the mood for giant tits one day, and small tits the other day in your T&A simulator that is fallout 3. With every other program, you'd have to uninstall the mod you had, and reinstall the mod you want, everytime you want to switch.
With Mod organizer you just tell it not to load the giant tit mod into the virtual data drive, and then load the small tit one in. It's basically just checking boxes.
It does have some downsides that cause some common errors though. The biggest one is that if a mod, or you ever makes a change to the .ini files, it won't work, unless you know what you're doing. This is because MO generates its own .ini files for the game. You have to edit these instead of the default ones that come with the game. A lot of people don't realize that and mess up. There's a .ini editor built into the program that you can use.
EDIT: Most of this is for ADD's benefit, and not yours, since you seem like you may know it already
Well I have the mods already installed though I have to decide what Body Mod I want. For the moment I am trying to find something that works well for female bodies along the scale of the CBBE, A CBBE Skin texture and Immersive Armors for CBBE that allows me to actually use the Immersive Armors patch itself with CBBE or if I should just use UNP instead. Don't really know and can't really play till that's decided I suppose.
Edit: Also I'm looking for suggestions on Ring wearing enabling mods so I can place more than one fucking ring on
Edit: Also I'm looking for suggestions on Ring wearing enabling mods so I can place more than one fucking ring on